How The Earth Was Made

The San Andreas Fault runs roughly 800 miles through some of the most valuable real estate in the world. The southern section hasn't had a significant quake for over 300 years - but it's primed for another big one.

The Marianas Trench is the deepest place on earth, deeper than Mt. Everest is high. The trench is where the ocean floor disappears into the center of the earth.

On August 27th, 1883, a colossal blast tore the island of Krakatoa apart in one of the largest eruptions in recorded history. What forces led to this extraordinary explosion?

Explore Earth's 4.5-billion-year history of unimaginable timescales, incredible life forms, radical climates, and mass extinctions.

4.5 billion years ago, dust in space became a molten ball of rock orbiting the sun. Travel back in time to investigate how the fledgling planet survived a cataclysmic cosmic collision to become the Earth we know.

Home to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, this lake holds more water than any other lake in Britain. Trace its extraordinary story from 3 billion-year-old bedrock to giant glaciers.

From a case of hiccups to the sensation of deja vu, learn how quirks of the human body and mind offer keys to understanding Earth's physical transformations.

New York City is one of the most man-made cities on the planet, but all construction is based around the city's unique geology. Learn the history of New York and its surrounding areas.

The Earth is stacked with valuable riches, from timber to cattle to gold, that have built our greatest civilizations. What would the price tag of our planet read? And how much of these resources are left?

Inspect the riddle of the Atacama, the world's oldest and driest desert, and uncover how this extraordinary landscape was created.

The Great Lakes of North America are the largest expanse of fresh water on the planet. Searching for clues of their formation, our geologists delve deep - and find that their evolution is far from over.

Geologists have come to the frightening realization that Yellowstone National Park is in fact a vast hidden super-volcano -- and one that is overdue for a massive eruption.

Tsunamis are one of the most terrifying forces of nature, destroying all in their path. What generates these catastrophic waves deep on the ocean floor?

What clues do asteroids - and their smaller cousins, meteorites - hold about the formation of the early Earth, and perhaps life itself?

It is the largest and most fearsome volcanic island on the planet. We'll scour the island for clues to address the mystery of the powerful forces are ripping Iceland apart.

Emerging in the center of the Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands' origins have remained a puzzle for generations. Follow the story of the attempts to try and understand these beautiful yet violent islands.

The Alps is Europe's most important geographic landmark - a jagged backbone spanning seven countries and providing essential water to millions. But how did marine fossils get here, 7,000 feet above sea level?