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Top quarter of Earth as seen from space. Visual of lightning, volcanoes erupting, ice and storms

Early Earth was a hellscape of molten lava and barren rock until “The Birth of the Sky.” ANCIENT EARTH on NOVA – Oct. 4 at 9 pm


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NOVA: “Ancient Earth”

Witness the dramatic history of Earth, from its birth to the emergence of humanity.

New Series!

Dive into the most dramatic events in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, from its birth to the emergence of humanity. How did a hellscape of molten lava transform into a lush, green, watery planet filled with life? With dazzlingly realistic animation based on the latest research, each of these five episodes brings to life long-lost worlds that ultimately led to the one we know today.

This weeks episode:  “Birth of the Sky” airs Wednesday, October 4 at 9 pm.

Massive cloud coverage with lightning bolts over river
As the Earth cooled, rains began to fall in the greatest deluge the planet had ever seen.
See how Earth transformed from a barren hellscape to a planet capable of sustaining life.
Today, Earth is enveloped by a thin veil of gas, a narrow band of atmosphere that protects a world covered in lush green vegetation, deep blue oceans, and abundant life. But 4.5 billion years ago, Earth was a very different place: a hellscape of molten lava and barren rock, under relentless bombardment from meteors, and with no atmosphere whatsoever. So how did our familiar blue sky come to be? Breathtakingly realistic animations and a chorus of science experts reveal how the primordial inferno first gave rise to an orange-hued cauldron of toxic gasses that would be deadly to us today. Witness how the first drops of rain splashed down on the searing planet, setting the stage for the evolution of life. And discover how life itself helped create the air we all breathe today. Premiering October 4, 2023 at 9 pm on PBS.