How the Earth Changed History [Blu-ray] [US Import]

Very interesting series on how the earth's natural phenomena (like wind) have resulted in the rise and fall of human settlements and civilizations. Beautiful scenery, thought provoking linkages, and a different way to understand history. Well worth seeing again and again!

The Earth occupies a unique position in the evolution of humanity serving as both womb and grave. "How the Earth Changed History" tells us more about how the unique planet that we live on influenced our development by focusing on five geologic and geographic aspects of our planet that served to strengthen and move our evolutionary progress along. Narrated by Iain Stewart the narrator of "Earth: The Biography" another excellent documentary by the BBC, the show focuses on "Water", "Earth" and "Wind" on the first disc and "Fire" reserving the last section on humanity's impact on its own "The Human Planet". Each section looks into how water for example and the abundance or lack of it influenced the sprawling civilizations that appeared throughout history and how the changing topography of our world also brought down those civilizations just as readily.

"Deep Earth" focuses on how civilizations were drawn to areas where there were fault lines because of the abundance of minerals that could be found. "Wind" pushed us further on the oceans to new destinations that we might otherwise have never discovered and helped create agricultural diversity as well as influencing the dark behavior of humanity as seen with the creation and expansion of slavery.

"Fire" was the first step into allowing us to master our world by forging new, more advanced weapons among other things. "The Human Planet" looks at everything from the chemical destruction of our environment to corporate agriculture and how it has impacted our world and, in turn, threatening us as the world reacts.

A very good, sharp looking Blu-ray shot in high definition video, "How The Earth Was Changed" looks remarkably clean, sharp and vivid with solid black levels throughout and strong, bold colors. Occasional digital artifacts do crop up from time to time but they are minimal.This isn't a perfect transfer but it looks extremely good.

The 5.1 DTS-HD audio mix sounds extremely good but the focus is primarily on the main front and center speakers for the most part.

We get an interview with Iain Stewart who narrates and host the show entitled "Filming in Extremes" and roughly running about 20 minutes. It's presented in SD widescreen.

"How The Earth Changed History" is a marvelous glimpse into how our world not only helped give birth to us but also how it nurtured us and, when we do bad things to it and how it responds in kind to the damage we do to the environment. We live here we should treat our home better because without it, we're history ourselves. 4 1/2 stars.

Every child should see this in school. Especially children in poor neighborhoods. Every parent should see it. Every person on the planet should be able to see and know about how the planet works. This presentation is well written, well thought out, and well said and illustrated. It's as good as "Planet Earth" series. It covers at least three subjects that should be taught in our schools at the elementary school level. And it does this in an enjoyable format.