Planet of the Apemen: Battle for Earth

The story of how Homo sapiens once shared the Earth with other species of hominid, and how, against all the odds, we survived.

Documentary

Seasons

1. Homo Erectus

Air Date: 2011-06-23

In the not-too-distant past, humans shared this planet with other species of hominid. This series tells how, against all the odds, Homo sapiens survived. This episode is set 75,000 years ago in India, following a catastrophic super-volcanic eruption which forced a showdown between our ancestors and a completely different species of human, Homo erectus, who up until that point had reigned supreme.

2. Neanderthal

Air Date: 2011-06-30

This episode is set 35,000 years ago and depicts Homo sapiens's encounter with Homo neanderthalensis. As the ice caps retreated, the Neanderthal stronghold in Europe weakened, providing a window of opportunity to which modern humans owe their existence.

Select an episode to start watching