For decades, scientists have sought to unlock the secrets of ancient DNA, a fragile genetic blueprint that rarely survives millions of years. Danish biologist Eske Willerslev had a groundbreaking idea: instead of searching for DNA in fossils or ancient tissues, he looked to frozen sediment. Initially dismissed as impossible, his work led to the recovery of genetic traces from over two million years ago, revealing lush ecosystems that existed before the Ice Age. These discoveries offer unprecedented insights into long-extinct species that thrived in warm, verdant Arctic landscapes.
Willerslev’s perseverance revolutionized DNA research, enabling scientists to reconstruct vanished ecosystems and uncover the genetic secrets of ancient worlds. By examining the DNA of past climates, researchers are paving the way to better understand Earth's deep history and adapt to current environmental challenges. This landmark breakthrough demonstrates that ancient DNA acts as a "time machine," allowing humanity to explore its distant past and draw lessons for the future.
This series, acclaimed by the public and praised by critics, explores the story of Steven Avery, a man from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, who served 18 years in prison for the wrongful conviction of sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen, before being fully exonerated in 2003 by DNA evidence. "Eighteen Years Lost" When Steven Avery is freed from a wrongful conviction, his search for justice raises questions about the authorities who put him behind bars.
For decades some have suspected that there might be others out there, intelligent beings capable of communicating with us, even visiting our world. It might sound like science fiction, but today scientists from across the globe are scouring the universe for signals from extraterrestrials. Horizon obtained exclusive access to film researchers at the Green Bank Telescope searching for radio signals from Tabby's Star, a star so mysterious that some scientists believe it might be surrounded by a Dyson Sphere, a vast energy collector built by advanced aliens.
This acclaimed multi-million dollar 4 part series shows the rise of the tribes of a primitive culture on the fringe of northern Europe to become the heirs of the Roman Empire. Since the age of Caesar this Roman-Germanic conflict was characterized not only by fierce battles but also by phases of co-existence & cooperation. the Germans dug the grave of the Roman Empire, but were also the preserves of the Roman legacy.
The tenth season of this acclaimed series. A users guide to the cosmos from the big bang to galaxies, stars, planets and moons. Where did it all come from and how does it all fit together. A primer for anyone who has ever looked up at the night sky and wondered. In the first episode, new astronomical research is beginning to reveal an invisible scaffold of dark matter known as the Cosmic Web, an intergalactic network that transformed the Universe from a chaotic Big Bang into the structured beauty of the present day cosmos.
25 million years ago the biggest land mammals of all time, the indricotheres, stalked the Earth. Up to seven metres tall and weighing 15 tonnes, adults were too big to be eaten by any predator of the time. Only in the first few years of its life was indricotheres vulnerable. The programme follows the fate of a calf from his traumatic birth to see whether it can survive droughts, killer hogs and hyaenodon - a predator the size of a rhino with jaws that could crush a rock.
Willerslev’s perseverance revolutionized DNA research, enabling scientists to reconstruct vanished ecosystems and uncover the genetic secrets of ancient worlds. By examining the DNA of past climates, researchers are paving the way to better understand Earth's deep history and adapt to current environmental challenges. This landmark breakthrough demonstrates that ancient DNA acts as a "time machine," allowing humanity to explore its distant past and draw lessons for the future.