How to Grow a Planet

Not my photo - Professor Iain Stewart

TVO (TV Ontario) has some really great shows I must say. One type I quite enjoy are the nature documentaries. TVO aired a three-part BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) series recently called How to Grow a Planet. It was hosted by geologist Iain Stewart.

This program was utterly fascinating. It showed how plants played an all-important part in shaping not only our physical planet, but all life forms we see today - ourselves included.

We are shown the evolution of plants from humble, water-based life forms, to those which developed roots that allowed them to gain a foothold on land. This gradually transformed our planet from a desolate, barren rock to one teeming with life. Early plants (grasses and trees) provided sustenance for insects and other animals including the prehistoric dinosaurs.

This was followed by beautiful, complex flowering plants which use insects and other animals to pollenate and propagate. Many of these flowering plants produced seeds which could lie dormant until the most advantageous time for them to germinate arrived (rainy season for instance).

As well, a number of flowering plants provide fruit which sustain many different animals. This was another way for them to spread their seeds (which are in the fruit). After an animal consumes them the seeds pass through and are deposited elsewhere starting the cycle of life for that plant once again.

We see how they transformed our atmosphere from one that would be nearly impossible for any animal to survive in to one where we thrive. This was done by creating the oxygen we need to breathe.

At one time our planet's atmosphere was very different from how it is today. There was relatively little oxygen in the air. Plant life changed all this using the truly amazing process of photosynthesis. It's where plants combine sunlight with carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) to make the sugars it needs to survive. Its waste product - Oxygen.

If you have the time I'd highly suggest watching the videos. They're about an hour long each.

How to Grow a Planet: Life from Light

How to Grow a Planet: The Power of Flowers

How to Grow a Planet: The Challenger