MEMBER REVIEW: This is a 2010 Discovery Channel production. Here again we have different scientists and new looks at the Earth and time. There are lots of fine graphics, illustrating what is underground and invisible to us. These newer series assume a certain basic understanding of the science, and have no history or evolution of how it was all discovered; they just show what it is, and go from there. The emphasis is on present science, technology and new discoveries. There is a lot of emphasis on the technology of gathering data. You see a number of nifty scientific toys used to get more and better information out of the rocks, ice and other things. The first episode is a broad overview of Earth History – thumbnail sketches of the highlights – the magnetic core, life, oxygenation of the atmosphere, mass extinction events, formation of coal beds, oil and natural gas formation. The second episode is about plate tectonics. There is modeling of convergent mountain building and subduction. Sonification at CERN is the process of turning seismic data into music to help predict earthquakes. The third episode explores North America. It starts in Washington state, and moves east. The fourth episode explores how humans are shaping earth. It also goes into the long-range climate cycles, glaciation and so forth. This series is worth watching, and stands well with other similar series. You will not get everything from any one series, but watching them all, you get a good broad idea of Earth science and what is going on with our planet now and in the past. Description: Explosive volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods and even human beings contribute to the constant changes on the Earth surface. Uncover the deep mysteries of our planet with top geologists in Faces Of Earth. Using state-of-the-art computer animation and stunning photography, these four in-depth, compelling programs explore how these forces shape the Earth and how, in turn, the Earth has shaped human evolution. Includes: 1) Building the Planet: Witness the explosion that formed planet Earth, and travel back in time to explore the evolution of the Earth we know today. New technologies allow geoscientists to strip back the layers of Earth to see what previously could only be imagined. 2) Shaping the Planet: Earthquakes rumble, volcanoes explode, land is stretched and pulled like taffy – pushing up mountains and creating new oceans. Special effects and advanced animation techniques take viewers inside tectonic events to find out why the ground constantly shifts under our feet. 3) Assembling America: The land we see today was shaped over hundreds of millions of years. Guided by leading geoscientists, we unravel the mysteries of continent-building and the almost unimaginable span of geologic time. 4) Human World: Beginning with the dawn of agriculture, mankind has moved from simply reacting to Earth processes to shaping the planet. But are we pushing too hard and upsetting this delicate balance?