Plot Synopsis

"Atlas 4D" transports viewers through millions of years of evolving geology and climate -- past, present and future -- to tell the science and history of each stunning locale, uncovering extraordinary and surprising connections between the landscape, natural history and indigenous peoples. Each episode of this three-hour special focuses on a different region, explaining previously unknown connections, including: the African Great Rift Valley (and how the formation of the Rift Valley forced a crucial evolutionary step for humankind); the islands of Hawaii (and how an ancient ice age provided Polynesian settlers with a breakthrough technology); and the Mediterranean (and how the spread of Islam sparked the Italian Renaissance). In anticipation of the 3-D channel announced by Discovery, IMAX, and Sony, this program was filmed and produced to feature three-dimensional views of some of the world's greatest natural and man-made structures, including the Pyramids and the Great Wall of China.