Premieres Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream with KPBS+
NOVA uncovers the surprising ancient origins of mammals, a story that began long before the dinosaurs' reign. Surveying Earth's tumultuous past reveals how some of our earliest ancestors, the therapsids—creatures that looked like reptiles but were starting to develop mammalian traits—survived multiple global catastrophes.
Through remarkable adaptations like burrowing and the emergence of warm-bloodedness, they forged a lineage that persevered against all odds.
Fascinating fossil clues and cutting-edge science reveal how a small, resilient group of therapsids faced extinction events, outlived giants, and ultimately gave rise to the diverse world of mammals we know today, including us.
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