In Africa, a caracal catches birds in flight with a 'rocket-propelled' launch; in the Australian outback, a kangaroo's hop locates water in a vast desert; on an English farm, an insect accelerates at 700G with help from a clutch in its crotch; and high above the jungles of Borneo, a leaping snake's unique shape allows it to glide through the air without wings.

How peregrine falcons can top 200 miles an hour, a hummingbird is slave to its manic lifestyle, and the albatross's nose helps it fly for free; heavyweight beetles break the rules to find love; a devious sparrow-hawk executes a lightning-fast raid on his prey; and half a million mother bats dominate air space both above and below the ground with dazzling aerial prowess.