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The Challenger

Episode 3 of 3

Documentary series. Professor Iain Stewart explains how grass fought its enemy, the forests, how it transformed ocean life and how it triggered human civilisation.

In this series Professor Iain Stewart tells a stunning story about our planet. He reveals how the greatest changes to the earth have been driven, above all, by plants.

In the third episode, Iain discovers the remarkable impact of just one plant: grass. On the savannah of South Africa he sees how grass unleashed a firestorm to fight its greatest enemy, the forests. He shows how cutting your finger on a blade of grass shows us how it transformed life in the oceans. In Senegal, he meets the cleverest chimps in the world. And, in the ruins of the oldest temple on Earth, he tells the extraordinary story of how grass triggered human civilisation.

1 hour

Last on

Wed 28 Mar 2012 00:00

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Iain Stewart
Producer Nick Shoolingin-Jordan
Director Nick Shoolingin-Jordan
Series Producer Andrew Thompson
Executive Producer Mark Hedgecoe

Broadcasts

  • Tue 21 Feb 2012 21:00
  • Fri 24 Feb 2012 23:30
  • Wed 21 Mar 2012 03:10
  • Wed 28 Mar 2012 00:00