Season 22

1981 · 16 episodes

Episodes

1"Reconnective Surgery / Shark Vision / Reclaiming the Desert / The Battery"Season Premiere: David Suzuki examines re-connective surgery and the vision capabilities of sharks, visits an irrigation project in India and explains the functions of batteries. The micro-surgery segment was taped in China and features Dr. Chen Chung Wei of the 6th People's Hospital in Shanghai. Dr. Chen is credited with pioneering the techniques now being practiced at Toronto's General hospital.
2"Rabies / Island of Coral / Microwave Ovens"Steps being taken to combat rabies in Ontario, an Island of Coral which provides a home for some of the world's most unique creatures, and the advantages and hazards of microwave ovens
3Edge of the Cold (Part 1 of 2)David Parer's Australian examination of the wildlife on Macquarie Island, narrated by Sir Edmund Hillary. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation produced four half-hour films about the Macquarie Islands. This episode of The Nature of Things compiles two of them.
4Waterproof Frog / The Piano / In the Sub-Nuclear Kitchen / The RecordWaterproof Frog: A look at the unique frog Phyllomedusa which lives in the arid Gran Chaco region of central South America. The frog protects itself against water loss by coating its body with a waxy secretion. The Piano: A program about the history and science of the piano. In the Sub-Nuclear Kitchen: A brief look at particle physics and the huge particle accelerator at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva. The Record: A history of the phonograph record
5A Magic Way of GoingA study of the genetic and biological development of thoroughbred horses, tracing the history of the animal from the time that horses were small creatures to the sleek, larger size animals they are today.
6Twins – And Then There Were TwoThis is a special edition based on two half hour programs that first aired in 1978. Producer Heather Cook has revised and updated the original programs to include the latest research data in studies that have been continuing over long periods at various medical centres and universities in North America. The program explains how cells divide to produce twins and the differences between fraternal twins and identical twins.
7A Natural Turn of Events / Kidney Transplant / KelpA Natural Turn of Events: Construction in Toronto has led to the creation of a long spit of land – the Leslie Street Spit – which is turning into a prime nesting location for many kinds of birds, and also for migrating monarch butterflies. Kidney Transplant: Kidney dialysis and transplants, with Dr. Michael Robinette of the Toronto General Hospital. Kelp: A look at kelp harvesting in China, and the products that can be made from it.
8Microscope: Making It Big / Desert Doctors / Polar Bear PassMicroscope: Making It Big: A look at the history and present development of the microscope. Desert Doctors: A look at the mobile hospitals used to treat people inexpensively in India's Rajisthan Desert. Polar Bear Pass: A look at Polar Bear Pass, an important oasis of arctic wildlife on Canada's Bathurst Island.
9Tipping The ScalesThe various factors which influence human weight are examined through reports on eating habits, diets, and basic metabolism
10An Island Shall a Monster Make / Philip Morrison on Nuclear WarA magazine edition highlights the giant lizards on the island of Mona near Puerto Rico, and physics professor Philip Morrison's work on the atomic bomb as a team member on the Manhattan Project.
11Aspirin / Windy Bay / Fluorescent LightAspirin: An examination of how the common drug aspirin may have widespread application in combating heart and circulatory system diseases. This depends on its action, only recently appreciated, of inhibiting blood clotting. Windy Bay: A look at Windy Bay, on Lyell Island in the Queen Charlotte Islands, one of the last areas of virgin rainforest on the Canadian west coast. Windy Bay is now threatened by clearcut logging even though it has been suggested as a priority site for international conservation. Fluorescent Light: How fluorescent lights work and how they are manufactured.
12Hanuman Langurs: Monkeys of India / A Helping Hand / Formation FlightHanuman Langurs: Monkeys of India: A look at the social organization and adaptation to human settlements of Hanuman langurs, social monkeys who are named for the monkey god Hanuman. A Helping Hand: A look at myoelectric prostheses, artificial limbs which, while being powered by batteries, are actually controlled by amplified muscle electricity. Formation Flight: Examining the reasons why large birds tend to fly in formation
13Jute Plastic / The Life of the Honeybee / Dr. Joel HildebrandJute Plastic: The harvesting and processing of Bangladesh's jute fibre. Jute sheets coated with polyester resin and laminated together form a strong cheap material which may win an international market for jute. The Life of the Honeybee: A documentary following the life cycle of the honey bee and the social organization of the hive. Dr. Joel Hildebrand: David Suzuki travels to the University of California at Berkeley to attend the celebration of the 100th birthday of Dr. Joel Hildebrand, who is active in science after teaching chemistry for many years.[
14Mind's Eye / Tide Mill / Colour It SnakeMind's Eye: A report on recent research into how the brain constructs vision from the information supplied by the eyes. Tide Mill: A look at a grist mill at Ealing in England which for two centuries has run on tidal power. Colour It Snake: A discussion of the ways in which the basic pigments in snake scales are arranged to produce colour patterns fitting various survival needs.
15The Asteroid and the DinosaurAn examination of the theory advanced by physicist Luis Alvarez and others that an asteroid impact was responsible for the sudden total extinction of the dinosaurs over sixty million years ago.
16Waves / The Harp Seal / BlackflyWaves: An update of the program "Freak Waves" originally broadcast in December 1980. A further look at research being done into wave formations that can destroy oil rigs on the open sea. The Harp Seal (repeat): The development of the harp seal is traced, from birth through nursing to its eventual migration northward. Blackfly (repeat): A look at disease and other problems caused by blackflies.