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When Life on the Land Began

For four billion years the land was devoid of life, so how and why did it finally emerge?

For four billion years the earth was devoid of life, so how did it emerge? Five hundred million years ago life emerged from the water. The growth of forests which reached down to river banks meant back-boned animals such as fish, started to venture onto dry land. A fossil near Elgin in Scotland appears to be the oldest example of an animal which made the leap.

This is a programme from the ±«Óătv World Service Archive and was originally broadcast in 1999.

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13 minutes

±«Óătv World Service Archive

This programme was restored as part of the World Service archive project