Rise of the Continents

Rise of the Continents (2013)

EndedDocumentary showNature

Across the Earth, there are traces of a mysterious long-lost world. From seashells 8000 meters above sea-level to species that seem to have jumped thousands of miles of ocean there are tantalising clues out there to the existence of a land unlike anything we see today. As they are pieced together The Rise of the continents will reveal the incredible story of how our world came to be and the nature of the land that came before. This four part series investigates clues that tell a story of a land that no longer exists.

Network
Scheduleevery Sunday at 21:00 (60 min)

Last Episode

Eurasia
Season 1Episode 460 min

Eurasia

Two hundred million years ago the continent we know as Eurasia - the vast swathe of land that extends from Europe in the west to Asia in the east - didn't exist.

To reveal Eurasia's origins, Professor Iain Stewart climbs up to the 'eternal flames' of Mount Chimera in southern Turkey, blazing natural gas that seeps out of the rock. Formed on the seafloor, it shows that where the south of Eurasia is today, there was once a 90-million-square-kilometre ocean known as the Tethys. It is the destruction of the Tethys Ocean that holds the key to Eurasia's formation.

In the backwaters of Kerala in southern India, he finds evidence of how that happened, in the most unlikely of places: the bones of the local fishermen's prize catch. The freshwater fish called karimeen shares anatomical features with another group of fish that live in Madagascar, evidence that India and Madagascar were joined. India was once 4,000 kilometres south of its current position on the other side of the Tethys.

As it moved north, the ocean in front of it closed. And as it collided with the rest of Eurasia the impact built the Himalayas, the greatest mountain range on Earth. Taking an ultralight aircraft up into the peaks, Professor Iain Stewart reveals how the mountains aren't simply pieces of the land pushed upwards. In fact the rock that forms them was once the floor of the Tethys Ocean.

As Eurasia assembled, Arabia, Greece and Italy too moved north, completing the continent we know today and creating a mountain chain that spans the entire continent. And it was in the shadow of these mountains that the continent's first civilisations rose.

But the formation of Eurasia is just the beginning of the story, because the process that formed it is still active today. Professor Stewart travels to the island of Stromboli, Italy's most continually active volcano. The volcano's spectacular eruptions show that the ocean floor is being pulled beneath Eurasia. It is this process that closed the Tethys, and today is closing the Mediterranean, revealing Eurasia's future. 250 million years in the future all of the continents will collide together once more, forming a new Pangea, with Eurasia right at its heart.

juin 30, 2013

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E04Eurasiajuin 30, 2013
S01E03The Americasjuin 23, 2013
S01E02Australiajuin 16, 2013
S01E01Africajuin 9, 2013
View all episodesView all seasons

Frequently Asked Questions  Warning: Spoilers

Rise of the Continents premiere?

The premiere episode of "Rise of the Continents" aired on June 9, 2013.

Who narrated Rise of the Continents?

"Rise of the Continents" was narrated by British actor, Iain Stewart.

What was the concept of Rise of the Continents?

The concept of "Rise of the Continents" was to explore the geological history and evolution of the Earth's continents.

How many episodes of Rise of the Continents were produced?

Four episodes of "Rise of the Continents" were produced.

What were the titles of the four episodes of Rise of the Continents?

The titles of the four episodes of "Rise of the Continents" were: "Africa", "Australia", "The Americas", and "Eurasia".

Who produced Rise of the Continents?

"Rise of the Continents" was produced by the BBC.

What was the filming location for Rise of the Continents?

"Rise of the Continents" was filmed in various locations around the world, including Africa, Australia, North and South America, and Eurasia.

What was the target audience for Rise of the Continents?

"Rise of the Continents" was aimed at a general audience with an interest in science and nature.

Did Rise of the Continents feature any special effects?

"Rise of the Continents" made use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) to visualize the Earth's geological history and the movements of tectonic plates.

Were there any notable guest appearances on Rise of the Continents?

"Rise of the Continents" did not feature any notable guest appearances.

Who directed Rise of the Continents?

"Rise of the Continents" was directed by several different directors across its four episodes, including Jeremy Turner and Emma Read.

Cast

Iain Stewart

Iain Stewart

plays himself
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Characters

Presenter

Presenter

played by Iain Stewart
View all characters

Also known as

  • Становление континентов (Russian Federation)

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