"A New History of Life" Prof. Stuart Sutherland (DVD) (36 Lectures / 30 Minutes Per Lecture /  6x DVD - The Great Courses)
 
A New History of Life reconstructs the epic chronicle of Earth's biological transformation, mapping out 4.6 billion years of evolutionary breakthroughs and planetary change. This course abandons the traditional, isolated study of dinosaur fossils to deliver a dynamic narrative centered on the profound relationship between the shifting planet and the organisms that inhabit it. The lectures analyze pivotal milestones in the story of life—ranging from the primordial synthesis of organic molecules to the development of jaws and the hazardous transition of vertebrates onto dry land. By deciphering chemical clues preserved in deep time, the material demonstrates how fluctuating oxygen levels, volcanic upheavals, and drifting continents continuously rewrote the rules of planetary survival.
 
Beyond the triumphs of adaptation, the curriculum focuses heavily on the apocalyptic crises that repeatedly brought global ecosystems to near-total collapse. It provides a meticulous forensic look at the planet's great mass extinctions, tracking how massive volcanic events and asteroid impacts cleared out dominant species and radically redirected the course of evolutionary history. The series details the fragile survival of overlooked lineages, showing how the demise of ancient giants paved the way for the ultimate rise of mammals and, eventually, humans. This scientific investigation ultimately reshapes how viewers perceive the natural world, revealing that modern biodiversity is the hard-won outcome of a chaotic, interconnected, and multi-billion-year-old planetary experiment.