03: The First Forests | Life On Earth

Duration: 53'22''

Subtitles Available

Synopsis

For most of Earth's history there was no life on land. But over 400 million years ago some tiny plants began an invasion from the water, closely followed by the first animals - the ancestors of millipedes and insects.

Further Information

More clips from Life On Earth

01: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth

01: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'12''

The first ever episode of the landmark natural history series Life on Earth. David Attenborough explores the wildlife and landscape ...

02: Building Bodies | Life On Earth

02: Building Bodies | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 53'36''

Sir David Attenborough presents a revised version of the original wildlife series about the remarkable evolution of life on our planet. T...

04: The Swarming Hordes | Life On Earth

04: The Swarming Hordes | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'22''

David Attenborough looks at the role of a few of the millions of insect species, some of which have developed extremely close relatio...

05: Conquest of the Waters | Life On Earth

05: Conquest of the Waters | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'32''

Fish occur in populations of billions and there are over 30,000 species, more than in any other group of backboned animals. The de...

06: Invasion Of The Land | Life On Earth

06: Invasion Of The Land | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'57''

Some 350 million years ago, evolution reached one of its most crucial stages when fish crawled from the water onto the land and beca...

07: Victors of the Dry Land | Life On Earth

07: Victors of the Dry Land | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'44''

David Attenborough looks at the history of reptiles, the first back-boned creatures to solve the problems of living high and dry ...

08: Lords of the Air | Life On Earth

08: Lords of the Air | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 53'45''

The story of life, from the first primitive cells to the plants and animals that live around us. David Attenborough looks at the advanta...

09: The Rise Of The Mammals | Life On Earth

09: The Rise Of The Mammals | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 53'43''

Mammals have proved to be one of the most adaptable products of evolution. David Attenborough looks at their evolution from repti...

10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth

10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 52'46''

David Attenborough looks at some of the huge variety of mammals. The tree shrew has attracted great interest as it shows how mammal...

11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth

11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'15''

David Attenborough explores the eternal duel between the hunters and the hunted - one of the driving forces of evolution.

12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth

12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'01''

David Attenborough's now-legendary encounter with young gorillas is featured in this episode as he looks at the history of primates.

13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth

13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'00''

David Attenborough seeks to explain how we came to dominate life on earth, tracing the African origins of humans to nearly t...

The Beginning of Life | Life on Earth

The Beginning of Life | Life on Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 3'53''

David Attenborough explains the origins of life on earth, starting over three and a half thousand million years ago.

More resources about Biodiversity and human impact

Amazon deforestation | Meat: A Threat to Our Planet?

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BBC One | 2019 | 4'21''

Liz Bonnin witnesses the devastation of the Amazon rainforest from the sky.

Meat: A Threat to Our Planet?

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BBC One | 2019 | 57'43''

From colossal farms in America to the destruction of the Amazon, Liz Bonnin investigates how our hunger for meat is killing our planet.

David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth

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BBC One | 2026 | 1'31'15''

A 90-minute special, broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall, London, celebrating Sir David Attenborough's groundbreaking career ...

Keeping cool | Nature's Microworlds

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BBC Four | 2013 | 2'12''

The Namaqua chameleon has developed an ingenious tactic to avoid the heat of the Namib desert.

04: Galapagos: Enchanted Isles | Eden: Untamed Planet

04: Galapagos: Enchanted Isles | Eden: Untamed Planet

BBC Two | 2022 | 48'31''

How the Galapagos became one of the most important areas of biodiversity in the world, with almost 2,000 unique species...

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BBC One | 2017 | 57'36''

Liz Bonnin joins a scientific team aboard the research vessel the Alucia on an expedition across the Galapagos Island.

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BBC One | 2015 | 2'05''

The fennec's ears help it to survive in the heat of the desert dunes.

06: Coasts | Blue Planet II

06: Coasts | Blue Planet II

BBC One | 2017 | 58'02''

The wildlife series narrated by David Attenborough explores the planet's coasts. They are the most changeable of the ocean worlds, but they offer...

Can Scientists Save the World? | Panorama

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BBC One | 2024 | 58'39''

Richard Bilton meets the scientists trying to save the world from the consequences of climate change and investigates whether they...

Cotton production and the Aral Sea crisis | Stacey Dooley Investigates

Cotton production and the Aral Sea crisis | Stacey Dooley Investigates

BBC Three | 2018 | 5'02''

Stacey Dooley visits the Aral Sea Basin in Kazakhstan, which has almost entirely dried up due to cotto...

Desert amphibians | Life in Cold Blood

Desert amphibians | Life in Cold Blood

BBC One | 2010 | 1'13''

Spadefoot toads can stay underground in a state of suspended animation for years, but when they emerge they must feed and breed before...

03: Coral Reefs | Blue Planet II

03: Coral Reefs | Blue Planet II

BBC One | 2017 | 58'12''

The wildlife documentary series narrated by David Attenborough reveals the ingenious ways life exists in the undersea cities of tropical reefs.

Cattle feedyard | Meat: A Threat to Our Planet?

Cattle feedyard | Meat: A Threat to Our Planet?

BBC One | 2019 | 3'42''

Liz Bonnin visits a cattle feedyard, a mass factory farm, that contains about 50,000 cows.

Climate change and greenhouse gases | Climate Change: The Facts

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BBC One | 2019 | 1'50''

A discussion of the devastating impact of burning fossil fuels.

09: Plants | Life

09: Plants | Life

BBC HD | 2009 | 58'19''

The nature series turns to plants and looks at the ingenious solutions that they employ to counter life's challenges, such as spring-loaded traps, suckers ...

Adaptation of Polar Bear | Life In The Snow

Adaptation of Polar Bear | Life In The Snow

BBC One | 2016 | 5'29''

An exploration of how polar bears have adapted to living in freezing conditions.

Adaptation of the Arctic Fox | Life In The Snow

Adaptation of the Arctic Fox | Life In The Snow

BBC One | 2016 | 3'27''

An exploration of how the artic fox's coat has adapted to survival in arctic winters.

Chameleon challenge | Life

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BBC Two | 2021 | 3'43''

While searching for a mate across the huge barren Namib desert, a female Namaqua chameleon seeks shade in the knowledge that tasty desert beetles ...

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BBC One | 2020 | 59'02''

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BBC One | 2020 | 3'30''

The impact of consumption and waste on biodiversity.

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BBC One | 2023 | 58'26''

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BBC Two | 2017 | 2'09''

The super colony unites in a spectacular attack to defend their nest from curious cows.

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BBC One | 2017 | 3'08''

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03: Jungles | Planet Earth II

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BBC One | 2016 | 58'00'''

Jungles provide the richest habitats on the planet - mysterious worlds of high drama where extraordinary animals attempt to survive in the most...

Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood

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BBC Two | 2014 | 3'53''

Wall lizards take advantage of foul-smelling dead-horse arums.

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BBC Two | 2009 | 58'22''

Naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world faces a population crisis and if it is the duty of indiv...

06: Ice Worlds | Planet Earth

06: Ice Worlds | Planet Earth

BBC One | 2006 | 58'54''

Documentary series which celebrates earth in its natural glory. How the advance and retreat of the ice in the polar regions becomes a real chal...

Weighty wanderers | Life in the Freezer

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BBC Two | 1993 | 3'04''

With a wingspan of over 3m, the wandering albatross has the biggest feeding range of any bird. Throughout the winter they remain in n...

David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth

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BBC One | 2026 | 1'31'15''

A 90-minute special, broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall, London, celebrating Sir David Attenborough's groundbreaking career ...

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BBC One | 2023 | 57'14''

David Attenborough celebrates the rich variety of habitats in our wild isles, the existence of which is critical for the survival of spec...

07: Worlds of Wonder | Frozen Planet II

07: Worlds of Wonder | Frozen Planet II

BBC One | 2023 | 58'06''

A journey through the world’s coldest realms with the most-loved animals from the series, including emperor penguins and one of the l...

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BBC One | 2022 | 58'43''

Tropical rainforests are plant battlegrounds. New filming techniques allow us to enter the world of plants to see it from their perspe...

David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee

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BBC One | 2022 | 1'32''

David Attenborough speaks about the environment. Also, includes footage of the drones that turn into animals.

Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World

Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World

BBC One | 2021 | 3'39''

Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough discuss their hopes for the future of the planet.

The People v Climate Change

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BBC Two | 2021 | 1'03'06''

Meet the 108 ordinary Brits who Sir David Attenborough says we should listen to. This warm and honest documentary reveals how everyday people fee...

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BBC One | 2021 | 3'06''

COP26 delegates and climate scientist Hannah Cloke discuss their hopes for the COP26 conference.

Mate or die trying | Seven Worlds, One Planet

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BBC One | 2021 | 2'46''

A male Jotus spider waves it paddle-like limbs to attract a mate.

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BBC One | 2021 | 1'15''

A poison dart frog fights off a contender until he's sufficiently warned off.

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BBC Two | 2021 | 3'32''

Flying fish can leave the water and soar great distances on their elongated fins to escape from predators below the waves. But finding a place t...

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BBC One | 2020 | 58'01''

With a million species at risk of extinction, David Attenborough explores how this crisis of biodiversity has consequences for us all, including puttin...