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Focuses on the changes and conditions in the planet and oceans that created a home to complex animals and plants. Discoveries in fossil beds showing the evolutionary groundwork for the Cambrian explosion; Milestones in life's history from 600 million years ago to 500 million years ago; Details of the Doushantuo formation, a Chinese fossil bed; Discussion of why it took 56 million years for the animal diversity that is seen in Burgess Shale to occur; The extinction of the Ediacarans; Factors that could have sped up evolution; View of earth science researcher Nicholas Butterfield about a slower evolutionary clock and animal predation.

Focuses on the challenge of unlocking an exotic form of solidified natural gas called gas hydrate, potentially symbolizing the start to a new era of Arctic fuel production. Description of gas hydrate, a strange hybrid of fire and ice; Worldwide energy value of gas hydrate reserves compared with other fossil fuels; Mention of research at the Mallik site in the Arctic permafrost of Canada; Difficulties facing the project, including transporting natural gas; Skepticism about the potential of gas hydrates; Outlook. INSET: A free refill?.

Reports a study by fisheries scientists at Dalhousie University in Canada that the number of large, ocean fishes such as swordfish and tuna are below pre-1950 levels. Concern of the study authors that fishing practices, which include advanced technology and subsidies, and greater demand for seafood will lead to extinction of the species.