Imagine a world without bees, butterflies, and flowering plants. That was Earth 125 million years ago. Turn back the clock 400 million years, and there were no trees. At 450 million years in the past, even the earliest insects had not yet developed. And looking back 500 million years, the land was devoid of life, which at that time flourished in a profusion of strange forms in the oceans. These and other major turning points are the amazing story...

This course is a journey thorugh time and place from the perspective of forensic science and criminal history. It examines technical advancements and politics and legal issues regarding criminal investigations. The course includes Dr. Murray's own forensic casework.

The Great Courses teams up with the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, to take you behind the scenes of the animal world. This introduction to zoology brings you up close and personal with a breathtaking variety of animal species through the eyes of a trained zoologist. Throughout these lectures, you'll explore the fundamentals of zoology (including the relationship between genetics and environment), dive into the different...

In their astonishing physiology and behavior, birds are among the most ingenious and resourceful of animals, and a marvel of our natural world. In these 12 lectures, you'll discover the remarkable beneath-the-surface world of birds: their evolution, underlying science, and fascinating lives in the wild, through key subject matter such as: The Miracle of Flight-Learn how a bird's wings operate as an airfoil, producing lift, thrust, and drag, and how...

In many ways, insects are just like us. Elaborate mating rituals, a variety of parenting styles, and a plethora of careers from architects and engineers to farmers and ranchers. Like us, they're able to share complex information essential for survival, significantly impact their environment, and recycle. But insects outdo us in so many respects. The truth is, our planet belongs to insects. In 24 captivating lectures beautifully illustrated with graphics,...