Inside information
THE HUMAN BODY: SECRETS OF YOUR LIFE REVEALED BBC2, 9pm
TWIN doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken are fast becoming the go-to TV medical men, popping up in a string of BBC documentaries.
And it’s no surprise – it must be hard to find expert doctors who are naturals in front of the camera and have the ability to explain science to us mere mortals.
They are also well up for doing experiments on their own bodies, which makes for entertaining viewing. A previous documentary saw the pair binge drinking to alarming effect.
This latest investigation into who we are as human beings is fascinating and packed with amazing facts and figures. Did you know that in one day you will take 23,000 breaths, your heart beats 100,000 times and you will fight billions of bacteria and viruses?
We are capable of more complex action, thought and emotion than any other animal on the planet. It’s all enough to make you feel like a bit of a superhero.
But we are now able to learn even more about our bodies than ever before. Chris (the one without the beard, if that helps) says: “It’s a new age of exploration with surprises around every corner.”
This first episode starts with a woman screaming in the midst of childbirth – but don’t let that put you off. Exploring how we all undergo the extraordinary process of growth, Chris and Xand begin with uncovering the secrets of human breast milk – which does not only feed us food, but also an army of bacteria.
Understanding the amazing growth of a child’s brain, they meet six-year-old drummer boy Recker Eans, who “loves banging stuff ”. It shows how new talents can emerge as the brain develops. They also discover the reason our childhood is longer than any other creature on earth.
The twins find out the mysterious trigger for our transformation from child to adult and, for the first time, show the remarkable “spark of life” that is emitted when sperm and egg first meet.