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From PBS Terra. Hundreds of millions of years ago, Earth was a frozen world unfit for human habitation. But all that changed with an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Fast forward to today, and the same CO2 that once thawed a frozen world to make it habitable to us, is now cooking our…
From PBS Terra. In the southern part of Mexico City lies Xochimilco, a maze of canals filled with boats, music, food and tourists. But Xochimilco is more than that. It’s one of the last remnants of the interconnected lakes that once surrounded Tenochtitlan, the ancient capital of the Aztecs. And within these canals, in a…
From PBS Terra. It’s WILD how often cities used to burn down. But, by the early 1900s, we solved the problem of urban firestorms. And now, they’re back. Watch our full episode, Weathered: Inside the LA Firestorm to learn the ONE THING that can solve the problem of urban firestorms once again. Weathered is hosted…
From PBS Terra. Watch the premiere and join Host Maiya May and Director Trip Jennings for a LIVE CHAT March 19th at 4pm PT (7pm ET). It is WILD how often cities used to burn down. So when fires ripped through LA at the beginning of 2025, we wondered: are urban firestorms BACK? In 1871,…
From PBS Terra. Ever wonder why redwoods, which can grow over 300 feet tall, are so much taller than other trees? These massive trees predate human existence by about 135 million years and have mastered how to survive. Catch up on episodes of Untold Earth on PBS Terra!
From PBS Terra. Humans have left behind some strange footprints on the face of our planet. From checkerboard forests to terraces to man-made oases. Check out more episodes of Overview on PBS Terra. Hosted by Joe Hanson from Be Smart, Overview uses stunning 4k drone footage to reveal the natural and human made marvels shaping…
From PBS Terra. Watch the premiere and join Host Maiya May and Director Trip Jennings for a LIVE CHAT March 19th at 4pm PT (7pm ET). It is WILD how often cities used to burn down. So when fires ripped through LA at the beginning of 2025, we wondered: are urban firestorms BACK? In 1871,…
From PBS Terra. In a new AMOC study, scientists took thousands of ice samples and found that the AMOC collapsed 25 times during the last ice age, or once every 5,000 years. And the last collapse was 12,000 years ago…. Although we aren’t in an ice age anymore, we now know that the AMOC is…
From PBS Terra. In the Atchafalaya Basin—the largest river swamp in the U.S.—ancient cypress trees act as natural barriers against hurricanes and extreme weather. Spanning a million acres, these nearly indestructible trees have protected Louisiana’s coast for thousands of years. How does this million-acre ecosystem protect Louisiana’s communities, and how can we protect it? Untold…
From PBS Terra. The last two years were hot. In fact, 2024 was officially measured as the hottest year on record. But we only recently figured out why. In this video Weathered’s Maiya May explains how cloud seeding works and how external factors affect it. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To…
From PBS Terra. Get the PBS App to watch Weathered: Earth’s Extremes for free: https://to.pbs.org/PBSAppWeathered If you’re outside of the US and want to watch the show, you can check it out on PBS.org: https://to.pbs.org/WeatheredINTL This episode of Weathered: Earth’s Extremes was originally released on Oct, 2nd, 2024. The AMOC is one of Earth’s most…
From PBS Terra. The Outer Banks, known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," is home to thousands of shipwrecks, including Blackbeard’s infamous Queen Anne’s Revenge. But beyond the maritime history, this fragile coastline is rapidly changing—threatened by shifting sands, rising seas, and intensifying storms that could reshape it forever. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on…
From PBS Terra. Devil’s Tower has stood tall in the Wyoming Plains for over 50 million years, becoming a cultural landmark for American Indians and a source of human fascination. But how did this massive rock actually form? Be sure to catch up on new episodes of Untold Earth now on PBS Terra!
From PBS Terra. From California’s epic few years of droughts and floods to wells running dry and aquifers depleting, water is a critical environmental issue. So, what do we do about it? In this episode, Maiya May tries to figure this out. To start, she visits Tulare Lake, California, once a critical water reserve and…
From PBS Terra. The world’s largest iceberg: named A23a, is on the move. After breaking free from its Antarctic origin, the iceberg roughly the size of Rhode Island is approaching South Georgia Island. Weathered’s Maiya May explains what this means for ecosystems and the climate in general. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like…
From PBS Terra. The Qiantang River in China is home to one of the most dramatic tidal bores in the world, where incoming tides create massive waves that collide, split, and interfere with each other, forming mesmerizing, seemingly unreal patterns. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go…
From PBS Terra. Pando, Latin for ‘I spread,’ appears to be a forest but is actually one massive tree. Weighing 13 million pounds, Pando is one of the world’s largest living organisms. It has thrived in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest, spreading across 106 acres with 47,000 stems. Find out how human intervention has both threatened…
From PBS Terra. Get the PBS App to watch Weathered: Earth’s Extremes for free: https://to.pbs.org/PBSAppWeathered If you’re outside of the US and want to watch the show, you can check it out on PBS.org: https://to.pbs.org/WeatheredINTL This episode of Weathered: Earth’s Extremes was originally released on Oct, 2nd, 2024. Environmental policies are uncertain and so is…
From PBS Terra. 2024 was recently declared the hottest year on record. But we’re now likely to experience a cooling trend. Does this mean global warming is reversing? (Spoiler: no, it does not). Weathered’s Maiya May explains how El Niño and La Niña affect global temperatures, and what we can expect for the next few…
From PBS Terra. Florida’s native crocodiles have found an unexpected sanctuary in the cooling canals at Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. This fortunate happenstance, along with tireless conservation efforts, are helping these once endangered predators make a remarkable comeback. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to:…
From PBS Terra. Tina Lasisi breaks down the science of hair. "Why Am I Like This?" is a show hosted by biological anthropologist Tina Lasisi, and produced by STEMedia, that dives deep into evolutionary biology to explain some of our existentialism or everyday questions about our body. Subscribe to PBS Terra so you never miss…
From PBS Terra. Why does Canada have so much bizarre terrain and so, so many lakes? This is the geology behind the ancient, rugged landscape of the Canadian Shield. Check out more episodes of Overview on PBS Terra. Hosted by Joe Hanson from Be Smart, Overview uses stunning 4k drone footage to reveal the natural…
From PBS Terra. For the last 50 years, Americans have flocked to the warm, sunny South. But, as climate change makes extreme heat, hurricanes, wildfire and flooding worse, will that trend ever STOP? Well, some regions might just be showing signs of a reversal, and they hold lessons for what other areas might expect as…
From PBS Terra. Tina Lasisi describes how researchers measure skin color data to build a "melanin index" "Why Am I Like This?" is a show hosted by biological anthropologist Tina Lasisi, and produced by STEMedia, that dives deep into evolutionary biology to explain some of our existentialism or everyday questions about our body. Subscribe to…
From PBS Terra. The Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and Kenneth fires in the greater Los Angeles area have already caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. They also figure to be the most expensive in terms of property damage in California, and even US history. What caused these fires? Why are they happening during what’s typically…
From PBS Terra. It’s been a cold January for many in the US, and now Winter Storm Blair has left a swath of snow and ice across the country. But how is this possible with global temperatures at record highs? Weathered’s Maiya May explains how warming Arctic temperatures disrupt the polar vortex, bringing frigid temperatures…
From PBS Terra. Human babies are especially chonky relative to other animal species. But why? Tina Lasisi explains the science of adiposity. "Why Am I Like This?" is a show hosted by biological anthropologist Tina Lasisi, and produced by STEMedia, that dives deep into evolutionary biology to explain some of our existentialism or everyday questions…
From PBS Terra. Tina Lasisi discusses how skin maps measure and map melanin levels around the world. "Why Am I Like This?" is a show hosted by biological anthropologist Tina Lasisi, and produced by STEMedia, that dives deep into evolutionary biology to explain some of our existentialism or everyday questions about our body. Subscribe to…