The Ultimate Guide

Sixty-five million years ago, a world that belonged to the dinosaurs suffered a cosmic catastrophe, obliterating the kingdom of Tyrannosaurus rex. For the sixty-five million years folllowing, the bones of the last king of the dinosaurs lay hidden. Then, at the turn of the 20th Century, scientists began to coax the first fragments from the badlands of western North America. They found a super-carnivore that stood eighteen feet tall and was forty feet from head to tail. Today, the bones of Tyrannosaurus rex allow us to encounter the greatest meat-eating machine of the prehistoric world, and T. rex has become the most famous of all the dinosaurs, an ultimate expression of savagery and power.

Documentary combining wildlife cinematography and 3-D graphics to explore the evolutionary history, survival skills and mating habits of several shark species, as well as the animals' consequential role in marine life and ocean ecosystems.

Documentary explores the natural habitats of snakes, providing a unique perspective. Computer graphics are used to illustrate how serpents have evolved and how their unique bodies allow them to thrive around the world.

Documentary explores the wildlife behavior of elephants, using cutting-edge computer animation to examine the evolution of the largest land animal.

At times, dogs appear to move and react like wild animals. Yet they are, by definition, domesticated. In perhaps only fourteen thousand years, humans have modified and manipulated a single species to create more than four hundred breeds. But for all their variety of appearance, all dogs are simply mutations of their closest ancestral relative... the wolf. How did the dog come to be so successfully domesticated from its wild ancestors? Dr. Rodney Honeycutt discusses the genetics of domestication and some of the special qualities of the dog, such as its phenomenal senses of hearing, smell, and taste. A survey of strange and wonderful breeds of dogs is presented, from dogs that whistle to dogs that sing, and the vulpines (foxes) which can climb trees. Also, some of the unique jobs of dogs are explored, from sniffing out termites, to herding goats and finding missing persons.

The great apes - ingenious, clever, perceptive - are the closest thing humans have to living relatives. These thoughtful and creative tool users continue to surprise researchers with their exhibitions of self-awareness and an apparent ability to reach into the minds of others. Explore the striking physical features, evolution, social structure, habitat, and communication skills of the great apes. Computer graphics, 3-D animation, and spectacular wildlife film footage give a detailed look at the lives of these endangered mammals. Scientists discuss the genealogy and evolution of the apes, as well as providing facts and stories about the unique qualities of these creatures who so closely resemble humans.