Life in the World's largest Crater

Just over two billion years ago, a meteorite the size of Table Mountain slammed into Earth just outside the present day town of Vredefort in South Africa. It created a scar that is today recognized as the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world. It is in fact so large that it's outlines can only be seen from space. And up to very recently residents were oblivious to the fact that they were living inside a meteorite impact crater. In this documentary, Roger Gibson, one of South Africa's most renowned geologists, takes us on a fascinating journey through "The Dome", as the crater is known. He explains why it took scientists over a century to recognize the clues of the area's impact origin – clues that are today still locked up in the rocks.
As the impact has shaped the landscape, the unique landscape has in turn shaped the lives of the people living here, as we learn from descendants of the various indigenous groups that have over the ages called "The Dome" home. (Verleiher-Text)