The Whole Saga of the Supercontinents

↓ More info below ↓

The study of natural history is the study of how the world has changed but Earth itself is in a constant state of flux -- because the ground beneath your feet is always moving. So if we want to know how we got here, we have to understand how "here" got here.

Produced for PBS Digital Studios.

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References:
doi:10.1038/ngeo1069 → Paper linking the P-Tr extinction to Siberian Traps volcanism lighting coal on fire

[freshysqueeze]

You guys put so much work into these videos even though you don't get a lot of views. I love these videos so much and they definitely deserve more attention for how amazing they are. :)

[ohno]

Its the "♪♪♪Cambrian explosion♪♪♪"

[epauletshark]

As soon as I get stable footing in my life, I learn the ground is moving.

[carlymoore]

I have been DEVOURING these videos like they are going extinct! Lol I grew up not being allowed to "believe" in evolution and basically everything that is talked about in these videos, but now I feel like I am rediscovering the whole world again! I love how there is so much info packed into relatively short "episodes" and the info provided is easily understandable for us common folks who are craving the learning experience but don't have a degree in the field. You all are amazing for creating these fascinating glimpses into our past and you can count on me to watch EVERY episode! THANK YOU EONS STAFF!!!

[introspection]

Well I was a little surprised. I thought Pangea was the first super continent. Could you imagine a 1st grade class learning about tectonics and the teacher says "the first super continent is Pangea" and then a kid stands up and sais " actually several came before Pangea, one of the earliest being kenorland which formed at the end of the archean era. It's an understandable mistake this was a fairly recent discovery and our text books are only updated every few decades or so😂"

[stephenwurz]

Eons is such an amazing series. Thanks to everyone whose hard work goes in to creating it.

(I dig the Bill Wurtz reference, by the way!)

[Deeplycloseted]

I really want to thank PBS for this channel. I like many of them, especially Space Time. However, “It’s Okay To Be Smart” has become a ritual viewing with my 8 year old daughter. You have to know that when I was a kid, I would have KILLED to have had access to these videos to learn from. I used to set the VCR to record shows and would rewatch them over and over again.

Now my daughter is getting into dinosaurs and learning about Earth History on this channel has been great for her. They get VERY LITTLE of this information in school. This channel is a great resource for kids and adults alike. We usually watch one video, sometimes two at bedtime. Reading books and stories is also great, but watching her mind wonder as she learns about the amazing things that have happened in her world, is just great! My little scientist may choose to follow in her father’s footsteps, maybe not, but that’s her choice. Still, its great that we can share these videos together, and talk about the amazing people who figured all of this stuff out.

[Cipher]

4:47

This guy really just referenced Bill Wurtz lmao

[llLorenzoll]

Fun fact: H. P. Lovecraft heard of the Continental Drift theory and used it in his stories, because he loved the concept of entire continents being lost to time. He ended up accidentaly future proofing his tales.

[mustardsfire]

Eons is so amazing. Keep doing what you're doing.

[Banditomojado]

Geologist here! Be careful using continental drift when you really mean plate tectonics. The original theory of continental drift was pretty much what it sounds like. The continents just drifting around like ducks on a pond. But plate tectonics takes into account convergent and divergent boundaries as well as things like transform faults, which you covered. Those are the true areas of movement and change. My structural geology professor made sure to correct us when we didn’t use plate tectonics. Just trying to help clarify!

Also, you should do something on the history of grass. We look around today and see it everywhere and think that it has always been around. That’s not the case!

[AlexWalkerSmith]

I’m so proud of Bill Wurtz for sparking an interest in the history of our planet. It looks like Eons has embraced it as well! Bill gave the Cambrian Explosion a jingle that has shoved the term and concept into the category of “common knowledge”. :’)

[hollowvoices]

Nobody:
Earth: "THIS ISN'T EVEN MY FINAL FORM."

[holnrew]

"Euramerica"

No YOU'RE America

[fingernailclipper]

I guess the plate tectonic theory was




“ground breaking”

[elcabbage]

Was the way he said Cambrian a reference to that beautiful Bill Wurtz video?

[robinchesterfield]

"...then you also have to understand how HERE got here!"
I love that line. :)

[grizmizzle]

This channel is so good. It's become the way I start every work day over breakfast! It's good to recognise that vastness of our world and the depths of time we owe our lives to over toast.

I would really appreciate an episode covering a (mostly) complete rundown of human's evolutionary ancestory including LUCA, Cynodonts, and all the rest. I want to know who to be particularly grateful to.

Thank you for your beautiful work!

[Taneth]

Gotta love how when referring to the dinosaur extinction, you now have to specify non-avian dinosaurs. I have pet dinosaurs. I ate dinosaur for lunch.

[mysteepulcine]

Wow I didn't know about supercontinents before Pangaea. So cool. And the pacing was much better this time. Thanks!