Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link
Synopsis
Explores the story behind the discovery of an early primate fossil, Darwinius masillae, nicknamed Ida, in a shale quarry in Germany. The fossil is believed to be around 47 million years old, and is extraordinarily well-preserved. Originally unearthed in 1983, Ida lay in the hands of a private collector for 20 years before it was shown to a Norwegian paleontologist, Dr Jørn Hurum. Realising that Ida could turn out to be a significant missing link between modern primates, lemurs and lower mammals, he persuaded the Natural History Museum in Oslo to purchase the fossil and assembled an international team of experts to study it. Their findings were announced in a press conference and the online publication of a scientific paper on 19 May 2009.
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Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tim Walker
- Original Title
- Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 59m
- Production Studios
- Atlantic Productions, BBC
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tim Walker
Department Leadership Roster
Tim Walker
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
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Featured In Curated Collections
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Movies - Documentary (4K)
History/Science Documentaries
Attenborough Documentaries
BBC Natural History Unit Shows
David Attenborough
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Frequently Asked Questions About Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link
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What is Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link about?
Explores the story behind the discovery of an early primate fossil, Darwinius masillae, nicknamed Ida, in a shale quarry in Germany. The fossil is believed to be around 47 million years old, and is extraordinarily well-preserved. Originally unearthed in 1983, Ida lay in the hands of a private collector for 20 years before it was shown to a Norwegian paleontologist, Dr Jørn Hurum. Realising that Ida could turn out to be a significant missing link between modern primates, lemurs and lower mammals, he persuaded the Natural History Museum in Oslo to purchase the fossil and assembled an international team of experts to study it. Their findings were announced in a press conference and the online publication of a scientific paper on 19 May 2009.
Who directed Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link?
Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link was directed by Tim Walker.
Who stars in Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link?
The principal cast of Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link includes David Attenborough.
When was Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link released and how long is it?
Uncovering Our Earliest Ancestor: The Link was released in 2009 with a total runtime of 59m.