Now before I begin, don't forget there are beautiful animations to accompany this

podcast series including one all about the previous episode, The Spider and

Windowclass. Find them all at BBC World Service.com slash 30 animals. Being a walking talking mammal isn't a bad life. But sometimes, don't you just wish you could stretch out your arms and take to the skies?

Well, thanks to some inspiration from nature's best engineers and centuries of trial and error,

we're finally getting a little closer to joining the bats and birds of the air in our

attempts at human-powered flight. Hi, I'm Patrick Aye, and this is 30 animals that made us smarter from the BBC World Service.

The podcast that reveals what animals have taught us and how

they've inspired some very clever designs.

Can you believe it?

We are now two-thirds of the way through the series, and I'm sure you'll agree that we've heard so many

amazing stories of how animals have shaped or improved our lives. Thanks for all the

suggestions you sent us. We've selected some of them for a special final show which we've recorded in front of an audience and with some real animals as well

But please do keep sending us your ideas as you never know.

If we get enough, we might even make another series.

So keep them coming.

Please email us at 30 animals at BBC.com

or you can contact us via our website BBC World Service.com

slash 30 animals. Okay so back to flying in this episode number 20 we're going to

turn back the clocks and trace the amazing story of how

both bats and birds have inspired human flight. So fasten your seatbelt, ensure

your tray tables are stowed, because here we go. your time around them whether they're your own kids, young nieces and nephews or kids of your

friends there's a good chance that at some point you've seen one of them playing around

...