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The Lens and the Lichen

Nature writer Richard Mabey discusses how a lens can enhance or distort our view of the natural world.

Nature writer Richard Mabey reflects on his lifelong relationship with science and the natural world.

He explores how a lens can enhance and at times distort our view of nature. He discusses how the late 18th-century Claude glass influenced the Picturesque movement in art and the excitement of looking at lichens through a microscope.

As our understanding of science has developed, Richard also points out how our understanding of the way we 'view' nature has changed - whether it's a new way of looking at the canopy of the rainforest or the first photo taken from space which shows us planet earth.

15 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Tue 22 Sep 2009 23:00
  • Tue 27 Apr 2010 23:00

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