World's Greatest

The earth's surface has changed dramatically over time. Its fragile crust has folded and buckled and faulted, and nowhere are these natural forces more evident than in the world's great mountains. Explore the highest peaks of the world's terrain - the rugged realm between heaven and earth.

There are few sights on earth as compelling as a volcanic eruption, and few that provide such dramatic insight into how our planet formed. Volcanoes have the potential to cause death and widespread destruction in a heartbeat, but they also give rise to new life and ecosystems.

Ten percent of the earth is covered with glacial ice. Clinging to the world's highest mountains and forming ice caps on both poles, glaciers form in places where the temperature is so low, seasonal snows fail to melt - leaving an impression on the landscape and on all who bear witness to their splendor.

Most of the water on our planet is in the ocean or locked up in glacial ice. But the rest flows freely as rivers: beautiful and powerful waterways that underscore the melody of life. As they meander through the landscape, they shape it, wearing down ranges and deepening valleys, eventually flowing out into the sea.

For all their reputation as inhospitable places, deserts are full of incredible plants and animals that have adapted to the climate, contrasting the vast areas that are empty and silent. They are bursting with geological wonders that inspire and are home to some of the most resilient plants, animals and people in the world.

Coastlines have captured the human imagination since the dawn of history, inspiring us to venture beyond the horizon. Along coasts, one element ends and another begins. No two days are ever the same on a coastline: the only thing that remains a constant is the timeless power of the sea.