David Attenborough tells the story of 19th-century explorers who unearthed the mysteries of prehistoric animals and dinosaurs, a fascination that led to intense rivalries as they battled to be the first to make such discoveries.
David Attenborough introduces us to three remarkable entomologists: Maria Sibylla Merian, Henry Bates, and Jean Henri Fabre. These passionate scientists dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of the vast and varied insect world.
David Attenborough visits the ruins of a pioneering bird sanctuary, and tells the story of an intense 19th-century rivalry between its creator, Charles Waterton, known as the Wanderer, and his rival John James Audubon, an American painter.
David Attenborough recounts the tales of three explorers-Vitus Bering, James Cook, and Matthew Flinders-who risked their lives to navigate the uncharted mysterious waters of the Pacific Ocean, including the 'Unknown Land of the South'.
In the 19th-century, as zoos opened to the public, there was a global quest to find rare and unusual animals. Those given the task were often part-time zoologists, including British colonial officers and a French missionary priest.
