The Andes – the longest mountain range on Earth and a natural phenomenon in constant motion. Here, powerful forces from the Earth’s interior and the atmosphere are at work incessantly. Geologist Colin Devey embarks on a spectacular expedition along these unique landscapes: from Patagonia’s storm-tossed glaciers to Ecuador’s majestic volcanoes, from the Atacama Desert to the Amazon Basin.
In Cusco, the former capital of the Incas, earthquakes have shaped people’s lives for centuries. Here we see how tectonic subduction causes mountains to grow and volcanoes such as Cotopaxi to form. In the Chilean highlands, valuable raw materials are created during mountain formation. Their extraction raises fundamental questions about how we treat nature.
But it is not only forces from the depths that shape the face of the Andes: wind, water, ice, and sun also work tirelessly. In Patagonia, mighty glaciers carve deep valleys into the rock, and the constant alternation of frost and thaw breaks even massive rocks. Following in Humboldt’s footsteps, the geologist climbs Chimborazo, hikes through all of Earth’s climate zones in terms of altitude, and learns how biodiversity contributes to future food security in the potato’s region of origin.
The cold Humboldt Current off the coast of South America causes extreme drought in the hinterland – making the Atacama Desert the driest place in the world. Here, where the highest solar radiation on Earth has been measured, astronomers gaze into distant galaxies. Indigenous peoples have long pondered the origins of life here – and today they use sophisticated systems to grow wine in the middle of the desert.
A journey through a geological laboratory of extremes – between the past, present, and future.
Written by: Ole Gurr and Mona Garzon
Directed by: Ole Gurr
DOP: Ricardo Garzon Mesa
Sound: Jakob Schmidt
Produktion on behalf of ZDF in association with ARTE
2 x 45 min/ 1 x 90 min | 2025