Bonus Short - Secrets of the Bees with Sammy Ramsey

Dr. Samuel Ramsey, a bee researcher from the University of Colorado Boulder, reveals the behind-the-scenes story of National Geographic’s acclaimed docuseries *Secrets of the Bees*, a visually stunning two-part series that redefines how we see bees. Ramsey, initially brought on as a producer, unexpectedly became a musical contributor—recording ethereal vocal swells that underscore the documentary’s emotional arc, from the haunting vulnerability of bees under Varroa mite attack to the quiet triumph of mite-resistant colonies. The series, directed by James Cameron and shot with endoscopic lenses that reveal bees’ hidden world, was designed to spark interspecies empathy by placing viewers in the bee’s perspective. Ramsey shares how the project evolved from a single documentary into a two-part series due to the sheer volume of groundbreaking science—like bees actively biting mites and recognizing threats beneath brood caps—that couldn’t fit in one hour. The series has already become the #1 show on Disney+, proving that even the most familiar creatures can feel fresh and urgent when seen through a new lens. The episode also highlights the collaborative genius behind the scenes: cinematographers like Bertie Gregory and Alistair McEwen, whose intimate shots of bees on lamb’s ear plants and in tiny crevices were made possible by medical endoscopy technology.