Synopsis
How limestone has been shaped over millions of years into a variety of different rock formations, including underground cave systems.
- Programme: Planet Earth
- Episode: 04: Caves
- Channel: BBC One
- Broadcast year: 2006
- Geography | Rivers and water | River landforms | River landforms: overview
Licence: ERA Licence required
Free to watch for UK schools, colleges and universities with an ERA Licence
UK only
Staff and students of licensed education establishments only
Cannot be adapted
Add Notes
More clips from Planet Earth
04: Caves | Planet Earth
04: Caves | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates earth in all its natural glory. This edition looks at caves, including Deer Cave in Borneo, a daytime retreat fo...
Cave glow worms | Planet Earth
Cave glow worms | Planet Earth
Developed by Japanese TV company NHK, the image intensifier (II) system has a camera chip 300 times more powerful than the standard digibeta c...
Cenotes | Planet Earth
Cenotes | Planet Earth
Footage from diving in cenotes in the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula.
Lechuguilla Cave | Planet Earth
Lechuguilla Cave | Planet Earth
The walls of these caves are covered in fragile crystals made of gypsum, which is created when limestone is dissolved by sulphuric acid.
Stalactites and stalagmites | Planet Earth
Stalactites and stalagmites | Planet Earth
How stalactites and stalagmites are formed in caves, from limestone dissolved in water droplets.
Villa Luz cave | Planet Earth
Villa Luz cave | Planet Earth
Life that manages to survive in a cave in Mexico that has sulphuric acid in the water.
More resources about Ecosystems and Biomes
S01E01: Amazon | Earth's Great Rivers
S01E01: Amazon | Earth's Great Rivers
Documentary revealing the animals, landscapes and people of the greatest river on earth. From transparent lagoons to pink dolphins, the...
04: Jungles - People of the Trees | Human Planet
04: Jungles - People of the Trees | Human Planet
Series examining man's survival in extreme environments. A look at life in the rainforest, which requires great skill, ingen...
02: Deserts - Life in the Furnace | Human Planet
02: Deserts - Life in the Furnace | Human Planet
A look at how the eternal quest for water brings huge challenges - and ingenious solutions - for millions of people in the d...
03: Arctic - Life in the Deep Freeze | Human Planet
03: Arctic - Life in the Deep Freeze | Human Planet
The remarkable stories of some of the extraordinary people who make their homes in the Arctic, the harshest environment o...
Episode 1 | Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough
Episode 1 | Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough
David Attenborough descends beneath the waves at night to meet some of the tiny coral animals that built the reef.
Dying for a Biscuit | Panorama
Dying for a Biscuit | Panorama
Reporter Raphael Rowe journeys into the rainforest of Borneo, where he uncovers evidence of palm oil companies developing plantations on prote...
Episode 2 | Simon Reeve's South America
Episode 2 | Simon Reeve's South America
Simon travels through Brazil, from the heart of the Amazon rainforest to the coast and the glamorous-but-troubled city of Rio de Jane...
Borneo | Panorama
Borneo | Panorama
Coca-Cola sells more than 100 billion throwaway plastic bottles each year. Panorama investigates Coca-Cola's promises to crack down on plastic waste.
03: Alaska | Arctic with Bruce Parry
03: Alaska | Arctic with Bruce Parry
Bruce travels to Alaska, America's last great wilderness, where modern-day pioneers are harvesting the vast natural wealth of the seas.
Saving the Orangutan | Natural World
Saving the Orangutan | Natural World
Red Ape uses footage filmed by teams fighting to save critically endangered orangutans of Borneo, to reveal the reasons for their declin...
02: Savannah | Africa
02: Savannah | Africa
David Attenborough takes a breathtaking journey through Africa, looking at the constantly changing landscape of east Africa and creatures found nowhere...
S01E02: Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador | Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
S01E02: Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador | Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
Giles Coren and Monica Galetti head to the Andean Cloud Forest of Ecuador to work at Mashpi Lodge, a $1...
S01E02: Nile | Earth's Great Rivers
S01E02: Nile | Earth's Great Rivers
A look at the astonishing wildlife, landscapes and people of the Nile. From elephants and leopards to ancient wonders, its great length i...
Antarctica | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Antarctica | Seven Worlds, One Planet
Antarctica - the coldest, windiest, most hostile continent. Only the toughest can survive here. But the ocean here is warming and with ...
Episode 6 | Amazon with Bruce Parry
Episode 6 | Amazon with Bruce Parry
Bruce Parry reaches the end of his Amazon adventure in Brazil's Para state where huge areas of forest are being cut down for cattle farming.
S01E03: Mississippi | Earth's Great Rivers
S01E03: Mississippi | Earth's Great Rivers
The surprising story of the Mississippi, a river that unites the USA. From frozen waterfalls to time-travelling barges, the Missis...
02: Greenland | Arctic with Bruce Parry
02: Greenland | Arctic with Bruce Parry
Bruce Parry journeys to the far north of Greenland, home to the last traditional Inuit hunters, and learns how climate change is thre...
05: Build a Waste-Free World | The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet
05: Build a Waste-Free World | The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet
Exploring the extent of our careless approach to producing waste, both non-biodegradable and biodegr...
Antarctica - Ice Station Rescue | Horizon
Antarctica - Ice Station Rescue | Horizon
Documentary which follows the everyday people battling in the most extreme environment on earth to move Halley VI, a vital polar re...
01: Tropical Worlds | The Green Planet
01: Tropical Worlds | The Green Planet
Tropical rainforests are plant battlegrounds. New filming techniques allow us to enter the world of plants to see it from their perspe...
More from Sir David Attenborough
04: Freshwater | Planet Earth III
04: Freshwater | Planet Earth III
Fresh water is the lifeblood of planet Earth, where incredible animal dramas play out. From death-feigning fish to frogs that glide, each d...
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
Ants vs Cows | Natural World
The super colony unites in a spectacular attack to defend their nest from curious cows.
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
The mystery of the whale shark nursery | Blue Planet II
Nutrients from the deep provide sustenance for a large gathering of sea life.
03: Jungles | Planet Earth II
03: Jungles | Planet Earth II
Jungles provide the richest habitats on the planet - mysterious worlds of high drama where extraordinary animals attempt to survive in the most...
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood
Wall lizards take advantage of foul-smelling dead-horse arums.
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon
Naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world faces a population crisis and if it is the duty of indiv...
10: Seasonal Forests | Planet Earth
10: Seasonal Forests | Planet Earth
Documentary series which celebrates our planet in all its glory. David Attenborough reveals the greatest woodlands on earth, from the nor...
David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth
David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth
A 90-minute special, broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall, London, celebrating Sir David Attenborough's groundbreaking career ...
01: Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
01: Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles
David Attenborough celebrates the rich variety of habitats in our wild isles, the existence of which is critical for the survival of spec...
07: Worlds of Wonder | Frozen Planet II
07: Worlds of Wonder | Frozen Planet II
A journey through the world’s coldest realms with the most-loved animals from the series, including emperor penguins and one of the l...
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
David Attenborough speaks about the environment. Also, includes footage of the drones that turn into animals.
01: Tropical Worlds | The Green Planet
01: Tropical Worlds | The Green Planet
Tropical rainforests are plant battlegrounds. New filming techniques allow us to enter the world of plants to see it from their perspe...
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough discuss their hopes for the future of the planet.
The People v Climate Change
The People v Climate Change
Meet the 108 ordinary Brits who Sir David Attenborough says we should listen to. This warm and honest documentary reveals how everyday people fee...
Views on COP26 | Climate Change: The Facts
Views on COP26 | Climate Change: The Facts
COP26 delegates and climate scientist Hannah Cloke discuss their hopes for the COP26 conference.
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour
A poison dart frog fights off a contender until he's sufficiently warned off.
Self-sacrificing fish | Life
Self-sacrificing fish | Life
Flying fish can leave the water and soar great distances on their elongated fins to escape from predators below the waves. But finding a place t...
How human impact on the environment is increasing the emergence of new diseases | Extinction: The Facts
How human impact on the environment is increasing the emergence of new diseases | Extinction: The Facts
An explanation as to why pandemic diseases are becoming more common d...
South America | Seven Worlds, One Planet
South America | Seven Worlds, One Planet
South America - the most species-rich continent on earth. From the volcanoes of the Andes to the world's largest rainforest, animals...
David, The Ruler | Dynasties
David, The Ruler | Dynasties
One strong and determined leader, David, rules the land, but can trust no one.