THE PLOT THUS FAR
It’s a mystery on a global scale: five times in Earth’s past, life has been nearly extinguished, the vast majority of plants and animals annihilated in a geologic instant. What triggered these dramatic events? And what might they tell us about the fate of our world?
Mass Extinction: Life at the Brink joins scientists around the globe as they unravel the mysteries of two of the most dramatic mass extinctions -the “K/T Extinction” that wiped out the dinosaurs, and “The Great Dying,” which obliterated nearly 90% of all Earth’s species. At first glance, these two extinctions couldn’t look more different. A six-mile-wide asteroid spelled near-instant doom for the dinosaurs. And as new research covered in the film reveals, massive volcanic eruptions altered the chemistry of the atmosphere and ocean to trigger “The Great Dying.” As different as they seem, these two extinctions share uncanny similarities and a message for today. Could the impact of human beings be just as devastating to the planet as a massive asteroid strike or volcanic eruptions?
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Mass Extinction: Life at the Brink” is a serious look at the two biggest mass extinctions in history. The K/T Extinction destroyed all dinosaurs and then there was The Great Dying that destroyed most species on Earth. I wasn’t that terribly familiar with the second event, but the circumstances that created it were frightening. Especially since I could see the same situation happening again due to our abuse of the environment.
Life on Earth will end one day. It’s a fact that every nihilist and Goth kid wraps around them like a warm blanket in a pitch black room. The documentary only runs for an hour, so it’s not like we get much info. Still, I’m intrigued.
The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is on par for most recent standard definition PBS releases. The transfer isn’t amazing, but it works. The same goes for the Dolby 2.0 audio track. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 02/24/2015