TV’s longest-running science program spanning 880 episodes over 59 seasons to date, CBC’s THE NATURE OF THINGS will celebrate its 60th season launch tomorrow — exactly 60 years after the series first premiered on Friday, November 6, 1960. The new season kicks off this Friday at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC TV and CBC Gem with Rebellion from directors Mark and Caitlin Starowicz, a documentary that looks at how the fight against climate change has evolved in the hands of young activists, and joined with protests for social equality and racial justice to form a new civil rights movement.
“The most powerful force shaping our lives and society is not economics or politics, but science,” said David Suzuki, who has hosted the iconic series since 1979. “For 60 years, [THE NATURE OF THINGS] has brought nature to audiences, but over that time, enormous changes have taken place, both in the natural world and society. Even though most of humanity now lives in big cities, we remain utterly dependent on and embedded in nature. That’s the fundamental message of THE NATURE OF THINGS.” Read Suzuki’s full reflections on the 60th anniversary here.
In honour of the 60th season, CBC Docs is asking Canadians to share their favourite memories of THE NATURE OF THINGS via their social media platforms using #natureofthings60. Canadians are encouraged to add their stories on the program’s website. Prominent Canadians have also shared their views on science and THE NATURE OF THINGS to mark the 60th anniversary:
“Science is always looking for the truth. If nature dies, we are part of that. Nature is in us and we are in nature. Inseparable.”
-Margaret Atwood, author and environmental activist
“We are constantly asking science to save us and thankfully, science has saved us time and time again in my lifetime. [THE NATURE OF THINGS] has lasted as long as it has because I think people in the world have an innate interest in science and in solutions to problems.”
-Rick Mercer, longtime CBC host and comedian
“There is a respect embedded in THE NATURE OF THINGS and an understanding of how science and Indigeneity really do go together.”
-Buffy Sainte-Marie, singer/songwriter and social activist
Hosted by world-renowned geneticist and environmentalist David Suzuki, THE NATURE OF THINGS presents dramatic and insightful stories that are driven by a scientific understanding of the world. The program was one of the first to present scientific findings on subjects including climate change, AIDS, and nuclear power. THE NATURE OF THINGS continues to inspire and entertain audiences by engaging with the people and personalities behind the science and phenomena that shape our world. From the search for other life in the universe to the psychology of babies, and from the furry animals that invade our backyards to the consequences of human progress, THE NATURE OF THINGS throws open the door to the wonder and accomplishments of science, making it accessible to viewers of all ages.
THE NATURE OF THINGS broadcasts Friday nights at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC TV and is available to stream anytime on CBC Gem, including current and past episodes. The Season 60 premiere documentary Rebellion is produced by Grand Passage Media for CBC and distributed internationally by CBC & Radio-Canada Distribution. Other groundbreaking documentaries this season will take viewers to the forefront of the COVID-19 outbreak onboard cruise ships; to the Australian outback and the rehabilitation of animals injured in the devastating 2019 wildfires; to the conflict in Canadian homes across the country over the effects of screen time on our kids. And from the filmmakers of the popular The Wild Canadian Year series comes Wild Canadian Weather, an epic new series about how weather shapes the lives of the animals, people and landscapes of Canada. More information on these documentaries and more will be available here.
