02: Atmosphere | Earth: The Power of the Planet

Duration: 59'03''

Synopsis

Dr Iain Stewart reveals the natural forces that shaped the earth. He traces the history of the atmosphere, from the ozone layer's creation to its current destruction.

Further Information

More clips from Earth: The Power of the Planet

01: Volcano | Earth: The Power of the Planet

01: Volcano | Earth: The Power of the Planet

BBC Two | 2007 | 59'10''

Dr Iain Stewart tells the story of planet Earth. Although they appear to be destructive, volcanoes have been crucial to the deve...

03: Ice | Earth: The Power of the Planet

03: Ice | Earth: The Power of the Planet

BBC Two | 2007 | 59'00''

Documentary series in which Dr Iain Stewart tells the story of the earth's development. Ice isn't just something to put in a gin and...

04: Oceans | Earth: The Power of the Planet

04: Oceans | Earth: The Power of the Planet

BBC Two | 2007 | 58'42''

Iain travels to surfers' paradise Hawaii to learn more about oceans, explaining the difference between waves, tides and currents.

05: Rare Earth | Earth: The Power of the Planet

05: Rare Earth | Earth: The Power of the Planet

BBC Two | 2007 | 58'54''

Life on Earth prospers because it enjoys the right amount of heat from the sun, and the atmosphere prevents meteorite bombard...

How glaciers form | Earth: The Power of the Planet

How glaciers form | Earth: The Power of the Planet

BBC Two | 2007 | 2'54''

Dr Iain Stewart explains how snow is transformed into glacier ice.

More resources about Causes of weather

01: Wind: The Invisible Force | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

01: Wind: The Invisible Force | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC One | 2014 | 57'58''

Richard Hammond investigates how wind actually starts. He walks into the centre of a man-made tornado and v...

02: Water: The Shape Shifter | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

02: Water: The Shape Shifter | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC One | 2014 | 57'57''

Richard Hammond investigates the role water plays in the weather. He tries to weigh a cloud, finds out how r...

Episode 1 | Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

Episode 1 | 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...

03: Temperature: The Driving Force | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

03: Temperature: The Driving Force | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC One | 2014 | 57'57''

Richard Hammond investigates the crucial role temperature plays in all weather. He builds a dust storm...

02: Wet | Wild Weather

02: Wet | Wild Weather

BBC One | 2002 | 58'02''

A series in which Donal Macintyre goes in search of the world's wildest weather. In this programme, he learns about floods and the world's wettest pla...

02: Water | How Earth Made Us

02: Water | How Earth Made Us

BBC Two | 2010 | 58'58''

Professor Iain Stewart continues his epic exploration of how the planet has shaped human history. He investigates how water has influenced the ...

03: Weather | A Perfect Planet

03: Weather | A Perfect Planet

BBC One | 2021 | 57'57''

How weather controls the distribution of freshwater on Earth, which in turn shapes the lives of animals in diverse habitats around the globe.

Bang Goes the Winter Weather | Bang Goes the Theory

Bang Goes the Winter Weather | Bang Goes the Theory

BBC One | 2011 | 59'07''

A special hour-long edition of the science programme sees Liz, Dallas and Jem get under the bonnet of Britain's recent we...

01: Wind | Wild Weather

01: Wind | Wild Weather

BBC One | 2002 | 58'27''

Series in which Donal Macintyre goes in search of the world's wildest weather. This edition uses 3-D graphics to illustrate how wind and weather syst...

Episode 3 | Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

Episode 3 | Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

BBC Two | 2012 | 58'01''

Kate Humble is in the Arctic, where spring arrives with a bang. Helen Czerski chases a tornado to show how the earth's angle...

Rainfall | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

Rainfall | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC One | 2014 | 6'13''

Why does water fall as rain? Richard Hammond demonstrates the effect of water on other physical objects.

Thunder and Lightning | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

Thunder and Lightning | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC Four | 2014 | 3'20''

Richard Hammond demonstrates the weather conditions that produce thunder and lightning.

05: The World's Weather | Landmarks

05: The World's Weather | Landmarks

CBBC | 1994 | 19'03''

A look at the huge variety of climates in the world and the methods that animals, plants and people use to survive in these extremes.

Episode 2 | Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

Episode 2 | Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

BBC Two | 2012 | 58'58''

Kate Humble and Dr Helen Czerski follow the Earth's voyage around the sun for one complete orbit, this time travelling from ...

Fire Whirl | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

Fire Whirl | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC Four | 2014 | 6'23''

Richard Hammond demonstrates a fire whirl and explains how fire accentuates wind speed.

Measuring Tornadoes | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

Measuring Tornadoes | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC Four | 2014 | 5'23''

Richard Hammond measures the wind speed of a tornado.

02: The Sun | A Perfect Planet

02: The Sun | A Perfect Planet

BBC One | 2021 | 58'03''

From the frozen poles to the searing deserts, this episode shows how animals have come up with strategies to survive the uneven amounts of sun...

03: Wind | How Earth Made Us

03: Wind | How Earth Made Us

BBC Two | 2010 | 58'52''

Professor Iain Stewart sets sail on one of the fastest racing boats ever built to explore the story of our turbulent relationship with the wind.

Dust Storms | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

Dust Storms | Wild Weather with Richard Hammond

BBC Four | 2014 | 7'21''

Richard Hammond explains what happens inside a dust storm.

El Niño | Journeys into the Ring of Fire

El Niño | Journeys into the Ring of Fire

BBC Four | 2006 | 2'12''

Iain Stewart explains the causes and impacts of the warmer waters created by the El Niño effect.

More from Iain Stewart

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...

05: Rare Earth | Earth: The Power of the Planet

05: Rare Earth | Earth: The Power of the Planet

BBC Two | 2007 | 58'54''

Life on Earth prospers because it enjoys the right amount of heat from the sun, and the atmosphere prevents meteorite bombard...

Episode 1 | Planet Oil: The Treasure That Conquered The World

Episode 1 | Planet Oil: The Treasure That Conquered The World

BBC Four | 2017 | 59'16''

From the moment we first drilled for oil, we opened a Pandora's box that changed the world forever. It transfor...

02: Australia | Rise of the Continents

02: Australia | Rise of the Continents

BBC Two | 2013 | 58'58''

Iain Stewart explores how the Earth's continents have transformed evolution. He shows how Australia's journey has affected everything ...

Iceland Erupts: A Volcano Live Special | Volcano Live

Iceland Erupts: A Volcano Live Special | Volcano Live

BBC Two | 2012 | 59'03''

Kate Humble heads to Iceland and meets the scientists monitoring the country's most dangerous volcanoes. She also inves...

02: The Power Of Flowers | How To Grow A Planet

02: The Power Of Flowers | How To Grow A Planet

BBC One | 2012 | 59'05''

In the second episode, Iain discovers how flowers have transformed our planet. He journeys to the remote islands of the South...

01: Scotland's Trees | Making Scotland's Landscape

01: Scotland's Trees | Making Scotland's Landscape

BBC One | 2010 | 59'30''

Professor Iain Stewart reveals how Scotland's unique landscape was shaped. Here, he uncovers the devastating impact of man...

03: The Big Freeze | Men of Rock

03: The Big Freeze | Men of Rock

BBC Two | 2010 | 58'52''

In the final episode of the series, Iain Stewart finds out about daredevil scientist Louis Agassiz, who first imagined the world had been gr...

The Worst Avalanche In History | 10 Things You Didn't Know About...

The Worst Avalanche In History | 10 Things You Didn't Know About...

BBC Four | 2008 | 3'19''

The worst avalanche in history occurred in 1970 in Peru, when an underwater earthquake triggered a glacia...

Mount Merapi erupts and is followed by an earthquake | Journeys into the Ring of Fire

Mount Merapi erupts and is followed by an earthquake | Journeys into the Ring of Fire

BBC Four | 2006 | 1'28''

Mount Merapi erupts, followed by an earthquake.