S01E01 Eyes
They are one of evolution's most useful and prevalent inventions. Ninety five percent of living species are equipped with eyes and they exist in many different forms. Learn how the ancestors of jellyfish may have...
Evolve
S01E08: Size
Life has evolved into a multitude of sizes. Over the course of three billion years, life has taken on many forms--from an .02-micrometer-long bacteria to the 110-foot-long blue whale. Scientists are learning how the struggle for survival has led some animals to become small and others to get huge. Understanding the evolution of size tells us why giant dinosaurs went extinct while the first tiny mammals thrived; gives us answers to why mammoths evolved into pygmies when restricted to islands; and why carnivorous mammals have never grown to weigh more than a ton. Whether it's the speed of movement or population numbers, the biological world revolves--and "evolves"--around size.
Overview
Evolve is a 2008 documentary television series on History. The series premiere, "Eyes", was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Science, Technology and Nature Programming.
Each episode attempts to explain the evolutionary origins of a particular trait of living creatures: for example, Tyrannosaurus Rex's 13-inch teeth, the gecko's "Velcro-like" toe pads, and the bald eagle's "telescopic" vision capable of spotting a hare a mile away.
Episodes
S01E02 Guts
It doesn't just take willpower to survive. It takes guts--in the form of a digestive system that turns food into fuel. Look closely at the role guts have played in shaping some of Earth's most...
S01E03 Jaws
It's one of the most important developments in the history of life. An adaptation that lets animals kill, butcher, and devour. There is perhaps no instrument more important to survival than a strong set of...
S01E04 Sex
In the history of life on earth, sex may be the ultimate survival skill, because the bottom line is: reproduce or die. This episode looks at sex in its many forms, from sharks--among the first...
S01E05 Skin
It makes up 16% of your body weight, is the largest organ in the human body, allows birds to fly, mammals to nurse their young, and provides a lifelong defence against predators and parasites alike....
S01E06 Flight
Humans have always been fascinated with the one part of the world that we could not conquer - the sky. How did the earth's first flying creatures come to be? In this episode of Evolve...
S01E07 Communication
How has our ability to communicate defined us as a species? Sharing information with each other has allowed humans to rise to the top of the food chain and dominate our environments. But humans aren't...
S01E08 Size
Life has evolved into a multitude of sizes. Over the course of three billion years, life has taken on many forms--from an .02-micrometer-long bacteria to the 110-foot-long blue whale. Scientists are learning how the struggle...
S01E09 Venom
The deadliest natural weapon employed in the animal kingdom, venom has independently evolved in creatures as diverse as jellyfish, insects, snakes, and even mammals. Scientists from around the globe show how evolution adapted venom to...
S01E10 Shape
Living organisms have entered into a battle for survival for hundreds of millions of years and the pressure to survive has resulted in ever changing shapes. From the hammerhead shark to the platypus, new and...
S01E11 Speed
The ability to react and move can often mean the difference between life and death in the animal kingdom. Some animals have evolved into championship fliers, swimmers, and runners. What are the forces that create...
