Synopsis
Scientists are now unravelling the mystery of our remarkable resilience, just as they discover an ancient world of relentless change and merciless disaster that bestowed Homo sapiens with its powers of adaptation. We alone among the hominids survived an era of geological change so volatile, the planet has seen nothing like it since the extinction of the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago. But with a brain of immense complexity and superplastic adaptability, early humans became the masters of their ever-changing world.
A world of inceasing natural disaster and interrupted hopes, yet one full of opportunity for our miraculous ancestors – the thinking ape. Join two-time Gemini-winning anthropologist Niobe Thompson on an astonishing journey back in time, as he pulls back the curtain on a world in constant, violent convulsion. From the climate shift that created the first running ape, to the emergence of a brain that changes itself, from the sexual union of humans and Neanderthals that gave us immunity to disease, to the prehistoric triumph of sea navigation that opened up three continents, Niobe treats the audience to fascinating discoveries and adrenaline-pumping adventure.
