In the late 1990s British Broadcasting Company (BBC) decided to revamp its act. Huge budgets were approved, the technology was improved and the positive result was apparent through some innovative and imaginative programs. One major achievements of this new BBC drive was making of some of the most astonishing and in-depth documentaries about the history, evolution and diversity our planet Earth. What really made those specialized documentaries distinctive was the ‘common audience-friendly’ approach simplifying the complex subjects.

Dry subjects like geology, geography, zoology and botany might not figure too high on most people’s favourite-list but such interesting fares would definitely help change that perception.

Earth Story- Made in 1998, at a staggering budget of 3 million pounds this series undertakes a world-wide journey to unravel the mysteries surrounding the formation of Earth and its evolution into a living planet. Professor Aubrey Manning- the presenter of the series, takes us onto a fascinating pole-to-pole world-tour- from the Himalayan heights to the bottom of Atlantic Ocean. Meeting various experts on the way and showing us some eye-popping natural sites, Manning explains how Earth was formed; how its age (4.6 billion years only!) was determined through Rutherford’s Carbon-dating technique; how oceans were formed; how temperature shifts over all these billion years have affected the evolution of life and how different types of rocks reveal the deepest secrets of earth. Manning’s excellent presenting skills coupled with exquisite on-location photography aided by informative computer graphics make this 2 DVD set an irresistible proposition.