‘WONDERS OF LIFE’ TO AIR ON ANIMAL PLANET, STARTING SEPTEMBER 14
New Delhi, September 3, 2015: Animal Planet’s spectacular and definitive series WONDERS OF LIFE looks at natural history from a physics perspective, revealing how a few fundamental laws gave birth to the most complex, diverse and unique force in the universe – life.
More than three and a half billion years ago the fundamental laws that had previously built stars, supernovae and planets contrived to create life. Today, there are thought to be as many as 100 million different species on Earth: each one governed by the same laws. Light, gravity, time, matter and energy are the fundamental building blocks of everything, from the smallest microbe to the biggest galaxy. WONDERS OF LIFE tells the story of the amazing diversity and adaptability of life through the fundamental laws that govern it. Each episode tackles a different aspect of life on Earth, travelling to a single location that illustrates it best.
WONDERS OF LIFE will air Monday to Friday at 8 pm, starting September 14 on Animal Planet.
From the dance of chromosomes as cells divide to the spark of electricity that causes muscles to move, this series uncovers the secrets of life in the most unexpected locations and in the most stunning detail. Be astonished by the inventiveness of nature and discover the epic journey from the origin of life to our own existence.
Presented by renowned British physicist Professor Brian Cox, WONDERS OF LIFE will travel the world to reveal the science behind life on our planet. Brian is an English physicist and professor of particle physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester. He embarks upon an exploration of how a few fundamental laws gave birth to life.
In the first episode ‘Home’, Brian visits Central America to tell the story of how Earth became the rich, life-supporting biosphere that it is today. He explores Borneo, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, home to 15,000 plant species, 3,000 species of tree, 420 species of bird and 222 species of mammals. Borneo’s rainforests contain trees that are thought to live for more than 1,000 years. But the forest itself has existed for tens of millions of years. He narrates how orangutans have similar DNA to humans and how these animals are highly specialized for a life lived in the forest canopy. He explains how their hands and limbs have perfectly adapted for gripping branches.
In Australia ‘Same Planet, Different Worlds’ explores how size determines the nature of life. Gravity and electromagnetism impact on types of life – from a single bacterium to a 110 metre tree – differently, determining shape, movement and longevity. Brian explains how the distinctive streamlined contours of the great white have been shaped by the physics of water.
Another episode, ‘Spark of Life’ travels to one of the world’s most volcanic regions – South East Asia’s ring of fire – to explore the line that separates life from death and asks what is life?
‘Expanding the Universe’ is a unique retelling of our evolutionary history. How did our senses evolve and what are the physics by which they operate?
The episode ‘The Web’ visits the richly bio-diverse hot spots of Southern Africa and Madagascar. Why is our planet so rich in its diversity? The answer lies with the wonder molecule carbon, a universal building block forged in the stars. Could the conditions for life be repeated elsewhere in the universe?
About Animal Planet
Animal Planet is the world’s only brand that immerses viewers in emotional, engaging and passionate content devoted to animals –from wildlife to pets. Animal Planet connects humans and animals with rich, deep content and offers animal lovers access to entertainment, information and enrichment. Animal Planet launched in Asia Pacific in 1998 and is currently distributed to 183 million subscribers in the region.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content on worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery and Science, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery also controls Eurosport International, a premier sports entertainment group, including six pay-TV network brands across Europe and Asia Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. In Asia Pacific, 15 Discovery brands reach 669 million cumulative subscribers in 38 countries and territories with programming customized in 15 languages and dialects. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.