The big picture

David Attenborough travels to the forests of Papua New Guinea, where 38 of the 42 kinds of bird of paradise are found.

Luminous beings, creatures with their own internal light, enchant and astonish us. Anyone who has seen a firefly or a glow-worm cannot help but fall under their spell. The sea at night sparkles as millions of luminous plankton reveal the shapes of dolphins in a truly magical light show. Join Sir David Attenborough and a team of the world's leading scientists and deep sea explorers on a quest to reveal the secrets of living lights.

Southeast Asia is the most diverse region on our planet. Nature’s most powerful forces have combined to create islands of fire, a water world driven by the sway of the moon and rich forests fuelled by the tropical sun. An extraordinary array of plants and animals live here; many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

David Attenborough narrates this close up look at these tiny pollinators captured in flight as never before. Acrobats of the air - flying jewels - iridescent partners of countless plants: hummingbirds are amongst the most remarkable creatures on our planet.

Natural World is a nature documentary television series broadcast annually on BBC Two and regarded by the BBC as its flagship natural history brand. It is currently the longest-running series in its genre on British television, with more than 400 episodes broadcast since its inception in 1983. Natural World is produced by the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol, but individual programmes can be in-house productions, collaborative productions with other broadcasters or films made and distributed by independent production companies and purchased by the BBC. Natural World programmes are often broadcast as PBS Nature episodes in the USA. Since 2008, most Natural World programmes have been shot and broadcast in high definition.

PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.

High in the mountains of New Guinea live the Sambia people, a war-like tribe whose secret rituals of initiation are aimed at making their warriors courageous and bold.

Seduction through construction: see how male bowerbirds build astounding shrines to attract a mate. Travel to Australia and New Guinea with David Attenborough to explore the bowerbird's "obsessive" courtship practices. Step into elaborate and ornate structures and examine how each bowerbird species builds and decorates with a unique sense of style; see how the females tour these "bachelor pads" and choose their mates.