Evolutionary Biology Essentials

Packing lots of information into a relatively short running time, the three-part Evolutionary Biology Essentials opens with “Geological Timescale,” which begins with the understatement, “Earth, some might say, is seriously old.” Covering the billions of years between the first geologic era (Hadean) and most recent major era (Cenozoic)—depicted here as relative portions of a clock face—the section touches on topics ranging from the shifting of the continents, to the “Great Dying” mass extinction. Next up is “Radiocarbon and Other Dating Techniques,” which combines real-world footage, animation, and graphics to explore how we are able to learn much from fossils using techniques such as radio carbon dating and electron spin resonance (to determine the age of teeth). Finally, “The Hominid Chronology” traces the evolutionary trail from Australopithecus, up through the “handy man” Homo habilis, socially interactive Neanderthals, and ultimately us: Homo sapiens. A fine primer, this is highly recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (J. Williams-Wood)