Planet of the Apemen: Battle for Earth

Planet of the Apemen: Battle for Earth is a two-part BBC documentary series about human evolution. The series tells the story of how Homo sapiens once shared the Earth with other species of hominid, and how, against all the odds, we survived. The first episode deals with the struggles of Homo sapiens with Homo erectus, and the second episode depicts Homo sapiens's encounter with Homo neanderthalensis.

Episode 1 - Homo Erectus


This episode is set 75,000 years ago in India, following a catastrophic super-volcanic eruption which forced a showdown between our ancestors and a completely different species of human, Homo erectus, who up until that point had reigned supreme.

Episode 2 - Neanderthal


This episode is set 35,000 years ago and depicts Homo sapiens's encounter with Homo neanderthalensis. As the ice caps retreated, the Neanderthal stronghold in Europe weakened, providing a window of opportunity to which modern humans owe their existence.

Related Links:
Ape to Man
Walking with Cavemen