Mystery of the Senses Mystery of the Senses Mystery of the Senses is a five-part "Nova" miniseries, based on the book "A Natural History of the Senses" by Diane Ackerman, who also presents the documentary. Each episode covers one of the traditional five senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch. The series premiered on PBS on February 19, 1995. Alan Rich of "Variety" said that "Ackerman has fashioned an absorbing tapestry of media essays on human sensuality". Walter Goodman of "The New York Times" stated that "much of the information ... is fresh", but "the programs meander down dull paths; the scientific material tends
A Natural History of the Senses past, connect us in ways that most of our cherished ideas never could.” A Natural History of the Senses A Natural History of the Senses is a 1990 non-fiction book by American author, poet, and naturalist Diane Ackerman. In this book, Ackerman examines both the science of how the different senses work, and the varied means by which different cultures have sought to stimulate the senses. The book was the inspiration for the five-part "Nova" miniseries "Mystery of the Senses" (1995) in which Ackerman appeared as the presenter. “What is most amazing is not how our senses span distance or