Colours of Earth
Helen Czerski uncovers what colour is, how it works and how it has written the story of our planet. She seeks out the colours that turned the Earth multicoloured.
We live in a world ablaze with colour. Rainbows and rainforests, oceans and humanity, Earth is the most colourful place we know of. But the colours we see are far more complex and fascinating than they appear. In this series, Dr Helen Czerski uncovers what colour is, how it works, and how it has written the story of our planet - from the colours that transformed a dull ball of rock into a vivid jewel to the colours that life has used to survive and thrive. But the story doesn't end there - there are also the colours that we can't see, the ones that lie beyond the rainbow. Each one has a fascinating story to tell.
In the first episode, Helen seeks out the colours that turned planet Earth multicoloured. To investigate the essence of sunlight Helen travels to California to visit the largest solar telescope in the world. She discovers how the most vivid blue is formed from sulphur atoms deep within the Earth's crust and why the presence of red ochre is a key sign of life. In gold, she discovers why this most precious of metals shouldn't even exist on the surface of the planet and in white, Helen travels to one of the hottest places on Earth to explore the role salt and water played in shaping planet Earth.
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Q&A with Helen Czerski
The programme's presenter answers your questions on Twitter
Making the programme
How I explored the hidden stories of our planet’s colours
Why are there no blue roses?
...and five other fascinating questions about colour
Why do we see colours differently?
iWonder guide looking at how people can perceive the colours differently.
Clips
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How was one of the driest places on Earth shaped by water?
Duration: 01:42
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Why is gold the ultimate recycled material?
Duration: 01:28
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Is gold losing its sheen?
Duration: 01:32
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Helen Czerski |
Director | Alex Hemingway |
Producer | Alex Hemingway |
Series Producer | Graeme Thomson |
Executive Producer | Jacqueline Smith |
Broadcasts
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