The Shape of Life

Based on the National Geographic - Sea Studios Foundation series seen on PBS. Every animal that ever lived fits into one of only eight basic body plans, the blueprints for living on Earth that emerged 550 million years ago and endure to this day. Those basic forms have given rise to billions of species of animals, including ourselves, and continue to define the shape of life on Earth. In this companion book to the eight-part PBS series, the authors take us on a lively journey into the world of the scientists who are looking through time to unravel the mysteries about our most ancient ancestors.