From the barbed quills of the North American porcupine to the battering ram of a rhino's horn, the skin has developed and impressive armoury of weapons and warnings to keep predators at bay. With experiments and specialist factual insight, Professor Ben Garrod reveals how the toughest and most resilient of animals defend themselves through their skin. One of the most iconic warnings in nature is that of the rattlesnake. Ben takes a teaching sample of a rattlesnake's tail to the University of Bristol to test just how fast it can vibrate. He uncovers how poison dart frogs produce their toxins, and how cuttlefish are the masters of disguise when it comes to hiding in plain sight.

Originally released by BBC Worldwide Learning, 2019. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on June 03, 2022.