Walking with Cavemen

David Tyler  |  Reviews
Date posted:  1 May 2003
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The 'Walking with Cavemen' series had to happen. After the highly successful 'Walking with Dinosaurs' came the sequel 'Walking with Beasts'. It was only a matter of time before the BBC gave us the natural history of human evolution.

Like the predecessors, a dramatic story is a necessary ingredient in each episode. This is quite a challenge when the story of human evolution has to be gleaned from a rather meagre supply of fossil bones. The presenter, Professor Robert Winston, spoke about them all fitting into the boot of his car. Naturally, we wish to ask whether this evidence actually supports the claim that humans evolved?

The theory on which the series is based comes across clearly. Darwinism has the selection and accumulation of advantageous natural variations under the influence of environmental pressures. The viewer is reminded regularly of how animals adapted to forests shrinking, grasslands spreading and other climatic changes.

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