Synopsis

Four and a half billion years ago, the Earth was a volatile and hostile world—a maelstrom of meteorite strikes, volcanic eruptions spewing poisonous fumes, and lightning illuminating a thin, scorching atmosphere. Then, in a process that has long perplexed scientists, life arose. But how? In this exploration, NOVA accompanies mineralogist Robert Hazen on a global quest. From an ancient Moroccan marketplace to the Australian Outback, he proposes a surprising and unconventional notion: that the roc