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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
Oceanographic Center Professor Launches New TV Series about Nature, Mar. 30
Please tune into WRLN-TV (Channel 17) on Mar. 30 to view two pilot episodes of Messing with Nature, a half-hour television series that will redefine nature/wildlife programming that was created by NSU Oceanographic Center professor Charles Messing, Ph.D.
Imagine Alton Brown (Good Eats) hosting Planet Earth with a bit of Monty Python thrown in. In the first episode, “Let’s see what’s out there,” your host investigates whether current nature programming (man-eating sharks, poisonous snakes and spiders, etc.) accurately reflects biodiversity, and how scientists go about describing new species. The second episode, “The Maltese Aquifer,” puts a new twist on an old film noir to explain Florida’s fossil and geological history. Understanding the natural world, how its many parts link together and how they change over time, is a critical step toward making sound decisions about conserving and using natural resources. Future episodes will tell stories about living things and their histories, from bacteria to whales; how and where they live, and how we know about them.
NSU Oceanographic Center Professor Charles Messing, Ph.D.,
Messing has been studying a wide range of living creatures for forty years. Though his research has focused on marine creatures—from the Bahamas to Papua New Guinea, and from the shoreline to the seas’ greatest depths, he has also taught university courses such as The Diversity of Life, The Age of Dinosaurs, Invertebrate Zoology, Introductory Biology, and Historical Geology. He has also brought various aspects of biodiversity to audiences ranging from pre-schoolers to retirees. He brings the unique combination of professional research background, a broad familiarity and curiosity about the natural world, performance experience and a peculiar sense of humor to the role of series writer and host.
Remember to watch the pilot episodes of Messing with Nature on Mar. 30 at 9:30 p.m. (Episode 1) and 10 p.m. (Episode 2). For more information, please call Messing at 954-262-8311.