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Series 4

Episode 1: Decoding Disaster

Duration: 1 hour

First broadcast: on BBC FourLatest broadcast: on BBC Four HD

Available for years

From earthquakes to tsunamis to volcanic eruptions, natural disasters are both terrifying and fascinating - providing endless fresh material for documentary makers. But how well do disaster documentaries keep pace with the scientific theories that advance every day?

To try and answer that question, Professor Danielle George is plunging into five decades of BBC archive. What she uncovers provides an extraordinary insight into one of the fastest moving branches of knowledge. From the legendary loss of Atlantis to the eruption that destroyed Pompeii, Danielle reveals how film-makers have changed their approach again and again in the light of new scientific theories.

While we rarely associate Britain with major natural disaster, at the end of the programme Danielle brings us close to home, exploring programmes which suggest that 400 years ago Britain was hit by a tidal wave that killed hundreds of people, and that an even bigger tsunami could threaten us again. Show less

Contributors

Presenter:
Danielle George
Participant:
Tiziana Rossetto
Participant:
Peter Sammonds
Participant:
Simon Day
Participant:
John Oxford
Executive Producer:
Emma Parkins
Producer:
Andy Webb
Director:
Andy Webb
Writer:
Andy Webb
Production Company:
360 Production

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