Review-- Ancient Earth: Humans

From the International Space Station, the lights of North America are shown.

Ancient Earth: Humans is a PBS, NOVA, and BBC collaboration documentary film that traces the geological impact of humans and the way that we are connected to billions of years of natural history. The film tells us about the ways in which serious climactic events have impacted the point of history. It also casts a light on the various stages of life and how it evolved with the changes that Earth endured.

Experts from a variety of different disciplines come forward to discuss the history of our planet and how we are a part of it. These experts include paleontologists-- who give us an idea of the ancient world before humans even evolved. The film also hears from anthropologists and archaelogists, who explore the remains of humans, the settlements, and the treasures that that they left behind. One of my favorite things about the film is that it shows how one single catastrophic event..the extinction of the dinosaurs...lead to the beginnings of our origins.

The film also touches base on how humans have gone on to shape the world that we live in today. Through the structures that we built, the waste that we leave behind, and the level of carbon that we are continuously putting into the atmosphere. The documentary weaves its way through dense jungles where humans have had little impact...to outerspace...where humans are only just now starting to explore and understand.

Perhaps among the most impressive things about this one single documentary were the experts that were found to speak on the topics. Stemming from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, each one demonstrates their knowledge and experience in different ways. Each one offers us a unique insight that otherwise would have gone unnoticed had they not been interviewed. What each expert reiterates in their own way, is that the story of humans is a part of the greater epoch that is Planet Earth. It also invites us to question the impact that we have on the planet and how everything is connected...including the seemingly unrelated.