David Attenborough's Life Stories

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BBC Radio 4 Extra

Factual: Pets & Animals

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Series of talks by Sir David Attenborough on the natural histories of creatures and plants

Series of talks by Sir David Attenborough on the natural histories of creatures and plants from around the world

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David Attenborough's Life Stories: Series 2: Charnia

Charnia

Series 2

BBC Radio 4 Extra - David Attenborough's Life Stories, Series 2, Charnia

David Attenborough's fascination with the fossilised evidence of the beginning of life.

David Attenborough talks about Charnia, fossils of early life on Earth, and a connection with his childhood. From 2011.

David Attenborough has always been fascinated by fossils; even as a boy he'd spend many hours exploring the local quarry near his home in Leicestershire. 

Near his family home was a forest which he visited frequently, but didn't hunt for fossils there because he knew the rocks were too old to have any post cards of early life embedded in their layers. 

But he was wrong - those rocks harboured a wonderful secret - a secret that would rattle the cages of the big thinkers of the time and would change the story of life on earth for ever.

Written and presented by Sir David Attenborough. 

Producer:  Julian Hector.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2011.

David Attenborough's Life Stories: Series 2

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