Earth Story (1998) BBC

The Deep

Episode 2: The Deep

Second in series of programmes which set out to explore a revolution in our understanding of our planet and its relationship to life presented by Aubrey Manning. Could the forces which shape the earth have formed life itself. A curious feature of our planet's surface is that it has two distinct levels: the dry land on the continents, on average a few hundred metres above sea level, and the ocean floor, making up two-thirds of the Earth's surface, several kilometres below sea level. Only in the past fifty years have scientists begun to explore in detail this vast region, revealing beneath the waves a landscape quite unlike the world we are used to. They have discovered a vast mountain range which encircles the entire globe. Here new sea floor is being continuously formed as the Earth's surface splits apart.

Earth Story unravels the secrets of our planet and brings it alive. The series took three years to make, cost 3 million and was filmed all over the world, from the craters of active volcanoes to the ocean floor. Where the cameras could not go, in both time and space, the latest animation techniques take over. Combining live-action footage with state-of-the-art computer graphics which enable us to travel back and forwards through time, this is a fantastic journey of scientific discovery and a comprehensive history of life - in all its forms - on the planet. Stunning documentary following scientists in various locations around the world - at the bottom of the ocean, in an active volcano, up the Himalayas etc - as they explain the story of the Earth. Heralding the new age of digital television, this masterful BBC documentary was one of the first major programmes to usher in the new era, back in 1998. Aubrey Manning takes viewers on a voyage of discovery across our very own planet, and the wonders within. Earth Story unravels the secrets of our planet and brings it alive. The series took three years to make, cost £3million and was filmed all over the world, from the craters of active volcanoes to the ocean floor. Where the cameras could not go, in both time and space, the latest animation techniques take over. Combining live-action footage with state-of-the-art computer graphics which enable us to travel back and forwards through time, this is a fantastic journey of scientific discovery and a comprehensive history of life--in all its forms--on the planet.

Source: BBC