David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities

Recently it was discovered that female Komodo dragons can reproduce without ever having contact with a male. In this illuminating natural history documentary, David Attenborough investigates the science behind this. He finds that in our own back gardens female aphids can clone themselves and produce thousands of copies. How and why do these two very different animals reproduce by virgin birth?

Both the rhino and the hedgehog protect their bodies using formidable armor. David Attenborough explores whether these animal defenses are really what they seem in this glorious wildlife documentary. He finds the rhino's thick folds of skin are in fact surprisingly sophisticated radiators. But what other purpose could a hedgehog's spines have apart from protection? Catching apples, perhaps?

The owl and the giant squid have adapted to life in the dark. The eyes of owls are so huge that they can't be moved within their sockets,while the giant squid has the largest eyes known in the animal kingdom. In this delightful natural history documentary, David Attenborough asks why they need eyes on such a massive scale and what, exactly, are they looking at?

Some animals have mastered the art of deception. The cuckoo lays its eggs in the nests of other birds and tricks them into raising its young, while the spooky looking Death's-head hawk-moth deceives hundreds of bees to steal their honey. In this compelling natural history documentary, David Attenborough explores how these cheats and imposters get away with it.

Early reports of a wild, hairy, dangerous creature in the jungles of Africa gave the gorilla a fearsome reputation. While the vampire bat, with its strange face and nocturnal habits, also gave rise to horrific stories and myths. However, as David Attenborough discovers in this insightful natural history documentary, the true nature of these animals turned out to be very different.

The abilities of some plants and animals are so remarkable that they seem almost supernatural. The discovery of electricity in the electric eel excited early naturalists and inspired the battery. In this fascinating natural history documentary, David Attenborough discovers more shocking facts including how new research has discovered that flowers can talk to bees using electrical signals.

Some animals can survive conditions so cold they seem to defy the laws of nature. David Attenborough looks at some of these incredible creatures in this revealing nature documentary. The emperor penguin is the only animal that breeds in the Antarctic winter, raising chicks on ice. North American Wood Frogs also withstand harsh winters but with a miraculous trick. They survive being frozen solid.

Some animals produce almost artistic creations. In this enlightening natural history documentary, David Attenborough looks at spiders who spin intricate webs using incredibly strong silk, and birds that weave complicated nests from strips of leaves. He asks what the processes are behind the building of these complex structures and if we could adapt spider silk to benefit us?

Animals are usually either male or female and often behave in a way that is characteristic of their gender. But, as David Attenborough finds in this illuminating natural history documentary, in nature there are curious exceptions. Female hyenas look and behave like males and male seahorses actually get pregnant and give birth. Why have these two animals swapped their sexual identities?

The mystery of where some animals disappear to each year puzzled early naturalists. Do swallows hibernate in mud or under water? Where do our butterflies suddenly appear from each spring? In this revealing nature documentary, David Attenborough discovers that the swallow's epic migration and the butterfly's magical transformation were scientific stories cloaked in mystery and controversy.