NOVA

Ancient Earth Was a Hellscape

For millions of years, ancient Earth was a fiery hellscape of volcanic activity, totally inhospitable to life. See what our planet might have looked like before the atmosphere—a ball of rock and fire hurtling through space.

Ancient Earth Was a Hellscape

3m 9s

  • Moving soon to WETA Passport

    Solar System: Volcano Worlds: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Solar System: Volcano Worlds

    S51 E11 - 53m 34s

    Around our solar system, violent eruptions are shaping distant worlds. Discover the explosive forces that helped create some of the most dynamic worlds in our cosmic neighborhood – and what makes the volcanoes right here on Earth so special.

  • Solar System: Strange Worlds: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Solar System: Strange Worlds

    S51 E10 - 53m 34s

    From a dwarf planet that looks like a deflated football, to a tiny moon with cliffs taller than Mt. Everest, to the spectacular rings of Saturn, discover how the effects of gravity produce the amazing variety of weird worlds in our solar system.

  • Solar System: Storm Worlds: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Solar System: Storm Worlds

    S51 E9 - 53m 34s

    Out in the solar system, the weather gets wacky – with globe-spanning dust storms, monsoons of liquid methane, and lightning 10 times stronger than here on Earth. Discover the forces driving the dramatic weather on neighboring planets and moons.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.