Season 1

Using brand new science and innovative techniques, Chris Packham investigates how nature’s masterminds measure up against human brainpower.

Chris Packham reveals the cleverest animal communicators on the planet and learns how scientists are using cutting-edge technology to understand their conversations.

Chris reveals some of the best building animals in the world - a group that is incredibly varied, including everything from beavers to bees and prairie dogs to bowerbirds.

Chris Packham looks at social intelligence in the animal kingdom and finds out why it is that, for animals, being together means being clever. He looks at how lions hunt in teams and each hold a very specific position, how vampire bats build trust and donor networks through grooming, and how wild wolves first became domesticated and transformed into man's best friend.

In this episode Chris Packham reveals the intelligent cons and deceitful behaviour that Animal Einsteins use to survive and prosper in the game of life - from disguising themselves to outwit predators, and kidnapping babies to save their own offspring, to reading our body language to pull off a successful robbery.

Chris discovers the cleverest animal travellers and how they find their way, from deer with mental maps, blue whales planning routes, and dung beetles navigating by the stars.