The BBC World Service is launching a brand new 30 part podcast about amazing animals and what we have learnt from them. 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter brings together the wonders of the animal kingdom with innovation and technology and is presented by one of the rising stars of natural history programmes, Patrick Aryee.

Each episode tells the story of a technological or scientific breakthrough which has come about as a result of humans learning from animals. In episode one, we find out how the designers of the bullet train took inspiration from the kingfisher. And later in the season, Patrick will tell us how the energy efficient construction of termite mounds inspired the ventilation systems in buildings in Harare and Melbourne.

Patrick Aryee is a presenter with the BBC’s Natural History Unit and Sky. Over the years, he’s been free diving with sperm whales and has had close encounters with Komodo dragons and cheetahs. He studied biology and has presented TV series about the biggest animals on earth and Yellowstone National Park.