NOVA show's poster

Ancient Earth: Birth of the Sky

NOVA brings you stories from the frontlines of science and engineering, answering the big questions of today and tomorrow, from how our ancestors lived, to whether parallel universes exist, to how technology will transform our lives. Visit the official website to watch full-length documentaries, or explore our world through short-form video, on our digital publication NOVA Next.

RMPBS Passport

Please log in to your PBS Passport account to watch this video

Become a Member

Ancient Earth: Birth of the Sky

Season 50 Episode 11 | 53m 47s | CC

Early Earth was a hellscape of molten lava and barren rock, bombarded by meteors, with no atmosphere at all. How did our familiar blue sky – the thin, life-giving band of gasses protecting our planet – come to be?

Related stories

Science & Environment
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory trains the next generation of scientists
Young campers learn from some of the most esteemed researchers in the state surrounded by some of the most pristine learning environments.
 | Chase McCleary
Kids
The Joy of Poison
Theresa goes to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with Helen and her mom Megan.
 | Theresa Ho
Rocky Mountain PBS
Denver Museum of Nature and Science researchers found that Castle Rock’s durability is due microscopic amounts of the colorful gemstone opal.
 | Chase McCleary

NOVA

Watch more episodes

See more
See more
Add in program-specific special funders AND series funders (see example below.) If no special funders, leave blank and it'll auto-populate with series funders. EXAMPLE: Major funding for this program is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the George D. Smith Fund. Additional funding is provided by the NOVA Science Trust with support from Margaret and Will Hearst. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting , and PBS viewers.