Transforming the Planet: Discussing the Human Footprint

Factual America

Humanity is the master of the world. But how did we achieve this? And what do our actions say about us as a people? These are the questions at the heart of Human Footprint, a new PBS docu-series directed by Nate Dappen and Neil Losin. They join Matthew Sherwood to discuss the programme, which they describe as ‘a science show that explores human history and culture’.

Human Footprint starts with an exploration of invasive species. Nate and Neil discuss our response to this problem, which we created. It has led to the rise of some unusual jobs: would you like to be a python hunter?

Through Nate and Neil, we discover some more sedate occupations, for example, duck calling and hunting. This brings them to Ramsey Russell, who, in addition to being a duck hunter, is also ‘a poet [and] philosopher’.

If humanity has transformed the world, some animals have transformed humans. Dogs are one of them. According to Nate, dogs’ relationship with humans has been ‘symbiotic’, and he describes visiting Resolute Bay in the Arctic Circle where dogs and Inuits help each other to survive.

Fast evolving lizards, dancing dogs, and city ecosystems also come under discussion. However, a series like Human Footprint is not easy to make. As Neil says, ‘you have to pre-produce everything... to a really... high degree’. Despite that, however, not everything is planned out, and they did still manage to be surprised by some ‘unexpected gems’ they found during filming, and afterwards.

In a conversation that ranges from evolutionary biology, how Shane Campbell-Staton came on board as presenter, to the role of rap music in the making of Human Footprint, Nate and Neil take Matthew Sherwood on a journey across the world and even through time.

Watch the episode at https://factualamerica.com

“... what the series reveals to me [is] that we have an enormous capacity for messing things up if we're not careful. But we also have an amazing capacity for good as a species, and it's really just a matter of what we decide to do collectively.” – Neil Losin