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Home / Series / NOVA / Aired Order / Season 50 / Episode 14

Ancient Earth: Inferno

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252 million years ago, the most devastating mass extinction of all time abruptly wiped out around 90% of all species on Earth. The culprits were the biggest volcanic eruptions the world has ever seen, emitting some 700 thousand cubic miles of magma and rock. Volcanic gasses permeated the atmosphere and acidified the oceans while toxic gasses destroyed the ozone layer, bathing the planet in destructive UV radiation. The event – now called “The Great Dying” – came close to wiping out all life on the planet. Follow scientists as they piece together geologic evidence from the deep past and clues from today’s ecosystems to discover how life made it through and evolved into the astonishing variety we see around us today.

English
  • Originally Aired October 25, 2023
  • Runtime 54 minutes
  • Content Rating United States of America TV-G
  • Network PBS
  • Created August 30, 2023 by
    Jordanene
  • Modified January 12, 2024 by
    Gilly mod