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[ Graphical: Channel4 Homepage ]
[Home]
[Prog summaries - [Ice
World] [The
Earth was Born] [Out
of Eden] [In
perspective]]
[Out of chaos - [Introduction]
[Divine
guidance] [Tools
of knowledge] [Religious
conflict] [Search
goes on]]
[Survival - [Introduction]
[Exodus]
[New
Technology] [Moving
on]]
[The Globe - [Introduction]
[Star
Dust] [Water
of life]]
[Find
out more]
[Credits]
[Full site
with images]
24,000 years ago, much of our planet was covered by ice, and 3km-thick sheets of frozen water spread further round the globe every day. As they did so, the lack of water evaporating into the atmosphere caused droughts that threatened to starve animal life.
It was the most extreme climate humans had ever endured and it nearly spelled death for our ancestors. Their only weapon against the frozen enemy was their intelligence. Through dramatic reconstructions and expert testimony, these programmes explore humankind’s battles against the elements and harsh journeys to find places to survive.
Above all, the programmes show our modern complex societies and technological
achievements to be rooted in the need to survive in a vicious and ever-changing
climate.