Season 2 poster
5 episodes

Voyage of the Continents - Season 2

First aired Jul 15, 2013Season 2

Browse all 5 episodes in this season, including available images, air dates, runtimes, ratings and episode summaries from TMDB.

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Reviews

Community reviews for Voyage of the Continents, shown here with its season details.

P

Pete

I have never really delved that much into geology, but when I was in muddle school, I remember looking at a map of the world and noticed something odd: when looking at all of the land masses it appeared to me that, like a jigsaw puzzle, some of the pieces looked like they, at least in at one point in time, fit together. I remember mentioning it to my teacher only to be told "You would think, huh." I never asked again but it stayed with me all these years. Imagine my curiosity when I happened upon this series while looking for some kind of documentary to watch. I figured I'd watch the first episode to see if I liked it to determine if it was for me or not. Though the order of episodes in that service was different from the order listed here, halfway through "The Origins of Africa" the light went on. By the end of the episode I realized this was the answer I had always had in the back of my mind since I was a kid. Using a mix of live narration, science, and animation, this limited series did an excellent job explaining the voyage the different land masses travelled to eventually form the continents we see today. Not being used to some of the terminology they used, some things I had to look up to verify but thise were far and few between. All of the scientists, narrators, and geologists explain things in an easy to understand manner without the incessant practice of constantly repeating themselves. Probably most effective was the "on location" aspect to each chapter in an episode so, in a sense, the world is the classroom. In all, we found this series to be fascinating, interesting, informative, and fulfilling. We enjoyed so much we've watched it a few times, and with each viewing we continue to learn. This is one series I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone once they learn the basics.

Episodes

North America still

Episode 1

North America

NR
Jul 15, 201343 min

North America has a storied history which local geologists are happy to explain. It still bears part of the continent of Africa from the collision that joined it to Pangea and formed the Appalacian mountain range. After separating again stray bits of continental crust collided in the west causing a depression that produced an inland sea running from the Artic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico and eventually left a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils. An anomalous seduction zone created a parallel pair of mountain ranges; the Sierra Nevada and Rocky mountains. Just for fun add a hot spot the fires a super volcano in Yellowstone.

Central America still

Episode 2

Central America

NR
Jul 15, 201343 min

Central America and the Caribbean Islands formed from the Farallon Tectonic Plate which was previously subducted in a collision with the conjoined North and South American Tectonic Plates. As the Americas separated, the Farallon Plate slid between them. Then the Atlantic and Pacific Tectonic plates subducted beneath the Farallon Plate forming Central America and the Antilles Islands. Now, squeezed between these four massive tectonic plates, the region is riddled with volcanoes and fault lines with their accompanying earthquakes.

South America still

Episode 3

South America

NR
Jul 15, 201343 min

900 million years ago South America, part of the super continent of Rodina, was finally compete and remains together today. After separating from Rodinia it collided with Africa joining Gandwana and forming a mountain range that has now nearly eroded away. But remnants of the mountains sill remain on both continents as small peaks such as the famous Sugarloaf in Rio de Janeiro. As South America broke away from Africa is underwent an unusual collision with the Pacific Tectonic Plate building the longest mountain range in the world, the Andes, and the uniquely biologically diverse Amazon basin.

The Origins of Africa still

Episode 4

The Origins of Africa

NR
Jul 15, 201343 min

Geologist from around the world provide a guided tour of the geological formations that convinced them Africa was once the center of the super continent Gondwan and for a time located at the south pole. The evidence ranges from tiny diamonds and iron crystals to petrified trees to a 30 km wide crater and an entire mountain ranges. Their tour also includes Madacascar for you lemur lovers.

Africa Today still

Episode 5

Africa Today

NR
Jul 15, 201343 min

When the super continent Gandwana began to break up into the modern day continents, Africa separated from Europe forming the Tethys Ocean. But Africa changed it's mind. It is now traveling north to rejoin Euope reducing the Tethys ocean to what is now the Mediterranean Sea leaving behind many curious anomalies such as whales and other marine fossil in the African desserts. But of most interest to most humans, oil formed from the Tethys Ocean's wildlife is found in North Africa and Arbian peninsula. Meanwhile, Africa is breaking apart as parts of east Africa follow Madacascar to drift into the Indian Ocean.