Plot Synopsis

Narrated by Jad Abumrad, HUMAN: THE WORLD WITHIN is a six-part documentary series that uncovers the science behind how our bodies work and how what's inside powers every moment of our lives. The personal profiles of a diverse group of people from around the world become entry points into the inner workings of six bodily systems: nervous, circulatory, digestive, immune, sensory and reproductive. Experts at the vanguard of science and medicine show how the fantastic feats humans are capable of trace back to the body's incredible resilience. Episodes include:

"Birth" (Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 9pm ET): Learn the astonishing story of human reproduction from attraction to the moment of a baby's first breath. Birth is the one experience all humans share. Incredible advances in understanding the human biology of reproduction have led to medical breakthroughs that save lives. But at the core of it all is the amazing power of the human body. Through the lives of parents preparing for new life, "Birth" reveals what is fundamentally shared and absolutely unique about the experience of birth.

"Pulse" (Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at 10pm ET): Delve into the lives of an ice climber, a bus driver, a woman in labor and a senior dance club member to discover the world beneath the human heartbeat. The heart and circulatory system power our bodies and emotions and create the pulsing rhythm of our lives.

"Fuel" (Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at 10pm ET): Explore the factory that turns food into energy -- the human gut -- home to an ecosystem whose power we're just beginning to understand. Through the experiences of a Hindu faster, a Navajo ultra-marathon runner, a young girl beating food allergies and a Haitian farmer, "Fuel" goes deep inside this mysterious world.

"Defend" (Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 10pm ET): Uncover how the human body defends itself in a dangerous global environment. Every minute of every day, our bodies are fending off microscopic threats with extreme precision and speed. "Defend" explores the immune system through the lives of a nature survivalist, a set of twins, a Nigerian doctor who survived Ebola and a three-time cancer survivor who received cutting-edge immunotherapy treatment.

"Sense" (Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 10pm ET): Explore the fascinating world of the five senses and how they define our reality. Through the stories of a pairs figure skating team, an artisan perfumer, a cave explorer and a singer-songwriter who has lost her hearing, "Sense" deciphers how different ways of sensing the world create their own vivid picture.

"React" (Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 10pm ET): Discover how the technology of the brain and nervous system shapes our experience of the world. Through the stories of a boxer, a first responder, a cell tower climber and a man with a bionic limb, "React" goes deep into the universe of the most powerful machine on earth: the human brain and the vast nervous system it controls.