Episode 1

Asia: The Tectonics of Life and Death

Asia was involved in two of the greatest mass extinctions on earth. 251 million years ago the Siberian traps erupted in a massive two million year long volcanic eruption. Scientist speculate that life on land may have survived this cataclysm only because and large island, now south China, drifted apart from Gandwana. More recently India passed over a hot spot opening up the Deccan traps, another major eruption that occurred the same time the dinosaurs went extinct.

43m

Episode 2

Asia: Rising Mountains and Sinking Countries

Scientists examine geological formations of Asia to understand their impact on the people living there. The collision of India with Asia is squeezing the Tibetan Plateau between two mountain ranges and pushing China to the east creating faults leading to severe earthquakes that have cost many lives in Tibet and Sichuan Province. After breaking off from Asia Japan now sits at the collision point of three tectonic plates making it prone to volcanoes, powerful earthquakes and tsunamis. And Indonesia has a large collection of volcanoes.

43m

Episode 3

Oceania: Tectonic Ring of Fire

Australia is the most stable continent on earth. That makes it an ideal location for scientists to study the early earth with 4.4 billion year old zircons and 2.6 billion year old stromatolites and thrombolites that created our oxygen atmosphere. But now the Australian Tectonic Plate is colliding with the Pacific Plate joining the ring of fire. In the north the collision created the Vanuatu Archipelago of 80 volcanic islands. In the east the collision is raising New Zealnd causing some 14,000 earthquakes each year.

43m

Episode 4

Europe - Tropical Beginnings

Europe is a continent of mountain ranges. Multiple collisions with other tectonic plates created multiple mountain ranges covering much of this relatively small continent, Some are so large they extend to other continents. One range, the Alps, is still being created by the collision with the African Techtonic Plate. The rest, due to erosion, are past their prime and one has almost completed eroded away.

43m

Episode 5

Europe - A Turbulent Future

Africa's on again off again dance with Europe causes dramatic changes in the Medeterranean region and ongoing dangers from earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. In the not so distant past the sea was cut off from Earths oceans causing it to evaporate before being refilled when the Strait of Gibraltar reopened.

43m

Episode 1

North America

North America has a storied history which local geologists are happy to explain. It still bears part of the continent of Africa from the collision that joined it to Pangea and formed the Appalacian mountain range. After separating again stray bits of continental crust collided in the west causing a depression that produced an inland sea running from the Artic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico and eventually left a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils. An anomalous seduction zone created a parallel pair of mountain ranges; the Sierra Nevada and Rocky mountains. Just for fun add a hot spot the fires a super volcano in Yellowstone.

43m

Episode 2

Central America

Central America and the Caribbean Islands formed from the Farallon Tectonic Plate which was previously subducted in a collision with the conjoined North and South American Tectonic Plates. As the Americas separated, the Farallon Plate slid between them. Then the Atlantic and Pacific Tectonic plates subducted beneath the Farallon Plate forming Central America and the Antilles Islands. Now, squeezed between these four massive tectonic plates, the region is riddled with volcanoes and fault lines with their accompanying earthquakes.

43m

Episode 3

South America

900 million years ago South America, part of the super continent of Rodina, was finally compete and remains together today. After separating from Rodinia it collided with Africa joining Gandwana and forming a mountain range that has now nearly eroded away. But remnants of the mountains sill remain on both continents as small peaks such as the famous Sugarloaf in Rio de Janeiro. As South America broke away from Africa is underwent an unusual collision with the Pacific Tectonic Plate building the longest mountain range in the world, the Andes, and the uniquely biologically diverse Amazon basin.

43m

Episode 4

The Origins of Africa

Geologist from around the world provide a guided tour of the geological formations that convinced them Africa was once the center of the super continent Gondwan and for a time located at the south pole. The evidence ranges from tiny diamonds and iron crystals to petrified trees to a 30 km wide crater and an entire mountain ranges. Their tour also includes Madacascar for you lemur lovers.

43m

Episode 5

Africa Today

When the super continent Gandwana began to break up into the modern day continents, Africa separated from Europe forming the Tethys Ocean. But Africa changed it's mind. It is now traveling north to rejoin Euope reducing the Tethys ocean to what is now the Mediterranean Sea leaving behind many curious anomalies such as whales and other marine fossil in the African desserts. But of most interest to most humans, oil formed from the Tethys Ocean's wildlife is found in North Africa and Arbian peninsula. Meanwhile, Africa is breaking apart as parts of east Africa follow Madacascar to drift into the Indian Ocean.

43m