Catastrophe (2008 TV series)

Catastrophe is a five-part British documentary television series telling the story of the catastrophic events that shaped planet Earth. It is presented by Tony Robinson and was first aired on Channel 4 on 24 November 2008.[1] The series producer was Stephen Marsh with researcher Dr Rhodri Jones.

The series equates Geological time to a clock face to aid understanding of the vast timescales involved

Catastrophe
GenreDocumentary
Presented byTony Robinson
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes5
Release
Original networkChannel 4
Original release24 November (2008-11-24) –

22 December 2008 (2008-12-22)

Episodes
#TitleOriginal airdate
1"Birth of the Planet"24 November 2008 (2008-11-24) [2]

The first episode explores the most violent event in the history of the Earth when, four and half billion years ago, it collided with another planet, Theia, helping create the unique circumstances for life on Earth. It includes contributions from Bill K. Hartmann who first convinced the scientific mainstream that the Giant impact created both the moon and the Earth's 23° tilt.[3]

The programme also covers the last continuing Lunar Surface experiment from the Apollo program. NASA engineer Jerry Wiant's Lunar Laser Ranging measures the increasing distance between the moon and the McDonald Observatory on Earth.[3]
2"Snowball Earth"1 December 2008 (2008-12-01) [4]
An exploration of the evidence behind the controversial theory of Snowball Earth. Tony Robinson opens the episode with "... temperatures plummeted, ice spread down from the poles. It encased the planet in a layer thousands of metres thick. A snowball earth." Tony speaks of proof that "meant only one thing" and one of the experts who speaks on the program (around 18 minutes) says "proven that glaciers were on the equator" and "if you have ice at the equator then the whole of the globe must have been covered by ice, a wholly white planet".
3"Planet of Fire"8 December 2008 (2008-12-08) [5]
An exploration of the Permian extinction, the largest ever when, 250 million years ago, 95% of life was destroyed. The evidence points to an eruption of the Siberian Traps in Eastern Russia.
4"Asteroid Strike"15 December 2008 (2008-12-15) [6]
This programme follows the trail of clues leading to the extinction of dinosaurs, 65 million years ago. Iridium and shocked quartz found at the K–T boundary (Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary) are investigated which leads to the belief that an asteroid strike on the Yucatán Peninsula was responsible for the extinction.
5"Survival Earth"22 December 2008 (2008-12-22) [7]

This episode considers the events over the last 75,000 years that wiped out many of our ancestors. Super-volcanoes, ice ages and cosmic impacts have all had a malign effect on the development of the human race and the evidence is that such events will continue to be a threat in the future.

The programme includes contributions from Stephen Oppenheimer.[8]

References
  1. Viner, Brian (25 November 2008). "Last Night's Television - Catastrophe, Channel 4; Clone, BBC3". The Independent. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  2. "Catastrophe - Series 1 - Episode 1 - Birth of the Planet". Channel 4. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  3. "Birth of the Planet". Catastrophe. 24 November 2008. Channel 4.
  4. "Catastrophe - Series 1 - Episode 2 - Snowball Earth". Channel 4. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  5. "Catastrophe - Series 1 - Episode 3 - Planet of Fire". Channel 4. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  6. "Catastrophe - Series 1 - Episode 4 - Asteroid Strike". Channel 4. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  7. "Catastrophe - Series 1 - Episode 5 - Survival Earth". Channel 4. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  8. "Survival Earth". Catastrophe. 22 December 2008. Channel 4.


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