Wildlife
Mammal success
The secret to mammalian dominance lies in their warm-bloodedness.
The secret to mammalian dominance lies in their warm-bloodedness.
Fish types
Specialised SCUBA allows underwater demonstration of fish differences.
This sequence from the early 1980s shows one of the early instances of underwater presenting. It became possible as a result of the developments in full face plates which allowed Sir David not only to be able to deliver his commentary but to be recorded clearly during a dive.
Thermoregulation
Presenter Chris Packham explains the ways in which animals cope with the great British weather.
Presenter Chris Packham explains the ways in which animals cope with the great British weather.
Super-snails
The rise of the gas-filled nautiloids gave way to the rolled up shells of ammonites.
The rise of the gas-filled nautiloids gave way to the rolled up shells of ammonites.
Deep surprises
The planet's extremes confound the nature of life on earth.
Pompeii worms have been found to thrive at temperatures of up to 80°C around hydrothermal vents, making them the most heat-tolerant complex animal known to science after the tardigrades (or water bears), which are able to survive temperatures over 150°C. In this sequence, a specialised deep sea submersible allowed the audience a privileged view of the inaccessible deep ocean. Stunning images from this relatively unexplored world told the story of the scientific findings made in recent years that have changed the fundamental rules about the nature of life on Earth. (Courtesy of WHOI.)
A Living Fossil
By using the example of a sea sponge, he looks at how cells clump together to form bodies.
Sir David Attenborough goes back in time to the roots of the tree of life, in search of the very first animals. By using the example of a sea sponge, he looks at how cells clump together to form bodies.
Body Structure
In this clip he looks at the basic structure of all bodies.
Sir David Attenborough goes back in time to the roots of the tree of life, in search of the very first animals. In this clip, he looks at the basic structure of all bodies.
Amphibian characteristics
The first backboned animals to emerge on to land.
The first backboned animals to emerge on to land.
Unsophisticated relatives
All backboned animals, even humans, are descended from sea squirts and slimy hagfish.
All backboned animals, even humans, are descended from sea squirts and slimy hagfish.
Echinoderm evolution
David Attenborough looks at the evolutionary relationships among echinoderms.
David Attenborough looks at the evolutionary relationships among echinoderms.
Creepy crawlies
Fossils show that spider- and millipede-like creatures once crawled over ancient Wales.
Fossils show that spider- and millipede-like creatures once crawled over ancient Wales.
Fish development
Jaws were a significant development in the evolution of fish.
Jaws were a significant development in the evolution of fish.
The tree of life
Life evolved from simple beginnings, becoming more complex and more diverse in form.
Celebrating a year of Darwin anniversaries, 'The Tree of Life' addressed the question, who do you think you are? Genealogy has always fascinated us. Now genetics has comfirmed what Darwin proposed - not only are all human beings related to each other, but all life on the planet has its place on one spectacularly huge family tree. This clip goes right to the roots of that family tree.
Global force
A shared basic design enables insects to invade almost every habitat.
Insects come in an enormous variety of shapes and sizes, despite having a number of things in common. They all have six legs and an armoured body, but it is those with wings that have conquered almost every habitat on the planet.
Survivors
Alligators and birds survived the dinosaur extinction.
Alligators and birds survived the dinosaur extinction.
Feeding corals
A unique digital stills timelapse technique shows how corals come alive at night.
Using a flash strobe system linked to an in-built intervalometer on a digital stills camera, cameraman Peter Kragh was able to film these extraordinary underwater timelapse sequences of feeding corals in a completely new way. Previously any timelapse found in an underwater film was shot from the outside of an aquarium.
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