"To a person uninstructed in natural history, his country or sea-side stroll is a walk through a gallery filled with wonderful works of art, nine-tenths of which have their faces turned to the wall. Teach him something of natural history, and you place in his hands a catalogue of those which are worth turning around. Surely our innocent pleasures are not so abundant in this life, that we can afford to despise this or any other source of them."
Thomas Henry Huxley, On the Educational Value of the Natural History Sciences (1854).
From Collected Essays (1893). Vol. 3, 63.
Unless otherwise indicated - and without intruding on the copyrights of others - all photographs displayed in 'A Natural Selection' (2007 - 2011) are under the copyright of Adrian Thysse . The use of these photographs, for any purpose, is not allowed without permission of the copyright holder.
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A musical celebration of the wonders of biology, including evolution, natural selection, DNA, and more. Featuring David Attenborough, Richard Dawkins and Bill Nye. “The Greatest Show on Earth” is the 13th video in the Symphony of Science music videos series.”
Broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough presents the 2011 RSA President’s Lecture.
The dangers facing the earth’s ecosystems are well known and the subject of great concern at all levels. Climate change is high on the list. But argues Sir David Attenborough, there is an underlying and associated cause – population growth.
Opening with a puff adder (one of the more dangerous snakes that could be found around our house when we lived in the bushveld of South Africa), this Life in Cold Blood segment moves on to show a python eating a deer. David Attenborough narrates:
“The tiny Brazilian pygmy gecko has skin that is water repellent so it can’t sink. Thanks to its hyrdphobic skin it floats – and evens stands – on water.”