How The Earth Was Made

Almost 200 miles long and over a mile deep, this deep scar in the American Southwest is easily visible from space.

Mt Vesuvius is the world's most dangerous volcano, and it threatens three million people. It was responsible for the most famous natural disaster of ancient history, the eruption that destroyed the Roman city of Pompeii.

Four and a half billion years ago the Earth formed from dust in space to become a molten ball of rock orbiting the Sun.

Africa's Sahara is the largest desert in the world and the hottest place on the planet. Explore recent geological discoveries that reveal this searing wasteland's hidden past.

From Alaska to New Mexico, the Rockies are one of the great mountain belts of the world--caused by tectonic forces of the Pacific Plate pushing against the North American continent.

The Sierra Nevada, North America's highest mountain range, contains one of the most awe-inspiring geological features on the planet: Yosemite Valley. How was this extraordinary site created?

The single longest linear feature on Earth, the "Ring of Fire" is a 25,000-mile long string of active volcanoes stretching almost the entire length of the Pacific Ocean—one of the most awesome sights on Earth.

Mount Everest is the tallest and biggest mountain on earth, as far removed from sea level as it's possible to be, and yet its sedimentary layers contain fossils that were once creatures that lived on the ocean seabed.

It is not only a place of natural splendor but a geologic treasure trove as well. However, Death Valley is being pulled apart and the floor is collapsing -- and lower than sea level.

The 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens shocked America. More than 30 years later, scientists fear the acidic volcano may soon blow, unleashing its deadly gasses and magma again.

When greenhouse gases escaped from depressurized lava on the Earth's surface 250 million years ago, the massive global warming that ensued wiped out 95% of the planet's species...and paved the way for dinosaurs.

Why do we have ice ages and when is the next one due? Chart the progress of different ice ages through the history of our planet, from Snowball Earth hundreds of millions of years ago to the recent ice ages.

Gold dates from the time of the supernova explosion that gave birth to the building blocks of our solar system, and over the aeons geologic processes have concentrated it into various nooks and crannies around the globe.