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The Beginning of All Things |
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The birth of the stars • Heaven's nurseries |
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10 | (2) |
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The Red Sea • A continent breaks up, an ocean is born |
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12 | (1) |
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The birth of a volcano • From the bowels of the earth |
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13 | (1) |
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Seed dispersal • When travel is a means of survival |
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14 | (3) |
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The start of life in viviparous animals • Born perfectly formed |
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17 | (1) |
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The Birth of the Universe |
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18 | (2) |
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Hatching • The delicate art of birth |
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20 | (2) |
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Bringing up children in the animal kingdom • Creches and baby-sitters |
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22 | (2) |
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Feeding the family • It's time to eat |
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24 | (4) |
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Everything Changes, Everything Comes to an End |
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Moulting • Changing skins |
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28 | (2) |
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The metamorphosis of insects • Two bodies in one lifetime |
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30 | (3) |
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Metamorphism • From limestone to marble |
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33 | (1) |
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The growth of plants • The secret of longevity |
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34 | (2) |
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When Death Nourishes Life |
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36 | (2) |
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The levelling of high ground • Mountains, immortal giants |
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38 | (1) |
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The end of the Earth • A death is predicted |
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39 | (1) |
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The death of stars • Explosions in space |
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40 | (2) |
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Growing old • Old age cannot be cured |
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42 | (4) |
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The double reproduction of cnidarians • Sex and no sex |
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46 | (1) |
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Sexual dimorphism • Opposites attract |
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47 | (3) |
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Hermaphroditism • Male and female in one |
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50 | (2) |
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52 | (4) |
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The fatal reproduction of salmon • When one generation hunts another |
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56 | (2) |
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Marsupials • Pocket babies under threat |
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58 | (2) |
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Parental behaviour in egg-laying animals • Strange parents |
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60 | (4) |
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The Unknown World and The Invisible |
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The Milky Way • A path among the stars |
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64 | (3) |
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Earth in the Solar System • An exceptional planet |
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67 | (3) |
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Matter in the Universe • Ninety-two simple structures |
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70 | (2) |
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The birth of the Earth • Take a little gas and dust |
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72 | (2) |
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Journey to The Land of Extremes |
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74 | (2) |
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The cell • The building blocks of life |
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76 | (2) |
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Micro-organisms • Small can be beautiful...or deadly |
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78 | (2) |
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The specks of the animal kingdom • Useful or harmful? |
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80 | (4) |
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The mechanics of locomotion in water • Swimming and floating |
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84 | (2) |
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The mechanics of flight • Lords of the skies |
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86 | (2) |
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How animals move • They crawl, jump and run |
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88 | (2) |
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Hazardous journeys • A nomadic existence |
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90 | (3) |
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Insect migrations • The odyssey of small creatures |
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93 | (1) |
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94 | (2) |
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The migration of birds • The same route every year |
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96 | (3) |
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Animals that migrate with the help of humans • Stowaways |
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99 | (1) |
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The migration of land-based mammals • Travellers great and small |
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100 | (2) |
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The migration of marine animals • Sea voyages |
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102 | (2) |
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The mechanics of orientation • Aiming for true north |
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104 | (4) |
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Adapting to an aquatic environment • Living in water |
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108 | (3) |
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Adapting to darkness • Living in a cave |
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111 | (1) |
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Adapting to drought • Living without water |
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112 | (3) |
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Rapid mutations • Questions about evolution |
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115 | (1) |
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Very Curious Relationships |
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116 | (2) |
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Adapting to the cold • Me, cold? Never! |
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118 | (2) |
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Threatened species and recent extinctions • Soon to be extinct |
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120 | (3) |
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Species that have not evolved • Survivors from a distant past |
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123 | (1) |
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Adapting to climatic upheaval • Keeping a place in the sun |
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124 | (2) |
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Adapting to an urban environment • Wildlife in the city |
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126 | (4) |
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Polychrome rocks • The mineral palette |
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130 | (2) |
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Precious stones • A journey to the heart of minerals |
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132 | (2) |
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The colours of plants and fruits • An arsenal of seductive power |
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134 | (2) |
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Fairy castles, turrets and columns • Miracles of balance |
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136 | (2) |
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138 | (2) |
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Arches, tunnels and potholes • Nature and the art of sculpting spaces |
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140 | (1) |
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The paradox of granite • Balanced boulders |
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141 | (1) |
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Concretions and travertine • Water: artist and builder |
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142 | (2) |
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Basalt organ-pipes • Columns and prisms |
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144 | (2) |
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An arsenal to fight off predators • Discouraging the enemy |
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146 | (2) |
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Precipitation • Come rain, come hail |
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148 | (2) |
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Currents • Rivers in the sea |
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150 | (3) |
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From a swell to a roller • Undulations of the sea |
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153 | (1) |
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Lakes • Reservoirs of water |
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154 | (2) |
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The Journey of A Raindrop |
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156 | (2) |
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Water from the depths • Between hot and cold |
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158 | (2) |
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Glaciers • The long still rivers |
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160 | (2) |
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Rivers • The winding streams of life |
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162 | (4) |
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The Magical World of the Sky |
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The Sun • A gigantic nuclear reactor |
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166 | (3) |
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Mirages When • light deceives us |
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169 | (1) |
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The Moon • A satellite with influence |
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170 | (2) |
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In The Pressure-Cooker of the Atmosphere |
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172 | (2) |
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Rainbows • Highly coloured arches |
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174 | (1) |
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Thunder and lightning • The angry sky |
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175 | (1) |
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Clouds • A ballet at high altitude |
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176 | (2) |
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Lights in the sky • Very special effects |
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178 | (4) |
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Seismic activity • Hidden faults |
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182 | (2) |
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Volcanoes • Work in progress |
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184 | (2) |
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Ocean ridges • Factories for oceanic crust |
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186 | (2) |
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Cordilleras and island arcs • When the sea takes a dive |
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188 | (2) |
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When continents converge • The Himalayas: a mega-collision |
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190 | (2) |
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192 | (2) |
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Earth's hot spots • Travelling volcanoes |
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194 | (2) |
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Deltas • Where the land conquers the sea |
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196 | (2) |
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Cliffs • The battle between land and sea |
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198 | (2) |
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Reefs, barriers and atolls • Calcareous cathedrals |
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200 | (4) |
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Nests • The art of the cocoon |
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204 | (3) |
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Beehives • Low-cost housing for insects |
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207 | (1) |
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Termite mounds • Skyscrapers in the savanna |
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208 | (2) |
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210 | (2) |
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The nest of weaver ants • A stitch in time |
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212 | (1) |
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The silken architecture of spiders • Webmasters |
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213 | (1) |
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Animal squatters • The pleasures of life in a hotel |
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214 | (2) |
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Dens and burrows • A happy life is a hidden life |
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216 | (4) |
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Sensitive plants • The gift of perception |
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220 | (2) |
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Taste in vertebrates • Look before you eat |
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222 | (1) |
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Hearing mechanisms • Sensitivity to vibrations |
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223 | (1) |
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224 | (2) |
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How animals see • Catching the light |
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226 | (2) |
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The sense of smell • A good nose is not good enough |
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228 | (2) |
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The sense of touch • Sensitive skin |
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230 | (2) |
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Cries, Murmurs and Whispers |
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Communication in animals • Body language |
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232 | (3) |
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Pheromones • Chemical messages |
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235 | (3) |
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Sound language • Noise can be a calling card |
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238 | (3) |
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Photogenesis • Lights, please |
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241 | (1) |
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Without Communication, There Is No Social Life |
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242 | (2) |
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The language of plants • A tree that talks to others |
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244 | (2) |
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Ultrasound and infrasound • Private codes |
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246 | (4) |
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The Healing Power of Nature |
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The atmosphere • The fresh air on Earth |
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250 | (2) |
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The magnetosphere • A tremendous sun filter |
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252 | (2) |
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The healing power of water • Taking the waters |
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254 | (2) |
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256 | (2) |
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Animal medicine • A pharmacy for the beasts |
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258 | (3) |
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Medicinal plants • Pillars of modern medicine |
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261 | (3) |
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Animal and plant resources • Therapies of the future |
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264 | (4) |
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Traps and weapons • All the better to eat you with! |
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268 | (3) |
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Carnivorous plants • Green ogres |
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271 | (1) |
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Armour plating • Stout defences |
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272 | (2) |
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The hunt • Ingenious predators |
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274 | (3) |
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Passive defence in plants • Thorns and other devices |
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277 | (1) |
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The Education of Young Predators |
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278 | (4) |
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Disguise and camouflage • Deceiving the enemy |
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282 | (3) |
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The defensive weapons of animals • Escaping from predators |
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285 | (3) |
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Poison and venom • Deadly toxins |
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288 | (4) |
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The formation of craters • Cosmic collisions |
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292 | (2) |
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Volcanic explosions • When mountains burst |
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294 | (2) |
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Earthquakes • Killer quakes |
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296 | (2) |
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Tsunamis • The heavies of the sea |
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298 | (2) |
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Climatic Cycles and Abnormalities |
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300 | (4) |
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Storms, cyclones and tornadoes • Maelstroms in the air |
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304 | (3) |
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An avalanche • The treachery of snow |
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307 | (1) |
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Devastating floods • When rivers burst their banks |
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308 | (2) |
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Landslides and rockfalls • When the ground moves |
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310 | (2) |
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Deals, Alliances and Solidarity |
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Flowering plants and pollinating animals • A fruitful collaboration |
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312 | (3) |
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Parasitism • Undesirable guests |
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315 | (1) |
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Symbiosis • Living cheek to cheek |
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316 | (2) |
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Hunting in a group • United we stand |
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318 | (2) |
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In The Tundra: The Lemming Cycle |
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320 | (2) |
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Sharing an environment • Joint ownership |
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322 | (1) |
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Herding and cultivation among ants • Farming communities |
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323 | (1) |
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Gregarious animals • Safety in numbers |
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324 | (2) |
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Cooperation between species • Animal alliances |
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326 | (4) |
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The Champions of the Natural World |
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Nature's giants • Colossi with feet of clay |
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330 | (3) |
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Nature's strongmen • Uncommon strength |
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333 | (1) |
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The kingdom of the dwarfs • Small but tough |
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334 | (2) |
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Champions of adaptation • Tough enough for any test |
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336 | (2) |
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The best athletes on the planet • Fastest, highest, farthest |
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338 | (3) |
| Glossary |
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341 | (4) |
| Index |
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345 | |
