Catastrophe - Episode 4 - Asteroid Impact

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This spectacular five-part documentary series, presented by Tony Robinson, investigates the history of natural disasters, from the planet's beginnings to the present, putting a new perspective on our existence and suggesting that we are the product of catastrophe.

99% of all the creatures that have ever lived, no longer exist. They were wiped-out in a series of global catastrophes. Each disaster changed the course of evolution on earth. Without them mankind, nor any of the life we see around us, would be here today. For out of catastrophe comes rebirth. Evolution is a savage, imperfect and violent process. It's survive or perish. The earth's history of catastrophes has both moulded the planet and determined evolution. For each disaster led to another leap forward on the evolutionary trail form single celled bacteria to humankind itself.

Episode 4 - Asteroid Impact

Dinosaurs rose up as rulers of Earth around 230 million years ago, eventually dominating all other species and relegating mammals to the shadows. But 65 million years ago their planet was rocked by yet another massive event when, seemingly out of nowhere, the mighty dinosaurs were wiped off the face of Earth. But without this devastating catastrophe, humans would not be here today.

This film explores the trail of clues that lead to what extinguished the dinosaurs and ultimately led to the evolution of humans. Cutting-edge scientists, palaeontologists and geologists investigate what could be responsible, and chart the story behind the widely held theory that Earth was hit once again by a deadly asteroid.