Earth
Episode 2
Tuesday 30 January 9.00pm
Narrated by Chris Packham and brought to life by mesmerising visual effects, the five-part BBC nature series takes us back to a time when the sky and the seas were sepia-tinted, and giant fungi dominated the landscape.
INFERNO – Inferno explores the dramatic moment nearly all life on Earth was wiped out.
In Inferno, we explore one of the darkest periods in Earth’s history: the worst mass extinction the planet has ever seen, when as much as 90% of all species died, 252 million years ago.
This extraordinary moment in Earth’s history took life to the brink wreaking havoc and destruction on an unprecedented scale. But somehow, life found a way to bounce back, and a new geological era ushered in the age of the dinosaurs.
The story begins with a massive volcanic eruption: the Siberian Traps eruption lasted for 2 million years and created enough lava field to cover an aera the size of Australia.
Life in the immediate vicinity was no doubt vaporized, but the fossil record reveals a bigger mystery – a strange ‘line of death’ in rock formations all over the world that indicates almost all life dying out, no matter how close it was to the lava field.
We uncover what the latest science reveals about the aftermath of the eruption, and the terrifying series of events that led to the global mass dying. It’s a stark cautionary tale of how rapid climate change can cause whole ecosystems to collapse, but the fossil record also hints at Earth’s miraculous powers of reinvention.
We discover clues in rocky mountain ranges to one of the greatest deluges in the planet’s history – a downpour lasting on and off for almost 2 million years that transformed conditions and led life to bounce back in extraordinary style, with the rise and eventual domination of the dinosaurs.
Martin Clunes: Islands of America
From Thursday 1 February 9.00pm Episode 1 of 4 + BINGE Stream All Episodes on ABC iview
Martin Clunes embarks on an epic 10,000 mile journey around the coast of America, from Hawaii, Alaska and New England to Puerto Rico and San Juan.
In this episode, Martin travels to two dramatically contrasting landscapes: the lush, tropical Hawaii islands and the snow-fringed glaciers of Alaska’s islands.
In Hawaii, Martin looks beyond its image as a tourist sun-kissed surfers’ paradise and into the havoc wreaked by advancing lava fields and smoking craters.
Meanwhile, in Alaska, the contrast couldn’t be more extreme: where snow and ice replace tropical warmth, and crowded beaches give way to some of America’s most sparsely populated territories.
Production credit: An ITV Production.
Gardening Australia - 2024 Return
Friday 2 February 7.30pm
Costa tours the grounds of the iconic Woodford Folk Festival; Tammy shares landscape designer secrets; Clarence explores a new herbarium and Jerry shows off his latest plant haul.
Gardening Australia is proud to be returning for its 35th year! We can’t wait to share with you some amazing gardens, fantastic tips, and great gardening stories. Friday nights are complete again!
Jane meets one of the first growers in Victoria to give blueberries a go, learning about the history of this juicy blue fruit and how to care for it.
Costa tours the grounds of the iconic Woodford Folk Festival, which has been transformed over the years into a beautiful and biodiverse place for local plants, as well as fun for festival-goers.
Tammy lets you in on the plants that landscape designers love to use, so that you can create a stylish and luxe look at your place.Clarence explores the brand-new National Herbarium of NSW to learn about the important role that these collections play in safeguarding our plants and understanding pests.
Jerry knows that you can never have enough plants, so he takes us on a tour of the newest additions to his patch; selected for food, flowers, and fun!
We meet Leila Jeffreys, a photographer who creates super-sized portraits of birds that show off their beauty and personalities to help us connect to iconic Australian birds. Josh talks about how plants tell time; Millie shows a simple way to protect your seedlings; Sophie delves into ladybird diversity, and profiles a special silky tree.
Production credit: Executive Producer, Gill Lomas.