The season premiere of THE NATURE OF THINGS—Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale—airs
Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV
North America is under attack by a sly and wily aquatic invader. Introduced in the ‘70s for the purpose of cleaning up algae in fish ponds, the aggressive Asian carp escaped into the Mississippi river system during floods. The 50-kilogram bottom feeders have advanced north at a surprising rate, becoming a familiar sight with their frenzied and often physically threatening mass leaps into the air. Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale takes viewers on a dramatic odyssey to reveal the many fronts on which this new enemy is being fought. Despite their fascination with this newcomer, scientists on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border agree this invader is a threat we need to take seriously.
Carpe Diem: A Fishy Tale airs on CBC-TV’s THE NATURE OF THINGS, Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT).
To see a preview of the documentary and the frenzied carps’ huge leaps into the air, click here.
Asian carp are now about 100 kilometres from the Great Lakes, a system with more than 25 per cent of all the fresh water in the world. Capable of thriving far north of the 60th parallel, the Asian carp could use the Great Lakes as their launching pad across Canada.
Southward, downriver, all hope is lost—even though they’ve declared war on the fish. The Redneck Fishing Tournament and the Peoria Carp Hunters have led the charge, killing 10,000 Asian carp at a time in sporting event culls. But these ham-fisted solutions are only temporary.
Using state-of-the-art camera work and rare underwater footage of the invading species, this film captures the Asian carp in their own world
Directed by Scott Dobson, produced by Charlotte Engel for Rock Yenta Productions Inc., and narrated by David Suzuki.
Coming up on THE NATURE OF THINGS:
Ticked Off: The Mystery of Lyme Disease
Airs Thursday, Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV
Lyme disease, a mysterious tick-borne illness, has become one of the fastest-spreading diseases in North America. Tiny, dangerous and once uncommon, the population of ticks is growing at an alarming rate. The documentary explores how climate change has hastened the spread of the ticks and this devastating disease, one that is often misdiagnosed and mistreated, and is mired in medical controversy.
Myth or Science 2: The Quest for Perfection
Airs Thursday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV
Dr. Jennifer Gardy is back. But this time, Dr. Gardy’s journey of scientific discovery will plumb our very hopes and dreams - our quest for self-improvement. Are raw vegetables really better for you? Can you be fat and fit? Should you ditch caffeine? Dr. Gardy puts her own body on the line in lively experiments and scientific investigations to discover whether many popular health claims are science fact or science fiction.
Brain Magic: The Power of Placebo
Airs Thursday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV
What if each of us could make the symptoms of an illness disappear? Cast a spell so powerful it would actually heal our bodies, help us walk, or breathe better? For centuries placebos have been thought of as just fake medicine, but Brain Magic: The Power of Placebo explores the growing scientific evidence that placebos can have powerful—and real—effects on our minds and bodies.
Canada’s longest-running and multi-award-winning documentary series, hosted by the iconic David Suzuki for three decades, brings science—in all its diversity—to Canadian audiences. The series has illuminated the way for a greater understanding of the increasingly complex world in which we live. It engages minds and celebrates science, and informs and entertains all Canadians.
To view past episodes of THE NATURE OF THINGS, and other CBC programming, visit CBC Player, download the CBC App for your mobile devices, and download CBC podcasts.
#tnot
- 30 -
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.
For more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre. Follow CBC’s publicity team on Twitter @CBC_Publicity.
For further information, or to request interviews, contact:
Corey Black, News and Current Affairs publicist, CBC
416.205.8710 (office)/647.221.4133 (mobile)
