Have you seen any of the BBC’s new series, Wonders of Life? If not, I’d really recommend you catch it – it’s available on iPlayer until the 3rd of March.

I’ve heard some criticism of it – that it’s too Physics-y or that Brian Cox just isn’t David Attenborough or the changing locations is annoying – and I can understand where they come from. But I think it’s great. Yes, it’s complicated and I didn’t fully understand how life links back to the Physics and energy bits, but it made me really think. He’s talking about the origins of life and the universe – it’s supposed to be mind-boggling! I expected it to be a sort of ‘new’ David Attenborough series and perhaps that’s why some people criticise it. But I found it a refreshing take on Natural History, going beyond a description of life and presenting life on Earth in it’s most fundamental form.

I love Natural History programmes, and the latest BBC Attenborough series, Africa, has been amazing – a new look at sometimes familiar faces with some amazing camera work. It beautifully presents the majesty of the African wildlife. But I think that the interaction between fundamental Physics and Biology is really interesting both for research and TV, and I think that the Wonders series has made a great job so far in presenting this in an accessible (just about!) way. It’s definitely made me wonder and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!

ps It seems David Attenborough has also enjoyed them according to this Guardian interview…