Same same – but Different

Synopsis

Nature – evolution – has spawned countless creatures. Today, Earth harbours millions of species, from tiny microbes to the largest animal ever to have lived on our planet, the 200 tonne blue whale.

Animals live on land, in the oceans, and in the air – and most species look very different in size, limbs, body shape and appearance. Some of them are closely related – closer than you’d expect. Yet other species look surprisingly alike, with similar or even the same body features, even though they’re not even related.

Did you know that the rock hyrax, the size of a cat, looking like a marmot – is related to the elephant, and to manatees? That we humans are related not only to primates, but also to colugos – air-gliding mammals that live in the jungles of Southeast Asia? Oddly, ostriches and crocodiles are also related, as they share the same ancestors: a special group of dinosaurs, called theropods.

At the same time, you’d expect a certain relationship between spiny hedgehogs, echidna and tenrecs. But nope, sorry. Whales and whale sharks? Same story, no relations. Let’s not even get started on snakes and eels!

This film presents these and more discoveries in a fresh, entertaining, and yet very informative way. You will meet a lot of fascinating creatures with a wide variety of biological connections to one another – whether it’s differences or similarities. And there’s one crucial takeaway for everyone: diversity is the most natural thing on Earth.