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The Nature of Things

44min

Documentary

The Nature of Things is a Canadian television series of documentary programs. It debuted on CBC Television on November 6, 1960. Many of the programs document nature and the effect that humans have on it. The program was one of the first to explore environmental issues, such as clear-cut logging. The series is named after an epic poem by Roman philosopher Lucretius: "Dē Rērum Nātūrā" — On the Nature of Things.

Episodes

Cast

Season 1

Why Is It So?

1. Why Is It So?

6th Nov 1960

The Roar of the Crowd

2. The Roar of the Crowd

13th Nov 1960

Study of brain cells, how research has helped the understanding of learning and memory. Filmed at the Montreal Neurological Institute, with Dr. Wilder Penfield and Dr. Herbert Jasper

The Future of Science

3. The Future of Science

20th Nov 1960

Professor Donald Ivey probes the attitudes and working habits of scientists

Schizophrenia

4. Schizophrenia

27th Nov 1960

Engineering

5. Engineering

4th Dec 1960

Man as an Environment

6. Man as an Environment

11th Dec 1960

Science Fiction

7. Science Fiction

18th Dec 1960

A special Christmas edition

8. A special Christmas edition

25th Dec 1960

The Aurora-Borealis

9. The Aurora-Borealis

1st Jan 1961

Man as an Environment – Human Body

10. Man as an Environment – Human Body

8th Jan 1961

Kept Alive

11. Kept Alive

15th Jan 1961

Physics and Games – Laws of Probability

12. Physics and Games – Laws of Probability

22nd Jan 1961

The Face of the Moon

13. The Face of the Moon

29th Jan 1961

Hibernation

14. Hibernation

5th Feb 1961

Man and His Environment

15. Man and His Environment

12th Feb 1961

Eclipse

16. Eclipse

19th Feb 1961

Animal Communication

17. Animal Communication

26th Feb 1961

The Speed of Light

18. The Speed of Light

5th Mar 1961

Monotony

19. Monotony

12th Mar 1961

Dr. John Zubec of the University of Manitoba explains his experiments and studies on boredom and its effects on the human mind

The Chemical Senses

20. The Chemical Senses

19th Mar 1961

The Mohole: Earth's Crust

21. The Mohole: Earth's Crust

2nd Apr 1961

Laws of Conservation

22. Laws of Conservation

16th Apr 1961

Photosynthesis

23. Photosynthesis

23rd Apr 1961

Physics of Clouds

24. Physics of Clouds

30th Apr 1961

The Sources of Science

25. The Sources of Science

7th May 1961

First air date

6th Nov 1960

Last air date

6th Jun 2025

Status

Returning Series

Type

Documentary

Original language

en

Networks