For new views of an ancient planet, National Geographic visited all seven continents, collected 250 hours of film and chronicled the natural forces that combine to shape Earth.
Earth scientist Ian Stewart, the show's host, examines how various systems mesh to make Earth a unique presence in the solar system.
"It was captivating to look at the Earth as a finely tuned machine and how it all works together," said Ashley Hoppin, executive producer of the five-hour, three-night project "Earth: The Biography."
The programs, filmed in high definition over two years, include spectacular real-time footage; aerial, time-lapse and satellite sequences; and interviews with experts on the planet's history. The miniseries is divided into five hour-long programs:
- Volcanoes (Sunday at 9 p.m.)
- Ice (Sunday at 10 p.m.)
- Atmosphere (Monday at 9 p.m.)
- Oceans (Monday at 10 p.m.)
- Rare Planet (Tuesday at 10 p.m.)
"The overall poignant message is that the Earth always takes care of itself," Hoppin said. "It's not about animals or humans. You're looking at this incredible geological wonder ... and it is bigger than all of us."
"Earth: The Biography" Premiere: Sunday, 9 p.m. National Geographic
BBC Video will release a DVD set ($29.98) of the series July 22.