This archive contains nature video documentaries
Islands of Evolution episode 2 - Madagascar
Islands of Evolution episode 2 - Madagascar: Professor Richard Fortey travels to the rainforests of Madagascar - an ancient island that has spawned some of the most extraordinary groups of plants and animals anywhere in the world. From beautiful Indri lemurs, toxic frogs, and the cat-like giant mongoose called the fossa, to evolutionary oddities like the giraffe-necked weevil and the otherworldly aye-aye, he uncovers the secrets of the evolutionary niche - examining how, given millions of years, animals and plants…
Islands of Evolution episode 1 - Hawaii
Islands of Evolution episode 1 - Hawaii: Richard Fortey investigates why islands are laboratories of evolution. On Hawaii he finds honeycreeper birds, carnivorous caterpillars and silversword plants. In the first episode, Fortey is on Hawaii to investigate how life colonises a newly born island. According to some estimates, Hawaii has been successfully colonised by only one new species every 35,000 years due to its remote location - yet the Hawaiian Islands teem with a great diversity of life. In search…
Secret Mind of Slime
Secret Mind of Slime: Meet slime molds: the brainless blobs that can learn, make decisions, and navigate mazes. Who says you need brains to be smart? Extremely primitive life-forms called slime molds can navigate mazes, choose between foods, and create efficient networks—no brain required. New research on these organisms, which are neither plant nor animal, could help reveal the fundamental rules underlying all decision making. Slime mold is an informal name given to several kinds of unrelated…
The Magical World of Moss
The Magical World of Moss: Documentary that explores the vital role that mosses played in the earth's evolution and how science is only beginning to unlock the secrets and potential of these amazing plants. Mosses have colonised almost every corner of the earth’s surface. Evolving from oceanic algae that emerged onto the land 450 million years ago, these very first terrestrial plants became one of the main sources of oxygen for our evolving planet, helping to transform it from an…
Winterwatch 2023 episode 8
Winterwatch 2023 episode 8: Sir David Attenborough is a guest on the show, talking with Chris Packham about all things British wildlife ahead of his series Wild Isles. Also, in the final episode of this series, Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan say goodbye to Wild Ken Hill, where they’ve been based for two years. They celebrate the season from their Norfolk base and offer the final deluge of drama from the live cameras. In Edinburgh, Iolo Williams…