Earth – The Power Of The Planet: Volcano

The epic story of planet Earth is told in a new, landmark series for BBC Two. Using spectacular images, illuminating science content and compelling narration, the series reveals how each one of the great forces, including volcanoes, ice, the ocean and the atmosphere, have played a critical and central role in the development of Earth since its birth 4.6 billion years ago.

Highlighting the major events that have shaped the Earth’s history and allowed life to flourish, presenter Dr Iain Stewart (Journeys From The Centre Of The Earth and Journeys Into The Ring Of Fire) visits some of the most remote places on the planet. The series follows him as he abseils into a lava lake in Ethiopia and cave dives in the underwater caverns left by the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs.

In this first programme, Iain examines the role of volcanoes. Far removed from the feared and destructive image they have, he explains how no other force has played a more important role in creating the planet today.

The heat that fuels volcanoes also drives some of the most fundamental processes on the planet. In Rotorua, New Zealand, Iain shows how volcanoes have played a critical role in keeping the planet habitable by providing a natural form of global warming, and how they saved the planet from one of the greatest disasters it has ever faced – “Snowball Earth”.

Seven hundred million years ago, Earth completely froze over. Entirely covered by ice, the planet reflected most of the Sun’s heat back into space. Over millions of years, volcanoes erupted from under the ice and, gradually, carbon dioxide built up in the atmosphere until a super-greenhouse effect finally melted the snowball. Within a few million years of the snowball ending, complex life had evolved.

Tuesday 20 November on BBC TWO