Experts now agree that Africa was the birthplace of humankind. Many of the oldest fossils have been discovered in Africa. Climatic changes and the Ice Age, which began close to three million years ago, gave rise to the spread of our ancient ancestors to neighboring regions, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and even Australia. In Part 2 of Prehistoric Man, viewers are introduced to the first of our kind, humans in the genus Homo, and learn where they lived and how they survived and adapted. We meet the ancient species that pre-date modern humans, including an ancient people in Spain, dating back hundreds of thousands of years, who could have been the first Europeans. This program poses fascinating questions. Why, for example, are we the dominant species on the planet when dolphins have big brains like ours and chimps have been around for as long as we have? How did our ancestors scavenge and compete with huge vultures, hyenas and other animals vying for the same carcass? How did diminutive three-foot humans kill an elephant bigger than the largest modern elephant? What are the cultural implications of the campfire? When did human culture begin? How did we evolve? Who are our ancestors? All these questions and more are explored in this thought-provoking program. Renowned experts from major universities help us understand the subject with their insights into this most fascinating journey of humankind.
