1 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:51,968 Earth, 2 00:00:52,510 --> 00:00:55,180 sixty-six million years ago. 3 00:00:56,681 --> 00:01:01,394 During the great reign of the dinosaurs. 4 00:01:05,940 --> 00:01:07,650 Majestic creatures. 5 00:01:09,861 --> 00:01:13,031 Giants and monsters 6 00:01:13,656 --> 00:01:17,911 that can often seem more imagined than real. 7 00:01:20,538 --> 00:01:21,623 Including… 8 00:01:22,791 --> 00:01:25,460 …this Pachycephalosaurus. 9 00:01:30,131 --> 00:01:32,342 He's an old alpha male, 10 00:01:33,426 --> 00:01:36,846 eager to get back to his harem of females. 11 00:01:42,477 --> 00:01:45,063 But something's caught their attention. 12 00:01:49,692 --> 00:01:51,528 A rival male. 13 00:01:56,533 --> 00:02:01,621 If the alpha doesn't get there, he may lose them to the intruder. 14 00:02:05,416 --> 00:02:08,002 There's just one problem. 15 00:02:10,255 --> 00:02:13,007 There's a herd of giants in his way. 16 00:02:25,562 --> 00:02:28,106 But holding on to his family 17 00:02:28,982 --> 00:02:30,942 is all that matters. 18 00:02:39,659 --> 00:02:42,328 He'll risk his life to reach them. 19 00:03:16,654 --> 00:03:19,199 He may have survived the crossing, 20 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,203 but the battle has just begun. 21 00:03:24,746 --> 00:03:30,293 The trespasser is younger, stronger, and more aggressive. 22 00:03:38,968 --> 00:03:41,512 And he won't surrender these females… 23 00:03:43,723 --> 00:03:45,225 …without a fight. 24 00:03:48,603 --> 00:03:55,276 Their four-inch-thick skulls are designed for a brutal style of combat. 25 00:04:16,965 --> 00:04:20,009 Neither side is backing down. 26 00:04:31,521 --> 00:04:32,730 This time, 27 00:04:34,190 --> 00:04:35,483 the alpha is hurt. 28 00:04:39,487 --> 00:04:45,326 Dazed and fading fast, his hold on his family is slipping away. 29 00:04:48,705 --> 00:04:50,373 Sensing his weakness, 30 00:04:50,456 --> 00:04:54,627 the intruder prepares for a finishing blow. 31 00:05:08,725 --> 00:05:11,602 But in the world of Tyrannosaurus rex… 32 00:05:16,441 --> 00:05:20,862 …the only battle that counts is for survival. 33 00:05:25,575 --> 00:05:30,413 This is the age of the dinosaurs. 34 00:06:59,585 --> 00:07:03,714 This is the story of the dinosaurs 35 00:07:04,507 --> 00:07:07,260 as it has never been told before. 36 00:07:20,022 --> 00:07:24,527 It takes place in a world lost to time. 37 00:07:27,697 --> 00:07:30,741 Long before the infamous asteroid. 38 00:07:37,874 --> 00:07:41,544 {\an8}Millions and millions of years in the past. 39 00:07:42,420 --> 00:07:47,133 {\an8}On a planet that looks nothing like it does today. 40 00:07:51,679 --> 00:07:54,223 {\an8}Where extraordinary beasts clash… 41 00:07:55,224 --> 00:07:57,935 {\an8}…and struggle to survive. 42 00:07:59,812 --> 00:08:01,981 {\an8}And where Earth's violent forces… 43 00:08:03,483 --> 00:08:04,942 {\an8}…determine their fates. 44 00:08:08,696 --> 00:08:13,784 {\an8}The story begins 235 million years ago… 45 00:08:15,828 --> 00:08:19,624 {\an8}in an era known as the Triassic… 46 00:08:22,126 --> 00:08:27,632 {\an8}where a twist of evolution will change the course of history. 47 00:08:32,803 --> 00:08:36,140 The supercontinent of Pangaea. 48 00:08:38,893 --> 00:08:45,149 A single immense landmass that stretches from pole to pole. 49 00:09:06,337 --> 00:09:09,131 Its vast desert interior 50 00:09:09,882 --> 00:09:12,426 is more like the surface of Mars… 51 00:09:15,054 --> 00:09:16,847 than planet Earth. 52 00:09:25,690 --> 00:09:29,151 Temperatures here are brutally hot. 53 00:09:37,368 --> 00:09:42,415 In some places, it hasn't rained in thousands of years. 54 00:09:47,420 --> 00:09:51,173 But there is something far worse than the heat. 55 00:10:03,686 --> 00:10:05,896 Sandstorms. 56 00:10:12,403 --> 00:10:17,617 Few creatures can survive in a world this extreme. 57 00:10:41,849 --> 00:10:46,062 But not all of Pangaea is a desert wasteland. 58 00:10:48,898 --> 00:10:50,775 Along its fringes, 59 00:10:50,858 --> 00:10:55,112 the warm, lush coastlines are the perfect place 60 00:10:56,489 --> 00:10:58,532 for life to thrive. 61 00:11:01,327 --> 00:11:06,791 This is a time long before the age of the dinosaurs. 62 00:11:07,291 --> 00:11:11,629 It is the age of the ancient reptiles. 63 00:11:18,010 --> 00:11:20,221 Like Tanystropheus… 64 00:11:22,890 --> 00:11:28,270 a six-meter-long nightmare that stalks the shallow sea. 65 00:11:38,197 --> 00:11:40,241 And Rhynchosaurs, 66 00:11:40,866 --> 00:11:46,122 one of the most successful reptiles in all of Pangaea. 67 00:11:56,382 --> 00:11:57,550 To each other… 68 00:11:57,633 --> 00:12:00,386 …they're brutes and bullies. 69 00:12:07,309 --> 00:12:09,228 But to this reptile, 70 00:12:11,105 --> 00:12:13,899 they're just the terrified locals. 71 00:12:17,737 --> 00:12:19,739 Luperosuchus, 72 00:12:21,323 --> 00:12:25,870 the four-meter-long apex predator of his time. 73 00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:36,839 But he's not here for the Rhynchosaurs. 74 00:12:37,757 --> 00:12:40,760 He's sniffed out an easier target. 75 00:12:49,185 --> 00:12:51,145 A clutch of eggs. 76 00:12:56,358 --> 00:12:59,445 Very special eggs. 77 00:13:01,405 --> 00:13:07,286 Because growing inside them are the very first of their kind. 78 00:13:25,763 --> 00:13:27,640 A baby Marasuchus. 79 00:13:36,649 --> 00:13:39,276 She weighs no more than a mouse. 80 00:13:42,196 --> 00:13:44,156 But she makes up for it, 81 00:13:45,407 --> 00:13:47,493 because she has a set of skills 82 00:13:48,327 --> 00:13:51,914 that sets her apart from the ancient reptiles. 83 00:13:55,376 --> 00:13:58,963 Including the remarkable ability 84 00:13:59,046 --> 00:14:03,217 to stand on two legs, not just four. 85 00:14:13,102 --> 00:14:18,274 She also has advanced lungs and lighter bones. 86 00:14:21,694 --> 00:14:25,030 Adaptations that give these little hatchlings 87 00:14:25,781 --> 00:14:28,158 an invaluable gift. 88 00:14:30,703 --> 00:14:32,872 They are born to run. 89 00:14:36,625 --> 00:14:40,337 And in this day and age, they need to. 90 00:14:58,856 --> 00:15:02,443 Their only hope is to find a place to hide. 91 00:15:07,448 --> 00:15:12,494 Easier said than done when you've hatched into hell. 92 00:15:21,754 --> 00:15:24,798 All her siblings are gone. 93 00:15:28,719 --> 00:15:33,182 The survival of her bloodline is now hanging by a thread. 94 00:15:36,810 --> 00:15:38,395 But thanks to her, 95 00:15:38,896 --> 00:15:40,648 it's still intact. 96 00:15:42,983 --> 00:15:44,526 Which is vital 97 00:15:45,527 --> 00:15:48,113 because her descendants 98 00:15:49,657 --> 00:15:51,992 are the dinosaurs. 99 00:16:06,173 --> 00:16:10,594 One year later, Marasuchus is now fully grown. 100 00:16:15,849 --> 00:16:21,355 But when you're the size of a pigeon in a land of monsters, 101 00:16:21,438 --> 00:16:24,483 you're still just prey. 102 00:16:30,239 --> 00:16:35,452 Now, Marasuchus must make it through another night. 103 00:16:36,662 --> 00:16:38,038 It's critical, 104 00:16:39,123 --> 00:16:43,961 because if this dinosaur-in-the-making doesn't survive, 105 00:16:44,044 --> 00:16:48,882 her family tree could be cut down before it even takes root. 106 00:16:55,764 --> 00:16:58,017 She's picked up a scent. 107 00:16:59,601 --> 00:17:02,271 Something worthy of her bloodline. 108 00:17:09,194 --> 00:17:11,697 A Rhynchosaur carcass. 109 00:17:31,300 --> 00:17:33,218 But it's already been claimed… 110 00:17:38,515 --> 00:17:40,684 …by her old nemesis, 111 00:17:41,393 --> 00:17:42,978 Luperosuchus. 112 00:17:44,188 --> 00:17:45,814 This is his kill. 113 00:17:46,398 --> 00:17:49,318 And he does not intend to share. 114 00:17:57,159 --> 00:17:59,453 But as night approaches… 115 00:18:01,622 --> 00:18:03,665 temperatures start to drop. 116 00:18:22,559 --> 00:18:28,065 The colder it gets, the drowsier the giant reptile becomes. 117 00:18:32,319 --> 00:18:39,159 Meanwhile, the warmer-blooded Marasuchus has a feathery fuzz that keeps her cozy. 118 00:18:46,291 --> 00:18:50,629 The perfect attire for a daring heist. 119 00:19:44,892 --> 00:19:46,393 If she plays it right… 120 00:19:51,106 --> 00:19:56,153 she may just get her moonlit dinner for one. 121 00:20:02,868 --> 00:20:04,286 A feast 122 00:20:05,662 --> 00:20:07,915 fit for a dinosaur. 123 00:20:15,631 --> 00:20:18,842 Marasuchus has great potential. 124 00:20:19,384 --> 00:20:23,722 She's adaptable, with traits that make her special. 125 00:20:25,682 --> 00:20:30,270 But if the dinosaurs are to challenge the ancient reptiles, 126 00:20:32,064 --> 00:20:34,691 it will take more than skills. 127 00:20:35,817 --> 00:20:38,779 It will take a powerful ally. 128 00:20:41,323 --> 00:20:43,617 The Earth itself. 129 00:20:49,456 --> 00:20:51,541 A million years later… 130 00:20:54,336 --> 00:20:57,256 in the far north of Pangaea, 131 00:20:58,340 --> 00:21:03,011 the darkest forces of nature are awakening. 132 00:21:10,769 --> 00:21:13,689 A series of volcanic eruptions 133 00:21:14,481 --> 00:21:17,484 is creating a catastrophe. 134 00:21:19,278 --> 00:21:23,115 One that will alter the fate of the dinosaurs. 135 00:21:27,953 --> 00:21:31,248 But the danger is not the lava. 136 00:21:35,168 --> 00:21:36,712 It's a gas. 137 00:21:43,093 --> 00:21:45,387 Carbon dioxide. 138 00:21:46,388 --> 00:21:50,142 Filling the skies and warming the planet. 139 00:21:51,935 --> 00:21:53,812 The rising temperatures 140 00:21:54,730 --> 00:21:59,318 cause a massive surge in ocean evaporation. 141 00:22:10,537 --> 00:22:15,542 Huge storm clouds descend on the continent of Pangaea. 142 00:22:29,139 --> 00:22:33,935 But this will be no ordinary rainfall. 143 00:22:59,419 --> 00:23:02,255 It sweeps across the globe… 144 00:23:06,426 --> 00:23:08,678 carving vast rivers 145 00:23:09,513 --> 00:23:12,224 into the once dry continent. 146 00:23:20,232 --> 00:23:23,777 Known as the Carnian Pluvial Event… 147 00:23:27,030 --> 00:23:33,703 this series of storms will be the longest downpour in history, 148 00:23:33,787 --> 00:23:36,873 lasting more than a million years. 149 00:24:02,023 --> 00:24:05,110 When the rains finally do subside, 150 00:24:06,278 --> 00:24:10,782 Pangaea emerges transformed. 151 00:24:16,288 --> 00:24:18,957 A world reborn. 152 00:24:27,716 --> 00:24:32,387 What were endless deserts are now forests. 153 00:24:33,889 --> 00:24:40,896 New lands that will help set the course for the rise of the dinosaurs. 154 00:24:45,901 --> 00:24:51,406 But first, the reptile empire must falter. 155 00:25:02,459 --> 00:25:08,215 The air in these woods is thick with the smell of tree resin. 156 00:25:15,931 --> 00:25:19,726 Nature is unforgiving here. 157 00:25:26,149 --> 00:25:29,194 The once prosperous plant-eating reptiles 158 00:25:31,196 --> 00:25:33,365 are on the decline. 159 00:25:44,834 --> 00:25:47,629 {\an8}Not only is this Rhynchosaur alone… 160 00:25:48,630 --> 00:25:50,131 {\an8}…she's starving. 161 00:25:55,679 --> 00:25:58,473 In this new world of towering trees… 162 00:26:01,017 --> 00:26:05,355 the low-lying plants that once allowed her species to thrive… 163 00:26:08,316 --> 00:26:10,402 have all but disappeared. 164 00:26:28,753 --> 00:26:32,799 She won't survive if she can't reach her food. 165 00:26:52,235 --> 00:26:57,240 And she has a more immediate problem than hunger. 166 00:27:05,165 --> 00:27:09,794 A relative of the fearsome Luperosuchus. 167 00:27:12,213 --> 00:27:15,008 For these reptilian carnivores, 168 00:27:15,675 --> 00:27:19,846 this is a time of great opportunity. 169 00:27:32,609 --> 00:27:37,072 Unlike the nimble Marasuchus, she's slow… 170 00:27:39,157 --> 00:27:40,200 …weak, 171 00:27:40,909 --> 00:27:42,160 vulnerable. 172 00:27:59,969 --> 00:28:03,723 The Rhynchosaurs were once among the most successful 173 00:28:03,807 --> 00:28:06,142 of the plant-eating reptiles. 174 00:28:09,354 --> 00:28:14,275 Now, their extinction is just a matter of time. 175 00:28:44,597 --> 00:28:48,893 {\an8}As the kingdom of the ancient reptiles begins to fracture… 176 00:28:52,939 --> 00:28:56,860 …another kind of animal is on the rise. 177 00:29:00,488 --> 00:29:02,323 The dinosaurs. 178 00:29:10,874 --> 00:29:15,879 And in this changing world, they must be adaptable. 179 00:29:19,841 --> 00:29:22,385 {\an8}They must evolve. 180 00:29:25,221 --> 00:29:28,141 {\an8}They must improve over time. 181 00:29:30,977 --> 00:29:36,232 {\an8}And transform in ways that will help them survive. 182 00:29:39,402 --> 00:29:45,742 {\an8}Finally, 12 million years after the demise of the Rhynchosaurs, 183 00:29:46,951 --> 00:29:51,873 {\an8}the dinosaurs can begin to come out of the shadows. 184 00:29:58,421 --> 00:30:01,966 As the end of the Triassic draws near, 185 00:30:03,009 --> 00:30:06,471 vast forests still dominate the land, 186 00:30:07,222 --> 00:30:10,558 now more vibrant than ever. 187 00:30:12,936 --> 00:30:17,565 And the dinosaurs are reaping the benefits. 188 00:30:25,365 --> 00:30:27,909 Like Plateosaurus, 189 00:30:28,910 --> 00:30:31,538 a dinosaur trailblazer. 190 00:30:41,422 --> 00:30:43,007 This little one 191 00:30:43,091 --> 00:30:47,804 and her siblings are embarking on a mission 192 00:30:48,721 --> 00:30:51,266 to explore their new world 193 00:30:53,059 --> 00:30:58,439 with almost no regard for the dangers it may hold. 194 00:31:10,326 --> 00:31:13,955 They may not look any bigger than little Marasuchus… 195 00:31:17,166 --> 00:31:19,085 but when they grow up, 196 00:31:19,752 --> 00:31:21,546 they grow up bigger. 197 00:31:23,381 --> 00:31:25,592 Much bigger. 198 00:31:28,469 --> 00:31:33,975 They are the first dinosaurs to become gigantic. 199 00:31:37,770 --> 00:31:42,150 Over seven meters long, they've come a long way 200 00:31:42,233 --> 00:31:45,945 since their tiny ancestors ran for their lives. 201 00:31:52,493 --> 00:31:54,704 And unlike the Rhynchosaurs, 202 00:31:55,330 --> 00:31:59,417 these giants can easily reach the higher vegetation. 203 00:32:12,597 --> 00:32:14,641 They even have a trick 204 00:32:14,724 --> 00:32:17,852 for reaching the most tender shoots of all. 205 00:32:37,664 --> 00:32:39,582 Excessive, maybe. 206 00:32:41,793 --> 00:32:43,044 But worth it. 207 00:32:46,339 --> 00:32:49,801 {\an8}Because an adult Plateosaurus 208 00:32:49,884 --> 00:32:55,181 {\an8}must eat 25 kilos of plants each day. 209 00:32:58,351 --> 00:33:01,854 And to wash down that much food 210 00:33:01,938 --> 00:33:05,775 requires a lot of water. 211 00:33:41,102 --> 00:33:42,854 It's an easy life. 212 00:33:48,151 --> 00:33:51,112 But in the age of the early dinosaurs, 213 00:33:52,655 --> 00:33:57,535 even a giant like Plateosaurus must be careful… 214 00:34:01,414 --> 00:34:06,461 …because there is another dinosaur on the rise. 215 00:34:07,795 --> 00:34:11,549 A newcomer with a taste for blood. 216 00:34:18,181 --> 00:34:20,224 Procompsognathus. 217 00:34:22,435 --> 00:34:28,649 A carnivore with razor-sharp teeth and killer claws. 218 00:34:39,994 --> 00:34:45,208 His descendants will one day include Tyrannosaurus rex. 219 00:34:47,085 --> 00:34:50,755 But for now, this angry predator… 220 00:34:52,048 --> 00:34:56,094 …is only the size of a turkey. 221 00:35:06,854 --> 00:35:09,649 While the matchup between these two dinosaurs 222 00:35:09,732 --> 00:35:11,609 may be a little lopsided… 223 00:35:16,781 --> 00:35:18,616 …it won't stay that way. 224 00:35:25,957 --> 00:35:32,922 Over time, a fierce rivalry will grow between two great dinosaur clans. 225 00:35:35,424 --> 00:35:36,926 The herbivores 226 00:35:38,803 --> 00:35:40,805 and the carnivores. 227 00:35:47,186 --> 00:35:49,147 But for the time being… 228 00:35:54,819 --> 00:36:00,241 all dinosaurs are facing a much greater threat than each other. 229 00:36:21,220 --> 00:36:24,265 In the water and on land, 230 00:36:24,348 --> 00:36:29,478 the ancient reptiles remain top of the food chain. 231 00:36:52,168 --> 00:36:56,589 The dinosaurs are growing as a force in the world, 232 00:36:57,173 --> 00:36:59,217 but their rise is slow. 233 00:37:02,470 --> 00:37:06,933 The planet still belongs to the reptiles. 234 00:37:10,895 --> 00:37:14,357 For the dinosaurs to truly challenge them, 235 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:17,568 it will take millions of years. 236 00:37:21,697 --> 00:37:24,700 Shaped by Earth's dynamic forces, 237 00:37:26,661 --> 00:37:28,329 they grow fiercer, 238 00:37:29,956 --> 00:37:31,624 more powerful, 239 00:37:33,084 --> 00:37:34,961 more advanced. 240 00:37:38,089 --> 00:37:40,633 By the end of the Triassic, 241 00:37:40,716 --> 00:37:44,095 the dinosaurs are ready to flex their muscle. 242 00:37:51,060 --> 00:37:55,648 {\an8}But there are new creatures also vying for domination. 243 00:37:57,149 --> 00:37:59,694 And in the mountains of Pangaea, 244 00:38:00,361 --> 00:38:04,699 some of them have taken to the air. 245 00:38:15,459 --> 00:38:16,711 Pterosaurs. 246 00:38:17,503 --> 00:38:22,508 Flying reptiles with a wingspan of two meters. 247 00:38:27,305 --> 00:38:31,392 And they are in total command of the Triassic skies. 248 00:38:47,325 --> 00:38:49,368 These jagged peaks 249 00:38:50,244 --> 00:38:52,371 are their mating grounds. 250 00:39:08,262 --> 00:39:13,351 And this male has spotted a female. 251 00:39:17,563 --> 00:39:21,108 First, eject the competition. 252 00:39:28,824 --> 00:39:33,746 Now, it's time for the courtship to begin. 253 00:39:48,344 --> 00:39:50,346 During these rituals, 254 00:39:50,429 --> 00:39:54,517 the Pterosaurs are focused entirely on each other, 255 00:39:55,059 --> 00:39:57,061 not their surroundings. 256 00:40:00,940 --> 00:40:03,109 Which can be costly 257 00:40:04,402 --> 00:40:09,156 because dinosaurs dwell in these canyons. 258 00:40:25,881 --> 00:40:30,010 The largest member of the carnivore clan… 259 00:40:33,431 --> 00:40:35,266 …Liliensternus. 260 00:40:38,477 --> 00:40:44,608 Twice as long as a grizzly bear, with claws that can tear through flesh. 261 00:40:49,155 --> 00:40:52,616 And with her finely-tuned sense of smell, 262 00:40:54,410 --> 00:40:57,496 she doesn't miss a thing. 263 00:41:31,864 --> 00:41:35,284 Dozens of eyes are circling above. 264 00:41:37,077 --> 00:41:43,083 Even with her camouflage, one wrong move could blow her cover. 265 00:43:01,912 --> 00:43:08,586 This moment marks a new chapter in the rise of the dinosaurs. 266 00:43:11,005 --> 00:43:16,218 At last, they are a force to be feared. 267 00:43:22,349 --> 00:43:27,479 But the commotion of her attack has attracted another predator. 268 00:43:30,649 --> 00:43:35,904 The ancient reptiles have terrorized the dinosaurs from the beginning. 269 00:43:37,906 --> 00:43:41,368 But that ends now. 270 00:43:44,747 --> 00:43:49,418 Liliensternus won't be skulking back to the shadows. 271 00:43:53,380 --> 00:43:56,467 She can hold her ground. 272 00:44:08,145 --> 00:44:09,772 The trouble is, 273 00:44:10,314 --> 00:44:14,026 here at the end of the Triassic, 274 00:44:14,943 --> 00:44:17,071 the ground itself 275 00:44:17,154 --> 00:44:23,285 is about to throw the entire dinosaur story into chaos.