Conquest of the Skies

In this three-part series, David Attenborough travels through time to unravel the astonishing 300-million-year story of how flying animals first appeared and then evolved into the huge variety of aeronauts that fill our skies today.

Over one hundred billion creatures fly through the air today, from nectar-drinking hummingbirds to armoured airborne beetles; from bats hunting in the dead of night to bizarre winged lizards. Only now, with today’s CGI, the very latest high-resolution filming techniques and cutting-edge scientific analysis can Attenborough reveal the hidden mechanics behind their gravity-defying skills.

The team used ground-breaking new cameras, high-speed filming, and stunning CGI to immerse the viewer in an astounding aerial world. From the steaming rainforests of Borneo to the frozen fossil beds of China, the arid canyons of Spain, to the cloud forests of Ecuador, this series navigates the globe to uncover the thrilling and surprising story of how flying animals came to conquer the skies.