Climbing Mount Improbable - Lecture 3

Watch a fascinating Royal Institution Christmas lecture where evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins employs the metaphor of Mount Improbable to explain the gradual process of evolution. Explore how seemingly impossible evolutionary achievements become possible through small, incremental steps - just as scaling a steep mountain becomes manageable by taking a gradual path around its slopes. Discover fascinating examples of evolutionary adaptation, including leaf insects and thorn bugs that have evolved remarkable camouflage abilities to survive. Learn how organisms develop to perfectly fit their environment through inherited improvements over generations, similar to how a key matches its lock. Examine challenging questions about intermediate evolutionary stages and how organisms function during partial adaptation. Originally delivered at the Royal Institution in December 1991, this 57-minute lecture is part of a larger series exploring how life develops from simplicity to complexity, featuring demonstrations with wildlife, virtual reality elements, and special guest appearances.