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Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History

   2022    Nature    HD
Stephen Fry embarks on a fascinating journey to discover the stories behind some of the world’s most fantastic beasts. Discover the magic and mystery behind humanity's timeless fascination with mythical creatures in this captivating documentary. Journey through history to uncover the origins of legendary beasts that have captured our imaginations for centuries. Why do these fantastical beings still enchant us in today's world of science and technology? This film reveals the hidden truths behind the myths, showing how real animals often inspired these legendary tales.
Embark on an exhilarating adventure to uncover the secrets of beloved mythical creatures, from dragons and unicorns to the phoenix and the elusive Loch Ness Monster. Explore the labyrinthine corridors of the Natural History Museum, meet experts who shed light on ancient legends, and see how cutting-edge technology brings these creatures to life on the big screen. This documentary offers a mesmerizing blend of history, science, and fantasy, showing that the natural world holds wonders that rival even the most magical beasts. Don't miss this enchanting exploration that will leave you questioning what might still be out there, waiting to be discovered.

Secrets of the Neanderthals

   2024    History    HD
Embark on a captivating journey as a groundbreaking excavation reveals the intricate and ingenious world of Neanderthals, challenging long-held misconceptions. At the heart of this documentary lies an extraordinary find: the most impeccably preserved Neanderthal skeleton discovered in over a quarter of a century.
Dive deep into the enigmatic lives of these ancient humans, exploring the clues left behind in their fossils and uncovering the secrets of their existence and eventual disappearance. This documentary promises to change the way you perceive our ancient relatives, offering a fresh perspective on their intelligence, creativity, and the mysteries that still surround them.

Social Networkers

   2024    Nature
The third episode unveils the enigmatic world of octopuses, long believed solitary creatures, revealing their unexpected social behaviors. Follow Dr. Alex Schnell as she forms a unique bond with Scarlett, a shy female day octopus, challenging the long-held belief that these creatures are ultimate loners. Witness intense interactions, from rival confrontations to cooperative hunting with other species, shedding light on the complex social dynamics of these intelligent beings. The film also takes you deep beneath the ocean to octopus nurseries and an extraordinary octopus oasis where multiple species coexist.
Discover how octopuses use their remarkable problem-solving abilities and sophisticated communication to navigate their environments and form selective social interactions. ‘Social Networkers’ redefines our understanding of these ancient, intelligent marine animals and their secret social lives, making it a must-watch for nature enthusiasts and curious minds alike.
Series: Secrets of the Octopus

Hannibal: Rome Worst Nightmare

       History
It is 200 years before the birth of Christ and Rome is the new superpower of the ancient world. She believes she is invincible - but one man is destined to change that. He is a man bound by oath to avenge the wrongs inflicted on his home and, in pursuit of revenge, he will stop at nothing. This featured docudrama explores the man behind the myth, revealing what drove the 26-year-old to mastermind one of the most audacious military moves in history. With 40,000 soldiers and 37 elephants, he marched 1,500 miles to challenge his enemies on their own soil. It was an act so daring that few people believed it possible.
‘Hannibal: Rome Worst Nightmare’ combines drama, the latest historical research and state-of-the-art CGI to bring this spectacular story to life.

The Cambridgeshire Crucifixion

       History
The documentary tells the story of the extremely rare discovery of evidence of Roman crucifixion, unearthed in a routine archaeological dig in the Cambridgeshire Fens. When human remains were found alongside a variety of Roman artifacts, none of the team at Albion Archaeology saw anything out of the ordinary. But once the bones were washed back at HQ, something highly unusual was uncovered: a nail through the heel bone of one of the individuals. Could this be evidence of a Roman crucifixion? When they did some research, they found that only one confirmed example had ever been unearthed before, discovered in the 1960s in Jerusalem. To find out more, they called in renowned osteoarchaeologist Dr Corinne Duhig to investigate. With exclusive access to Corinne’s investigation and the remains themselves, The Cambridgeshire Crucifixion sets out to find out who this person was, how they lived and why they were put to death in this notoriously gruesome way. We perform a CT scan, DNA and isotope analysis of the remains, and use them to create a cutting-edge virtual autopsy of the skeleton, conducted by Corinne and one of her former students, biologist Prof Ben Garrod.
A supporting cast of expert contributors help to analyse the artefacts found at the Fenstanton site and reveal a compelling picture of life in Roman Britain in the 1st century CE. The film culminates in a world first: a full forensic facial reconstruction of a victim of Roman crucifixion, conducted by world-leading expert Joe Mullins.

Woodland

   2023    Nature
Sir David Attenborough explores the incredible diversity of Britain’s woodlands, taking us on a seasonal journey through our forests, and revealing a host of spectacular animals and the hidden dramas that rule their lives.
In an ancient pine tree in the Cairngorms, two eagle chicks are on the verge of fledging their gargantuan nest. In winter in the Forest of Dean, the reintroduction of wild boar has given the robin a lifeline. As they root through the thick snow, the boar unearth the worms with their snouts, which the robins otherwise couldn't find.
Back in Scotland, a male capercaillie displays to gathering females. These birds are on the edge. With only around 500 left, they are some of the rarest and most threatened in the British Isles. In a beech woodland outside London, the deciduous trees burst to life in spring, and huge colonies of wood ants awaken and go looking for food. Also looking for sustenance is a female roe deer. With no large predators left in our woods, the deer are free to browse on new growth to the extent that they can damage the woodland itself.
In Sussex is an ancient-looking landscape, but one that has only been recreated in the past 20 years. This is the wood pasture of Knepp, created by using old grazing methods that generate a mix of scrub, open areas and ancient trees. In the Scottish Highlands, red squirrels battle it out for access to ripe pine cones at the top of a tree. It’s an acrobatic and energetic encounter, with more than a little cunning required to win the day. As the summer finally fades, we encounter a honey buzzard nest, where two chicks feast on wasp grubs, squabble between themselves and grow up before our eyes.
Autumn brings the fallow deer rut. The woods resonate with their calls, and bucks fight for supremacy. The season also brings colour, both in the leaves but also in the fungi that fruit at this time of year. The mushrooms are just a tiny part of their story, however, and we travel underground to see how the wood-wide web connects the whole forest together.
Series: Wild Isles