There are many species of mantises worldwide. One species in Sri Lanka may reach 10 inches in length, and like other large species from South America, these large mantises may prey on insects, small birds and reptiles. Wherever they live and whatever their size, they share one gruesome feature: Every mantis is a perfect killing machine, a living steel trap. Anything but prayerful, mantises prey on everything that moves and can be overwhelmed. World-wide, there exist some 2,200 species of this bizarre insect family, most of them in the subtropical and tropical zones, a few in the temperate zones of the Old an the New World.
Filmed in the forests, aviaries, studios and laboratories of England, Germany and the USA, this is a colorful, entertaining, informative and occasionally weird journey through the songs of nature that have enchanted and perplexed humans for thousands of years. Inspired by musician and eco-philosopher David Rothenberg’s book of the same title, this documentary explores the intriguing, charming, complex and often conflicting theories on why birds sing like they do and why humans are so attracted to the sound.
From the latest fossil evidence, to the sequencing of the canine genome, to cognitive experiments, dogs are fast turning into a window into understanding ourselves. We have an extraordinary relationship with dogs closer than with any other animal on the planet. But what makes the bond between us so special? Where does this relationship come from? In Siberia, a unique breeding experiment reveals the astonishing secret of how dogs evolved from wolves. Swedish scientists demonstrate how the human/dog bond is controlled by a powerful hormone also responsible for bonding mothers to their babies.
Dinosaurs were the ultimate prehistoric survival machines, ruling the earth for 120 Million years. Until now we’ve seen them as skeletons and robotic models. Clash of the Dinosaurs takes a new look at dinosaurs -- from the inside out. Combining cinematic photo-real 3D graphics and leading-edge anatomy and paleontology, we peel back their skin, their muscles, even their brains to reveal the unique inner workings of the greatest beasts that ever lived. Hidden inside bodies of these ancient beasts are the anatomical secrets to surviving prehistoric Planet Earth for millions of years.
What makes us human may not be uniquely human after all! We share love, language, guilt, envy, generosity, secrets, lies, and a sophisticated society with our closest relatives the monkeys! From tiny pygmy marmoset in South America to aggressive baboons of Africa and compassionate toque macaques in Sri Lanka, NATURE travels around the world to capture never before seen monkey behavior that challenges many ideas about what is purely human. Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham narrates this fascinating program that immerses viewers in monkey culture to reveal how and what monkeys teach their young, and how they communicate with each other.
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