Earth: The Power Of The Planet

Volcanoes have a fearsome reputation. They are the most important force in the creation of the planet as we know it today. Rappelling into a lava lake and cave-diving in a cenote, this episode shows how the heat that fuels volcanoes also drives the most fundamental processes on the planet.

This episode ventures into the stratosphere in a fighter jet, travels to Siberia and discovers why Argentina is one of the stormiest places on Earth; all to show why our atmosphere is unique and utterly crucial for life.

Ice may be nothing more than frozen water but it holds extraordinary power. Descending 150m down a frozen waterfall, this episode looks at a glacier in action from below and discovers why the huge Jacobshaven glacier is retreating, how it shaped our past and why it may now threaten our future.

Travelling from Hawaii to the Amazon and Ethiopia and then on to the Mediterranean, this episode tells the story of the oceans - fierce waves, huge tidal bores, global currents and the future dangers of global warming.

This episode looks at the big picture of Earth's place in Space. It has taken four-and-a-half billion years and several great catastrophes to turn it from a barren rock to the unique planet we know today.