Natural Histories
3 total works
Award-winning wildlife presenter Brett Westwood explores our relationship with mammals, and their impact on human culture and society
For as long as humans have existed, animals have got under our skin, enthralling us with their wildness, enriching our lives and influencing art, literature, science and religion. And we feel perhaps the deepest connection with mammals, as we too are members of this same vast group. In these engrossing episodes from Radio 4's landmark series, Natural Histories, Brett Westwood tells the stories of 10 of the most mesmerising mammals, illuminating the often surprising ways they have shaped society.
Looking at our closest relatives, monkeys and apes, he discovers how they reflect our humanity, and how, from King Kong to the PG Tips chimps, we have exploited them for entertainment. Meeting an enthusiastic lurcher named Trevor, Brett finds out how dogs have changed us and vice versa, as he unpacks our close companionship with man's best friend. Drawing on tales of Dracula and Batman, he investigates our obsession with bats, and, in company with Verity Sharp, he gets up close to one of the weirdest, most endangered primates on Earth: the aye-aye. Plus, Brett experiences the magic of sloths with Joanna Pinnock; examines what a furry stuffed toy can teach us about our association with bears; and analyses how our perception of the enigmatic whale has undergone a transformation, from feared beast to icon of conservation.
Packed with fascinating facts about the biology and cultural history of each animal, this carefully curated collection celebrates the wonder and infinite variety of mammals, and shows how our past, present and future are inextricably intertwined with theirs.
Production credits
Presented by Brett Westwood with Joanna Pinnock (Sloth) and Verity Sharp (Aye-Aye)
Produced in partnership with the Natural History Museum, London
Producers: Tom Bonnett, Melvin Rickarby, Sarah Blunt, Beth O'Dea
Series producer: Mary Colwell
Additional sound recordings of Narwhals courtesy of Dr Susanna Blackwell, Greeneridge Sciences Inc.
Episode guide
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:
Monkeys And Apes 2 June 2015
Bears 8 September 2015
Whales 17 November 2015
Elephant 27 September 2016
Bat 1 August 2017
Giraffe 7 November 2017
Reindeer 21 November 2017
Dog 4 September 2018
Sloth 18 October 2019
Aye-Aye 29 November 2019
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
Award-winning wildlife presenter Brett Westwood explores our relationship with birds and reptiles, and their impact on human culture and society
Ever since the first prehistoric artist etched animal paintings onto a cave wall, humans have been inspired by the living world. It has enriched our lives in science, art, literature and music, defining society at every level across the globe. In these 13 episodes from Radio 4's groundbreaking Natural Histories, presenter Brett Westwood looks at two remarkable types of animals: birds and reptiles, who share a common ancestor and are often thought to belong to the same group.
His imagination takes flight as he considers the rich, tangled life of the cuckoo; soaks in the sound bath of a nightingale's song; and probes the paradox of the pigeon with fellow presenter Verity Sharp. Brett also explores a bird that has become a byword for male beauty: the peacock, and guides us through the history of the ethereal swan, from ancient Greece to Swan Lake to Putin's Russia. Plus, he analyses birds' eggs as a symbol for new life, a metaphor for the origin of the universe - and a delicious staple of cookery. Turning to the reptile world, Brett tracks down nature's master of disguise, the chameleon; learns how the crocodile can boast of being a god, a sports logo, a sly trickster and a comic book hero; and marvels at the magnificent dinosaurs, who ruled the earth for 160 million years and still captivate us today.
Weaving together nature, history, biology and biography, these fascinating programmes illuminate the complex connections between human beings and our feathered and scaly friends, revealing the unexpected ways we have interacted with them, and how they have changed the way we see the world.
Production credits
Presented by Brett Westwood with Verity Sharp (Pigeon)
Produced in partnership with the Natural History Museum, London
Producers: Andrew Dawes, Sarah Blunt, Melvin Rickarby, Tim Dee, Tom Bonnett, Sarah Pitt
Series producer: Mary Colwell
Episode guide
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:
Birds Eggs 1 September 2015
Peacock 31 July 2018
Parrots 22 September 2016
Hornbill 13 October 2015
Honeyguide 18 October 2016
Swallow 3 October 2017
Cuckoo 8 August 2017
Nightingale 12 September 2017
Swan 25 September 2018
Penguin 18 September 2018
Dinosaurs 28 July 2015
Crocodiles 29 September 2015
Chameleon 11 October 2016
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.
Award-winning wildlife presenter Brett Westwood explores our relationship with fish and invertebrates, and their impact on human culture and society
Throughout the ages, human beings have had a profound fascination with the natural world. It has influenced all aspects of our civilisation, from science and religion to music, art, literature and film. These 12 episodes, taken from Radio 4's epic series Natural Histories, find presenter Brett Westwood exploring two major groups of animals - fish, who have lived on Earth for over 450 million years, and invertebrates, who make up 97 percent of all species worldwide - to find out how our perception and representation of them has changed over time.
Beginning with one of our most iconic predators, he dives into the world of sharks, showing how Jaws gave them a reputation as fearsome killers - and signed the death warrant for millions of their number. Brett also meets the closest thing to an alien lifeform: an octopus, discovering how the sea monster of historical myth is now emerging as an animal worthy of respect and understanding. Plus, he goes in search of the obscure burbot, Britain's forgotten freshwater fish; looks at the rise and demise of the flea circus; and explains why we have eulogised the butterfly from time immemorial. Meanwhile, author Lia Leendertz uncovers the story of bees, looking at ancient Greek poetry, Victorian moral allegory, and the laws and superstitions around beekeeping...
Taking in documentary, biography and fiction, these riveting programmes will delight, surprise and amaze. You'll never look at fish and invertebrates in the same way again...
Production credits
Presented by Brett Westwood with Lia Leendertz (Bee)
Produced in partnership with the Natural History Museum, London
Producers: Sarah Blunt, Andrew Dawes, Beth O'Dea, Sarah Pitt, Maggie Ayre, Tom Bonnett
Series producer: Mary Colwell
Episode guide
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:
Sharks 9 June 2015
Eel 22 August 2017
Burbot 7 July 2015
Octopus 15 August 2017
Leech 2 August 2016
Earthworm 25 July 2017
Snail 5 September 2017
Fleas 10 November 2015
Beetles 27 October 2015
Bee 25 October 2019
Butterflies 16 June 2015
Cricket 1 November 2016
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.