When I was growing up, my parents frowned quite heavily on too much TV. We didn't even own a colour TV until sometime in the 80s, but I didn't really notice as I allowed my imagination to "see colours" where there weren't any. Although this did make for interesting conversations in the school yard when I was sure that the spaceship in whatever child's cartoon series was popular at the time was red, when really it was blue...

Other than my 30 mins of TV I was allowed to watch upon returning from school, my parents did encourage me to watch educational programs which I can honestly say did make a positive impact and was almost as exciting to a ten year old boy as epic space battles. One of the shows we would watch religiously was the CBC's "The Nature of Things", a series exploring science and later the environment, which was presented by David Suzuki, a man whom I admire very much and certainly helped shape my life. I think it was probably his unknowing influence together with that of my sister that originally shaped my desire to be a biologist those so many years ago.

The show's coverage of a wide range of topics about helped to open my eyes to the world around me and made me want to explore it further and understand. There was something about the way in which Suzuki presented the program and the topics that he covered that was captivating not just to a young boy but clearly to a Nation so that the show has gone on to become Canada's longest running documentary series and marks 50 years this year. 

It was only when I was older than I learned that title was based on the poet philosopher Lucretius' first century epic poem called "De Rerum Natura" or "On the Nature of Things",  a work in six books which like it's namesake speaks not only about issues around science and nature, but also evokes the author's sentiments that people should help to improve the world around them.

I have to say it was always a toss up between David Suzuki and Jacques Cousteau as to who I thought had the better job... though I must admit that Cousteau only edges out Suzuki because he was both an inventor and explorer. 

Watch the Nature of Things on CBC!