1
00:00:13,790 --> 00:00:16,782
(WALTZ MUSIC)
2
00:00:19,350 --> 00:00:23,707
(STEVE LEONARD) What if an alien biologist
from outer space visited Earth?
3
00:00:26,230 --> 00:00:32,146
Imagine he was looking for the most intelligent
of our planet's tens of millions of species,
4
00:00:36,350 --> 00:00:38,944
He'd probably start with the apes,
5
00:00:41,350 --> 00:00:43,102
They all seem pretty smart,
6
00:00:44,630 --> 00:00:50,466
A chimpanzee can do most of the things
a two-and-a-half-year-old human child can,
7
00:01:00,430 --> 00:01:07,302
If he compared their DNA, our alien investigator
would discover they're almost identical,
8
00:01:16,590 --> 00:01:23,940
Biologically, he wouldn't hesitate to classify
we humans as just another kind of chimp,
9
00:01:28,910 --> 00:01:33,540
But if he'd stayed and watched
the way humans live and behave,
10
00:01:33,710 --> 00:01:40,263
he'd soon have seen a huge gulf between
our capabilities and those of all the other apes,
11
00:01:41,510 --> 00:01:46,630
He'd have seen billions and billions of us
dominating the earth,
12
00:01:50,150 --> 00:01:52,141
How did that happen?
13
00:01:52,310 --> 00:01:55,507
How did we, Homo sapiens,
become so different?
14
00:01:55,670 --> 00:02:01,540
Ors is perhaps the strangest journey of all.
This is the story of or evolution.
15
00:02:13,870 --> 00:02:18,660
In this programme, we're going
to take a five-million-year journey
16
00:02:18,830 --> 00:02:22,618
from chimpanzees to modern man,
17
00:02:22,790 --> 00:02:25,941
I'm going to meet our closest living relatives
18
00:02:26,110 --> 00:02:30,183
and discover how we used
our hands to get ahead,
19
00:02:35,950 --> 00:02:38,703
By following in our ancestors' footsteps,
20
00:02:38,870 --> 00:02:42,988
I'll see how we came up
against some very serious design flaws..,
21
00:02:43,150 --> 00:02:44,902
(MIDWIFE) Push.
22
00:02:45,390 --> 00:02:48,507
..why giving birth is so hard..,
23
00:02:52,750 --> 00:02:57,665
..why for so many years
we could do little more than grunt...
24
00:02:57,830 --> 00:03:00,822
(GRUNTING)
25
00:03:02,470 --> 00:03:05,746
..and how talking is worth dying for,
26
00:03:05,910 --> 00:03:12,463
A risk that means that when we open our
mouths to speak, there's a chance we can choke,
27
00:03:14,350 --> 00:03:18,263
(CHOKING COUGH)
28
00:03:23,350 --> 00:03:27,628
I'll find out how the human race
almost became extinct...
29
00:03:30,070 --> 00:03:33,142
..and what it was that saved us,
30
00:03:43,350 --> 00:03:49,380
And I'll be looking into the future, when we
may be able to create perfect humans..,
31
00:03:50,070 --> 00:03:53,142
..and even defy the ageing process,
32
00:03:54,350 --> 00:04:00,698
Finally, I'll ask where evolution,
whether for good or bad, may lead us next,
33
00:04:04,350 --> 00:04:06,341
Homo sapiens,
34
00:04:06,510 --> 00:04:10,059
Both man and animal, The hairless ape,
35
00:04:11,590 --> 00:04:15,219
Yet we're so different
from all other animals on the planet,
36
00:04:18,870 --> 00:04:21,543
So where did we come from?
37
00:04:28,350 --> 00:04:33,299
For thousands of years, we turned
to the supernatural for the answer,
38
00:04:33,470 --> 00:04:36,621
but there is another explanation -
39
00:04:36,790 --> 00:04:42,706
that we slowly but surely evolved,
just like all other living things,
40
00:04:46,470 --> 00:04:50,145
Science can explain everything
that makes a human being -
41
00:04:50,310 --> 00:04:54,462
our behaviour, our intelligence,
even our culture -
42
00:04:54,630 --> 00:04:59,021
by the gradual course of evolution
over millions of years,
43
00:05:03,830 --> 00:05:09,302
The big clues to our past come from these
chimpanzees - our closest living relatives,
44
00:05:12,990 --> 00:05:16,903
Until 50 years ago,
we wrote them off as dumb animals,
45
00:05:17,070 --> 00:05:19,868
but since then we've had to change our tune,
46
00:05:20,030 --> 00:05:23,181
(STEVE) What do you want, you four?
47
00:05:23,350 --> 00:05:29,346
The more we study them, the more we realise
just how much we have in common,
48
00:05:30,950 --> 00:05:34,067
And the resemblance isn't just skin deep,
49
00:05:37,750 --> 00:05:42,824
A bit of avocado and monkey nut?
A bit of pineapple, anyone?
50
00:05:44,430 --> 00:05:48,742
The evidence that we really are
descended from a chimp-like ancestor
51
00:05:48,910 --> 00:05:53,222
is deep within the workings of our bodies -
in our genes,
52
00:05:55,510 --> 00:05:57,740
I still love you!
53
00:06:01,230 --> 00:06:04,586
Amazingly,
we're more genetically similar to chimps
54
00:06:04,750 --> 00:06:07,901
than Indian elephants are to African elephants.
55
00:06:08,070 --> 00:06:12,063
99% of or key genes are exactly the same.
56
00:06:12,510 --> 00:06:15,388
That's just 1% different.
57
00:06:17,670 --> 00:06:23,063
So what's the story in that 1%
that's taken us from ape to man?
58
00:06:25,230 --> 00:06:29,269
I'd like to think that we at least
behave a little differently.
59
00:06:29,430 --> 00:06:32,661
My table manners are marginally better than this.
60
00:06:32,830 --> 00:06:34,388
(STEVE LAUGHS)
61
00:06:35,310 --> 00:06:36,709
What are you doing?
62
00:06:36,870 --> 00:06:42,308
My life is so much more complicated.
I flew to get here, I drive a car,
63
00:06:42,470 --> 00:06:45,701
I watch TV, I se a mobile phone, a laptop...
64
00:06:45,870 --> 00:06:51,308
All these guys have to do is eat, groom and play.
65
00:06:53,510 --> 00:06:57,901
Something amazing happened
to our ancestors to let us dominate the world,
66
00:06:58,070 --> 00:07:03,827
What triggered that transformation
into the super-intelligent beings we are today?
67
00:07:03,990 --> 00:07:06,823
What are you doing?
68
00:07:07,870 --> 00:07:11,579
Surprisingly, it was nothing to do
with our brains,
69
00:07:13,030 --> 00:07:15,828
Between four and five million years ago,
70
00:07:15,990 --> 00:07:19,824
our ancestors started to spend
more time on the ground,
71
00:07:19,990 --> 00:07:23,221
and two different strategies emerged,
72
00:07:23,390 --> 00:07:27,463
Chimps evolved walking on their knuckles
as a way to get around,
73
00:07:29,750 --> 00:07:35,108
But we took a more radical approach,
and since then we've never looked back,
74
00:07:35,910 --> 00:07:41,268
The first step in or journey was just that.
We stood up on two legs.
75
00:07:42,590 --> 00:07:46,105
We became what is known as bipedal.
76
00:07:48,310 --> 00:07:53,703
Over the years, there have been many theories
as to what turned us into bipedal apes,
77
00:07:53,870 --> 00:07:58,261
The current thinking is that walking upright
evolved in the forest
78
00:07:58,430 --> 00:08:03,265
and then became a more efficient way
of travelling between patches of trees,
79
00:08:03,430 --> 00:08:06,945
It was a very, very gradual process,
80
00:08:13,350 --> 00:08:17,138
And at this point we were
no more intelligent than chimps,
81
00:08:21,630 --> 00:08:24,269
Our brain wasn't as big as it is today,
82
00:08:24,430 --> 00:08:30,300
Five million years ago, it was much smaller -
the same size as a chimpanzee's,
83
00:08:32,590 --> 00:08:35,946
So why was walking upright such a crucial step?
84
00:08:42,470 --> 00:08:47,783
Well, by putting all our weight on our feet,
we freed up our hands to do other things,
85
00:08:51,150 --> 00:08:54,779
If you look at the adult chimps
in this reserve in Cameroon,
86
00:08:54,950 --> 00:08:57,862
you soon see how amazing human hands are,
87
00:09:05,750 --> 00:09:09,823
All these chimps have been rescued
from the bush-meat trade,
88
00:09:09,990 --> 00:09:14,780
They're looked after by Dieudonne,
who has a special relationship with them,
89
00:09:26,350 --> 00:09:30,901
The chimps have been playing
with Dieudonne's shoelaces for years,
90
00:09:41,750 --> 00:09:45,060
There seems to be
an element of competition here,
91
00:09:47,750 --> 00:09:49,741
The chimps never give up,
92
00:09:49,910 --> 00:09:53,266
They tie themselves in knots
trying to get it right,
93
00:09:59,750 --> 00:10:05,700
But however hard they practise,
for however many years, they can't compete,
94
00:10:13,590 --> 00:10:16,263
As you probably remember from being a kid,
95
00:10:16,430 --> 00:10:20,582
learning to tie your shoelace
is more complicated than it looks,
96
00:10:20,750 --> 00:10:23,423
and chimps just don't have what it takes,
97
00:10:30,230 --> 00:10:34,223
So why do we beat chimps
at tying shoelaces hands down?
98
00:10:37,350 --> 00:10:39,705
(PHONE BEEPS)
99
00:10:43,750 --> 00:10:46,218
(PHONE BEEPS)
100
00:10:50,830 --> 00:10:52,627
Thank you.
101
00:10:52,790 --> 00:10:57,739
We can control our hands with more precision
than any other creature can,
102
00:10:57,910 --> 00:11:00,060
No. You’re spelling it wrong.
103
00:11:00,230 --> 00:11:03,222
(PHONE BEEPS)
104
00:11:09,350 --> 00:11:11,341
Answer...
105
00:11:11,510 --> 00:11:18,621
Prob...ab...ly...not...
106
00:11:18,790 --> 00:11:21,304
It's because of our thumbs,
107
00:11:22,790 --> 00:11:27,625
My thumb compared to a chimp's
is really long and very mobile.
108
00:11:27,790 --> 00:11:34,229
If you look at Goran's, he can't move his thumb
and this knuckle here more than this.
109
00:11:34,390 --> 00:11:36,426
I can move mine right across here.
110
00:11:36,590 --> 00:11:40,629
So whereas he can just do this and this
on the side of his finger,
111
00:11:40,790 --> 00:11:43,145
I can go one, two, three, for,
112
00:11:43,310 --> 00:11:48,748
making my hand an expert tool
for handling small and delicate objects.
113
00:11:52,750 --> 00:11:58,347
It was this precise touch that was crucial
in making us what we are today,
114
00:11:59,550 --> 00:12:03,748
We couldn't do any of this
if we were still using our hands for walking,
115
00:12:26,630 --> 00:12:30,384
But or ancestors didn't evolve
this new anatomy overnight.
116
00:12:30,550 --> 00:12:35,943
It took hundreds of thousands of years.
It also took an important change in the climate
117
00:12:36,110 --> 00:12:39,819
to make this evolutionary leap
away from the chimps.
118
00:12:39,990 --> 00:12:42,140
It was then that we parted company.
119
00:12:43,230 --> 00:12:45,824
The chimps stayed in the trees...
120
00:12:49,190 --> 00:12:53,388
..we walked out onto the newly-formed
African savannah.
121
00:13:01,390 --> 00:13:05,099
The climate change
suited our ancestors very well,
122
00:13:15,790 --> 00:13:20,068
Over the next few million years,
it got drier and drier,
123
00:13:20,230 --> 00:13:25,543
completely transforming the landscape
from thick forest into savannah,
124
00:13:35,150 --> 00:13:41,862
A new world to explore, and a world
in which we made our next big breakthrough,
125
00:13:52,110 --> 00:13:57,104
As our ancestors used their hands
less for climbing and more for holding things...
126
00:14:00,550 --> 00:14:04,907
..they would have got much better
at manipulating basic tools.
127
00:14:06,150 --> 00:14:12,100
Some of the earliest tools thought to have been
used by man have been found in caves like this.
128
00:14:14,150 --> 00:14:16,869
All these tools were very simple...
129
00:14:17,710 --> 00:14:20,349
..and also very similar,
130
00:14:24,990 --> 00:14:29,268
This was state-of-the-art technology
two and a half million years ago.
131
00:14:29,430 --> 00:14:33,389
This old bit of rock is actually
a kind of apeman penknife.
132
00:14:33,550 --> 00:14:39,659
Hard to believe, but it would have worked -
this cutting edge almost matches steel.
133
00:14:40,150 --> 00:14:42,823
To be honest, it is very, very basic,
134
00:14:42,990 --> 00:14:48,110
but even more surprising is that no one
came up with much in the way of improvements.
135
00:14:49,270 --> 00:14:53,627
This remained the state-of-the-art tool
for a million years.
136
00:14:56,150 --> 00:14:59,699
Think how much modern technology
like the mobile phone
137
00:14:59,870 --> 00:15:03,067
has moved on in just the last ten years..,
138
00:15:07,350 --> 00:15:11,821
..yet this stone tool didn't change
for a million years -
139
00:15:11,990 --> 00:15:15,744
but that didn't mean the tool users
were standing still,
140
00:15:18,470 --> 00:15:23,544
In all the time that this type of tool
was in use, something WAS changing -
141
00:15:23,710 --> 00:15:26,349
the bodies of those apemen.
142
00:15:28,150 --> 00:15:30,983
And most importantly, their brain,
143
00:15:31,150 --> 00:15:34,347
It was slowly getting bigger - much bigger,
144
00:15:35,550 --> 00:15:37,859
A new brainier apeman was evolving,
145
00:15:38,030 --> 00:15:41,420
and he would be able to do
much more than a chimp,
146
00:15:46,590 --> 00:15:50,947
But why did our brains start growing bigger
than those of the other apes?
147
00:15:51,110 --> 00:15:56,821
Once we'd left the trees for the plains, we had
a new challenge to face - we weren't alone,
148
00:16:04,990 --> 00:16:07,140
You can see the problem even today
149
00:16:07,310 --> 00:16:11,588
when you get out of the vehicle
and you go on safari on foot.
150
00:16:19,150 --> 00:16:23,348
Taking a walk on the savannah
on your own is asking for trouble,
151
00:16:23,510 --> 00:16:27,662
and it gets more dangerous
the darker it becomes..,
152
00:16:28,830 --> 00:16:32,789
..because this is the domain of the big cats,
153
00:16:38,750 --> 00:16:42,106
At night, baboons try to find a hiding place,
154
00:16:42,270 --> 00:16:46,900
They stick close together,
and if they can, take refuge in a tree,
155
00:16:51,270 --> 00:16:53,101
(BABOONS SCREECH)
156
00:16:54,510 --> 00:17:00,187
But when they hear a leopard coming, they
still panic because they can't see well at night,
157
00:17:04,470 --> 00:17:09,180
The leopard tries to terrorise the troop
and force them into breaking rank,
158
00:17:19,270 --> 00:17:23,627
Once separated from the rest,
a baboon's a sitting duck,
159
00:17:29,950 --> 00:17:33,989
Imagine what it was like
for or ancestors out here 24 hours a day,
160
00:17:34,150 --> 00:17:37,426
trying to protect their families
from wild animals,
161
00:17:37,590 --> 00:17:42,983
with the only thing to defend themselves being
stones to throw at them, and without a torch.
162
00:17:43,150 --> 00:17:45,300
(GROWLING)
163
00:17:46,750 --> 00:17:51,221
This is no place for a soft defenceless human
to be out late on his own,
164
00:17:51,390 --> 00:17:55,986
With big predators around,
you feel incredibly vulnerable,
165
00:17:56,870 --> 00:17:58,269
(HOWLING)
166
00:17:59,950 --> 00:18:01,668
(SNORTING, GROWLING)
167
00:18:09,750 --> 00:18:12,628
(MAN) Jambo.
(STEVE) I'm not here on my own.
168
00:18:12,790 --> 00:18:18,308
Michael's here as well, carrying
considerably more than an apeman's penknife.
169
00:18:18,470 --> 00:18:22,258
OK, Michael, shall we go?
What was that last sound?
170
00:18:22,430 --> 00:18:24,580
(MICHAEL) I think it was a jackal.
171
00:18:28,750 --> 00:18:33,266
And there's solid evidence to show
we humans really were under attack,
172
00:18:33,430 --> 00:18:36,979
Again, the answers lie deep in ancient caves,
173
00:18:43,750 --> 00:18:46,662
Apeman skulls have been found
with holes in them
174
00:18:46,830 --> 00:18:51,426
that exactly match the teeth of leopard,
hyena and sabre-toothed tiger.
175
00:18:52,030 --> 00:18:58,378
One cave contained the remains
of over 300 baboons and 150 apemen.
176
00:18:58,550 --> 00:19:01,587
Between one and three million years ago,
177
00:19:01,750 --> 00:19:05,982
our ancestors were being
torn apart and eaten by big cats.
178
00:19:16,710 --> 00:19:20,544
Even by day, life here is no walk in the park,
179
00:19:20,710 --> 00:19:24,862
but like us, at least baboons
can see much better in the light,
180
00:19:30,550 --> 00:19:35,419
They live in large troops, which means
many pairs of eyes to spot a threat
181
00:19:35,590 --> 00:19:38,980
and more combined force
to fight off a predator,
182
00:20:00,590 --> 00:20:04,629
Safety in numbers gives baboons
surprising confidence,
183
00:20:07,150 --> 00:20:09,983
In fact, they're downright cocky,
184
00:20:21,750 --> 00:20:27,541
For our ancestors, too, sticking together was the
best chance of avoiding ending up as cat food,
185
00:20:28,430 --> 00:20:34,539
The communal life created new challenges
and forced us to really start using our brains,
186
00:20:40,350 --> 00:20:44,548
Living together brings
a whole new element - a social life -
187
00:20:44,710 --> 00:20:49,500
and the bigger your group,
the bigger your social problems can be,
188
00:20:53,150 --> 00:20:56,108
You need a bigger brain to cope,
189
00:21:01,510 --> 00:21:08,586
In a group, working at friendships and alliances
is crucial, You need to remember who's who..,
190
00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:11,184
..and what's what,
191
00:21:14,630 --> 00:21:18,179
You need to be a diplomat
so you don't get on the wrong side
192
00:21:18,350 --> 00:21:21,183
of those with more powerful weapons than you,
193
00:21:24,390 --> 00:21:26,984
A single social gaffe can be disastrous,
194
00:22:31,750 --> 00:22:35,982
Just like baboons, as we began
to live in larger groups for safety,
195
00:22:36,150 --> 00:22:38,744
so our brains evolved to cope,
196
00:22:40,830 --> 00:22:46,029
Our social skills became increasingly important
and our brains continued to get bigger -
197
00:22:46,190 --> 00:22:48,624
almost four times bigger -
198
00:22:48,790 --> 00:22:51,623
so our skulls had to get larger, too,
199
00:22:51,790 --> 00:22:55,544
(AFRICAN LANGUAGE)
200
00:23:06,150 --> 00:23:08,664
So, one and a half million years ago,
201
00:23:08,830 --> 00:23:13,028
in steps giant-brained Homo sapien
and world domination.
202
00:23:14,150 --> 00:23:19,463
No, Not yet, because being the two-legged
brainboxes of the savannah
203
00:23:19,630 --> 00:23:23,543
now gave us a problem
our four-legged friends didn't have,
204
00:23:24,470 --> 00:23:28,622
Take wildebeest, Because the female wildebeest
walks on all fours,
205
00:23:28,790 --> 00:23:31,020
she can afford to have wide hips,
206
00:23:33,150 --> 00:23:39,498
That makes giving birth quick and easy, which
is important with so many predators around,
207
00:23:47,750 --> 00:23:50,139
Although the baby wildebeest is big,
208
00:23:50,310 --> 00:23:54,303
its brain and its skull are quite small
in relation to its body size,
209
00:23:54,470 --> 00:23:56,904
so it can slip out easily,
210
00:24:14,990 --> 00:24:17,379
That's true for most land mammals,
211
00:24:17,550 --> 00:24:22,385
but for humans, birth is where we pay
the price for our big brain,
212
00:24:28,310 --> 00:24:31,780
If we look at the physique of modern woman,
we can see why,
213
00:24:42,590 --> 00:24:47,869
The best design for walking upright
is a slender body with narrow hips,
214
00:24:50,350 --> 00:24:54,389
But narrow hips are the worst design
for a big-brained human,
215
00:24:58,550 --> 00:25:04,341
This was perhaps the biggest stumbling block
we humans faced in our whole journey of life,
216
00:25:04,510 --> 00:25:05,909
We were stuck,
217
00:25:13,550 --> 00:25:15,745
(MIDWIFE) Push. Push hard.
218
00:25:15,910 --> 00:25:17,423
Push down. Push harder.
219
00:25:17,590 --> 00:25:19,626
Push a little harder.
220
00:25:19,790 --> 00:25:22,862
But evolution came up
with a surprising solution,
221
00:25:23,030 --> 00:25:28,309
Unlike almost all other mammals,
our skull isn't fully formed at birth,
222
00:25:28,950 --> 00:25:35,219
A human baby's head is soft and squishy,
allowing it to pass down the narrow birth canal,
223
00:25:38,310 --> 00:25:40,187
(BABY CRIES)
224
00:25:42,950 --> 00:25:44,941
(MIDWIFE) Well done!
225
00:25:45,990 --> 00:25:52,384
During the first 12 months of life, the bony skull
plates gradually fuse together to protect it,
226
00:25:52,550 --> 00:25:55,587
In effect, we're all born premature,
227
00:26:01,230 --> 00:26:07,669
So for the first few months, a human baby
is extremely vulnerable, requiring constant care,
228
00:26:07,830 --> 00:26:12,187
but the pay-off - a giant brain -
far outweighs the risk,
229
00:26:12,350 --> 00:26:16,502
It seems this is the only way
that we can have a large-brained baby
230
00:26:16,670 --> 00:26:20,345
and hang on to the narrow hips
we need for walking upright,
231
00:26:22,550 --> 00:26:24,825
Biological problem solved.
232
00:26:25,430 --> 00:26:29,582
Big-brained man, Homo sapien,
finally bursts out onto the scene
233
00:26:29,750 --> 00:26:34,460
somewhere here in East Africa
around 300,000 years ago.
234
00:26:35,910 --> 00:26:38,219
And with his clever, complex brain,
235
00:26:38,390 --> 00:26:42,747
he was able to develop new technology
that early apeman never had.
236
00:26:44,670 --> 00:26:50,939
OK, they're just little lumps of rock, but it's
what they did with them that's really cunning.
237
00:26:51,670 --> 00:26:55,549
This hasn't been made by accident.
It's been designed.
238
00:26:55,710 --> 00:27:00,181
This part has been crafted specifically
to attach to a handle.
239
00:27:00,350 --> 00:27:06,789
Plonk this on a stick and what have you got?
A spear. The perfect weapon for hinting.
240
00:27:11,430 --> 00:27:15,105
So man started developing
a more sophisticated tool kit,
241
00:27:15,870 --> 00:27:21,502
As well as weapons, he designed a variety
of scrapers and cutters for butchering meat,
242
00:27:24,070 --> 00:27:28,188
But then...there was this.
243
00:27:28,350 --> 00:27:30,022
A bit of crumbly rock.
244
00:27:30,870 --> 00:27:35,148
Believe it or not, this led
to the great masterpieces of the future.
245
00:27:35,310 --> 00:27:37,346
This led to the Mona Lisa.
246
00:27:37,510 --> 00:27:38,829
Watch.
247
00:27:47,310 --> 00:27:49,426
It was the first paint.
248
00:27:51,670 --> 00:27:54,264
It's ochre - crumbly iron oxide,
249
00:27:54,430 --> 00:27:59,550
This piece was found in Blombos Cave
near Cape Town in South Africa
250
00:27:59,710 --> 00:28:02,827
and is at least 70,000 years old,
251
00:28:03,590 --> 00:28:06,502
What's amazing is that it's engraved,
252
00:28:06,670 --> 00:28:10,265
This abstract etching
is the first recorded work of art,
253
00:28:10,430 --> 00:28:15,868
It marks the roots of what
we now call culture or civilisation,
254
00:28:17,110 --> 00:28:23,060
And this old pig jawbone might even
offer a clue to when religion first began,
255
00:28:23,230 --> 00:28:26,620
It was discovered in the same grave
as an early human
256
00:28:26,790 --> 00:28:30,669
and it's dated at more than 100,000 years old,
257
00:28:30,830 --> 00:28:34,379
It's the earliest evidence of ritual burial,
258
00:28:34,550 --> 00:28:38,259
The very act of carefully
burying a body with other objects
259
00:28:38,430 --> 00:28:45,142
suggests that those people believed that death
wasn't the end - that the spirit lived on.
260
00:28:52,030 --> 00:28:56,387
Now, for the first time, we can say
that these weren't apemen,
261
00:28:56,550 --> 00:29:00,782
They were people who thought like you and me,
262
00:29:01,510 --> 00:29:04,183
It led to human civilisation,
263
00:29:04,350 --> 00:29:07,581
(MUSIC)
264
00:29:28,390 --> 00:29:31,587
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
265
00:29:42,310 --> 00:29:47,748
Those early people had an understanding
of the past and of the future,
266
00:29:47,910 --> 00:29:50,947
They recognised their own mortality,
267
00:29:52,350 --> 00:29:56,389
Art and religion set us apart
from the rest of the animal kingdom.
268
00:29:56,550 --> 00:30:00,259
They're the most difficult things
for scientists to explain.
269
00:30:01,750 --> 00:30:05,663
(PLAINCHANT)
270
00:30:05,830 --> 00:30:11,462
This is when some believe that only
a divine spark could have made us truly human,
271
00:30:12,750 --> 00:30:16,902
But is there another way
to explain these sudden breakthroughs?
272
00:30:17,070 --> 00:30:19,379
(WOMAN) They had a procession here.
273
00:30:19,550 --> 00:30:23,304
Palms were difficult to get
in medieval times so yew branches...
274
00:30:23,470 --> 00:30:29,579
Many scientists believe that the trigger was
something we all take for granted - language.
275
00:30:32,750 --> 00:30:35,264
From the fossil skulls of our ancestors,
276
00:30:35,430 --> 00:30:40,823
scientists know that their voice box, or larynx,
was much higher up than it is today,
277
00:30:43,070 --> 00:30:44,503
(GRUNTING)
278
00:30:44,670 --> 00:30:47,980
It's still in this position
in the chimps and other apes,
279
00:30:48,150 --> 00:30:51,142
(HOOTING, GRUNTING)
280
00:30:58,630 --> 00:31:00,860
If this was still the same for us..,
281
00:31:01,030 --> 00:31:04,818
..apart from a grunt or two,
we wouldn’t have the power of speech.
282
00:31:04,990 --> 00:31:06,423
On Palm Sunday...
283
00:31:07,630 --> 00:31:12,704
Around 200,000 years ago,
our larynx dropped to where it is today,
284
00:31:12,870 --> 00:31:15,384
allowing us to make more complex sounds,
285
00:31:16,830 --> 00:31:19,469
This is when we started to talk.
286
00:31:19,630 --> 00:31:23,066
(WOMAN) Now we'll look at the cloisters.
This way.
287
00:31:23,230 --> 00:31:26,984
Why is talking so important
to the story of the human race?
288
00:31:31,070 --> 00:31:34,585
You can get a clue by going back to West Africa,
289
00:31:48,150 --> 00:31:50,948
These chimps are collecting nuts to eat,
290
00:32:02,870 --> 00:32:06,749
Children also gather nuts,
but not to eat - to play with,
291
00:32:06,910 --> 00:32:09,219
Remember collecting conkers?
292
00:32:15,710 --> 00:32:19,066
Chimps have to use a rock or stick
to crack open the nuts,
293
00:32:19,670 --> 00:32:22,707
They pick up these skills by copying,
294
00:32:28,430 --> 00:32:34,505
The young ones watch their mothers closely,
Titbits keep them concentrating on the job,
295
00:32:43,750 --> 00:32:48,540
(WOMAN) Five! That's a big one.
You’ve got three and I've got three as well.
296
00:32:48,710 --> 00:32:53,261
Like the chimps, the younger children
learn by copying the older ones -
297
00:32:53,430 --> 00:32:56,342
handing down skills across the generations,
298
00:33:15,750 --> 00:33:21,541
The difference is that it can take a young chimp
six years to perfect its nut-cracking technique,
299
00:33:23,430 --> 00:33:26,740
We humans on the other hand,
can use a short cut,
300
00:33:29,430 --> 00:33:33,708
We can teach even very young children
simply by talking to them,
301
00:33:33,870 --> 00:33:37,658
That's a nice little conker. Don't eat it.
Put it in the pile.
302
00:33:41,350 --> 00:33:45,946
So they can learn a new technique -
for opening the conkers - instantly,
303
00:33:46,110 --> 00:33:51,343
Are you opening them with your heels?
It's much easier to do it like that, isn't it?
304
00:33:57,630 --> 00:34:00,349
(CHILD) There's already a conker in here.
305
00:34:00,510 --> 00:34:05,504
What takes chimps years to learn,
modern-day children can pick up in minutes,
306
00:34:05,670 --> 00:34:09,583
With language, we continue
to learn new things all our lives,
307
00:34:12,990 --> 00:34:18,018
By 100,000 years ago, we were solving
problems by talking together,
308
00:34:18,190 --> 00:34:22,945
We were using our big brains to communicate
with each other as never before,
309
00:34:30,390 --> 00:34:32,745
So, we were hugely brainy.
310
00:34:32,910 --> 00:34:35,982
We could talk. We were perfect.
311
00:34:36,150 --> 00:34:38,186
No, not so.
312
00:34:38,350 --> 00:34:41,820
Talking gave us another big biological problem,
313
00:34:41,990 --> 00:34:45,426
and this one still hasn't been solved.
314
00:34:50,150 --> 00:34:53,426
Let's look at the adult chimps
in Cameroon again,
315
00:34:59,550 --> 00:35:04,783
Chimps breathe mostly through their noses
and hardly ever through their mouths,
316
00:35:04,950 --> 00:35:10,661
They use their mouths almost entirely for
feeding, so air goes down one way, food another,
317
00:35:15,350 --> 00:35:18,547
But for humans, it's a different story,
318
00:35:18,710 --> 00:35:21,941
(WOMAN) Let's get you
up on your balloon chair.
319
00:35:22,110 --> 00:35:25,341
For us, it's more complicated,
320
00:35:27,990 --> 00:35:31,380
Remember being told
not to talk with your mouth full?
321
00:35:31,550 --> 00:35:34,348
Well, there's a very good reason for this,
322
00:35:37,950 --> 00:35:41,545
To talk, we have to breathe
through our mouths as well,
323
00:35:41,710 --> 00:35:46,738
so we use the same opening for talking,
eating, drinking and breathing,
324
00:35:47,310 --> 00:35:51,303
(ALL) # Happy birthday to you
325
00:35:51,470 --> 00:35:54,542
# Happy birthday to you... #
326
00:35:54,710 --> 00:35:57,099
Most of the time, this works out fine,
327
00:35:57,270 --> 00:36:01,946
but sometimes things go down
the wrong way, with tragic results,
328
00:36:08,350 --> 00:36:12,502
Normally, when we swallow,
a flap of cartilage covers the windpipe,
329
00:36:12,670 --> 00:36:15,980
so the food goes straight down to the stomach,
330
00:36:18,750 --> 00:36:21,662
But with our larynx now in its lower position,
331
00:36:21,830 --> 00:36:25,300
just occasionally food falls in
and down the windpipe
332
00:36:25,470 --> 00:36:29,907
where it blocks the airway to the lungs,
making us choke,
333
00:36:30,070 --> 00:36:32,061
(CHOKING COUGH)
334
00:36:32,230 --> 00:36:36,781
Every year in Britain alone,
around 200 people choke to death,
335
00:36:36,950 --> 00:36:39,828
(CHOKING COUGH)
336
00:36:41,710 --> 00:36:47,785
Talking has been so critical to our evolution
that it's even worth the risk of dying for,
337
00:36:53,150 --> 00:36:56,142
(WOMAN) That's better. Are you all right?
338
00:36:58,270 --> 00:37:03,981
Well, we could talk, but one thing's for sure -
we haven't evolved into biological supermen,
339
00:37:05,750 --> 00:37:07,502
At this point in or journey,
340
00:37:07,670 --> 00:37:12,824
it had been for million years since we'd split
from the other apes. So let's recap.
341
00:37:12,990 --> 00:37:15,629
What had happened to us during that time?
342
00:37:17,070 --> 00:37:19,106
Well...
343
00:37:20,710 --> 00:37:25,864
..biological evolution - that is,
the physical changes to our bodies...
344
00:37:26,030 --> 00:37:29,705
..has worked some slow
but crucial changes in us,
345
00:37:31,590 --> 00:37:37,187
First, around four to five million years ago,
we stood up on two legs and walked,
346
00:37:38,470 --> 00:37:44,739
But then it was another three million years
before we started getting clever with our hands,
347
00:37:46,710 --> 00:37:52,501
It wasn't until over a million years later
that our brains got as big as they are today,
348
00:37:53,550 --> 00:37:54,869
(MAN) Here!
349
00:37:55,590 --> 00:38:01,142
And for all this time, our only form
of conversation was probably just grunting,
350
00:38:02,870 --> 00:38:05,748
(GRUNTING)
351
00:38:08,150 --> 00:38:12,189
It wasn't until very recently,
around 200,000 years ago,
352
00:38:12,350 --> 00:38:17,378
that our larynx began to drop,
which led to modern language,
353
00:38:17,550 --> 00:38:20,986
(MEN ALL TALK AT ONCE)
354
00:38:23,430 --> 00:38:25,660
But now that we cold talk...
355
00:38:26,670 --> 00:38:32,302
..our cultural evolution could go into warp speed.
356
00:38:33,550 --> 00:38:36,348
Cultural evolution was a brand-new trend,
357
00:38:36,510 --> 00:38:43,143
It isn't based on genes like biological evolution,
it's about the sharing of ideas,
358
00:38:46,150 --> 00:38:50,223
Talking allowed ideas and knowledge
to be passed around so quickly
359
00:38:50,390 --> 00:38:54,429
that it was one of the greatest revolutions
in the journey of life.
360
00:38:54,590 --> 00:38:57,058
It set us on the path to world dominance.
361
00:39:00,550 --> 00:39:04,145
(MUSIC)
362
00:39:22,350 --> 00:39:24,341
But the story isn't over yet,
363
00:39:33,350 --> 00:39:40,062
75,000 years ago, modern, talking humans
were thriving here in Africa,
364
00:39:46,550 --> 00:39:51,544
They had the anatomy which allowed them
to speak and they were sharing ideas.
365
00:39:51,710 --> 00:39:55,942
Modern man with a modern brain - us.
366
00:39:58,430 --> 00:40:03,982
But at that precise moment when they had
so much to look forward to, disaster struck.
367
00:40:11,670 --> 00:40:15,948
A volcano called Toba
in northern Sumatra erupted,
368
00:40:21,550 --> 00:40:25,543
This would have been the loudest noise
ever heard by man,
369
00:40:28,550 --> 00:40:31,747
(RUMBLING ROAR)
370
00:40:31,910 --> 00:40:37,268
It blasted vast clouds of ash and sulphur dioxide
right across the planet,
371
00:40:37,430 --> 00:40:39,705
blocking out the sun,
372
00:40:43,550 --> 00:40:49,182
It triggered a six-year global winter
that would have blighted the entire world,
373
00:41:09,950 --> 00:41:15,183
In Africa, 4,000 miles away,
drought and famine would have followed,
374
00:41:18,510 --> 00:41:20,899
Millions of animals would have died -
375
00:41:21,070 --> 00:41:24,745
the animals we humans depended on for meat,
376
00:41:42,990 --> 00:41:47,108
Those early Homo sapiens, too,
must have been decimated,
377
00:41:49,510 --> 00:41:54,664
Because of one freak act of nature,
our ancestors nearly became extinct,
378
00:41:55,830 --> 00:42:00,187
DNA evidence suggests that perhaps
as few as 1,000 people were left..,
379
00:42:03,230 --> 00:42:07,189
..which could mean that all six billion of us
alive on Earth today
380
00:42:07,350 --> 00:42:11,389
are descended from those 1,000 survivors
in Africa,
381
00:42:29,910 --> 00:42:36,463
This mega catastrophe must have pushed man
to his limits, so how did he survive?
382
00:42:44,750 --> 00:42:46,342
Scientists now believe
383
00:42:46,510 --> 00:42:53,109
what really may have saved us from extinction
was working together - sharing information,
384
00:42:54,150 --> 00:42:58,541
To get some idea of what it must have been
like after Toba blew its top,
385
00:42:58,710 --> 00:43:01,224
you can go to the Kalahari desert today,
386
00:43:01,390 --> 00:43:05,303
It's one of the harshest places
anywhere in the world,
387
00:43:11,750 --> 00:43:16,904
But even here, there is water and food
if you know where to look,
388
00:43:27,350 --> 00:43:32,219
The Ju/'hoansi people of northern Namibia
are mainly hunter gatherers,
389
00:43:32,390 --> 00:43:36,178
How do they cope with living
in such heat and drought?
390
00:43:42,150 --> 00:43:46,940
Most importantly, they never remain isolated
as a single group for long,
391
00:43:47,110 --> 00:43:53,106
They regularly walk for two to three days across
the desert to visit different family groups,
392
00:43:54,750 --> 00:43:58,220
It may have been months
since they last saw each other,
393
00:43:58,390 --> 00:44:01,621
(CHATTING AND LAUGHING)
394
00:44:05,030 --> 00:44:07,498
(SINGING AND CLAPPING)
395
00:44:29,150 --> 00:44:32,859
Once here, the highlight of the visit
is swapping gifts,
396
00:44:41,310 --> 00:44:44,620
They do it not only to cement
the bonds of friendship
397
00:44:44,790 --> 00:44:48,942
but also to secure co-operation
and the sharing of ideas...
398
00:44:50,150 --> 00:44:55,383
..and out here, what your neighbours
choose to tell you could well save your life,
399
00:44:56,350 --> 00:45:00,741
They may know where the best water sources
are or good fruiting trees,
400
00:45:00,910 --> 00:45:03,219
or the new hunting grounds,
401
00:45:03,390 --> 00:45:09,147
And of course, they can tell you the gossip.
Without this regular exchange of knowledge,
402
00:45:09,310 --> 00:45:15,499
different villages could become isolated,
and without outside help, even die out,
403
00:45:16,590 --> 00:45:21,983
It's now thought that it was our ability to talk
and help each other in a hostile world
404
00:45:22,150 --> 00:45:25,745
that saved us from extinction
after Toba erupted,
405
00:45:28,750 --> 00:45:33,221
It's encouraging to think
that the very existence of the human race
406
00:45:33,390 --> 00:45:37,588
may owe more to co-operation than to conflict,
407
00:45:45,710 --> 00:45:47,860
Gradually, the world recovered,
408
00:45:48,030 --> 00:45:51,864
and small bands of pioneering humans
started to leave Africa
409
00:45:52,030 --> 00:45:54,703
and travel to the far corners of the earth,
410
00:46:00,350 --> 00:46:06,744
By now, we humans weren't just sharing ideas,
we were working together as never before,
411
00:46:06,910 --> 00:46:10,983
and cultural evolution
was spreading around the globe,
412
00:46:16,150 --> 00:46:19,984
But the communication skills
of this co-operative modern man
413
00:46:20,150 --> 00:46:21,947
were still quite limited.
414
00:46:22,110 --> 00:46:27,662
After all, the only way he had
of sharing ideas was by talking.
415
00:46:27,830 --> 00:46:31,140
Do you know
where the Natural History Library is?
416
00:46:31,310 --> 00:46:37,021
Although telling other people what you know
through speech is still vital to man today..,
417
00:46:37,190 --> 00:46:39,988
- The Natural History Library.
-I don't know.
418
00:46:40,150 --> 00:46:44,860
..there's only so much knowledge
any individual can store in his memory,
419
00:46:45,030 --> 00:46:50,582
You don't know where the Natural History
Library is, do you? Have you heard of it?
420
00:46:50,750 --> 00:46:53,389
And no one person can know everything,
421
00:46:54,670 --> 00:46:59,824
- Hi, mate. I'm looking for the library.
- The library? Round here, up Park Street...
422
00:46:59,990 --> 00:47:07,226
If someone dies without passing on their ideas
and culture, those ideas are lost for ever,
423
00:47:11,550 --> 00:47:14,667
Unless, of course, they've been written down.
424
00:47:20,150 --> 00:47:25,508
The answer was for us to start preserving
our ideas and knowledge in books,
425
00:47:31,870 --> 00:47:35,465
And it was only with the advent
of recorded information
426
00:47:35,630 --> 00:47:39,418
that our new cultural evolution
could accelerate again,
427
00:47:48,470 --> 00:47:52,782
Writing was an enormous breakthrough,
It stopped culture being lost
428
00:47:52,950 --> 00:47:58,104
and meant successive generations could
begin to build on what had gone before,
429
00:47:58,270 --> 00:48:01,501
No one could REMEMBER
how to make a space rocket,
430
00:48:01,670 --> 00:48:06,698
but once it's written down,
that information is accessible to multitudes,
431
00:48:11,430 --> 00:48:17,346
For two and a half thousand years,
we saved our precious culture in our books,
432
00:48:17,510 --> 00:48:21,105
But the amount of knowledge
accessible through a computer
433
00:48:21,270 --> 00:48:25,229
adds up to all the books
in all the libraries in all the world.
434
00:48:25,390 --> 00:48:29,099
We might have left this guy behind
five million years ago,
435
00:48:29,270 --> 00:48:31,340
but only in the last few decades
436
00:48:31,510 --> 00:48:36,106
have our big brains made this quantum
leap forward in information transfer.
437
00:48:37,510 --> 00:48:39,501
(COCKEREL CROWS)
438
00:48:39,670 --> 00:48:45,540
In the age of the internet, anyone anywhere
on Earth can tap into this massive central fund,
439
00:48:47,150 --> 00:48:50,984
At the forest reserve in Cameroon,
Dieudonne can search the web
440
00:48:51,150 --> 00:48:54,506
and get hold of all the same stuff as I can,
441
00:49:03,510 --> 00:49:04,829
And it's fast.
442
00:49:04,990 --> 00:49:10,622
If I download a picture into the computer,
I can send it halfway round the world in seconds.
443
00:49:16,350 --> 00:49:20,741
Never before have ideas spread
so widely so quickly,
444
00:49:20,910 --> 00:49:25,301
whether for business,
education or purely for pleasure,
445
00:49:36,350 --> 00:49:40,821
Computers are now the core of modern culture,
446
00:49:43,350 --> 00:49:47,707
But without writing
and without this power to store knowledge..,
447
00:49:54,110 --> 00:49:57,546
The answer is here - still in the Stone Age,
448
00:50:00,950 --> 00:50:02,747
If you could use a time machine
449
00:50:02,910 --> 00:50:10,100
to bring a Stone Age baby from 35,000 years
ago and educate it here in our modern world..,
450
00:50:10,990 --> 00:50:16,223
..it could do anything - become
an airline pilot, doctor, even president,
451
00:50:16,390 --> 00:50:20,781
By the Stone Age, people were
just as intelligent as us,
452
00:50:25,150 --> 00:50:29,382
And if a 21st-century baby
was sent back 35,000 years,
453
00:50:29,550 --> 00:50:33,782
it would be no more advanced
than the people who lived then,
454
00:50:35,190 --> 00:50:40,708
Strip away our technology
and underneath we're all still cavemen,
455
00:50:41,750 --> 00:50:45,538
That's because or genes
haven't changed since the Stone Age.
456
00:50:45,710 --> 00:50:48,747
These babies would have
the same genetic make-up.
457
00:50:49,950 --> 00:50:55,741
But just suppose both babies were unlucky
and were born with a serious genetic disease,
458
00:50:57,030 --> 00:50:59,464
In the past, this baby would have died,
459
00:50:59,630 --> 00:51:02,781
His defective gene would not
have been passed on,
460
00:51:02,950 --> 00:51:05,589
It was, after all, survival of the fittest,
461
00:51:12,550 --> 00:51:15,189
Today, modern medicine is so advanced
462
00:51:15,350 --> 00:51:19,628
that many of us can live on
despite our problem genes..,
463
00:51:25,150 --> 00:51:28,745
..whereas in the past,
we wouldn't have survived,
464
00:51:34,150 --> 00:51:37,028
And that is affecting our evolution,
465
00:51:37,190 --> 00:51:40,262
Now, without the force of natural selection,
466
00:51:40,430 --> 00:51:45,709
those problem genes will become
more and more widespread within us.
467
00:51:51,150 --> 00:51:56,019
Fortunately, or most important
evolutionary trait, or big brain,
468
00:51:56,190 --> 00:51:58,863
may have come up with a solution.
469
00:52:00,430 --> 00:52:04,218
We are embarking on a revolution -
genetic engineering,
470
00:52:05,110 --> 00:52:07,670
In as little as ten years from now,
471
00:52:07,830 --> 00:52:12,381
we may be able to alter our children's genes
before they're born,
472
00:52:13,310 --> 00:52:17,986
We now know which genes
are involved in some 5,000 illnesses,
473
00:52:18,830 --> 00:52:24,826
Scientists believe they'll soon be able
to manipulate these genes in a fertilised embryo,
474
00:52:35,350 --> 00:52:38,103
So for the first time in the history of man,
475
00:52:38,270 --> 00:52:43,902
our children and their children
could be free of genetic illness and disease,
476
00:52:49,150 --> 00:52:51,903
That's just what scientists know today,
477
00:52:52,590 --> 00:52:56,947
And remember, cultural evolution works faster...
478
00:52:58,350 --> 00:53:00,818
..faster...and faster.
479
00:53:03,430 --> 00:53:07,264
Once scientists have the power
to cure these illnesses,
480
00:53:07,430 --> 00:53:10,388
what else may they do in years to come?
481
00:53:12,750 --> 00:53:17,824
Imagine a world where the same technology
could enhance our children's looks,
482
00:53:17,990 --> 00:53:22,905
As you make your choices for your daughter,
I can click them into my computer.
483
00:53:23,070 --> 00:53:26,346
Could we soon be ordering up designer babies?
484
00:53:26,510 --> 00:53:30,344
Have you thought about
what skin colour you’d like?
485
00:53:30,510 --> 00:53:33,820
Could we choose the perfect features
for our child?
486
00:53:33,990 --> 00:53:35,742
- Does that look OK?
- Yes.
487
00:53:35,910 --> 00:53:40,700
Every detail, from skin tone to eye colour,
488
00:53:40,870 --> 00:53:43,430
(CUSTOMER) Can we have blue?
489
00:53:43,590 --> 00:53:47,344
How do you feel about the features of the face?
490
00:53:47,510 --> 00:53:49,501
No more nose jobs,
491
00:53:49,670 --> 00:53:52,468
and no more plastic surgery,
492
00:53:56,070 --> 00:53:57,742
(CUSTOMER) That's great.
493
00:53:59,030 --> 00:54:03,546
We could design and create the perfect child,
494
00:54:06,830 --> 00:54:09,549
And what about their brain power?
495
00:54:10,310 --> 00:54:15,430
Our offspring could become much
more intelligent than us, much younger,
496
00:54:17,910 --> 00:54:20,743
- (MUM) Are you winning?
- Yes!
497
00:54:20,910 --> 00:54:24,141
Child geniuses could soon become the norm,
498
00:54:26,310 --> 00:54:30,826
Our children could be academically successful
at a much earlier age..,
499
00:54:33,150 --> 00:54:37,143
..and make modern technology
look like child's play,
500
00:54:41,750 --> 00:54:45,265
Some scientists even predict that by 2020,
501
00:54:45,430 --> 00:54:49,184
we'll be able to manipulate the genes
that control ageing,
502
00:54:53,150 --> 00:54:56,267
While we age normally over our lifetimes,
503
00:54:56,430 --> 00:55:02,380
our children could reach 200 years old
and yet keep their youthful good looks,
504
00:55:11,990 --> 00:55:14,902
We've come a long way from the chimps -
505
00:55:15,070 --> 00:55:20,702
amazing considering there's only that crucial
1% difference in or genes.
506
00:55:27,550 --> 00:55:31,589
Our journey of life
has certainly been a rocky ride,
507
00:55:31,750 --> 00:55:35,789
Until now, our evolution was a game of chance,
508
00:55:35,950 --> 00:55:40,068
That we survived at all
is something of a miracle,
509
00:55:45,310 --> 00:55:51,101
Of course, no one can really know for sure
how much further away from chimps we'll go,
510
00:55:53,470 --> 00:55:57,861
The difference is that now the choice is ours,
511
00:55:58,030 --> 00:56:02,023
(WALTZ MUSIC)
512
00:56:09,470 --> 00:56:15,102
So what might that space-age biologist find
if he came back to Earth in the future?
513
00:56:15,830 --> 00:56:20,346
If he visited the apes again,
he might get quite a surprise,
514
00:56:26,390 --> 00:56:29,985
Before, he was comparing
we humans with the chimps,
515
00:56:37,350 --> 00:56:39,818
But if he now looked at the chimps..,
516
00:56:42,750 --> 00:56:46,948
..and then at me, the unmodified man of today...
517
00:56:48,150 --> 00:56:52,507
..then at the new super-Homo sapiens
of the future,
518
00:56:52,670 --> 00:56:56,948
he might well see a greater difference
between me and the super-human
519
00:56:57,110 --> 00:56:59,749
than he saw before between me and the chimps,
520
00:57:01,710 --> 00:57:06,226
He might think we were three
equally different kinds of ape,
521
00:57:06,950 --> 00:57:12,661
No one can really predict what path we'll take
in the future, but one thing is for certain -
522
00:57:12,830 --> 00:57:15,424
for the first time in the history of life,
523
00:57:15,590 --> 00:57:17,979
we can control or own evolution.
524
00:57:18,150 --> 00:57:19,868
Whether we choose to or not,
525
00:57:20,030 --> 00:57:24,421
we now have the knowledge and power
to determine or biological future -
526
00:57:24,590 --> 00:57:27,388
or own journey of life.