The camera pans around a purple mountain rising through a lush green forest. But the film glitches... something is wrong. The scene flickers with a hellish inverse: a deadly volcanic eruption. The Earth's crust splits and red light bleeds from its opening. Deadly rivers of lava veil the now-black rock, and ash and toxic gases spill into the air.
This fiery inferno is the deadliest volcanic event in Earth's history, around 250 million years ago. It's just one of many moments that have brought the planet we call home close to death - and one of the five key events that shape the BBC's new Earth series.
This is the BBC Natural History Unit's usual output reborn as a forensic crime thriller, with fossils as evidence. With Chris Packham presenting, Earth exposes the clues hidden in fossil records that reveal all the times the planet - and our long-gone ancestors - have almost been destroyed over the last 4.5 billion years.
In this way, Earth aims to show that our future has already happened, with the current climate crisis eerily echoing the past. But will we survive it this time around? We got the verdict from Chris Packham himself...
YOUR NEW SERIES COVERS BILLIONS OF YEARS OF HISTORY. HOW ON, AHEM, EARTH DID YOU FIT THAT INTO ONE SERIES?
Our mission was to present the series as a biography of our planet. It's not just about how Earth was born, but its bumpy life journey - akin to how it met its first girlfriend, got married, then divorced and then happily remarried.
We wanted to highlight the moments that had a significant impact on the planet - the key geological, planetary and life forces. And how they interact.
For example, when the lava was beneath the surface of the planet, it was burning coal, which raised the temperature of the planet by 10°C. This was catastrophic. But now here we are digging it up and burning it again!
Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de BBC Science Focus.
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Esta historia es de la edición August 2023 de BBC Science Focus.
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COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
