Debut: A science series examining the forces that have shaped “our ever-changing planet.” The opener shows Earth's crust to be made up of continuously moving plates that sometimes collide, causing changes in the landscape. Also: a discussion of San Francisco's 1906 earthquake. Richard Kiley is the narrator.
An oceanographic survey examines the 50-mile-wide Gulf Stream, which flows along the Gulf of Mexico and up the Eastern seaboard. Included: sea creatures such as giant salad-plate clams, and tulip worms that thrive in ocean-floor cracks.
The debate over the earth's atmospheric future. Some believe that variations in the planet's orbit will result in another Ice Age, while others maintain that a greenhouse effect will cause a period of increased global temperatures.
How events in space may have influenced the origin and evolution of Earth. Included: comparisons of Earth's climate and movement with other planets. Also: footage of the moon, Jupiter, Mars and Venus.
Technological advances that enable scientists to extract natural resources from the earth. Included: petroleum geologists in the Sudanese desert; oil exploration in the North Atlantic; platinum mining in southern Africa.
Shedding light on recent theories about the sun's history and relationship with Earth. Included: sunspots, the aurora borealis and solar wind
The “fate of the Earth,” says narrator Richard Kiley, is clouded by the threat of nuclear annihilation and the continuing destruction of vital ecosystems. Included: theories on the possible effects of radiation-filled dust, including plunging global temperatures.
The Making of Planet Earth is a new special featuring the extraordinary adventures of the award-winning team behind Planet Earth, detailing what these 21st Century explorers went through to film the original series. We hear from the filmmakers themselves as they share their experiences of how they defied the odds and magnificently captured the story of our planet.
A matchless compilation of the most dramatic hunting sequences filmed for Planet Earth. Planet Earth: Extreme Predators depicts the challenges faced by the hunters and the hunted in some of the most remote places on earth. The special features a great white shark attack on seals, the endangered snow leopard hunt in Pakistan, an unforgettable night hunt of a lion pack on elephants in Botswana, cave glow worms that hunt in total darkness and endearing bear cubs learning to hunt for salmon.
This special shares stories of extraordinary survival in the wild world. Our planet's incredible range of landscapes and weather provide huge challenges for animals. How do polar bears swim when the ocean is covered in ice? What do elephants eat and drink in the middle of the desert in Namibia?
All the remarkable stories of global animal migrations filmed for Planet Earth gathered in a single show for the first time. Why animals need to move, the vast distances they cover and how it is that they never give up. The need to travel produces some of nature's most amazing feats and spectacles.
Every animal on the planet has the drive to raise their young. This final special showcases the most breath-taking and touching courtship, birthing and parenting behaviors. The polar bear mother and her cubs, pink river dolphins' mating dance, the famous courtship dances of the birds of paradise, and forest elephant families. There are heartbreaking stories, such as when the chicks of the snow geese are snatched by an Arctic fox.