David Attenborough documentary The Year Earth Changed suggests silver lining ahead of Earth Day 2021

During the first lockdown, in March 2020, a video of dolphins carousing in the suddenly sparkling canals of Venice was seized upon with hope by those stuck at home. The video turned out to be fake – but it’s undeniable that the global lockdown has given nature a reset.

Released ahead of Earth Day (April 22), the documentary The Year Earth Changed steps back to survey the consequences of the pandemic on the planet, offering a silver lining to a year many would rather forget.

The beloved British broadcaster David Attenborough, now 94, lends his velvety, statesmanlike voice to this BBC Natural History Unit special, which collects recent footage from South Africa to Alaska as researchers observe nature on the mend.

While Attenborough takes…