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David Attenborough considers how continuing population growth will affect life on earth in the future. There are currently 7 billion people living in the world and human population density is a worldwide problem; population studies show that within the next 50 years there are likely to be 9 billion people on the planet. Attenborough talks about how population growth will drain the resources of the natural world, leading to poverty and disease as environmental limits are over-reached. He believes we are already reaching some environmental limits, particularly with the necessary resource of water; he shows how ground water levels are changing throughout the world and how this is then having an effect on food production. But perhaps the greatest problem is the harvesting of fuel sources from the natural world. Oil is one of the most highly used of the fossil fuels and resources are running out. Attenborough discusses, too, the depletion of the diversity of natural life with many animal and plant species now under threat of extinction. Ecologist William Rees believes we are already exceeding the capacities of the planet, both in terms of what we take from the planet and the amount of waste we produce. Attenborough suggests 3 measures we need to take: lower our energy consumption, change our technology and reduce birth rates across the globe but particularly in Europe and North America. He looks at schemes which have aimed to reduce birth rate levels in China and India and shows how in areas where women are educated they tend to have children later and prefer to have smaller families. Access to contraception is an issue in many poorer cultures although women in Rwanda are now given regular free access and their family sizes are growing smaller. Attenborough ends by suggesting we are now at a crossroads and we need to use our intelligence to make changes while we still can.
This

Horizon.

Horizon

How many people can live on planet earth?

Presented by David Attenborough, this programme looks at the broad spectrum of animals on our planet and how Charles Darwin attempted to explain this diversity. Attenborough traces the journey of Darwin as he wrote his theory of natural selection, illustrated with the kinds of animals and plants he encountered on the way. There is also footage of Attenborough throughout his career observing and reporting on animals across the globe. Attenborough describes Darwin's struggle with publishing his theory of natural selection, fearing the outrage of the religious, including his devout wife. However, as fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace began to get closer to the same theory of natural selection, Darwin was forced to make his research public. Opposition to Darwin's theory came from Richard Owen - he and other Victorian geologists believed the history of life could be deduced from the land around them; they did not believe that animal species could change or that different species were related. Attenborough explains how the theory of natural selection won the argument and led to further theories such as those of Gregor Mendel, and eventually to the discovery of DNA.

Charles Darwin and the tree of life.

The second in a five-part series which looks at Britain's great scientists and inventors who have created the modern world. Throughout the series, some of Britain's leading scientific figures tell the stories of the people behind these innovations. In this part the focus is on the Industrial Revolution in Britain. James Dyson tells of how James Watt designed the steam engine. Jim Al-Khalili explains how clergyman Joseph Priestley invented soda water. David Attenborough talks about naturalist Joseph Banks who founded Kew Gardens and Robert Winston tells the extraordinary story of surgeon, anatomist and body-snatcher, John Hunter.

Genius of Britain. Part 2.

The first in a five-part series which looks at Britain's great scientists and inventors who have created the modern world. Throughout the series, some of Britain's leading scientific figures tell the stories of the people behind these innovations. This part focuses on how a small group of friends, colleagues and rivals defied everything that was known about the world at that time. Stephen Hawking and Jim Al-Khalili explain how Isaac Newton saw mathematics at the root of everything, from gravity to light. David Attenborough celebrates the many interests of Christopher Wren, who, although best known as an architect, was also fascinated by surgery and astronomy. Richard Dawkins looks at Robert Hooke's microscopic world and tells how Newton tried to erase his name from the history books. Finally, Kathy Sykes charts Edmond Halley's exploration of the stars which helped sailors to rule the waves.

Genius of Britain. Part 1.

Since the 1960s in Gombe, Tanzania, Jane Goodall has been studying chimpanzees, becoming accepted into their societies and revealing the close connections between chimp and human behaviours. This detailed and informative documentary includes archive footage of Goodall's research from the 1970s onwards, featuring beautiful images of the chimp families she grew to know and named individually. Meanwhile, Goodall herself speaks frankly about her childhood and her work with the chimpanzees.
This documentary

Jane Goodall : beauty and the beasts.

The life of birds / David Attenborough.

In this groundbreaking investigation, Attenborough travels the world, from Canada to Australia and Morocco to unearth the secrets hidden in prehistoric fossils, providing a deeper understanding of the first living creatures and the origins of our evolutionary traits.

David Attenborough 's First life : a journey back in time / by Matt Kaplan with Josh Young ; introduction by David Attenborough.

Documentary looking at how science has been portrayed on TV over the last 60 years, including real science to science fiction. Key figures from the realms of science and broadcasting give their opinions throughout. Includes a great diversity of archival footage. Topics of interest include the dramatic use of props, even in the most sobre of the older scientific programmes; the changing subjects considered acceptable to viewers, vivisection for example; the development of science fiction television and the varying representations of scientists themselves. In the case of the latter, many of the top science TV presenters talk about their careers and look back on the sorts of programmes that influenced them when they were growing up.

Mad and bad : 60 years of science on TV.

A report from the British Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Southampton, 1992.

Science Friction

BAAS conference in Southampton.

The theory of evolution is under attack by the increasing number of believers in Intelligent Design. Can science be replaced by God? This documentary gives both sides of the argument and includes accounts from key players in both fields. Although we take the authoritative presence of science as a given in the 21st century, even recently it has been debated in some US schools as to whether or not the theory of evolution should be taught. But if we welcome a supernatural element to the theory of evolution what impact will this have on the progression of a purely scientific understanding of evolution? In the US, The Discovery Institute, current home base for the Intelligent Design movement, is gaining power and has a master plan (backed by George W. Bush) to alter thinking about our origins across the entire country.

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How many people can live on planet earth?

Charles Darwin and the tree of life.

Genius of Britain. Part 2.

Genius of Britain. Part 1.

Jane Goodall : beauty and the beasts.

The life of birds / David Attenborough.

David Attenborough 's First life : a journey back in time / by Matt Kaplan with Josh Young ; introduction by David Attenborough.

Mad and bad : 60 years of science on TV.

BAAS conference in Southampton.

A war on science.

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More filters

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How many people can live on planet earth?

Charles Darwin and the tree of life.

Genius of Britain. Part 2.

Genius of Britain. Part 1.

Jane Goodall : beauty and the beasts.

The life of birds / David Attenborough.

David Attenborough 's First life : a journey back in time / by Matt Kaplan with Josh Young ; introduction by David Attenborough.

Mad and bad : 60 years of science on TV.

BAAS conference in Southampton.

A war on science.

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

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Today's opening times

Wellcome collection