04: The Pale Blue Dot | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

Duration: 58'35''

Synopsis

Professor Brian Cox reveals how Earth's beauty is created by just a handful of forces. In this episode Brian explains the science behind the colours of the planet.

Further Information

More clips from Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

01: The Universe in a Snowflake | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

01: The Universe in a Snowflake | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 58'33''

In this episode Brian looks at the stunning diversity of shapes.

02: Somewhere in Spacetime | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

02: Somewhere in Spacetime | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 58'39''

Professor Brian Cox follows the planet's epic journey through space.

03: The Moth and the Flame | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

03: The Moth and the Flame | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 58'24''

Professor Brian Cox investigates the building blocks of life.

Shapes in nature | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

Shapes in nature | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 00'39''

Some clips of the naturally occurring structures of the Earth.

The Ibex | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

The Ibex | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 3'29''

The spectacular sight of mountain goats defying gravity on a vertical dam wall in Italy.

More resources about Forces

01: Deep Earth | How Earth Made Us

01: 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 ro...

S02E04:...about Speed | James May's Things You Need to Know

S02E04:...about Speed | James May's Things You Need to Know

BBC Two | 2013 | 28'57''

James May explains all you need to know about speed with a fast-moving mix of animation and motion graphics, incl...

01: Speed Limits | Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds

01: Speed Limits | Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds

BBC HD | 2010 | 58'56''

Using state-of-the-art technologies, Richard Hammond goes beyond the limits of the naked eye and explores the hidden se...

The Science of D-Day

The Science of D-Day

BBC One | 2014 | 28'57''

Engineer Rob Bell explores the new inventions - from giant troop-carrying gliders to tanks that could operate on water - that made the Normandy invasion...

03: What Is Gravity? | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time

03: What Is Gravity? | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time

BBC Two | 2021 | 58'57''

Brian takes a fresh look at the concept of gravity, revealing it to be far more than just the force that make...

Distance-time graphs | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Distance-time graphs | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 1'32''

Spec references J249: P2.1b J250: P2.1b. Description and animation. Distance time graphs.

Acceleration | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Acceleration | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 50'''

Spec references J249: P2.1h J250: P2.1h. Calculating acceleration and what the units mean - description and animation.

Balanced and unbalanced forces | Curriculum Bites

Balanced and unbalanced forces | Curriculum Bites

CBBC | 2003 | 1'33''

Spec references J249: P2.2b J250: P2.2b. Addresses misconception that objects with a force acting on them must move. Refram...

Force arrows and balanced forces | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Force arrows and balanced forces | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 42''

Spec references J249: P2.2c, P2.2d, P2.2f J250: P2.2c, P2.2d, P2.2f. Force arrows and balanced forces - animation a...

Forces and moving objects | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Forces and moving objects | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 1'25''

Spec references J249: P2.2a, P2.2b, P2.3h J250: P2.2a, P2.2b, P2.3h. Clear description and explanation of types of force a...

Forces on a sky diver and terminal velocity | Curriculum Bites

Forces on a sky diver and terminal velocity | Curriculum Bites

CBBC | 2003 | 2'08''

Spec references J249: P2.2f J250: P2.2f. Speed time graph for a parachutist and terminal velocity (no parachu...

Forces when falling and terminal velocity | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Forces when falling and terminal velocity | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 45''

Spec references J249: P2.2f, P2.2h J250: P2.2f, P2.2h. Falling, air resistance, balanced forces and termin...

Momentum | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Momentum | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 1'29''

Spec references J249: P2.2k J250: P2.2k. Animation, description and worked example, p = m v. Description of force = rate of change of momen...

Newton's Equation Of Gravity | Beautiful Equations

Newton's Equation Of Gravity | Beautiful Equations

BBC Four | 2010 | 1'20''

An explanation of Newton's equation of gravity.

S03E03: Egypt | Local Heroes

S03E03: Egypt | Local Heroes

BBC Two | 1998 | 29'09''

Adam Hart-Davis travels to Egypt in search of the earliest heroes of science. Using a drinks can and a stove, he recreates Hero of Alexandria's ...

S03E04: Italy | Local Heroes

S03E04: Italy | Local Heroes

BBC Two | 1998 | 29'02''

Adam Hart-Davis visits southern Italy, home to the greatest scientists of the ancient world. In Syracuse, he recreates Archimedes' famous ''eure...

S05E05: Italy | Local Heroes

S05E05: Italy | Local Heroes

BBC Two | 2000 | 29'04''

Adam Hart-Davis sets his sights further afield with a trip to Italy, where he ascends the Leaning Tower of Pisa in a bid to reproduce Galileo's ...

Special: Science Special | Local Heroes

Special: Science Special | Local Heroes

BBC Two | 1997 | 28'50''

In this one-off special Adam Hart-Davis marks significant anniversaries of great British inventors, including Sir Isaac Newton's death.

Speed | GCSE Bitesize Revision

Speed | GCSE Bitesize Revision

BBC Two | 2010 | 37''

Spec references J249: P2.1h J250: P2.1h. Calculating speed and units of speed - description and animation.

Speed time graph - unbalanced forces | Curriculum Bites

Speed time graph - unbalanced forces | Curriculum Bites

CBBC | 2003 | 1'19''

Spec references J249: P2.1e J250: P2.1e. Speed time graph for a rocket related to unbalanced forces.

More from Brian Cox

04: Ice Worlds | Solar System

04: Ice Worlds | Solar System

BBC Two | 2024 | 58'57''

Professor Brian Cox explores the solar system's ice giants, frozen moons and worlds where ice behaves in unimaginable ways.

Brian Cox: Seven Days on Mars

Brian Cox: Seven Days on Mars

BBC Two | 2022 | 1'28'53''

With unique access to Nasa, Brian Cox follows Perseverance rover's search for life on Mars during a critical seven-day period as it undertakes ...

01: Space: How Far Can We Go? | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time

01: Space: How Far Can We Go? | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time

BBC Two | 2021 | 59'06''

Brian Cox explores the latest science and takes a new look at his old films and asks: how far can we...

02: Alien Worlds: The Search for Second Earth | Universe

02: Alien Worlds: The Search for Second Earth | Universe

BBC Two | 2021 | 58'48''

Professor Brian Cox questions whether we are alone in the universe. There might be more planets than stars in our ga...

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

02: 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.

03: The Thin Blue Line | Wonders of the Solar System

03: The Thin Blue Line | Wonders of the Solar System

BBC Two | 2019 | 58'59''

Professor Brian Cox reveals how something as flimsy as an envelope of gas - an atmosphere - can create some of the most ...

Moon Landing Special | Stargazing

Moon Landing Special | Stargazing

BBC Two | 2019 | 1'28'41''

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain travel to where the historic Apollo 11 ...

The 21st Century Race For Space

The 21st Century Race For Space

BBC Two | 2017 | 58'52''

Brian Cox gains exclusive access to Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and Spaceport America, to explore what is really happening in privately fina...

03: The Moth and the Flame | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

03: The Moth and the Flame | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 58'24''

Professor Brian Cox investigates the building blocks of life.

The Entire Universe

The Entire Universe

BBC Two | 2016 | 59'09''

Eric Idle persuades Professor Brian Cox to present a lecture on the birth of the entire universe. Brian soon realises Eric is actually hosting a comedy a...

04: A Place in Space and Time | Human Universe

04: A Place in Space and Time | Human Universe

BBC Two | 2014 | 58'58''

Professor Brian Cox explores mankind's place in the universe. He looks at how we came to understand that we are not at the cen...

Brian Cox: Space, Time & Videotape

Brian Cox: Space, Time & Videotape

BBC Four | 2014 | 59'13''

Professor Brian Cox is joined by two of his heroes, the actor Brian Blessed and Professor Alice Roberts. On the agenda are his TV idols fr...

Evolution of hearing and jaws in fish, reptiles and mammals | Wonders of Life

Evolution of hearing and jaws in fish, reptiles and mammals | Wonders of Life

BBC Two | 2013 | 4'12''

Spec references J247: B5.2c J250: B5.2c. Clip starts with a description of hearing and then goe...

The genetic modification debate | Science Britannica - Learning Zone

The genetic modification debate | Science Britannica - Learning Zone

BBC Two | 2013 | 6'12''

Brian Cox explores the science behind the genetic modification of plants, and the ongoing debate around ...

03: Clear Blue Skies | In Search of Science

03: Clear Blue Skies | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 59'03''

Professor Brian Cox finishes the series by looking at the happy accidents that have led to scientific breakthroughs and consideri...

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.

A Night with the Stars

A Night with the Stars

BBC Two | 2011 | 58'39''

Professor Brian Cox takes an audience of famous faces, scientists and members of the public on a journey through some of the most challenging concepts...

Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon

Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon

BBC Four | 2009 | 59'05''

Brian Cox uses the BBC archive to examine the story of man's relationship with the moon, from James Burke testing out Nasa equipment to Neil Ar...

The Big Bang Machine

The Big Bang Machine

BBC Four | 2008 | 58'57''

Brian Cox looks around Cern's LHC in Geneva before it is sealed off and the experiment to try and create conditions that existed a billionth of a second...