Synopsis
Series in which Professor Iain Stewart looks at how geology has shaped human history. He explores the newest force, humans, whose impact is both positive and negative.
- Programme: How Earth Made Us
- Episode: 5: Human Planet
- Channel: BBC Two
- Broadcast year: 2010
- Geography
Licence: ERA Licence required
UK only
Staff and students of licensed education establishments only
Cannot be adapted
Add Notes
More clips from 05: Human Planet

Disruption to the ice age cycle | How Earth Made Us
Disruption to the ice age cycle | How Earth Made Us
Professor Iain Stewart explains how humans prevented the next stage of the ice age cycle.

Human interventions in the water cycle | How Earth Made Us
Human interventions in the water cycle | How Earth Made Us
Professor Iain Stewart investigates the ways that humans have intervened in the water cycle.

Mud volcano, Indonesia | How Earth Made Us
Mud volcano, Indonesia | How Earth Made Us
Professor Iain Stewart investigates a mud volcano in Indonesia that was caused by human interactions with the earth.

Sediment and plastic | How Earth Made Us
Sediment and plastic | How Earth Made Us
Professor Iain Stewart explains how sediment becomes rock and thus how plastic waste will impact future rock.

Tar sands | How Earth Made Us
Tar sands | How Earth Made Us
Professor Iain Stewart discusses tar sands, one of the more complicated ways of extracting oil.
More resources about Geology and the rock cycle

1: Avalanche | Dangerous Earth
1: Avalanche | Dangerous Earth
Dr Helen Czerski looks at the anatomy of an avalanche. From shocking eyewitness footage from within an avalanche to detailed CT scans showing ...

1: Building Britain | Britain Beneath Your Feet
1: Building Britain | Britain Beneath Your Feet
Dallas Campbell reveals how we can only understand the world around us by discovering the hidden wonders beneath our feet.

1: Deep Time | Men of Rock
1: Deep Time | Men of Rock
Iain Stewart tells the story of James Hutton, the founding father of geology. This Scottish thinker overturned ancient beliefs about how and when ...

1: Three Billion Years in the Making | British Isles: A Natural History
1: Three Billion Years in the Making | British Isles: A Natural History
Alan Titchmarsh travels Britain to discover why our islands are so diverse, peeling back the layers o...

2: Deserts, Dinosaurs and Volcanoes | British Isles: A Natural History
2: Deserts, Dinosaurs and Volcanoes | British Isles: A Natural History
Alan Titchmarsh uncovers how the British Isles were formed and looks back to a time when dinosaurs roa...

2: Moving Mountains | Men of Rock
2: Moving Mountains | Men of Rock
Iain Stewart finds out how gung-ho geologist Edward Bailey discovered that Scotland was once home to super volcanoes. Plus the story of uns...

3: The Big Freeze | Men of Rock
3: The Big Freeze | Men of Rock
In the final episode of the series, Iain Stewart finds out about daredevil scientist Louis Agassiz, who first imagined the world had been gri...

4: Highlands | The Great British Countryside
4: Highlands | The Great British Countryside
Hugh Dennis and Julia Bradbury are in the Highlands of Scotland, Britain's wildest and oldest landscape. They explore a landscap...

Beneath the Yorkshire Dales | The Great British Countryside
Beneath the Yorkshire Dales | The Great British Countryside
Hugh Dennis ventures into Gaping Gill, a cave produced by limestone erosion.

Chalk cliffs | The Great British Countryside
Chalk cliffs | The Great British Countryside
High Dennis climbs the chalk cliffs on the South East coast of England.

Cliffhanger | Men of Rock
Cliffhanger | Men of Rock
Dr Iain Stewart climbs a coastal sea stack and explains its geology.

Coastal Erosion | From Above
Coastal Erosion | From Above
Crumbling into the sea - the Isle of Wight, from above.

Dartmoor granite tors | The Great British Countryside
Dartmoor granite tors | The Great British Countryside
Hugh Dennis explains the geological processes that caused the granite tors on Dartmoor.

Deep Down & Dirty: The Science of Soil
Deep Down & Dirty: The Science of Soil
Documentary in which gardening expert Chris Beardshaw delves into the micro-world of soil to reveal what it is, how it works and why w...

Disruption to the ice age cycle | How Earth Made Us
Disruption to the ice age cycle | How Earth Made Us
Professor Iain Stewart explains how humans prevented the next stage of the ice age cycle.

Geology of the North and South Downs | The Great British Countryside
Geology of the North and South Downs | The Great British Countryside
Geological demonstration of how the North and South Downs were created over millions of years.

Geology of the Yorkshire Dales | The Great British Countryside
Geology of the Yorkshire Dales | The Great British Countryside
Julia Bradbury explores the geology of the limestone pavement in the Yorkshire Dales.

Giant Ravines | From Above
Giant Ravines | From Above
Giant ravines are swallowing whole neighbourhoods. Watch the dramatic impact from above.

Hardraw Force | The Great British Countryside
Hardraw Force | The Great British Countryside
Hugh Dennis visits a waterfall in the Yorkshire Dales that has created a gorge in the landscape.

Hinduism in Bali | Journeys into the Ring of Fire
Hinduism in Bali | Journeys into the Ring of Fire
Iain Stewart tours the Pacific Rim to discover how the rocks beneath our feet have shaped history. He visits awesome volcan...
More from Iain Stewart

1: Deep Earth | How Earth Made Us
1: Deep Earth | How Earth Made Us
Series telling the story of how the development of civilisation was influenced by planetary forces. Professor Iain Stewart explores the rol...

5: Rare Earth | Earth: The Power of the Planet
5: Rare Earth | Earth: The Power of the Planet
Life on Earth prospers because it enjoys the right amount of heat from the sun, and the atmosphere prevents meteorite bombardm...

Episode 1 | Planet Oil: The Treasure That Conquered The World
Episode 1 | Planet Oil: The Treasure That Conquered The World
From the moment we first drilled for oil, we opened a Pandora's box that changed the world forever. It transfor...

Australia | Rise of the Continents
Australia | Rise of the Continents
Iain Stewart explores how the Earth's continents have transformed evolution. He shows how Australia's journey has affected everything from...

Iceland Erupts: A Volcano Live Special | Volcano Live
Iceland Erupts: A Volcano Live Special | Volcano Live
Kate Humble heads to Iceland and meets the scientists monitoring the country's most dangerous volcanoes. She also inves...

1: Life From Light | How to Grow a Planet
1: Life From Light | How to Grow a Planet
How plants have driven the greatest changes to the Earth. Prof Iain Stewart shows how they first harnessed light from the sun and c...

Trees and carbon dioxide | Making Scotland's Landscape
Trees and carbon dioxide | Making Scotland's Landscape
The important role that trees play in clearing carbon dioxide.

3: The Big Freeze | Men of Rock
3: The Big Freeze | Men of Rock
In the final episode of the series, Iain Stewart finds out about daredevil scientist Louis Agassiz, who first imagined the world had been gri...

Boxing Day Tsunami | 10 Things You Didn't Know About…
Boxing Day Tsunami | 10 Things You Didn't Know About…
Iain Stewart explains what caused the Boxing Day Tsunami and discusses its devastating impact.

Earthquake proof buildings and liquefaction | Journeys into the Ring of Fire
Earthquake proof buildings and liquefaction | Journeys into the Ring of Fire
Iain Stewart investigates how Japanese buildings have been designed to withstand earthquakes.