Triumph of life

National Geographic Channel Collection

Despite overwhelming obstacles, life on Earth has evolved from the most humble of beginnings to a level of diversity that challenges human comprehension. The fittest have indeed survived — even in places where no living creatures could be thought to exist. Triumph Of Life presents the remarkable story of evolution and its survivors.

In a stunning six-part series we find a compelling new vision of the epic forces that have shaped every aspect of existence on our planet, in Triumph Of Life. It combines dramatic storytelling with powerful, groundbreaking scientific ideas in a sweeping story about survival and the survivors — the winners, for the moment at least, in an eternal battle.

Yet out of this eternal conflict has emerged the overwhelming richness and diversity we see around us. Exploring this paradox, Triumph Of Life begins with a penetrating look at the process of evolution and the driving force behind it — genes. Sex is the key to the immortality of genes, and any tactic necessary will be deployed in the cause of reproduction — even if it’s suicidal to the participant.

Since the dawn of life, an evolutionary arms race has imbued predator and prey with ever more sophisticated weaponry. Teeth and jaws are merely the low-tech side of the struggle. But it’s not always a dog-eat-dog world. The struggle to survive has spawned a remarkable array of cooperative relationships involving families, extended families, and even entire communities.

The growing study of animal intelligence casts a vibrant new light on the evolution of the mind. The development of brain power, in fact, has been one of the most fascinating and successful innovations in the history of evolution. The concluding episode explores the factors that make winners and losers in the game of life, and poses the question: who will triumph in the long run?