How the Earth Was Made: Complete Season One

The plus of this series of 13 programs on 4 DVDs is that it allows scientitis to illustrate geological analyses, principles and theories in classical geological settings or in their laboratory, and integrates various appoaches in trying to resolve questions. The down side for me is that it is often too repetitive in reviewing what as presented, although this may help some remember. Also, it's sometimes too elementary and simplistic, occasioanlly presents controversial theories as generally accepted facts, and occasionally presents wrong or outdated facts or theories. Let's take a look at the specific topics, with my comments, as a nonprofessional geology enthusiast.DVD#1 Begins with a discussion of the nature of the volcanic region of Yellowstone Park. I felt the introduction was too long and touristy;homever, eventually the nitty gritty was presented. Rock layers in the surrounding region representing ancient lava flows are shown, and evidence of volcanic ash originating from this region from CA to far to the east is discussed. Evidence of a former supervolcano that blew itsef up is presented, as well as a huge magma chamber relatively near the surface. The westward movement of the NA plate is thought to have caused the apparent eastward movement of a stationary mantle hotspot over southern Idaho to its present location, producing a series of volcanoes. The timing of several volcanic eruptions suggests we are due for another anytime within the next 100,000 years, with some ominous recent signs. Evidence is also presented of gigantic geyser explosions within the last few thousand years that dwarf present geysers... Next is an excellent presentation to tsunamis, concentrating on historical records of frequent occurences in Japan, coral historical evidence of past tsunamis in SE Asia, the Chilean earthquake of 1960, geological evidence of past tsunamis in coastal WA state, and the rather recent SE Asian tsunami of @004. A common cause of earthquake-induced tsunamis is explained. The potential disaster of landslides into bays and oceans, inducing megatsunamis is discussed, with a documented Alaskan example and a likely future one in the Canary Islands greatly impacting the NA east coast.(also, see program on Hawaii for additional past and future examples). Strange that the 1960s Alaskan earthquake and tsunami wasn't mentioned. Also, I don't believe it was mentioned that underwater landslides, such as the huge pre-historic Storegga continental shelf collapse off Norway, can also induce tsunamis, as can huge oceanic volcanic eruptions(see progran on Krakatoa.)... Finally, a program on the nature and significance of asteroids, and their strikes on earth. First, evidence linking Meteor Crater AZ to a meteorite strike is detailed. I believe too much time was spent on this at the expense of a much better presentation of the types of meteorites and their relation to asteroids. Evidence linking the metal-rich deposits near Sudbury, CAN and South Africa to ancient gigantic meteor strikes is detailed, as is more controversial evidence of a huge meteor strike over glacial Canada at the end of the last Ice Age. The basic types of meteorites are briefly illustrated, but important details are deleted and they are not related to different parts of asteroids. Thus, stone meteorites may or may not contain chondrites (little granules), which may(rarely) or may not contain much carbon and other organic molecules. Stone meteorites are thought to represent the outer crust of destroyed asteroids or planets, and those lacking chondrites are thought to represent crust altered by volcanic activity. Iron-nickel meteorites are thought to be pieces of the outer core of former asteroids, while the rare stony-iron meteorites are though to represent the core-mantle transition of asteroids. All this should have been clearly explained.DVD#2 Starts with the question of why the large volcanic island of Iceland fromed were and when it did. Presents evidence that the mid-Atlantic ridge runs though the center of iceland, often seen as a large fissure. In addition, a giant hotspot in the mantle may sit below this volcanic ridge. Thus, these two forces have combined to create the exceptional volcanic activity here.Continental and valley glaciers have sculpted this volcanic landscape and partially suppressed volcanic activity. But, volcanic heat sometimes melts the ice and causes catastrophic floods. Past volcanic eruptions have sometimes had worldwide weather effects. Please be aware that a tectonic subducting crust alternative theory to the hotspot theory has been proposed... Next, the geological origin, contemporary geology and proposed fate of the Hawaiian Islands is presented. This is the classic hotspot-generated island chain story in the middle of a tectonic plate that so baffled geologists for some decades. The type of lava produced here(basalt) is relatively non-explosive in contrast to most continental volcanoes and some Icelandic volcanoes. The significance of this basalt lava in shaping the volcanoes and accelerating their erosion is emphazized, as is the importance of lava tubes as conduits of hot lava to the sea. Clear evidence of a past-megalandslide into the ocean from one island and a potential huge slide from another island warn of mega-tsunami potential... Finally, the origin and fate of the Alps is considered. Clear evidence of overthrusts, in which often a much older rock formation was thrust up over a younger formation, is illustrated. The layers of rock that form the Matterhorn are illustrated, with African-derived rock on top, then sea-bed sedimentary rock, and finally native European rock near the base. Rapid erosion by water, ice and glaciers is illustrated. Glaciers can slow, as well as accelerate, erosion, depending on the particulars. Erosion products have accumulated in neighboring basins, induced by the weight of the mountains downwarping adjacent crust. One very interesting question was not addressed. Why did the the African plate mostly slide over the Eurasian plate in the central Mediterranean, but mostly slide under it in most other parts of the Mediterranean??DVD#3 Begins with a description of the discovery of lateral slippage along the long strike-slip San Andreas fault as the cause of many CA earthquakes. This fault marks a boundary of the Pacific and NA plates, where the Pacific plate is sliding northward relative to the NA plate. Interestingly, limited areas near this fault haven't experienced large earthquakes, but small creeping movements and quakes. Think this is because the rocks here contain serpentinite, a soft slippery rock, rather than the usual hard brittle rocks, such as granite. Note that a similar situation was found in the deep Marianas trench(see next program). Much of the program deals with earthquake damage and future damage control and risks... Next, the nature of the deepest oceanic trench: the Marianas. Why is this trench so deep and why so few large earthquakes? An important program. Serpentinite is found in large amounts as pulverized rock which apparently acts as a lubricant as the Pacific plate descends into the trench. Because this descending plate is so old and thus dense, and because it is descending unusually fast under much younger Philippine plate, it descends at an unusually steep angle, thus forming a deep trench. Not mentioned is the fact that this trench is far from large terrestrial sediment sources which fill up many other subduction trenches....Next, the large volcanic explosion of the tiny indonesian volcanic island of Krakatoa in 1883 is discussed. This series of explosions was so violent, that all 3 cones were obliterated, a huge pyroclastic flow raced across the ocean surface to Java and a deadly tsunami was created. A new volcano is currently being built at the same site... Last is a program titled Lock Ness. This is actually more a simplified story of the geological history of northern Scotland. The contrasting theories of Darwin and Agassiz as to how this region got its shapes is presented, with Agassiz's continental glacier theory eventually winning out. Lock Ness is a young glacial lake filling part of the ancient inactive Great Glen Fault, which several times in history acted as a strike slip fault similar to the San Andreas fault. Incidentally, the Old Red Sandstone that makes up one side of Loch Ness is no longer beleived to be part of a very similar formation that underlies much of the NY Catskills, as presented, although they formed under very similar conditions.DVD#4 Starts with a consideration of the geological history of NYC and surrounding regions. The highest Manhattan skyscrapers are built on the hardest bedrock regions of Manhattan, not on soft sediments. Evidence is presented that this schist was once 20 miles below the surface, presumably the result of the Taconic terrane collision event, 450MYA(not the later mountains formed by the collision of the African plate, as later implied). Unfortunately, this program fails to mention the several other important bedrock types that dominate portions of Manhattan and surrounding areas. It does, however, illustrate erratic boulders, carried there from afar by glaciers. A good discusion of evidence how the terminal moraine that blocked the Hudson for a time was likely swept away...Next is a rather thorough treatment of the history of the Atacama desert of coastal Chile:the driest region on earth. Clever methods of dating the origin of this desert and of the origin of its present exceptionally dry phase are presented. The probable interaction of the cold Humboldt Current, rise of the Andes, and location in the subtropical high pressure latitude in explaining this unique region is emphasized..Finally, the formation and probable fate of the Great Lakes is investigated. Evidence is presented that these lakes, along with Niagara Falls, are of very recent glacial origin, and that their volume will be much reduced when the Falls backcut to Lake Erie. The importance of a hard impermiable Dolomite layer under 3 of the lakes is emphasized, and the importance of former ancient rift valleys in explaining the location of two lakes is mentioned. Evidence is presented that crustal rebound from former continental glaciers is still causing the lake surfaces to fall.

If you enjoy natural history and nature you will enjoy this first season of 'How the Earth was Made' from the History Channel. I was reluctant at first to purchase the set of 4 discs, thinking that the presentation would be truncated and chopped up for me to enjoy but I was pleasantly surprised.There are 4 discs with 3 or 4 programs to each disc. The programs are: (1) Iceland; Hawaii; The Alps (2) San Andreas Fault; The Deepest Place on Earth; Krakatoa; Loch Ness (3) New York; The Dirtiest Place on Earth; Great Lakes(4) Yellowstone; Tsunami; Asteroids. Each disc is about 1 1/2 hours. All the programs basically start with general questions: How did this formation start? Why did this geological event occur? and then goes from there. Most of the discussions/presentations are done by researchers involved with or working for the United States Geographical Service (USGS).My favorites are the ones that deal with the origins of formations such as Hawaii, the Alps, and the Marianas Trench. (the focus of the segment on 'The Deepest Place on Earth'). The presentation on Yellowstone and its formation is also really wonderful. I 'd say the best are the episodes that deal with the formation of Hawaii and Iceland. The set is not expensive, and comes with the added bonus of not having to watch the commercials. The photography and the overall quality of the filming is excellent. You'll watch them many times. If you are a geography/natural history fan, there are some great sites for geography with some excellent interactive graphics on the Web to supplement your viewing. One last comment- some have been disappointed with the History Channel in the past for the way in which the have covered topics, or maybe not covered, is a better way to put it. You will not have this problem with this set. It is geared for an introductory audience but is very well-produced, and covers most of the topicreasonably well for the time frame given. As in most history presentations, there is always more, but these are great starts.

With a number of dangers threatening our planet, more people are keen to know about it and its origins. Understanding its origins may help us to protect it for future generations. The Earth is a constantly changing, evolving planetary body.How the Earth Was Made steps in to fill this knowledge vacuum and does its job admirably. The visuals - both actual and graphics - look nothing short of stunning and several scientists do provide valuable insights on each site featured in the programs. My only complaint is that there is some repetition involved, but this must have been dictated by the commercial breaks on television. Still, it can be annoying when you view it through a commercially purchased DVD. I am sure that this series will be even more stunning on blu-ray.The History Channel must be congratulated on a marathon effort that takes viewers right around the world, although there is some bias towards North America. Nevertheless, those sites (such as Great Lakes, New York) are very interesting in their own right. The programs manage to hold your attention for the full 50 minutes or so and the narration is never boring. I have not seen this series on History in this part of the world and I eagerly look forward to the second series as well. This is recommended for all those who like nature/science documentaries and for those who would like to educate their children on geology. The pricing is also just right, for nearly 12 hours of material. Granted, it is no Planet Earth, but the emphasis here is on the Earth itself, not necessarily life on it. The series wins hands down on this score. It is a documentary that demands your full attention and rightly so. Give it a spin and you would not be disappointed on any count.

13 thematic programmes, of which I've so far watched: The San Andreas Fault, The Deepest Place on Earth, Krakatoa, Loch Ness, New York, The Driest Place on Earth and The Great Lakes. Excellently presented, appropriate for total beginners in geology and the keen amateur. (Just ignore the over-percussioned 'music' and the matching doom-laden delivery of the text.) And the good news is that this is just Season One. Thank you Amazon for the recommendation, I'd not have been aware of this but for your system!

This is great fun. It doesn't go into any great depth as far as geology is concerned but is covers the ground. The americanisms are mildly irritating in that everything is a bit awsome, and scientists are constantly puzzled but if you ignore that it's good value.

Great series about earths processes. Anyone interested in it or studying it will find this series very enjoyable. Worth buying.

On the whole, this is an excellent series. Informative and beautifully filmed, but the constant and repetitive summerising (presumably to accommodate adverts)and the ever present background soundtrack are monumentally irritating.

OK