(UK: Channel 4; US: not available)

In 2015, an amateur trophy hunter from the US shot and killed the largest lion in Africa. The vitriol unleashed after Cecil’s death isn’t surprising (or entirely unwarranted), but what is remarkable is how this delicately-crafted film uses the case as a locus for all sorts of arguments about conservation. A symbol in life and in death, Cecil and other large, charismatic animals exist in a complex balance with humans who, one way or another, invariably stake a claim on them.

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(UK: BBC iPlayer; US: not currently available)

Almost everyone in the world now needs to have some knowledge of how AI technologies work, from all the chatbots they encounter to driverless cars and more. Mathematician Hannah Fry is an excellent person to impart such knowledge: across three episodes, she guides us through recent cases where AI has become entangled with very human problems. The series breaks down complicated topics through clear metaphors, and it benefits from Fry’s warmth, humour and complete lack of judgement towards those at the sharp end of this ultimate technological revolution.

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(UK: BBC iPlayer; US: Discovery+)

While we eagerly await Artemis III in 2027, why not revisit this year’s Artemis II mission, which returned humans on a flyby of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years? This all-too-brief film is the product of three and a half years of filming with the Artemis programme, and it’s the story of countless humans – all those behind-the-scenes engineers and designers who worked on the mission alongside the four astronauts who travelled further from Earth than anyone before them.

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(UK: BBC iPlayer; US: PBS)

The best of the many, many documentaries released to celebrate David Attenborough’s centenary was this behind-the-scenes look at the most iconic natural history series ever made. Released in 1979, the structure and tone of Life on Earth became the blueprint for almost every nature documentary that has been made ever since, and consequently has helped to define how we view the world around us. Making Life on Earth is crammed full of fascinating details from the production process, from a terrifying near-miss with armed guards in Rwanda, to Attenborough discovering that he has an allergy to donkey fur while riding the animals to the bottom of the Grand Canyon – and how it ended up ruining a close-up.

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(UK: for rent; US: HBO Max)

Fifteen years ago, a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami killed 20,000 people across northern Japan and caused vital cooling systems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant to fail. Told through the most stomach-churning footage and eye-witness accounts, this film sets out exactly what went wrong and charts how a natural disaster turned into a nuclear emergency. Amid the grim details, one bright spot is the bravery of the so-called Fukushima 50, who remained onsite and risked their lives to prevent a full-scale meltdown that would have rendered vast swathes of Japan uninhabitable. Because of their actions, only one person has so far died as a result of the accident.

David Attenborough is inarguably one of the UK’s national institutions. He consistently tops polls for the most popular and trustworthy celebrity in the country. There will never be another broadcaster quite like him – but that’s OK.

Attenborough, who turns 100 on 8 May, began his career in nature broadcasting in 1954 with , in which staff from London Zoo went to tropical countries to capture exotic animals and return them to the UK. It was very much a product of its time, but so was Attenborough. He was at the forefront of a new medium (only a third of UK households had a TV when Zoo Quest was first broadcast) and defined the template for nature documentaries, most notably with his 1979 series.

People often ask who might replace him, but the truth is, the niche that allowed him to evolve – a dominant broadcaster in the BBC and a cohesive culture enforced by a lack of choice in viewing material – no longer exists. Instead, the rise of social media has seen a Cambrian explosion in science communicators, each adapting to their environment.

The truth is, the niche that allowed Attenborough to evolve no longer exists

There are pros and cons to this. From TikTok to YouTube to podcasts, we are now able to find a format that works for us, freed from a linear TV schedule. A far more diverse range of voices have been able to flourish, and people who are turned off by Attenborough (even if they don’t want to admit it in polite company) have many more presenters to choose from.

But this fragmentation also has its downsides. TV editors no longer determine what we see on our screens. They have been replaced by algorithms that often reward dopamine quick-hits rather than more in-depth work. While many science creators are a stickler for facts, like Attenborough, misinformation can also bloom unchecked. Plus, with no one ever watching quite the same thing, we have lost part of our shared culture.

Thankfully, Attenborough’s programmes remain available today, with many still as relevant as ever. Check out this round-up of our favourites, and pick something to watch in celebration of his centenary.