1958
(July) CBC TV was linked from coast to coast.

1958
Professors Patterson Hume and Donald Ivey do their first local (Toronto) television series for the CBC. The first series was called Focus on Physics part of a larger educational series called Live and Learn.

1959
Hume and Ivey write and present a second series called, Two for Physics, which is broadcast on national television.

1960
CBC launches a new ½ hour science series called The Nature of Things. The series program organiser (Executive Producer) was David Walker, Producer Norman Caton and Professor Donald Ivey was the host. Lister Sinclair worked as a script consultant and occasional on-camera personality.

In the first year, the series covered topics such as the human brain and body, the Aurora Borealis, the laws of probability, engineering and science and Science Fiction with Dr. Isaac Asimov. Although Donald Ivey was the host, he still worked together with Dr. Hume to write and present several episodes for The Nature of Things.

1961
After the first season (60/61), Dr. Ivey gives up hosting the program to concentrate on his University career and family life. Between 1961 and 1979 The Nature of Things did not have a permanent Host. Instead, a number of people acted as guest hosts, including Lister Sinclair, Donald Crowadis and John Livingston. In the 1970s the program did not have an on-camera host.

Jim Murray becomes the Producer for The Nature of Things.

1962
John Livingston, former head of the Canadian Audubon Society, becomes the new program organizer of The Nature of Things. John brings a strong interest in natural history to the series.

1962
David Suzuki, a young geneticist at the University of Alberta makes his first foray into television broadcasting. He participates in a limited series on university television called Your University Speaks.

1965
The last year that Patterson Hume and Donald Ivey contribute to The Nature of Things.

John Livingston mounts an expedition to the Galapagos Islands. The trip resulted in 5 programs. A one-hour documentary about the life and work of Charles Darwin and 4 half-hours about the flora and fauna of the Islands.

1966
The Galapagos series is broadcast on the CBC. It is the first CBC produced series to be broadcast in colour. The series is extremely popular and is re-broadcast many times. The series has won many awards and one of the programs received an Emmy nomination.

1968/69
John Livingston leaves The Nature of Things to become a Professor in the newly formed environmental studies dept. at York University (Toronto).

1969/70
Jim Murray's first season as Executive producer of The Nature of Things.

1970
The Nature of Things broadcasts major two-part natural history series on Africa. David Suzuki becomes the host of a CBC series produced in Vancouver called Suzuki on Science.

1972
Nancy Archibald becomes Executive Producer of The Nature of Things when Jim Murray takes a leave of absence to direct The National Dream for CBC television.

1974
Ellesmere Land (The Nature of Things) about the flora and fauna of the Fosheim Peninsula on Ellesmere Island in Canada's High Arctic receives Emmy nomination.

Jim Murray returns to the CBC science unit to begin a new half hour science series called Science Magazine. David Suzuki is hired as the new host.

1974-1979
Science Magazine runs as a half-hour magazine show and David Suzuki proves to be a very popular host. At the same time, The Nature of Things continues as a half-hour science show.

1979
Science Magazine and The Nature of Things merge to become a new one- hour show The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. Jim Murray resumes his role as Executive Producer and Nancy Archibald continues as a Producer on the series.

1982
The Nature of Things does a program about a watershed in the Queen Charlotte Islands entitled Windy Bay (British Columbia). The program helps to raise awareness about the destruction of the West Coast rain forest. Over the years, the series would do several programs about this region. In 1988, the Windy Bay watershed became a part of a new national park called "Qwaii Haanas National Park".

The Nature of Things travels to Japan to make a major two-part series on the "new industrial giant". The programs are extremely popular - each show garnering an audience of over 2 million Canadians.

1985
Under the leadership of Jim Murray. The Nature of Things unit makes a major 8-part series exploring the basis of our modern relationship with natural world and its disturbing consequences. A Planet for the Taking generates a lot of interest and each show draws around 2 million viewers.

1987
The Nature of Things produces an important hour on the Aids epidemic (A.I.D.S.: A Report) providing Canadians with an understanding of this new disease, and the scientific research around it as well as a plea for the ethical treatment of those suffering with the disease.

Nuclear Power: The Hot Debate. A look at the pros and cons of nuclear power that raised questions about the safety of this form of power generation. The program was set to be re-broadcast in 1989 when the CBC pulled the show and replaced it with a program about the Arctic. This move caught the attention of the media and the show became the subject of a really "hot debate". Some charged that the CBC was buckling to pressure from the nuclear industry. In the end the program was re-broadcast with a "debate" tacked onto its end in April 1989.

1988
The Nature of Things wins Gemini for Best Documentary series.

1989
Amazonia: The Road to the End of the Forest a two-hour special that took an in-depth look at the reasons behind the destruction of the rain forest in Amazonia. The program was a shocking portrait of widespread devastation and helped to raise Canadian awareness about this important problem.

1990
Sea of Slaughter based on Farley Mowat's book of the same name was a two-hour special presented by Farley Mowat. Once again, the series shocked Canadians with its graphic look at the devastation of marine life along Canada's eastern seaboard.

The Nature of Things wins Gemini for Best Documentary Series.

Jim Murray presented with a lifetime achievement award at the Wildscreen Film Festival.

1991
Voices in the Forest - a two-part series about clear-cut logging practices in Canada. This special struck a chord with Canadians many of whom did not realize the level of clear-cut logging that was going on in Canada at the time. The program also sparked a controversy when the CIBC threatened to pull its adds from the CBC for this program (due to pressure from its clients). In turn, members of the public threatened to boycott the CIBC.

Animals in Research: Breaking the Habit. This program explored the use of animals in research at a time when the debate over this issue was heating up. Consequently the program was quite controversial.

1992
The Nature of Things wins Gemini for Best Documentary Series.

1993
Trading Futures is a challenging program that examined a new way of thinking about the global economy. The show featured interviews with several major economic thinkers in Africa, Europe and North America. The episode explored the beginnings of new approach to the world economy that emphasized a commitment to equilibrium (rather than growth). This approach was reflected in ecologically sound policies and community based economic policies that still work on the level of world trade.

1996
The Child Who Couldn't Play (Autism) - a program that closely investigated autism and explored some avenues for treatment for young children with this condition. The program generated a substantial amount of interest from viewers - especially from parents of autistic children, eager for more information and relieved that the subject of autism was entering the public forum.

1997
Michael Allder is appointed Executive Producer of The Nature of Things.

1998
The Nature of Things wins Gemini for Best Documentary Series.

1999
The Nature of Things wins Best Educational Value Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival.

Reefer Madness II (The Nature of Things) is awarded the Science and Society Journalism Award for Best Television Item (25 minutes and over).

2000
Dead Heat (The Nature of Things) is awarded the Science and Society Journalism Award for Best Television Item (25 minutes and over).

Beijing International Science Film Festival awards Nuclear Dynamite (The Nature of Things) the Golden Dragon Award for Best Environmental Film.

2001
Nuclear Dynamite (The Nature of Things) wins Gemini for Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program.

2002
Amanda's Choice (The Nature of Things) is awarded the Gracie Allan Award.