The Human Spark

This three-part PBS series hosted by Alan Alda attempts to answer the question of what distinguishes humans from both their evolutionary ancestors and surviving species representing their closest relatives. The initial hour, “Becoming Us,” offers an overview of humankind's evolution, honing in on language and tool-making skills as integral to our eventual differentiation from such “cousins” as Neanderthals. The second hour, “So Human, So Chimp,” centers on the differences in perception and learning abilities between humans and primates, using illustrative comparisons of chimpanzees and human children. And the third, “Brain Matters,” studies the distinctiveness of the human brain not only in size but in function, concluding that its capacity for comprehending intention—which enables us to discern purpose behind events and actions, as well as socialize with others on the basis of our similarities with them—may constitute the “human spark” peculiar to our species. Written and produced by Graham Chedd and directed by Larry Engel, this series is a fascinating combination of archaeology, anthropology, neuroscience, and primatology, combining interviews with researchers and animal handlers, experiments, and even brain scans of Alda, to present an intriguing argument about what makes humans unique—all expressed in accessible language. DVD extras include deleted scenes. An engaging treatment of a profound subject, The Human Spark is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)