Miracle Planet

Miracle Planet

2005, Science  -    -  Playlist 106 Comments
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Ratings: 8.82/10 from 39 users.

Miracle PlanetEarth was born as a result of repeated asteroid collisions, the moon created by a single giant impact event. Then, Earth's size attracted huge meteorites, which slammed into it, causing super-high-temperature rock vapor to cover the entire surface and evaporate all ocean water.

The earliest life-forms survived such infernal events by escaping deep into the ground, miraculously emerging again and again. The Earth has gone through innumerable catastrophic events, and life has survived by acquiring new abilities to live through each crisis.

Humans are part of the grand history of life's evolution, which has been closely intertwined with repeated cataclysmic events. Why was Earth able to evolve into a livable planet, but not Mars, which failed to hold its atmosphere and oceans?

Miracle Planet is a 5-video series co-produced by the NFB, NHK Japan, the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel. Over its more than 4-billion-year history, Earth has been home to repeated violent climatic changes, which have caused mass extinctions. And yet, life has survived.

In fact, these same catastrophes that devastated life on Earth also helped bring about its evolution from the simplest microbes to the complexity and diversity that is found on the planet today.

Featuring location footage, interviews with the world's foremost scientists and cutting-edge computer technology, Miracle Planet is a five-part series that recounts the profound and gripping story of Earth's mysterious evolution.

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lyricalmofogenius
lyricalmofogenius
6 years ago

6000 years!.. lmgdao.. I would believe that Barney is a genuine purple mofo dinosaur before that incredibly ludicrous date.

And this an awesome doc. I am liking this site a lot.

madscirat
madscirat
11 years ago

Mars did not loose its atmosphere due to lack of gravity, but due to the dissipation of it's geomagnetic field. The rocks tell the story. Mars once had a magnetic field and it left it's imprint in ferrous minerals which aligned with the planet's poles. This alignment disappears around the same time Mars underwent it's transformation. Mar's mass and therefore gravity did not significantly change at this point, but it totally lost the magnetic field which shelters the atmosphere from the eroding effects of the solar wind.

XZanthia
XZanthia
11 years ago

Time to watch this, sometimes my lil life seems so complex that i need to be reminded how small i am and what a short time i will be on this earth. Appreciate all the bumps, because in the end there may be only darkness.

XZanthia
XZanthia
11 years ago

love it!!!

andrew m
andrew m
11 years ago

One thing I dont get In the episode 'frozen planet' they show the continents where they are today to determine how close the ice was to the equator but the continents were not in the same place then as they are now???

Crab_Nebula
Crab_Nebula
12 years ago

Cain, Able, Ruth, John, Mark, Luke, Noah, - all microbes..

Crab_Nebula
Crab_Nebula
12 years ago

Here's an interesting twist of theories.... -What if- Adam and Eve were Microbes! The Bible's story simply has been skewed over time and misunderstanding, to reference the initial creation as 2 humans..but it's really the story of the first 2 microbial cells of life! With a lost set of zero's 4 to 6 million years ago. Created in "His" image--- the image of a cell, like the Giant omnipotent Universe..The ultimate cell which is Him himself..

Wierd huh? Talk about twisting Science, New Age, and Creation in one easy paragraph!

jbriggs_87
jbriggs_87
12 years ago

IM SICK OF THESE LIES. the earth is 6,000 years old. these scientiests are anti christian demons!

Steve
Steve
12 years ago

The Miracle Planet with Bill Curtis is more informing and scientifically accurate.

Craigzz
Craigzz
12 years ago

As if American is an actual bonafied accent, ha ha

Jamie Fennessy
Jamie Fennessy
12 years ago

yes! It's not in American either!

Sieben Stern
Sieben Stern
12 years ago

amazing docu!! loved it!

I think the ice and fire extinctions were necessary for life to evolve - when almost everything is wiped out, the strongest and most adaptable survive to create the next generation.

geezernumba1
geezernumba1
13 years ago

@ ben, sorry m8 but u cant use that bollocks to scare me or anyone else so give it a rest yeh, and by the way i believe that if there is a god then he probably thinks your a muppet too.

smugg
smugg
13 years ago

great doc. complete in every way. great infos backed with loads of evidence. but still... religious freaks find the time to come on this board and spit out their frustrations... you'll see what happens to evolutionary dead ends.

eugler
eugler
13 years ago

That's not nice Timmy or whatever you wanna call yourself. You took the popsicle and made a promise. I heard the big guy up in the sky is not too pleased with lying to further your own craving for recognition. And being that proud about it, man, that's even a deadly sin. You blew it man, you're gonna burn downstairs with the rest of us wretched sinners. On the upside you can try to get laid now, maybe pay someone so you have a realistic chance. Who knows, maybe that might just do the trick and wake you up. Welcome to sin little buddy.

Achems Razor
Achems Razor
13 years ago

All fundamentalist religee's have no reasoning and logic whatsoever!

When all else fails they resort to ad hominem attacks. threats and guilt trips.

Means nothing to me, it is like water off a ducks back!

Tim, out of the 28,000,000 gods in recorded history, can you prove your god is real and the right one?, without resorting to circular logic, the bible told me so? By the way get your facts straight, nowhere does it say that your jesus was god! Check your bibles! Seems that you did not do your homework.

Corax
Corax
13 years ago

Tim- Are you for real? What makes you think christianity has a monopoly on the truth? Can you, without resorting to religious texts, prove your claims? Using just reasoning and logic can you conclusively show that there even is a god?

tim
tim
13 years ago

@Achens Razor

With Jesus,everything is a sure deal. There are no "what ifs" His birth was prophesied and happened exactly as predicted. He made claims and proved them undoubtedly with no question,He predicted His death and resurrection and both happened precisely.He was and is still God who Created me and you.He made promises from where Christians hinge their hopes,the rapture is basically a term used to signify His 2nd Coming to Earth. If all that that i have mentioned happened,then where do the "what ifs" come in? Man better think twice before it is too late.You are such a small"thing" compared to the Mighty works and Deity of Jesus. Since you see so heart -hardened and have refused to acknowldge Him as your Lord and Saviour,just wait for your fate that is ,for sure,coming! Eternal Condemnation! Read Mark 16-15-18

Achems Razor
Achems Razor
13 years ago

Cant wait for the "Rapture" so it will get rid of all the fundamentalist religee's....(Hallelujah)!! (Hallelujah)!!

But what if there is no Rapture? that would be to awful to contemplate! (LOL)

tim
tim
13 years ago

@Eugler--

The more reason for me to think you may be less than 15 yrs old and still struggling with impairement in brain development.
You could not even discern the reason why the sentence below was used.

"You may have a Phd in Quantum Physics,but if you donot have Jesus,everything is ZERO.You are wasting your time here on earth."

This is not connected to the doc fine,but it confirms to you that no matter how educated in scientific knowledge you may be and to whatever level, you need Jesus in your life as Him alone posesses the Key to Life after death.The connection here is that believing you evolved from something is a TOTAL LIE. In order to understand Jesus doctrine,you have to read about Him in the Bible,without which we shall never come to the same level of communication.Got it? Study hard chap and make sure you do your class home work tonight.

eugler
eugler
13 years ago

Hä?

eugler
eugler
13 years ago

@tim

What the ...? Are you guys at the kids table running out of fries? What has Quantum Physics got to do with this doc?
The bogeyman is not real, mommy just made him up so you would behave. At some point growing up you should realise that there are indeed good reasons to behave so forget about your fairytales. And if you are not capable of seeing through them at least grow a spine and tell your big bully of a god that you're not taking his cr** anymore. Try thinking for yourself instead of warming up old clichés like Pascale's Wager. Maybe then you have something interesting to contribute. If you don't have anything even remotely intelligent to say just shut it.

eugler
eugler
13 years ago

@tim

What the ...? Are you guys at the kids table running out of fries? What has Quantum Physics got to do with this doc?
The bogeyman is not real, mommy just made him up so you would behave. At some point growing up you should realise that there are indeed good reasons to behave so forget about your little fairytales. And if you're not capable of seeing through them at least grow a spine and tell your big bully of a god that you're not gonna take his cr** anymore. Try thinking and reflecting yourself instead of warming up old clichés like Pascale's Wager. Maybe then you will have something interesting to contribute. If you don't have anything even remotely intelligent to say just shut it.

tim
tim
13 years ago

@ eveybody
I would rather live my life as if there is God who Created me than to live as if there is none ,only to die and find that God exists.In that case, one's fate would be completely sealed as there would be no 2nd chance except to face His wrath! Eternal Damnation!Hhhmm!

@ Vlatko

The Lord Jesus left us with a great command to tell and Preach about Him to all people including your self.I will not stop warning people like you about the Great Judgemnt of God that will occur to all the dead and the living one day.
I know you wont understand such statements but take them as they are.You are already asking your self,the dead? Yes,oneday they will hear Jesus' voice and come forth to be judged. Time may be running out on you. Better make up your mind.There will be no time to begin preaching to you on your death bed.This is the time.Everytime iam watching such documentaries,i watch them with Biblical glasses and ask God to help me discern every word the narrator says.People should be told the truth not lies that they evolved including the universe we see. Total lie.Some one has to pay for this one day. Darwin has already faced his Maker and his followers will not be spared.

@eugler
One day, you will realise that it is you that needed to be silent as you listen to adults like me talking! The Only intelligent decision that a person can ever make in this world is acknowledging his is a sinner,and requires the saving power of Jesus to forgive that person's sins. If you have not done it by this time eugler, better do it now after reading these words of wisdom. You may have a Phd in Quantum Physics,but if you donot have Jesus,everything is ZERO.You are wasting your time here on earth.

eugler
eugler
13 years ago

Just watched the first two parts and I'm hooked. Another great one, I can't stop thanking you Vlatko.

@ Ben

Shhhh... Adults are talking

Ben
Ben
13 years ago

Look at what the Bible calls all of here who think came from some kind of bacteria or frog or whatever! Psalms 13:1 For a Fool says in his heart,there is no God! Could all you here be fools then? These aren't my words!

@geezernumba1....it is a matter of time and you will face your maker for accountability of all the nonsense coming out of you!

@ antigod. Iam sure that one day you will turn progod

@ak5
I donot know whether its me but all i know is that Darwin has been burning in hell since he confused the world with the mother of all lies-evolution. You will soon foolow him of you are not careful----These are not my words! Luk.10:38. ....you will all perish if u donot repent.... I will ever quote Jesus coz non of you here ever compares with Him. No one has ever lived like Him and non will ever.

@EZ
One not the one. The ben u are referring to seem confused.I cannot turn and will never turn to atheism. That is a group of fellows already CONDEMNED according to Mark 16:16-18.just like everybody here that wont accept the gospel of Jesus.

geezernumba1
geezernumba1
13 years ago

@Ben. you are talkin out of your arse, get a f*****g life m8. People dnt wnt to read your s**t, they want to watch the documentary and decide for themselves. im sick of self righteous arseholes like you preaching to people about some divine being that created everything and how we should praise him/her. If there was a creator im pretty sure that everything would be perfect but the world isnt perfect and neither are the people in it. Thats proof enough for me to say there is no god but i dont because i dont like forcing my beliefs on other people, so do me and everyone else a favour and SHUT THE F**K UP!

TimeSpace
TimeSpace
13 years ago

really impressed with this doc! great breakdown of info and impressive visuals!
tho, gotta laugh and say im not surprised uneducated fools like Ben show up and try to insult people out of believing evidence. Religions best tool is and always will be fear. Scare ppl away from making sense of the universe and thus stop paying into the collection plate (heaven forbid LOL).
I prefer the sense of REASON and 'freedom from fear' which the bible so hypocritically promotes.

YAY FOR THINKING!!!

Hans-R
Hans-R
13 years ago

This universe is all just simulated, nothing is real. It all ads up :)

noisemagician
noisemagician
13 years ago

@ Ez

Nice comment !

riley
riley
13 years ago

just a fabulous doc. some aspects i found especially informative:

the discussions about early planet formation, which contained
details i hadnt heard before in other places.

detailed examination of early asteriod impact & burn-off

detailed discussion of snowball earth (global glaciation)
(have heard now there is evidence for three such events)

detailed discussion of early terrestrial tetropod evolution

treatment of early mammal & early primate development

etc, etc, etc.

great stuff!

Robin
Robin
13 years ago

It took a while but glad to see this doc posted. I asked about this doc a couple of years ago after finding it at my local video shop. Great doc.
Matter Rules!!!

antigod
antigod
13 years ago

@ The W01F

you are so right!

The W01F for president!

The W01F
The W01F
13 years ago

To one and all,

Don't bother "debating" with creationists. The only thing you are doing is validating their "beliefs" by responding to them.

In truth, you should just quietly make sure that they do not sneak in your local school-board, your local politics and your local community. Make no mistake they will try and try hard. But there is hope. By maintaining a secular environment in learning institutions and limiting access to groups with an agenda you can insure that you don't end up with a situation like the one which happened in Texas with their board of education.

W01F

antigod
antigod
13 years ago

Nice episodes btw! :D

antigod
antigod
13 years ago

@Ben

Jesus F*****g Christ!! That's some of the dumbest s**t I've ever heard, Go back in your cave troll or wake the f--k up mkay....

siddartha guatama
siddartha guatama
13 years ago

@ capricious

when you have studied Buddhism, you will understand why I spoke,
I think Vlatko acted nobly.
I did not intend to insult or offend.

ak5
ak5
13 years ago

@ Vlatko
DUDE!!! ur awesome!!! love this doc.
you know what would be so awesome? A doc. about PARASITES :O
omg omg! that would be exciting :) ADD A PARASITES DOC!

ak5
ak5
13 years ago

hey! isn't BEN the guy that was also preaching in the Evolution doc.? :D that's hilarious...

siddartha guatama
siddartha guatama
13 years ago

@ Vlatko

Thank you

siddartha guatama
siddartha guatama
13 years ago

@ Vlatko

I am wrong to 'bring it here' - this is true.
But when I see you saying FOOLISH things - I really dont think it matters what section of the playing fields we are on! - as log as we are 'eye to eye' - and speaking from the heart.
I have nothing else to say

siddartha guatama
siddartha guatama
13 years ago

@ Vlatko

Forgive me, but wasn't it you who said in COMMENT #37 of
" Cults, Dangerous Devotion"

(quote)
" Im pretty sure that the Buddhas path is the real
path, believe me, you will not be saved from the
wrath of the Buddha unless you repent"

are those your words Vlatko?? or am I seeing things - can you explkain exactly what you mean? thank you

Sid

capricious
capricious
13 years ago

Vlatko, I've suggested this before, but maybe you didn't see it, so I will post it again:

If there is some way you could make it so you have the option of posting a comment OR a review. Then you could have two sections, putting the reviews at the top and the comments below. Just a thought..

capricious
capricious
13 years ago

@siddartha guatama

Seriously? Ease up on the crappy attitude, especially towards Vlatko of all people... sheesh. He works hard to keep this site fresh - show some appreciation, eh?

-- doc review --

This doc is stellar. Full of great information (some not often covered in other docs), combined with amazing graphics.

John
John
13 years ago

bah, you all give me a headache, some of you are right, but all of you are wrong.. and you know it. Some of this doc is science, but much of it is still evolving mathematical theory, which is far from being proof.

Toast And Marmalade
Toast And Marmalade
13 years ago

while still being interested in what he was saying, couldn't help but laugh at 08.58 1/4

and whats with the geoligists not holding their fossils still! it's just 'cause they're so exicted about their rocks they need to talk using their hands while holding the fossil they're showing us. If we could see it properly in the first place we could be fascinated too! ... dispite this, I really love this series.
eventhough some of the camera work irritates me a bit, I do appreciate they're standing on a cliff somewhere.

billyryder
billyryder
13 years ago

Wonderfully produced documentary, with no modern spin that typical 21st century American documentaries would have. This Canadian/Japanese produced documentary is really the World At War of science documentaries about the development of our planet.

Slappy
Slappy
13 years ago

Excellent doc, very well put together with good visuals fantastic descriptions and easy to understand explanations of how science has come to the conclusions presented. Theres nothing worse than an entertainment piece trying to pass itself off as a doc, with empty CG animations and little in the way of evidence.

Thanks again Vlatko for putting this site together, you are making it easier for people to learn more about the world we live with. Also, I'd like to add that since religion and science do have extreme disagreements about the formation of the earth and how we came to be, and this is a doc about that very subject, Id say the religious posts are relevant to the doc.

I myself have no definable religious beliefs, I've studied many, as an amateur, and come to the conclusion that each has what I think to be positive and negative things associated with the beliefs it expounds. The most important thing in my opinion, is that we remember a few simple facts. 1: There is only one race of Homo Sapiens, so regardless of what color your skin is, what religion you practice or don't practice, whatever exterior differences we may have, we are all the same in the most basic and important way; children.

That is to say any man can reproduce with any woman. 2: There is only one planet we can live on, so regardless of what color your skin is, what religion you practice or don't practice, whatever exterior differences we may have, we all need this planet to continue in the most basic and important way; children.

That is to say, if we don't take care of our planet now, there will be no place for future generations to live. 3: We got this far by cooperation ,the more people cooperate, the greater the achievement. Imagine the world we could create for our children if we cooperated on a global scale. 4: All of this, all of our knowledge all of our hard won success throughout history means nothing, and is for naught if there are no children no future generations no one to benefit from our labors.

From the Tao te Ching:

Giving birth and nourishing,
having without possessing,
acting with no expectations,
leading and not trying to control:
this is the supreme virtue.

Pia
Pia
13 years ago

Very interesting doc.

But it bothered me a little that it was assumed with such certainty that life began in the seas. Could it not just as well have formed deep inside the earth's crust? Or in a lake?

siddartha guatama
siddartha guatama
13 years ago

@ Vlatko

thats rich! coming from you - yes YOU Vlatko,
who recently said that (quote)

'the wrath of the Buddah would ......'

dont you know anything about Buddhism??

the Buddah has NO wrath. SHAME ON YOU