About this season
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 (11)
1. Einstein, Man & Mathematician
Aired 5 May 1964
An examination of personality and achievement of Albert Einstein. Dr Jacob Bronowski of Salk Institute for Advanced Biological Studies at La Jolla, California.
2. About The Size Of It
Aired 12 May 1964
Scientist and broadcaster William Whitehead and Dr WE Swinton, Director of Royal Ontario Museum discuss how size differences in animal kingdom are result of their environment and their habits.
3. Standards For Comparison
Aired 19 May 1964
Universal standards of measurements are explained in laymen's terms by Dr Patterson Hume and Dr Donald Ivey of University of Toronto.
4. Excursion Into Hell
Aired 26 May 1964
Centuries ago, people in warmer parts of earth believed a dread disease was contracted from unhealthy air generated in swamps.
5. Surgery For Parkinson'S Disease
Aired 2 June 1964
This program shows surgical techniques used in a new treatment for Parkinson's Disease.
6. Science In Sports
Aired 9 June 1964
Host Lister Sinclair and guest Lloyd Percival, sports authority, discuss and demonstrate how various sporting activities can now be precisely measured and how they can thus be improved.
7. Lasers
Aired 30 June 1964
Dr Patterson Hume and Dr Donald Ivey explain recent developments of laser beam since 1960, how it works, and its potential uses in medicine, war and communications.
8. Blood, Sea And Tears
Aired 7 July 1964
Man still carries around in him an isolated pool of early Palaeozoic ocean that fed his plankton ancestors.
9. Cartography
Aired 14 July 1964
Host and writer Lister Sinclair talks about map projection, and problems of taking a spherical object, earth.
10. The World Of Water
Aired 21 July 1964
In this program Donald Crowdis, Director of Nova Scotia Museum of Science, talks about water.
11. Immunology
Aired 28 July 1964
In this program Donald Crowdis, Director of Nova Scotia Museum of Science, talks about transplants and new study of immunology.