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David Attenborough: Life on Earth and Beyond

David Attenborough, Martin Rees, Philippa Mason and Michael Quetting discuss the evolution of life on earth and beyond with Andrew Marr.

It is 40 years since Sir David Attenborough told the story of Life on Earth, from its very first spark 4 billion years ago to the abundance of plants and animals today. He tells Andrew Marr how more pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place over the last four decades.

The German ornithologist Michael Quetting spent a year hand rearing seven goslings: caring for them as they hatched, helping them learn to swim, and teaching them to fly alongside his aircraft. The project is part of an ambitious scientific research programme to understand birds in flight and use them to gather weather data for us.

Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, looks beyond the earth to ask about potential life among the stars. He sees the future of humanity as bound to the future of science, and believes that space explorers in the next century will be electronic and not organic.

A hundred years after Holst wrote The Planets, leading composers are again trying to capture the essence of our solar system in music. But this time they are working in collaboration with scientists. The geologist Dr Philippa Mason has helped bring deeper insight to Venus: a planet once thought to be a lush tropical swamp world, but in reality a crushing, violent inferno.

(Producer: Katy Hickman).

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43 minutes

Last on

Mon 17 Sep 2018 21:30

David Attenborough

Sir David Attenborough is one of the world鈥檚 leading naturalists and broadcasters, and his extraordinary contribution to natural history broadcasting and film-making has brought him international recognition.聽

Life On Earth - The Greatest Story Ever Told is published by William Collins on 4th October. The audio version (read by Sir David) is out on 20th September.

Philippa Mason

Dr Philippa Mason is a field geologist and expert on tectonics and Earth and other planets. 聽She is a member of the Science Team of EnVision, an international UK-led mission heading to Venus in 2029.

The Planets 2018, marking a century since Holst鈥檚 The Planets, combines new musical compositions and cutting edge planetary science. It tours the UK from 29th September and will be available online.

Martin Rees

Martin Rees is Astronomer Royal, and a member of the UK鈥檚 House of Lords. He is a former President of the Royal Society and has been Master of Trinity College and Director of the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University.

On The Future: Prospects for Humanity is published by Princeton University Press on 24th October.

Michael Quetting

Michael Quetting is an author and laboratory manager at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology.

Papa Goose is published by Greystone Books.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Andrew Marr
Interviewed Guest David Attenborough
Interviewed Guest Martin Rees
Interviewed Guest Philippa Mason
Interviewed Guest Michael Quetting
Producer Katy Hickman

Broadcasts

  • Mon 17 Sep 2018 09:00
  • Mon 17 Sep 2018 09:44
  • Mon 17 Sep 2018 21:30

Podcast