Seven Worlds, One Planet

Editorial

BBC One North West

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature

Extraordinary wildlife stories and unseen wilderness of our seven unique continents.

Revealing the extraordinary wildlife stories and unseen wilderness of our seven unique continents.

Series 1

BBC Two

BBC Four

BBC One Oxfordshire

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One London

London

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One Yorkshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

BBC One West Midlands

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

BBC One Channel Islands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

BBC Two England

England

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

BBC One South HD

BBC One East Midlands HD

BBC One West Midlands HD

BBC One South West HD

BBC One Yorkshire HD

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD

BBC One Channel Islands HD

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

BBC One West HD

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One London HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire HD

BBC One Oxfordshire HD

BBC One South East HD

BBC One North West HD

BBC One East HD

BBC Four HD

David Attenborough

Jonny Keeling

Scott Alexander

Fredi Devas

Caroline Cox

Seven Worlds, One Planet: Series 1: Antarctica

Episode 1

Antarctica

BBC One - Seven Worlds, One Planet, Series 1, Antarctica

Antarctica - a land of survivors enduring the most hostile conditions on earth.

Antarctica - the coldest, windiest, most hostile continent. Only the toughest can survive here. But the ocean here is warming and with that comes an uncertain future.

Antarctica - a land of survivors enduring the most hostile conditions on earth. 98 per cent of the mainland is covered by ice on which virtually nothing can live. Even the sea freezes over, but the Weddell seal manages to survive here by keeping its breathing holes open by using its teeth to grind away the ice. 

Below the sea ice, conditions have been stable for millennia. Life has flourished and diversified. Starfish, sea spiders and three million predatory worms carpet the ocean floor, and sea anemones feast on ocean giants. Islands on the fringes of the continent are free of sea ice, far more hospitable and crowded. Huge colonies of king penguins cover the land, and four-tonne elephant seals fight for territories on the beach. 

The abundance of life found here is down to the incredibly rich ocean surrounding the continent. The strongest currents in the world whip up nutrients to the surface that feed Antarctic krill. Numbering an estimated 400 trillion, their combined weight is greater than any other species in the world. Humpback whales round them up using sophisticated feeding techniques, and gentoo penguins escape the jaws of leopard seals and orcas to reach the open ocean and feed on them. On rare occasions krill swarm in baitballs measuring kilometres across, where they are feasted on by thousands of penguins, seals, albatross and fin whales.

Antarctica was only discovered 200 years ago, but humans have had an enormous impact in that time. The whaling industry killed over 1.5 million whales here, taking many species to the brink of extinction. But since the ban on commercial hunting in 1986, whales are making a remarkable comeback. In addition, the Antarctic treaty is exemplary in demonstrating that countries from around the world can unite to protect wildlife. However, due to climate change, the Southern Ocean is warming and sea levels are rising. Perhaps more worrying is that a warming of the coldest region on earth will have profound effects on global weather patterns. Although Antarctica is far away, what happens here will affect all of us.

Seven Worlds, One Planet: Series 1

BBC One

Remarkable footage from the planet’s seven unique continents.

Remarkable wildlife, unexpected dramas and unseen wilderness from the planet’s seven unique continents.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Seven Worlds, One Planet

Series 1

Antarctica

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One North West

About BBC One