How the Earth Was Made

S01E07: Great Lakes

Scientists seek clues to the formation of North America's Great Lakes, the largest expanse of fresh water on the planet; delving into an underground salt mine; investigating a fossilized coral reef; diving to the bottom of Lake Superior.

Overview

HISTORY goes to the ends of the earth to find where our world began. Forged from fire and ice, formed by floods, volcanoes, asteroids and earthquakes, our planet tells a dynamic geological story. What are mega-tsunamis? What happens when you have millions of years of rain? Visual effects, location filming and stunning aerial photography bring viewers back 4.5 billion years to enjoy a unique window on our world. How the Earth Was Made peels back time like layers of rock to reveal the origins of the place we call home.

Episodes

San Andreas Fault

S01E01 San Andreas Fault

February 10, 2009 7.0 45 min
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 and is now primed...
The Deepest Place on Earth

S01E02 The Deepest Place on Earth

February 17, 2009 45 min
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. The pressures at this depth are...
Krakatoa

S01E03 Krakatoa

February 24, 2009 45 min
On August 27th, 1883 a series of blasts on the island of Krakatoa culminated in a colossal explosion that blew the island apart in one of the largest eruptions in recorded history. We explore the...
Loch Ness

S01E04 Loch Ness

March 3, 2009 45 min
Home to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, this lake holds more water than any other lake in Britain. It's only 10,000 years old, but billions of years in the making. Trace the extraordinary...
New York

S01E05 New York

March 10, 2009 45 min
It is one of the most man-made spaces on the planet, but everything in New York from the height of the skyscrapers to the way the subway was constructed to the position of the harbor...
Driest Place on Earth

S01E06 Driest Place on Earth

March 17, 2009 45 min
The Atacama desert is considered the driest place on Earth. Since human records of the area began, some places have never received rain. But the records don't stop there--the Atacama is also the oldest desert...
Great Lakes

S01E07 Great Lakes

March 24, 2009 45 min
Scientists seek clues to the formation of North America's Great Lakes, the largest expanse of fresh water on the planet; delving into an underground salt mine; investigating a fossilized coral reef; diving to the bottom...
Yellowstone

S01E08 Yellowstone

March 31, 2009 45 min
Geologists evaluate Yellowstone National Park, one of the most dangerous geological features on Earth; the park is hit by 500 earthquakes in early 2009, raising concerns a super-volcano is beginning to stir.
Tsunami

S01E09 Tsunami

April 7, 2009 45 min
Tsunamis are one of the most terrifying forces of nature, destroying all in their path. The December 26th Tsunami is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs. What are the enormous...
Asteroids

S01E10 Asteroids

April 21, 2009 45 min
Asteroids might provide clues about the formation of early Earth; detective work uncovers that a big nickel deposit in Canada, vast oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico and a gold mine in South Africa...
Iceland

S01E11 Iceland

April 28, 2009 45 min
It is the largest and most fearsome volcanic island on the planet. We'll scour the island for clues, to address the mystery of what powerful forces are ripping Iceland apart and lighting its fiery volcanoes....
Hawaii

S01E12 Hawaii

May 5, 2009 45 min
The Hawaiian Islands are the most remote island chain on the planet. Emerging in the center of the Pacific, their origins have remained a puzzle for generations. Follow the story of the attempts to try...
The Alps

S01E13 The Alps

May 12, 2009 45 min
The jagged backbone of Europe, spanning seven countries and providing essential water to millions, the Alps are Europe's most important landmark. But how did marine fossils get here, seven thousand feet above sea level?

Cast

Corey Johnson
Corey Johnson
Self - Narrator

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