Science and Nature

Human Footprint

Earth has never experienced anything like us: a single species dominating and transforming the planet. Biologist Shane Campbell-Staton travels the globe to explore our Human Footprint and to discover how the things we do reveal who we truly are.

How Corn Took Over the World

11m 24s

In Mexico, Shane Campbell-Staton explores around a maize vault, a treasure trove of genetic diversity. He joins geneticist Sarah Hearne to unravel the intricate DNA makeup of corn. In a tortilla factory, Shane meets with local Mexican chefs Santiago Muñoz and Daniela Moreno, who are committed to reviving the sacred heritage of maize and preserving cultural traditions through corn.

Episodes

  • The Ground Below: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Ground Below

    S1 E6 - 54m 53s

    Shane explores the history and science of cotton. A prehistoric coastline from North Carolina to Texas laid the foundation for a crop that re-shaped our history, our culture, and even our DNA.

  • The Urban Jungle: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Urban Jungle

    S1 E5 - 55m 12s

    In "The Urban Jungle," Shane explores the modern city: an ecosystem built by, for us. He encounters three species thriving in the city, reckons with our complex urban history, and envisions a new and wilder urban future.

  • The Replacements: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Replacements

    S1 E4 - 55m 21s

    Shane explores the surprising science and unexpected histories of “The Replacements”: five animal and plant species that made allies of humans, grew to dominate the planet alongside us, and changed their destinies (and our own) forever.

  • Man's Best Friend: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Man's Best Friend

    S1 E3 - 55m 23s

    Shane discovers why dogs are more than man’s best friend – they’ve been reshaped by evolution into the perfect partner for our species. And just as we’ve transformed them, dogs have left an unmistakable pawprint on us and the world we both share.

  • Top Predator: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Top Predator

    S1 E2 - 55m 24s

    There’s a killer inside us. Our biology, culture, technology, and economy have transformed our species into the greatest predator the world has ever seen. From Yellowstone to Mozambique, Shane explores our global impact as the planet’s top predator.

  • Strangers In Paradise: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Strangers In Paradise

    S1 E1 - 55m 11s

    Invasive species are reshaping the world’s ecosystems, but who’s really to blame? Shane wrestles a python, hunts Hawaiian pigs, and gets sucker-punched by a carp to answer the question: in the Age of Humans, how does our species decide what belongs?

Extras + Features

  • The 'Human Footprint' Soundtrack: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The 'Human Footprint' Soundtrack

    S1 - 4m 57s

    "Human Footprint" was always meant to be a different kind of science show, from the cinematography, to the host, to the style, to the edits. But to have someone like Adrian Younge, multi-instrumentalist and legendary hip-hop producer, lending his talents to the series’ score – well, it seemed like a long shot…until it wasn’t.

  • The Making of Episode 1: Strangers in Paradise: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Making of Episode 1: Strangers in Paradise

    S1 - 4m 49s

    Invasive species are reshaping the world’s ecosystems, but who’s to blame? Shane wrestles a python, hunts Hawaiian pigs, and gets sucker-punched by a carp to answer the question: how does our species decide what belongs? Here’s how it all went down: the dangers of flying fish, the all-nighters in the swamp, and the myriad ways these “invasive” species challenged our ideas about belonging.

  • Our Impact on Planet Earth: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Our Impact on Planet Earth

    S1 - 1m 30s

    Host Shane Campbell-Staton and Director Nathan Dappen explore how humans have impacted and changed the planet in this first look from Human Footprint. Shane explains how PBS has shaped his storytelling.

  • What Is 'Human Footprint'?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What Is 'Human Footprint'?

    S1 - 9m 29s

    "Human Footprint" is unlike any other science, natural history, or travel series out there, because it’s all of those things and then some. It’s a journey guided by biologist Shane Campbell-Staton, scored by hip-hop legend Adrian Younge, and made endlessly entertaining by a dazzling array of characters. At its core, "Human Footprint" asks: what do the things we do tell us about who we are?

Schedule

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.

Similar Shows

Poster Image
Stellar: show-poster2x3

Stellar

Science and Nature