Rivers and Life Episode Rating Graph

The Mississippi is a river of sound - music, wildlife, voices, weather, even the sound of the river itself. This is the iconic North American river, home to paddle-steamers, Mark Twain, a key route in the story of slavery, and of New Orleans. The devastating flood of 1927 and the hurricane of 2005 laid bare the divisions that still exist in the worlds richest nation.

The Ganges is the most spiritually revered river on Earth. For Hindus, Mother Ganga is a sacred spirit to be worshipped. It rises in an ice-cave in the Himalayas and empties into the Bay of Bengal. The holy river is a source of cleansing for sins, a place of purification. But the Ganges has become so badly polluted that it is dangerous to bathe in it let alone to drink from it.

The steamy jungles of the Amazon region reverberate with the sound of screeches, growls and grunts. These are the noises of creatures hidden in the trees vying with one another for survival in the forest.

The Nile encapsulates the story of ancient civilisation and the story of modern conflict and modern consumerism. From the dawn of civilization the waters of ancient Egypt have facilitated their entire economy, culture and religion. Were it not for the capricious forces of the Nile, the enduring architectural edifices of the Pyramids might never have been built.