2016 · 1 season · 1h 0m · ★ 7.8
Examining the extraordinary physiology of animals who launch themselves into the air - whether winged or wingless; bearing feathers, fur, or scales; by day or night. Shot both in the field and on controlled sets, the series reveals the minute details of wing beats and the science of how a tiny Leaf Hopper pulls 500G on takeoff. Each episode concludes with a behind-the-scenes view of how it was made.
Start from S1E1 · Defying Gravity
E12016 · 58m
In Africa, a caracal catches birds in flight with a 'rocket-propelled' launch; in the Australian outback, a kangaroo's hop locates water in a vast desert; on an English farm, an insect accelerates at 700G with help from a clutch in its crotch; and high above the jungles of Borneo, a leaping snake's unique shape allows it to glide through the air without wings.
E22016 · 58m
How peregrine falcons can top 200 miles an hour, a hummingbird is slave to its manic lifestyle, and the albatross's nose helps it fly for free; heavyweight beetles break the rules to find love; a devious sparrow-hawk executes a lightning-fast raid on his prey; and half a million mother bats dominate air space both above and below the ground with dazzling aerial prowess.
E32016 · 58m
The world's most aggressive bird creates sound out of thin air with the world's fastest courtship display; in a South American jungle, bats and moths fight for the upper hand in one of the world's oldest arms races; and a giant flock of half a million birds avoids colliding in the same air space.
Great Migrations
2010·7.7
