During the age of dinosaurs, trees began producing a sticky, protective resin that traps and entombs everything it touches. The hardened, honey-colored resin, known as amber, opens a unique window on a lost world of vanished animals and plants, often preserved in exquisite detail.

As a young boy, Sir David Attenborough was given a piece of amber in which he could glimpse fragments of prehistoric insects. This sparked a life-long interest, and, in Jewel of the Earth, Attenborough investigates a wealth of embalmed animals and plants, tracing them back to their fascinating origins in the forests of 40 million years ago.

Among the highlights of his journey of discovery is a piece of amber from the Dominican Republic that contains a honeypot ant. Since this ant is today found only in Australia, the amber is evidence of the super-continent Pangaea that once united most of Earth’s landmasses.

Snippets of DNA and ancient microbes have been extracted from fragments of amber-preserved insects. Could this research lead scientists to recreate prehistoric creatures, as imagined in the movie Jurassic Park?

Join Sir David on this time-traveling detective story as he brings his captivating charm and expert insights to the astonishing, glowing world of ancient amber.