Episodes

Episode 1 - The Elephant

How did evolution overcome the challenges of being as big as an elephant? And how did the elephant get the most versatile limb on the planet - the trunk?

Episode 2 - The Whale

Experts dissect a 20 metre, 50 tonne fin whale that has died after being stranded off the coast of Ireland. It's a race against time as whale anatomist Joy Reidenberg flies in from New York before the animal's decomposition causes it to explode on the beach.

Episode 3 - The Crocodile

Veterinary scientist Mark Evans joins experts in anatomy, evolution and behaviour in a bid to get under the skin of the crocodile, as biologist Simon Watt travels to Florida to test the huge strength of the massive reptile's bite: the most powerful in the animal kingdom.

Episode 4 - The Giraffe

Creationists question how this extraordinary creature could have evolved such a long neck, but for Professor Richard Dawkins the anatomy of the world's tallest animal provides some of the best arguments in favour of Darwinian natural selection.

Episode 3 - The Crocodile

Veterinary scientist Mark Evans joins experts in anatomy, evolution and behaviour in a bid to get under the skin of the crocodile.

The team uncovers the crocodile's incredible jaw muscles, as biologist Simon Watt travels to Florida to test the huge strength of the massive reptile's bite: the most powerful in the animal kingdom.

But while crocodiles' spiked teeth are excellent for gripping prey as they plunge into a death roll, they are useless for chewing. So how do these animals manage to digest large chunks of raw meat and bone? As the experts dissect the digestive system and inspect the stomach contents for clues, they reveal the bizarre plumbing between the heart and the stomach that might provide the key to this puzzle.

Meanwhile Professor Richard Dawkins explains how little the crocodile has changed since the age of the dinosaurs.

Credits
Producer / Director
Editor
for Channel 4, NGCI, NGC-US
Distributed by Silverlining