Science and Nature

Human Footprint

Earth has never experienced anything like us: a single species dominating and transforming the planet. Biologist Shane Campbell-Staton travels the globe to explore our Human Footprint and to discover how the things we do reveal who we truly are.

How Corn Took Over the World

11m 24s

In Mexico, Shane Campbell-Staton explores around a maize vault, a treasure trove of genetic diversity. He joins geneticist Sarah Hearne to unravel the intricate DNA makeup of corn. In a tortilla factory, Shane meets with local Mexican chefs Santiago Muñoz and Daniela Moreno, who are committed to reviving the sacred heritage of maize and preserving cultural traditions through corn.

Episodes

  • The Ground Below: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Ground Below

    S1 E6 - 54m 53s

    Shane explores the history and science of cotton. A prehistoric coastline from North Carolina to Texas laid the foundation for a crop that re-shaped our history, our culture, and even our DNA.

  • The Urban Jungle: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Urban Jungle

    S1 E5 - 55m 12s

    In "The Urban Jungle," Shane explores the modern city: an ecosystem built by, for us. He encounters three species thriving in the city, reckons with our complex urban history, and envisions a new and wilder urban future.

  • The Replacements: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Replacements

    S1 E4 - 55m 21s

    Shane explores the surprising science and unexpected histories of “The Replacements”: five animal and plant species that made allies of humans, grew to dominate the planet alongside us, and changed their destinies (and our own) forever.

  • Man's Best Friend: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Man's Best Friend

    S1 E3 - 55m 23s

    Shane discovers why dogs are more than man’s best friend – they’ve been reshaped by evolution into the perfect partner for our species. And just as we’ve transformed them, dogs have left an unmistakable pawprint on us and the world we both share.

  • Top Predator: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Top Predator

    S1 E2 - 55m 24s

    There’s a killer inside us. Our biology, culture, technology, and economy have transformed our species into the greatest predator the world has ever seen. From Yellowstone to Mozambique, Shane explores our global impact as the planet’s top predator.

  • Strangers In Paradise: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Strangers In Paradise

    S1 E1 - 55m 11s

    Invasive species are reshaping the world’s ecosystems, but who’s really to blame? Shane wrestles a python, hunts Hawaiian pigs, and gets sucker-punched by a carp to answer the question: in the Age of Humans, how does our species decide what belongs?

Extras + Features

  • How Geology Influenced Cotton Production: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Geology Influenced Cotton Production

    S1 E6 - 3m 1s

    Meet Craig McClain, the selfie-master turned biological oceanographer. While he studies tiny creatures in the ocean, he's also unraveling the secrets hidden within the rock formations. Join us as we delve into the past to understand the incredible ripple effect behind each layer of time.

  • Episode 6 Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 6 Preview

    S1 E6 - 30s

    Shane explores the history and science of cotton. A prehistoric coastline from North Carolina to Texas laid the foundation for a crop that re-shaped our history, our culture, and even our DNA.

  • Meet the 'Puff Daddy' of Cotton: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Meet the 'Puff Daddy' of Cotton

    S1 E6 - 2m 28s

    Shane’s journey begins in North Carolina, where Julius Tillery – a.k.a. “The Puff Daddy of Cotton” – is a 5th-generation Black cotton farmer. Julius and Shane dig into the rich soils that underlie the “Black Belt,” a broad swath of the South that formed the heart of the U.S. cotton industry.

  • Episode 5 Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 5 Preview

    S1 E5 - 30s

    In "The Urban Jungle," Shane explores the modern city: an ecosystem built by, for us. He encounters three species thriving in the city, reckons with our complex urban history, and envisions a new and wilder urban future.

  • City vs. Forest Anole Adaptations of Puerto Rico: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    City vs. Forest Anole Adaptations of Puerto Rico

    S1 E5 - 2m 52s

    Meet Kristin Winchell, the urban evolution expert. She's on a mission to unravel the secrets of anoles — the charismatic lizards thriving in cities like San Juan. Join us as we embark on a journey through the concrete jungle and discover how anoles have adapted to their urban playground.

  • Reimagining Green City Living in Singapore: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Reimagining Green City Living in Singapore

    S1 E5 - 3m 25s

    In Singapore, green spaces are no longer an escape from the city, they ARE the city. Pearl Chee, the genius architect behind Kampung Admiralty, proves that where there's a will (and a law), there's a way to bring nature into the concrete jungle.

  • Hunting Urban Rats with a Pack of Dogs: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Hunting Urban Rats with a Pack of Dogs

    S1 E5 - 2m 40s

    Rain or shine, Scott and Angie Mullaney, the rat-busting duo behind Unique Pest Management, hit the city streets at night with their trusty dogs, ready to conquer the rodent kingdom.

  • The Cat Tracking Device of the Future: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Cat Tracking Device of the Future

    S1 E4 - 3m 25s

    Despite their abundance, scientists know close to nothing about what cats are doing in the wild, or what their impact might be. Dr. Roland Kays plan? Track cats the way we’ve tracked other large predators – by fitting them with GPS enabled collars.

  • Episode 4 Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Episode 4 Preview

    S1 E4 - 30s

    Shane explores the surprising science and unexpected histories of “The Replacements”: five animal and plant species that made allies of humans, grew to dominate the planet alongside us, and changed their destinies (and our own) forever.

  • The Top Secret Vault for Ancient Maize: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Top Secret Vault for Ancient Maize

    S1 E4 - 1m 30s

    Shane follows geneticist Sarah Hearne into a vault of over 28,000 species of maize that has weaved itself into the fabric of Mexico's past, present and future. But in the last century, just a handful of varieties have come to dominate global corn production. What happened?

  • Changing the World with Corn: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Changing the World with Corn

    S1 E4 - 1m 30s

    Shane shares a meal with local Mexican chefs committed to reviving the sacred heritage of maize and preserving culture through corn.

Schedule

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