The film explores the eye-opening realm of these creatures to better understand how they evolved. Travelling from the rain forests of French Guiana to the Arctic Ocean, scientists use traditional and cutting edge techniques to examine both modern insects and the fossil record in their search for a single common insect ancestor. Insects are vital to life on our planet, yet almost 40% of known species are in danger of extinction.
Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on Earth. The true number of species is unknown, but some estimates suggest that only a fraction have been identified. They have successfully adapted to every ecosystem on our planet. But insects still harbour many mysteries. Where do they come from? When did they first appear on Earth? How and why have they diversified and multiplied so successfully? At a time when certain insect species are in danger of extinction and there is greater interest in their role within ecosystems, this is the fascinating story of their origins.

The fifth episode of the series is a fascinating exploration of the dinosaur era and its impact on the evolution of life on Earth. Through a journey of 200 million years, we discover how the breakup of Pangea and tectonic changes shaped biodiversity and created environments for dinosaurs and other forms of life to flourish. From the majestic Diplodocus to the formidable Allosaurus, the documentary brings to life the giants that once dominated our planet. Additionally, it shows the evolution of plants, highlighting the emergence of flowers and their symbiotic relationship with insects, such as termites and ants, whose social and evolutionary dynamics are explored in depth. The narrative also addresses the rise of mammals and their coexistence with dinosaurs, highlighting species such as the Numbat and their struggle for survival.
With stunning imagery and a captivating narrative, this episode is an invitation to learn, marvel, and reflect on the extraordinary history of life on Earth.

From crunchy crickets to nutty fly grubs, the film takes a tasty look at insect foods and how they could benefit our health and our warming planet. From Thailand to Texas, insect farmers are showing how the tiny critters stack up as an environmentally friendly alternative to beef protein and can, pound for pound, deliver better nutritional value than the finest steak. But will western people overcome the 'ick' factor and share the appetite of many cultures around the world for insect feasts?

An alarming decline in insect populations could devastate all life on earth. What's causing it, and can anything be done to stop it?
Insects are disappearing across the world. If we lost our pollinators, we would lose 80 to 90% of the plants on the planet. That is not an option. It's the ecosystems on this planet that keep humans alive. Scientists warn us that the insect apocalypse is entirely possible.

The series, depicted by state of the art CGI techniques, and applying the laws of life on Earth to the rest of the galaxy, blends fact with science fiction and conceptualizes what alien life might be like on other planets.
In the prologue, astronomer Didier Queloz makes an appearance to discuss the discoveries of exoplanets and how they are analyzed in the real world. In Episode 1, the fictional world imagined is Atlas, a world with higher gravity than Earth and a thicker atmosphere leading to airborne creatures. In explaining the aliens of Atlas, the episode also explores the handicap principle in insects, and shows a rehabilitative form of falconry as captive falcons are trained to live in the wild.

With a million species at risk of extinction, Sir David Attenborough explores how this crisis of biodiversity has consequences for us all, threatening food and water security, undermining our ability to control our climate and even putting us at greater risk of pandemic diseases.
Everything in the natural world is connected in networks that support the whole of life on earth, and we are losing many of the benefits that nature provides to us. The loss of insects is threatening the pollination of crops, while the loss of biodiversity in the soil also threatens plants growth.
Last year, a UN report identified the key drivers of biodiversity loss, including overfishing, climate change and pollution. But the single biggest driver of biodiversity loss is the destruction of natural habitats. Seventy-five per cent of Earth's land surface (where not covered by ice) has been changed by humans, much of it for agriculture, and as consumers we may unwittingly be contributing towards the loss of species through what we buy in the supermarket. Human activities like the trade in animals and the destruction of habitats drive the emergence of diseases. Disease ecologists believe that if we continue on this pathway, this year’s pandemic will not be a one-off event.