The Scale of Life (or were Dinosaurs just too big?)

Brian and Robin are joined by Palaeontologist Dr Susie Maidment, evolutionary biologist Dr Tori Herridge and comedian Dave Gorman to pitch giant creatures against tiny creatures in their bid to avoid extinction. They explore the scale of life and ask why are some organisms large and some small and what is the optimum size for successful survival. From the prokaryotic cell to the grandest dinosaur, how does the Modern Synthesis explain the huge variation in scale, form and function. What are the advantages and disadvantages to being huge like the dinosaurs, or was it their size that really did them in, in the end?

New episodes are released on Wednesdays. If you're in the UK, listen first on BBC Sounds: bbc.in/3K3JzyF

Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem