A&E - Ape Man: The Story of Human Evolution (1994)

Based on interviews with leading scientists working all over the world, Ape Man explores the story of our evolution, and of the people who have devoted their lives to discovering the truth about our origins. There have been many species of human-like creatures in the past. Now, all but Homo sapiens are extinct. If we can understand the past, we may be able to understand why we are the way we are today. And perhaps we can find clues to our future.

The incredible story of human evolution comes to life through the latest breakthroughs, interviews with scientists and anthropologists, and computer simulations. Hosted by Walter Cronkite, and filmed on location in Africa, APE MAN is the definitive account of how humans evolved from primates to become the dominant species on earth. From the extinction of the dinosaurs to the invention of fire, from the development of language to the link between furry ancestors and modern man, this vivid journey tells a towering story.

Part 1: The Human Puzzle
Compared to other species, human beings have been on earth for a very short time. For millions of years, dinosaurs dominated. Then came an evolutionary upheaval– the continents shifted, the climate changed, and the ape emerged. In Africa, our primal ancestors began to make huge biological leaps forward. But what mysterious phenomenon allowed humans to branch off from the ape?


Part 2: Giant Strides
Once humans learned to walk upright, they began to take giant developmental strides away from their animal relatives. They invented tools, which provided the edge in the search for food. The awesome power of fire came next, then the evolutionary grand prize– the human brain.


Part 3: All in the Mind
As the human brain evolved, early man gained an incredible evolutionary advantage– the power of language. It brought humans closer together and led to a higher form of creativity. Cave paintings, sculpture, and decorative tools sprung from man's hand. Today, the human mind still drives the species– but is that enough to guarantee survival on the evolutionary tree?


Part 4: Science and Fiction
While evolutionists and creationists debate the origin of the species, an intense controversy rages within the scientific community itself. Why is science so obsessed with the purity of our origins? Can it affect the fate of our species? In a sobering look at our place in the natural order, leading evolutionists risk a glimpse into the future of the human being.