Explore the epic geological saga of the Grand Canyon, from ancient seafloors to towering cliffs, revealing Earth's vast history etched in stone.
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Two Billion Years in One Glance
This series, Layers of Time, traces the Grand Canyon's geological story from its oldest rocks to its youngest, episode by episode, as you move through the park.
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1
Ancient Rocks Beneath the Canyon Floor
The rocks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon are nearly 1.8 billion years old — older than any complex life on Earth.
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2
Shallow Seas That Built Canyon Walls
For hundreds of millions of years, this part of Arizona sat at the bottom of the ocean — not once, but repeatedly.
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Nearly a Billion Years Just Gone
Somewhere between the canyon's deepest rocks and the layered walls above them, roughly a billion years of Earth's history simply vanished.
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4
How the Colorado River Built This
The Colorado River drops more than two thousand feet in elevation as it passes through the canyon, creating rapids so powerful they can move boulders weighing several…
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5
Ice Ages and Lava Dams Reshape Rock
At least thirteen times, volcanic eruptions sent molten lava cascading over the canyon rim and into the gorge, forming massive dams that completely blocked the Colorado…
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