Everything about The Nature of Things, eh?

The Nature of Things celebrates David Suzuki’s 80th birthday

I can’t believe it’s been over five years since I spoke to David Suzuki. Back in 2010, we chatted about Force of Nature, Sturla Gunnarson’s documentary about the things that shaped Suzuki’s career. Force of Nature marked the longtime Nature of Things host’s 75th birthday; now here we are ringing in Suzuki’s 80th on March 24 with another peek behind the curtain at his life.

Co-written and directed by Daniel and Donna Zuckerbrot of Reel Times Images, “Suzuki @ 80″—airing Thursday during The Nature of Things—not only spotlights the man and his exploits but talks to those who know him intimately.

Rather than re-trace old ground covered in Force of Nature—Suzuki’s childhood, education and lab work—”Suzuki @ 80″ spends the bulk of its time aiming the lens at his family, including daughters Sarika, Severn, Tamiko, Laura, son Troy and wife Tara, who discuss how he inspired them and also poke fun at the man also known as “Suzuk.” There’s a sweet story about how Suzuki spotted Tara in a packed university hall, were married soon after and are celebrating 42 years together. You can’t help but smile watching Suzuki gamely following his pint-sized grandkids along the B.C. shoreline, picking up shells and inspecting small, scuttling crabs. He’s like the cool uncle (or grandfather) you can’t wait to visit because he’s smart, funny and cool.

But the man who has morphed from scientist to geneticist, TV host, author and environmentalist isn’t perfect. One old colleague discusses Suzuki’s strong personality, and his daughter bemoans the fact a 2/3-full coffee cup set down for a moment will be scooped up and cleaned.

It’s ironic that, at one point during the broadcast, Suzuki states memories are his most treasured possession. As viewers, we have decades of them thanks to Suzuki and The Nature of Things.

The Nature of Things airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Help celebrate Suzuki’s birthday by tweeting well-wishes with the tag #SuzukiAt80 on Twitter.

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Link: Why Dr. Jennifer Gardy Deserves Her Own TV Series

From Jim Bawden:

Why Dr. Jennifer Gardy Deserves Her Own TV Series
It hasn’t been the best of TV seasons for the CBC.

Big new series have flopped badly, I’m afraid to say. What’s needed is an influx of new shows that can guarantee sturdy ratings. Which is why I’m proposing CBC-TV hire Dr. Jennifer Gardy to front a second science show –she’s been excelling for years on occasional specials for the venerable The Nature Of Things. Continue reading. 

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The Nature of Things hunts for the elusive wolverine

Back in 2010, Andrew Manske saw something strange. The wildlife cinematographer was using motion capture equipment to photograph wolves, moose and other elusive animals in western Alberta. But what he took pictures of surprised and intrigued him: wolverines.

That discovery lead Manske on a five-year search to see a wolverine with his own eyes and study the beast, documented in Thursday’s episode of The Nature of Things, “Wolverine: Ghost of the Northern Forest.” I’ve always enjoyed The Nature of Things‘ focus on wildlife, and this is no exception. Manske’s dedication is filmed as he spends weeks hidden in a blind in winter, fingers crossed the nervous beasts will scamper in his direction. Countless bottles of urine later—he stayed put so as not to scare off the wolverines—Manske is rewarded by sighting a trio of the scavengers.

So little is known about wolverines that their population status is “unknown” in Alberta. That’s changing thanks to people like Dr. Mark Boyce and Matt Scrafford at the University of Alberta, who use live traps and GPS tagging to not only learn more about wolverine habits, but dispel some myths along the way. Far from being the loners long assumed, wolverines are a social lot. They’re also lithe and agile climbers; Manske’s stunning footage captures the shaggy animals moving gracefully in the snow, stopping to sniff the air or to rear up on hind legs to look around, their fur boasting subtle stripes and stubby tails.

Manske’s ultimate goal is to find a wolverine den and film a mother interacting with her kids. Stay tuned until the end of “Wolverine: Ghost of the Northern Forest” for that amazing scene.

The Nature of Things airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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The Nature of Things flies with the eagles

I’ve always loved watching predatory birds flitting around the skies of Southern Ontario. As a kid, I marvelled at their ability to cruise updrafts, endlessly circling in search of prey. Driving along the 401 east of Toronto means a likely chance to see one or two hawks perched on power poles or treetops.

And while the majestic bald eagle can be found in Ontario, I have yet to see one in the wild. Luckily, there’s “The Eagles Next Door” to sate my hunger. Thursday’s newest instalment of The Nature of Things explores the lives of Haliaeetus leucocephalus, that have gradually migrated into Vancouver. As host David Suzuki points out, it’s becoming more common to find one of these birds roosting on a back deck or in a tree in the city’s suburbs.

The benefit is two-fold. Bald eagles find plenty of food to eat (including scavenging at landfills) and spots to raise their young, and scientists are able to observe once-endangered species more easily. As John Elliott, research scientist at Environment Canada says, there are more bald eagles breeding in the Fraser Valley now than there were in the whole of the contiguous United States in the 1960s. Informative and entertaining, “The Eagles Next Door” explores which trees the birds prefer to nest in, how the animals have adapted to deforestation in the city and folks like Russ who rejigged his backyard to encourage birds to nest there. Footage from his cameras in White Rock (you can watch the bald eagles on his property via webcam) shows how nests are built, the laying of eggs and both parents raising eaglets Lima and Kilo. The 12 months in the lives of the bald eagle family is documented.

It’s not all good news for bald eagles, however. Being so close to humans means altercations where birds almost always end up injured—there is amazing footage of an eagle saved from a power line—and eating out of landfills may be turning them into scavengers.

“The Eagles Next Door” is from Parallax Films, the folks behind Bahama Blue, Battle Castle and When Disaster Strikes, and the episode is visually stunning. Extreme close-ups allow viewers to see droplets of water shaken from feathers and the intricate steps taken when hunting prey. Check it out on Thursday night.

The Nature of Things airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

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Link: Wasted: A Must-See NOT Documentary

From Jim Bawden:

Wasted: A Must-See NOT Documentary
Wasted is a top Nature Of Things documentary that puts a face on the compelling subject of alcohol addiction. You can catch it Thursday night at 8 on CBC-TV. Got that?

The hour begins with film maker Maureen Palmer’s profile of her partner Mike Pond who was a psychotherapist helping people with addiction in Penticton, British Columbia. And then he succumbed to alcoholism himself –living smack dab in wine country didn’t help needless to say. Continue reading.

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