4: Aurora | Dangerous Earth

Duration: 29'36''

Synopsis

Dr Helen Czerski looks at the latest scientific insight into the aurora - dancing lights in the night sky that have fascinated cultures throughout our history.

Further Information

More clips from Dangerous Earth

1: Avalanche | Dangerous Earth

1: Avalanche | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 29'21''

Dr Helen Czerski looks at the anatomy of an avalanche. From shocking eyewitness footage from within an avalanche to detailed CT scans showing ...

2: Volcano | Dangerous Earth

2: Volcano | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 29'14''

Dr Helen Czerski looks at volcanoes. With shocking eyewitness footage of eruptions, and new thermal imagery and ultra high-speed photography, we...

3: Lightning | Dangerous Earth

3: Lightning | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 29'13''

Dr Helen Czerski examines the hottest natural phenomenon on the planet - lightning. High-speed cameras show the secrets of upward lightning th...

5: Tornado | Dangerous Earth

5: Tornado | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 29'14''

Dr Helen Czerski peers into the heart of the storm to find out how advances in technology are giving new insight into tornadoes - the fastest wi...

6: Iceberg | Dangerous Earth

6: Iceberg | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 29'12''

The latest scientific insights into icebergs, from side-scanning sonar scrutinising the edge of glaciers to pictures that give us a unique glimp...

Climate change | Dangerous Earth

Climate change | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 1'33''

Dr Helen Czerski explains the impact that climate change is having on ice melting and sea levels rising.

Effusive and Explosive eruptions | Dangerous Earth

Effusive and Explosive eruptions | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 3'10''

Dr Helen Czerski demonstrates the differences between effusive and explosive eruptions.

Eyjafjallajökull ash | Dangerous Earth

Eyjafjallajökull ash | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 4'32''

Faraday cage | Dangerous Earth

Faraday cage | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 2'20''

Dr Helen Czerski explains how planes are protected from lightning.

Glacier submarine melting | Dangerous Earth

Glacier submarine melting | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 2'39''

How glacier submarine melting is causing more icebergs to separate.

Iceberg B-31 | Dangerous Earth

Iceberg B-31 | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 2'05''

Dr Helen Czerski explores how Iceberg B-31 separated from the Pine Island Glacier.

Iceberg colour and shape | Dangerous Earth

Iceberg colour and shape | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 2'22''

Dr Helen Czerski explains why icebergs are white.

Iceberg sediment | Dangerous Earth

Iceberg sediment | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 3'22''

Dr Helen Czerski discusses the important properties of the sediment contained in icebergs.

Lightning slowed down | Dangerous Earth

Lightning slowed down | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 1'49''

Meteorologist Tom Warner films lightning at up to 100,000 frames per second.

Microburst | Dangerous Earth

Microburst | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 1'27''

Dr Helen Czerski explains the final stage in the creation of a tornado.

Mount Nyiragongo lava | Dangerous Earth

Mount Nyiragongo lava | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 5'03''

Dr Helen Czerski investigates the distinctive qualities of the lava from Mount Nyiragongo.

Phreatic eruption - Mount Ontake | Dangerous Earth

Phreatic eruption - Mount Ontake | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 2'58''

Dr Helen Czerski examines the 2014 phreatic eruption of Mount Ontake, Japan and why it was hard to predict.

Rhyolite eruption - Puyehue-Cordón Caulle | Dangerous Earth

Rhyolite eruption - Puyehue-Cordón Caulle | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 3'50''

Supercell | Dangerous Earth

Supercell | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 4'16''

Dr Helen Czerski discusses the particular weather conditions that produce a supercell thunderstorm.

The threat of icebergs | Dangerous Earth

The threat of icebergs | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 3'24''

Dr Helen Czerski explains how icebergs float and what makes them so dangerous.

More resources about Space Physics

5: The Big Bang: Before the Dawn | Universe

5: The Big Bang: Before the Dawn | Universe

BBC Two | 2021 | 59'01''

It's the ultimate question: why are we here? Brian Cox explores how cutting-edge space missions take us back 13.8 billion years t...

Evidence of the Big Bang | James May's Things You Need to Know

Evidence of the Big Bang | James May's Things You Need to Know

BBC Two | 2011 | 2'27''

James May explores the clues left in outer space that are proof of the Big Bang's occurrence.

How hurricanes are formed by Earth's rotation | Learning Zone

How hurricanes are formed by Earth's rotation | Learning Zone

BBC Two | 2012 | 5'20''

Physicist Helen Czerski explains that hurricanes happen because the earth is rotating. She shows how, because t...

Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

BBC Two | 2012 | 58'23''

Kate Humble and Dr Helen Czerski follow the Earth's voyage around the sun for one complete orbit, travelling first from July to the Dece...

Episode 2 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

Episode 2 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

BBC Two | 2017 | 58'47''

The remaining astronaut candidates are put through more demanding tests. They have to escape from an underwater capsule an...

02: Out of Sight | Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds

02: Out of Sight | Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds

BBC HD | 2010 | 58'22''

Richard Hammond uses groundbreaking imaging technology to take the viewer on a journey of discovery beyond the visible ...

2: In the Beginning | Stephen Hawking's Universe

2: In the Beginning | Stephen Hawking's Universe

BBC Two | 1997 | 49'01''

Professor Stephen Hawking looks at the mystery of how the Universe. He introduces the Big Bang theory and the scientists who...

S1E2:...about the Universe | James May's Things You Need to Know

S1E2:...about the Universe | James May's Things You Need to Know

BBC Two | 2011 | 28'58''

James May takes a journey of discovery across the universe, asking where it all began, how stars work, and w...

1: Deep Earth | How Earth Made Us

1: Deep Earth | How Earth Made Us

BBC Two | 2010 | 59'24''

Series telling the story of how the development of civilisation was influenced by planetary forces. Professor Iain Stewart explores the rol...

1: Empire of the Sun | Wonders of the Solar System

1: Empire of the Sun | Wonders of the Solar System

BBC Two | 2019 | 58'29''

Professor Brian Cox describes how the laws of nature have carved natural wonders across the solar system. He explores the ...

2: Stardust | Wonders of the Universe

2: Stardust | Wonders of the Universe

BBC Two | 2011 | 58'23''

Professor Brian Cox explores the laws of the universe. In this episode, he seeks to answer the biggest questions of all - what are we a...

2: The Two Sisters - Earth and Mars | The Planets

2: The Two Sisters - Earth and Mars | The Planets

BBC Two | 2019 | 59'16''

Professor Brian Cox continues his tour of the solar system revealing that it was once home to not one, but two blue planets.

Episode 1 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

Episode 1 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

BBC Two | 2017 | 58'44''

Chris Hadfield, Dr Kevin Fong and Dr Iya Whiteley put 12 candidates through a series of physical and psychological tests t...

Episode 3 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

Episode 3 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

BBC Two | 2017 | 59'00''

Old fears surface when the remaining candidates face some space agency swim tests. Their teamwork and mental agility are s...

Episode 6 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

Episode 6 | Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?

BBC Two | 2017 | 58'13''

The finalists head to the Shuttle Landing Facility on Florida's Space Coast for a tough test in weightlessness, and back i...

Evidence of the Big Bang | Wonders of the Universe

Evidence of the Big Bang | Wonders of the Universe

BBC Two | 2011 | 4'26''

Brian Cox simply explains how light and colour are crucial evidence for the Big Bang.

Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey | Learning Zone

Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey | Learning Zone

BBC Two | 2012 | 58'58''

Kate Humble and Dr Helen Czerski follow the Earth's voyage around the sun for one complete orbit, to witness the astonis...

The death of a star | James May's Things You Need to Know

The death of a star | James May's Things You Need to Know

BBC Two | 2011 | 2'51''

James May explains how as a star dies, it gets brighter, hotter and smaller.

1: A Moment in the Sun - The Terrestrial Planets | The Planets

1: A Moment in the Sun - The Terrestrial Planets | The Planets

BBC Two | 2019 | 59'02''

The rocky planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars were born at the same time from the same material - yet have...

1: Seeing is Believing | Stephen Hawking's Universe

1: Seeing is Believing | Stephen Hawking's Universe

BBC Two | 1997 | 49'18''

Professor Stephen Hawking explains the history of mankind's quest to explain the Universe. He shows how advances in techn...

More from Helen Czerski

Energy and climate change | Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

Energy and climate change | Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

BBC Four | 2020 | 4'45''

Dr Helen Czerski demonstrates how climate change is impacting the ocean.

Chladni experiment | Sound Waves: The Symphony of Physics

Chladni experiment | Sound Waves: The Symphony of Physics

BBC Four | 2017 | 1'59''

Dr Helen Czerski investigates the science behind the sounds and how Chladni used sand to see the shape of sound vib...

Rhyolite eruption - Puyehue-Cordón Caulle | Dangerous Earth

Rhyolite eruption - Puyehue-Cordón Caulle | Dangerous Earth

BBC Four | 2016 | 3'50''

How hurricanes are formed by Earth's rotation | Learning Zone

How hurricanes are formed by Earth's rotation | Learning Zone

BBC Two | 2012 | 5'20''

Physicist Helen Czerski explains that hurricanes happen because the earth is rotating. She shows how, because t...

Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

BBC Two | 2012 | 58'23''

Kate Humble and Dr Helen Czerski follow the Earth's voyage around the sun for one complete orbit, travelling first from July to the Dece...