Naked Science

Naked Science reports on the chilling evidence that many of the world's mountain glaciers are melting at a faster rate than any time in the past 150 years. A veteran Arctic and ice sheet expert in Greenland explains how the melting rate of the ice affects the rate of sea levels rising in the future. And the episode explains the devastation of that impact on the world.

Watch the Colorado River carve the Grand Canyon, Sahara sand dunes swallow whole cities, sheets of snow melt, crack and plunge from giant glaciers on a geological journey to see how these destructive forces constantly endlessly reshape our planet.

Some 75,000 years ago a super-eruption from the site of Lake Toba in Sumatra blasted out more than 200 cubic miles of ash and volcanic debris. Now, NGC investigates the devastating aftermath of one of the most powerful volcanoes of the last 2 million years, including the fascinating theory that it triggered a human genetic bottleneck - leaving a population of as little as a few thousand survivors to preserve the entire human race.

Scientists are only now starting to unravel the secrets of comets. Often referred to as dirty snowballs, they contain ice and elements from the very start of the universe. Some theorize that a comet, crashing into our planet, brought with it the organic material that started life on Earth. Spacecraft continues to offer new information on their makeup, from bringing back samples from a comet's tail to direct contact when a NASA-launched craft slammed into the comet Tempel-1.

It has long been said that the first Americans were hunters who arrived on the continent some 13,500 years ago via the Bering land bridge. This idea is now being challenged by scientists using modern, high-tech forensics to arrive at a new conclusion; the first residents may have arrived thousands of years earlier and had a more developed grasp of engineering that we had thought possible.

Great distances and dangerous environments make robotic spacecraft the best way for scientists to explore our solar system. Acting as our eyes and ears, these probes have revealed secrets about the distant planets and their moons, their surfaces, weather and environments.

Scientists monitoring global warming predict further melting of the polar icecaps. The effects of a rising sea level on the world's coastlines is investigated.

Scientists have long thought that dinosaurs were hurled toward extention after a huge meteor collided with Earth. Now, some theorize that a meteor impact may have given rise to the huge creatures.

Some 3.9 billion years ago, our solar system was assaulted by a gigantic asteroid storm. This episode examines how life on our planet survived and the chances of another such attack occurring.

Millions live in lakeside towns, enjoying the scenery and recreational activities the water provides. Unfortunately, danger lurks beneath the surface of many of these seemingly harmless bodies of water. This episode examines several of the lakes in the United States considered to be potentially dangerous, including those of Yellowstone and Mount Ranier.

A volatile chain of volcanoes and faults ring the top of the Pacific Ocean. With more than one billion people potentially in harm's way, evidence suggests that this region is becoming more active. Earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are being studied by scientists who hope to learn more about the processes at work before a devistating event happens.

With advanced technology in their hands, astronomers and scientists may now be capable of detecting extraterrestrial life in the universe. In fact, some think the proof may be found in as little as a decade. Astronomers involved in the effort, including those at SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), discuss the possibilities and the likely spots for finding life outside of Earth.

At one time, America was bombarded by some of the most severe storms ever to hit the planet. Scientists wonder if hurricanes are increasing in intensity and perhaps becoming the monsters they once were. The effects of global warming on the severity of hurricanes, if there are any, are discussed.

More humans have traveled to the moon that have been to the ocean's floor. Virtually unexplored, the trenches trenches of the oceans could swallow Mt. Everest. Despite the crushing pressure, Earth's final frontier holds great potential for meeting the planet's energy needs and perhaps to cure diseases.

Do the sun's invisible cosmic rays influence our weather? Can solar winds impact Earth? Explore the ways fluctuations in the sun's energy influence our climate.

Thanks to new developments in the technology of astronomy, scientists have been able to collect new information, giving them clues to how our solar system was formed.

The famous telescope that orbits the Earth was initially considered a failure because of its long list of problems. The scientists who designed the device and those who ultimately fixed it discuss the project, as well as the surprising photos and information it has been able to collect about the universe. Aired: