Animal documentaries are bigger and better than they've ever been. With new technology, documentarians are able to film wildlife in the dark, in brighter colors, and with impressive narration (cue Morgan Freeman). The storylines are as enthralling as any Oscar-nominated indie film, and you might actually learn something in the process.
It might even be considered a rest for your brain. With news of global warming pulsing on our phones every day, movies like "My Octopus Teacher" may be called a "meditative experience" for a reason. Watching nature on TV can actually boost your mood, reduce negative emotions, and "help alleviate the kind of boredom associated with being isolated indoors," according to research conducted by the University of Exeter. Learning about nature is thought to humble us and help us see the bigger picture rather than ruminate on petty stresses. In a different study, researchers found that there was a distinct uptick in "feelings of awe, curiosity, joy and amazement and reduced feelings of anger, stress, low energy and tiredness" from watching nature documentaries.
So if you're mindlessly scrolling through the streaming menu, try out one of the many wonderful animal documentaries on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. Keep reading for a list of 15 options that will transport you from the far reaches of the deep ocean to the drought of the desert.
— Additional reporting by Melanie Whyte
