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Will the excavation
of a centuries old
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00:00:05,100 --> 00:00:09,300
shipwreck reveal a secret
smuggling operation?
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00:00:09,333 --> 00:00:12,203
There happens to be about
twice as much money
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00:00:12,233 --> 00:00:14,373
on the vessel as
should've been there.
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00:00:15,700 --> 00:00:19,030
When an entire
Russian ecosystem is obliterated,
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00:00:19,067 --> 00:00:22,427
could a strange ocean
toxin be to blame?
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00:00:22,467 --> 00:00:24,927
Lots of marine wildlife
starts washing up
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on the beaches, dead or sick.
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00:00:28,333 --> 00:00:31,703
And can satellites
solve the 2021 mystery
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00:00:31,733 --> 00:00:36,203
of a submarine that plummets
to deadly depths?
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00:00:36,233 --> 00:00:40,773
What force could tear a modern
submarine into three pieces?
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00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:48,100
The underwater realm
is another dimension.
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00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,230
It's a physically hostile place,
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00:00:52,267 --> 00:00:57,167
where dreams of promise
can sink into darkness.
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00:00:59,367 --> 00:01:02,767
I'm Jeremy Wade,
and I'm searching the world
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00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,230
to bring you the most
iconic and baffling
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00:01:05,267 --> 00:01:08,167
underwater mysteries
known to science.
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00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:12,830
The vast majority
of our ocean is unobserved,
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00:01:12,867 --> 00:01:15,497
unmapped and unexplored.
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It's a dangerous
frontier that swallows evidence.
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00:01:20,733 --> 00:01:23,203
You have nowhere to run.
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00:01:23,233 --> 00:01:29,403
Where unknown is
normal and understanding is rare.
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The submarine is the ultimate
weapon of modern warfare,
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and right now, there are thought
to be more than 500 manned subs
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in the world's oceans,
ready to launch into battle.
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But when a sub with 53
crew disappears
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without a trace during
peace time, in 2021,
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the international
community is bewildered.
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00:02:04,433 --> 00:02:07,533
It quickly becomes a race
against time to find
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00:02:07,567 --> 00:02:11,967
the missing vessel and rescue
the crew before it's too late.
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April 21st, 2021.
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A breaking story hits the news.
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A submarine with 53 crew
members on board is missing.
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Attack submarine KRI Nanggala
402 has disappeared
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in waters around 51 nautical
miles north of Bali.
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Indonesian Navy officials
say they lost contact
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with the 200-foot long sub
during a training exercise.
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Its crew made contact
to ask permission
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to execute a dive,
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and then, radio silence.
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00:02:55,067 --> 00:02:57,397
Where is the Nanggala?
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00:02:57,433 --> 00:02:59,703
There's no war
in this part of the world,
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so it's unlikely
that the submarine
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would have been
a victim of conflict.
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00:03:04,233 --> 00:03:06,303
What happened to the submarine?
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00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:09,330
With the world watching,
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a massive search and rescue
operation gets underway.
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00:03:12,767 --> 00:03:17,127
A submarine has roughly
three days of air.
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00:03:17,167 --> 00:03:20,067
If you still have power, you
can possibly stretch it out
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00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:22,970
a bit longer,
but the rule of thumb is,
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00:03:23,067 --> 00:03:26,627
"if things go wrong,
lots of things go wrong."
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The Indonesian Navy
deploys five aircraft
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and over 20 ships,
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and they make
a worrying discovery.
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A large oil slicknear the Nanggala's
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00:03:39,900 --> 00:03:42,230
last known position.
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00:03:42,267 --> 00:03:44,767
Oil on the sea
surface is a very bad thing.
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00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,600
It means oil
in a contained system got out.
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00:03:48,633 --> 00:03:50,833
If oil is leaking
out of a submarine,
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00:03:50,867 --> 00:03:53,397
that usually means the
pressure hull has been pierced.
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00:03:54,967 --> 00:03:58,167
Does this mysteriousoil slick mean the Nanggala
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00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,100
is in critical condition?
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00:04:00,133 --> 00:04:03,433
If so, how could
the subs fixed steel hull
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00:04:03,467 --> 00:04:05,327
who'd been compromised?
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00:04:05,367 --> 00:04:09,127
It was constructed
in Germany in the late 1970s.
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00:04:09,167 --> 00:04:13,967
Nanggala was an old submarine.
She was due to be replaced.
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00:04:14,067 --> 00:04:17,627
Over its long service, the
sub underwent several refits,
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00:04:17,667 --> 00:04:20,567
one as recently as 2012.
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00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,530
The integrity of the hull
was flagged as a concern.
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00:04:24,567 --> 00:04:28,397
Submarines lives are
not measured in years,
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00:04:28,433 --> 00:04:30,703
it's measured in hull years.
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00:04:30,733 --> 00:04:34,073
How many more dives
it can do, and it can take.
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00:04:34,067 --> 00:04:36,297
And if a submarine reaches
those number of dives,
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00:04:36,333 --> 00:04:38,933
you do not send
that submarine out there.
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00:04:38,967 --> 00:04:43,197
Nanggala hadn't reached that
point yet, but she wasn't far off it.
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00:04:43,233 --> 00:04:46,633
The Nanggala is nearthe end of its career,
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00:04:46,667 --> 00:04:49,467
but the sub
was still fit for purpose.
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00:04:51,300 --> 00:04:52,930
The Indonesians
have a good track record
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00:04:52,967 --> 00:04:54,567
when it comes to submarines.
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If they are unserviceable, they don't
send it back in the water till they are.
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00:04:58,767 --> 00:05:01,767
With the Nanggala
missing for 24 hours,
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00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,230
the international community
rallies to Indonesia's aid,
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launching a large scale search.
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00:05:09,067 --> 00:05:13,127
After three days, hopes are
diminishing for the survival of the crew.
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00:05:14,367 --> 00:05:17,967
Then, on April 24th,
the Indonesian navy finds
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00:05:18,067 --> 00:05:21,797
an array of debris they thinkhas come from the Nanggala.
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00:05:23,933 --> 00:05:26,733
Among the objects
is a possible clue.
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A part of the submarine
that is associated
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00:05:29,167 --> 00:05:31,397
with the torpedo tubes.
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00:05:31,433 --> 00:05:34,433
We know it was out
on a training mission.
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00:05:34,467 --> 00:05:39,967
We know the training mission
was in part for a torpedo practice.
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Is it possiblethat the Nanggala's explosive
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weaponry is somehow to blame
for its disappearance?
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00:05:47,167 --> 00:05:49,527
According to the navy,the Nanggala had requested
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00:05:49,567 --> 00:05:52,267
permission to dive
to fire a torpedo
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shortly before contact was lost.
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The last communication
with the Nanggala is at 4:00 a.m.
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00:06:01,667 --> 00:06:06,067
This is when the officer
authorized the firing of the torpedo.
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00:06:06,067 --> 00:06:09,067
Is it possible that the firing
of the torpedo has somehow
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00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:13,070
gone wrong, causing some sort
of catastrophic explosion?
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00:06:14,367 --> 00:06:17,627
If so, it's not the
first time this has happened.
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00:06:17,667 --> 00:06:22,527
In 2000, Russian submarine
K141, the Kursk,
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is taking part in
a large-scale naval exercise,
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loaded with a full complement
of combat weapons.
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00:06:29,500 --> 00:06:32,970
During preparations to
fire one of their torpedoes,
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fueled by hydrogen peroxide,
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a failure occurs,
causing an explosion.
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The blast blows a large
hole in the hull,
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killing all but 23
of the 118 people on board.
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While the Nanggala's
training exercise
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was also using live torpedoes,
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00:06:53,867 --> 00:06:57,167
officials don't believe
one went off.
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During such a naval
training exercise,
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00:06:59,300 --> 00:07:02,330
surely ships would have had
hydrophones in the water,
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yet no blast was detected
at the time of the incident.
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00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,500
If there was an explosion, it should
have been heard by these hydrophones.
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00:07:12,067 --> 00:07:15,797
It's not likely that a faulty
weapon's explosion caused the blast,
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00:07:15,833 --> 00:07:19,333
in which case something
else must have happened.
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00:07:19,367 --> 00:07:23,197
Soon after the debris is
found, a search and recovery vessel
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00:07:23,233 --> 00:07:26,433
surveys a possible
target on the sea floor.
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00:07:26,467 --> 00:07:29,927
An ROV is
sent down to investigate.
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00:07:29,967 --> 00:07:34,067
The images instantly confirm
everyone's worst fears.
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The Nanggala is foundat a depth of 2,800 feet,
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which is far deeper
than its maximum safe depth.
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There's no hope
for the 53 crew on board.
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00:07:48,467 --> 00:07:51,097
It's a tragic outcome
for the submariners.
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00:07:52,667 --> 00:07:55,227
The only consolation
for their loved ones now
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is to figure out
exactly what went wrong.
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00:07:59,533 --> 00:08:04,573
And soon, investigators discover
a disturbing twist to the story.
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The submarine has been
ripped into three pieces.
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00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:13,070
What force could tear a modern
submarine into three pieces?
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In April 2021, the Indonesian
submarine Nanggala
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is found on the seabed.
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00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:38,570
It's hull ruptured
and broken into three pieces.
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00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,900
Experts now suspect
that the sub sank to depths
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00:08:41,933 --> 00:08:47,303
it wasn't built to withstand,
causing a violent implosion.
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Indonesian officials
are determined to find
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the cause of this catastrophe.
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00:08:53,733 --> 00:08:56,573
Was it a technical failure?
Was it nature?
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It's a mystery.
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00:08:58,067 --> 00:09:00,867
There are limits to
what the wreckage can reveal,
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00:09:00,900 --> 00:09:04,630
so investigators must
turn elsewhere for clues.
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00:09:04,667 --> 00:09:07,827
Satellite data, taken around
the time of the tragedy,
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00:09:07,867 --> 00:09:11,127
reveals the presence of a
force under the ocean surface,
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00:09:11,167 --> 00:09:13,467
called "internal waves."
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00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:15,470
Right around
the time of the tragedy,
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NASA's aqua satellite captures
a ripple in the Lombok strait.
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00:09:20,433 --> 00:09:22,473
Could this ripple be
evidence for an internal
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00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:25,170
wave occurring
at the exact same time?
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00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:30,600
Internal waves occur where layers
of water with different densities meet.
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00:09:30,633 --> 00:09:32,803
As currents
move around the ocean,
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these layers can collide
with geographical features
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on the sea floor,
causing huge waves to form.
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These invisible underwater
waves can measure
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00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,430
a staggering 500 feet
from peak to trough.
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They are much,
much bigger and much,
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00:09:48,733 --> 00:09:52,933
much slower than surface
waves, but they disturb
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the inside of the ocean
as they travel outwards.
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00:09:55,900 --> 00:09:58,730
And some say they're
powerful enough to drag
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a submarine to perilous depths.
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They can travel for miles, and they
can go at speeds of up to five knots.
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00:10:06,167 --> 00:10:09,827
You can't see very much
evidence of them on the surface.
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00:10:09,867 --> 00:10:14,427
But how could an
internal wave destroy a submarine?
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00:10:14,467 --> 00:10:18,727
The submarine has one job,
which is to stay at the right depth.
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It's very easy to go
sideways in the ocean,
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00:10:20,533 --> 00:10:22,973
but up and down is critical.
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00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,400
In order to stay
at a consistent depth,
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a submarine will adjust
its buoyancy
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depending on the density
of the surrounding water.
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But if an internal wave
envelops the vessel,
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that density
can change in an instant.
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If the water becomes more
dense, it can push the submarine up,
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but if it's suddenly less dense,
the submarine can plummet.
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That change of density
could be enough to adjust
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the submarine's buoyancy
in a way that wasn't expected.
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Without taking some
kind of quick action to mitigate
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the actions of the wave,
a submarine could easily
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be pushed below
its safe operating depth.
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00:11:04,367 --> 00:11:07,467
In June of 2021,
the Indonesian government
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abandons plans
to salvage the wreckage.
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00:11:10,367 --> 00:11:12,727
They claim the risk
and difficulty of raising it
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00:11:12,767 --> 00:11:15,767
from the sea floor
is currently too high.
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00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,530
So we may need to wait
a little longer to find out
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00:11:20,567 --> 00:11:22,627
what really happenedto the Nanggala,
185
00:11:22,667 --> 00:11:27,667
and if internal waves were the
invisible cause of its destruction.
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00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:31,200
Perhaps the truth will be found,
but only at the bottom of the sea.
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00:11:39,767 --> 00:11:43,297
China, Russia and the US
are spending big money
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to better understand
internal waves
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and their potential impact
on naval operations.
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00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,730
While this invisible
phenomenon could be
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responsible for the tragicloss of the Nanggala,
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00:11:55,867 --> 00:11:59,227
more evidence is needed
to definitively say
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00:11:59,267 --> 00:12:03,697
what forced her to take such
a deep and deadly dive.
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00:12:15,067 --> 00:12:18,067
When it comes to merchants
of the high seas,
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no one has been more successful
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00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,300
than the Dutch East
India Company.
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00:12:23,333 --> 00:12:25,503
In the 1700s,
the company was worth
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00:12:25,533 --> 00:12:30,303
an estimated $7.9 trillion
in today's money.
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00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,870
A recently discovered
shipwreck may finally reveal
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00:12:34,900 --> 00:12:37,100
a hidden side to the business,
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00:12:37,133 --> 00:12:41,233
in which sailors onboard the
ships were smuggling silver
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00:12:41,267 --> 00:12:43,727
and playing the markets.
203
00:12:49,367 --> 00:12:53,227
In 2005, a salvage team
investigates the remains
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00:12:53,267 --> 00:12:58,897
of a Dutch merchant ship,
80 feet below the sea surface.
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00:12:58,933 --> 00:13:02,403
The Rooswijk was lost off
the southern coast of England.
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00:13:02,433 --> 00:13:07,173
On a treacherous ten miles sand
bar called the Goodwin Sands.
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00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:10,900
This ship disappeared.
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00:13:10,933 --> 00:13:15,333
It was supposed to be sailing
out to the Dutch Hell Islands
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00:13:15,367 --> 00:13:18,867
in South East Asia,
and it turns out it never got
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further
than the English channel.
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00:13:21,433 --> 00:13:23,403
As they investigate the wreck,
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00:13:23,433 --> 00:13:27,603
salvagers uncover a hoard
of unexpected riches.
213
00:13:27,633 --> 00:13:33,633
It's found that the shipwreck
has a cargo of silver,
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00:13:33,667 --> 00:13:36,467
which is
obviously highly valuable.
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00:13:36,500 --> 00:13:39,070
They find 1,000 silver bars
216
00:13:39,067 --> 00:13:45,227
and around 36,000 silver
dollars neatly stacked in chests.
217
00:13:45,267 --> 00:13:48,067
These coins of the infamous
Pieces of Eight,
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00:13:48,067 --> 00:13:52,527
so-called because they were
worth eight Spanish reales each.
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00:13:52,567 --> 00:13:55,897
One coin is worth
about $100 in today's money.
220
00:13:55,933 --> 00:14:00,333
That means there's
over $3 million worth.
221
00:14:00,367 --> 00:14:04,267
The ship was carrying silver
for basic trade purposes.
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00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:06,600
The Europeans wanted spices,
223
00:14:06,633 --> 00:14:09,803
they wanted the porcelains,
they wanted silks.
224
00:14:09,833 --> 00:14:12,133
Where could you get them?
The Far East.
225
00:14:15,067 --> 00:14:17,467
The salvaged silverfrom the Rooswijk
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00:14:17,500 --> 00:14:19,870
is handed over
to Dutch authorities.
227
00:14:21,267 --> 00:14:23,867
But in 2017,
a groundbreaking Dutch
228
00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:25,970
and English
archaeological project
229
00:14:26,067 --> 00:14:28,567
revisits the Rooswijk,
in a bid to study
230
00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,330
and preserve the wreck.
231
00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:34,900
Using state-of-the-art
equipment to survey the site,
232
00:14:34,933 --> 00:14:37,633
divers make
an unexpected discovery.
233
00:14:37,667 --> 00:14:41,367
A different type of silver
not previously detected,
234
00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,200
and it's not neatly
stacked in chests,
235
00:14:44,233 --> 00:14:46,903
but scattered across the site.
236
00:14:46,933 --> 00:14:49,073
What's unusual
is it's actually found
237
00:14:49,067 --> 00:14:51,597
in individual piles all over.
238
00:14:51,633 --> 00:14:54,603
This strange surplus
silver doesn't belong
239
00:14:54,633 --> 00:14:56,403
with the ship's cargo.
240
00:14:56,433 --> 00:15:00,173
Does analysis of the coins
suggest a secret unofficial
241
00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,370
industry involvingthe Rooswijk crew?
242
00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,170
Who were the men on board? Were
they merchants, or were they smugglers?
243
00:15:19,067 --> 00:15:22,067
Archaeologists
excavating a Dutch shipwreck
244
00:15:22,067 --> 00:15:25,067
find vast amounts of silver
coins scattered across
245
00:15:25,067 --> 00:15:28,967
the surrounding seabed
in bizarre clusters.
246
00:15:29,067 --> 00:15:31,667
The loose piles of money
indicate they were being
247
00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:35,200
carried by individual sailors
when the ship went down.
248
00:15:35,233 --> 00:15:39,303
And there's something very
strange about the coins themselves.
249
00:15:39,333 --> 00:15:42,073
We find coins everywhere,
and when we started
250
00:15:42,067 --> 00:15:46,367
to prepare these out, we saw
that they were also very different.
251
00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,500
These don't resemble
the silver found
252
00:15:48,533 --> 00:15:51,173
in the chest in 2005.
253
00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,200
Bizarrely, many
of them aren't even
254
00:15:53,233 --> 00:15:55,603
from the samecentury as the Rooswijk.
255
00:15:55,633 --> 00:16:00,073
These coins turned out
not to be those silver reales.
256
00:16:00,100 --> 00:16:01,670
Some of the coins that they find
257
00:16:01,700 --> 00:16:03,070
are from the 17th century,
258
00:16:03,067 --> 00:16:06,627
which is a full century
before the ship takes sail.
259
00:16:06,667 --> 00:16:08,927
Even stranger, many of the coins
260
00:16:08,967 --> 00:16:11,497
have holes drilled through them.
261
00:16:11,533 --> 00:16:14,733
I'd think those holes
were there to put on a string
262
00:16:14,767 --> 00:16:16,197
and put it around your neck
263
00:16:16,233 --> 00:16:18,833
or maybe sewed into your clothes
264
00:16:18,867 --> 00:16:22,827
so nobody would see that you
did have coins on board of the ship.
265
00:16:22,867 --> 00:16:24,527
We had never seen that before.
266
00:16:24,567 --> 00:16:27,267
We had never seen those coins,
with those little holes.
267
00:16:30,267 --> 00:16:32,967
Official records showthe Rooswijk should have been
268
00:16:33,067 --> 00:16:37,827
carrying 300,000 Dutch
guilders' worth of silver.
269
00:16:37,867 --> 00:16:41,897
Now it's thought the ship was
actually carrying double that amount.
270
00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:45,870
There happens to be
about twice as much money
271
00:16:45,900 --> 00:16:48,830
on the vessel
as should have been there.
272
00:16:48,867 --> 00:16:52,167
Why was there so much
concealed silver on board,
273
00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,070
and who was carrying it?
274
00:16:57,333 --> 00:17:00,473
In 1740, the Rooswijk's
crew are employees
275
00:17:00,500 --> 00:17:04,970
of the Dutch East India
Company, also known as the VOC.
276
00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:08,330
Its business is global trade.
277
00:17:08,367 --> 00:17:11,227
Compared to the world's
wealthiest companies of today,
278
00:17:11,267 --> 00:17:16,427
the VOC is still the biggest
corporation ever to have existed.
279
00:17:16,467 --> 00:17:19,697
They owned these ships
and shipping routes,
280
00:17:19,733 --> 00:17:23,603
and the VOC were really
very, very wealthy
281
00:17:23,633 --> 00:17:25,803
and very, very powerful.
282
00:17:25,833 --> 00:17:28,373
Individuals on board
are forbidden from bringing
283
00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:30,930
their own silver to trade,
but it would have been
284
00:17:30,967 --> 00:17:33,427
very tempting,
given the high demand
285
00:17:33,467 --> 00:17:36,127
for the precious metal
in the Dutch East Indies.
286
00:17:36,167 --> 00:17:39,697
Silver was worth far
more in the East Indies
287
00:17:39,733 --> 00:17:41,203
than in the Netherlands.
288
00:17:41,233 --> 00:17:44,073
In some places it's more
valuable than others.
289
00:17:44,067 --> 00:17:49,097
In the East Indies, it's 30 to 40%
more valuable than in Europe.
290
00:17:49,133 --> 00:17:51,673
Anyone making
the trip would be in a position
291
00:17:51,700 --> 00:17:56,230
to play the market,
buying low and selling high.
292
00:17:56,267 --> 00:17:58,497
If you didn't get caught,
and made it back
293
00:17:58,533 --> 00:18:00,873
from the East Indies
with your goods intact,
294
00:18:00,900 --> 00:18:04,170
you could make
a staggering fortune.
295
00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,570
The sheer amount
of illegitimate coins
296
00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,900
among the wreckage proves
there were smugglers on board
297
00:18:09,933 --> 00:18:11,833
who hoped to cash in big.
298
00:18:13,667 --> 00:18:17,227
In 2018, archaeologists
excavate artifacts
299
00:18:17,267 --> 00:18:20,497
that unveil key details
about the people on board.
300
00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:26,130
Can any of these objects
tell us who had secret plans
301
00:18:26,167 --> 00:18:27,897
to play the silver market?
302
00:18:29,167 --> 00:18:31,567
We have oil lamps on board,
303
00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,970
we even found complete wine
bottles, with the corks still on it.
304
00:18:35,067 --> 00:18:36,427
There's personal items.
305
00:18:36,467 --> 00:18:38,727
There is a nice writing set.
306
00:18:38,767 --> 00:18:41,267
There are candles on board.
307
00:18:41,300 --> 00:18:44,700
It's such a rare find
to see one of these ships.
308
00:18:44,733 --> 00:18:47,073
We hear about them in history,
309
00:18:47,067 --> 00:18:50,627
but to actually
see the tangible evidence.
310
00:18:50,667 --> 00:18:53,897
Although many are
well preserved, some of the nearly
311
00:18:53,933 --> 00:18:56,903
300-year-old items
are harder to examine.
312
00:18:57,933 --> 00:19:00,603
The team
finds giant concretions,
313
00:19:00,633 --> 00:19:02,933
lumps of artifacts
fused together
314
00:19:02,967 --> 00:19:06,227
over the centuries
by sediment and iron rust.
315
00:19:06,267 --> 00:19:08,167
Researchers believe they contain
316
00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:09,900
more smuggled silver.
317
00:19:11,633 --> 00:19:14,403
Can x-rays
help the team look inside,
318
00:19:14,433 --> 00:19:17,903
and uncover the truth aboutthe Rooswijk's smugglers?
319
00:19:17,933 --> 00:19:21,073
Using these technologies
it could be possible to better
320
00:19:21,100 --> 00:19:23,730
understand the distribution
of the coins on the ship,
321
00:19:23,767 --> 00:19:25,867
and by doing that,
we can get a better sense
322
00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:28,930
of who these people were
and what their story was.
323
00:19:28,967 --> 00:19:31,727
The Rooswijk crewrange from high ranking
324
00:19:31,767 --> 00:19:35,197
officers to deck hands,
and even soldiers.
325
00:19:35,233 --> 00:19:37,603
Determining who was
carrying the coins
326
00:19:37,633 --> 00:19:41,073
and who wasn't seems
like an impossible task.
327
00:19:41,067 --> 00:19:43,827
Can new scientific
techniques identify
328
00:19:43,867 --> 00:19:45,897
these secret smugglers?
329
00:19:59,500 --> 00:20:03,170
In 1740, Dutch trade
ship, the Rooswijk,
330
00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,630
sinks just one day
into its journey.
331
00:20:06,667 --> 00:20:08,897
The team now excavating the ship
332
00:20:08,933 --> 00:20:11,803
finds human remains
among the artifacts.
333
00:20:11,833 --> 00:20:16,833
Evidence
of the 237 who perished.
334
00:20:16,867 --> 00:20:19,697
But it's the strange
silver coins in the wreckage
335
00:20:19,733 --> 00:20:21,803
that really get their attention,
336
00:20:21,833 --> 00:20:25,533
and suggest
a secret smuggling plot.
337
00:20:25,567 --> 00:20:29,127
Who, among the crew,
was on the take?
338
00:20:31,767 --> 00:20:34,027
Some of the smuggled
coins are bound up
339
00:20:34,067 --> 00:20:37,427
in large concretions
with other artifacts.
340
00:20:37,467 --> 00:20:39,967
Breaking them apart
could destroy them,
341
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,370
so the team uses special
techniques to look inside.
342
00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,870
The archaeologists
keep the artifacts
343
00:20:45,900 --> 00:20:47,530
in special tanks of water.
344
00:20:47,567 --> 00:20:50,267
They're also using x-ray techniques
to take a look at the artifacts
345
00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:52,230
without taking them
apart or damaging them.
346
00:20:52,267 --> 00:20:55,767
We can't start to chisel
a concretion if we don't know
347
00:20:55,800 --> 00:21:00,300
what's in there, so we really
have to look into the object,
348
00:21:00,333 --> 00:21:03,603
and only then we can see
that this is a coin,
349
00:21:03,633 --> 00:21:05,173
the coin is of silver,
350
00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,430
so we have to be very
careful to chisel it out.
351
00:21:08,467 --> 00:21:11,097
They discover that
many smuggled silver coins
352
00:21:11,133 --> 00:21:14,203
are mixed in with personal
accessories like buckles
353
00:21:14,233 --> 00:21:18,733
and beads and are found
across a wide area.
354
00:21:18,767 --> 00:21:21,927
If the shipwreck
is spread out over 600 feet
355
00:21:21,967 --> 00:21:24,227
on the seabed, you know,
how did they bring it altogether,
356
00:21:24,267 --> 00:21:26,867
to help it make sense?
357
00:21:26,900 --> 00:21:30,530
The excavations give
the team a wealth of information,
358
00:21:30,567 --> 00:21:33,197
but it's not enough
to identify the smugglers.
359
00:21:34,167 --> 00:21:35,897
Who exactly were they,
360
00:21:35,933 --> 00:21:38,503
and how much were they carrying?
361
00:21:38,533 --> 00:21:42,073
Researchers must
turn to the archives.
362
00:21:42,067 --> 00:21:43,867
By scouring historical records,
363
00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:46,070
sometimes you can
find a paper trail.
364
00:21:46,100 --> 00:21:49,300
All these things
have a little traces
365
00:21:49,333 --> 00:21:52,773
to somebody, and that's
exactly what we did.
366
00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,200
With the help of a lot
of people searching
367
00:21:56,233 --> 00:21:58,103
for those archives.
368
00:21:58,133 --> 00:22:01,073
Cross-referencing
the date of the ship's departure
369
00:22:01,067 --> 00:22:03,767
against bank records,
they uncover evidence
370
00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,670
of large and highly
suspicious loans.
371
00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,470
Daniel Ronzieres,the Rooswijk captain,
372
00:22:11,500 --> 00:22:16,800
borrows 17,000 Dutch guilders
just before the ship sailed,
373
00:22:16,833 --> 00:22:20,733
the equivalent
of $200,000 in today's money.
374
00:22:21,867 --> 00:22:24,797
And he wasn't alone.
375
00:22:24,833 --> 00:22:28,703
Some normal sailors had quite
a lot of money with them.
376
00:22:28,733 --> 00:22:32,273
That's how we found out that
there was not just a little bit
377
00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:33,770
of smuggling money on board,
378
00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,800
there is loads
of smuggling money on board.
379
00:22:36,833 --> 00:22:39,373
Working for the VOC
was one of the toughest
380
00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,330
and most
dangerous seafaring jobs.
381
00:22:42,367 --> 00:22:46,697
Did the rewards outweigh
the risks for the 237 men
382
00:22:46,733 --> 00:22:48,773
who went down with the Rooswijk?
383
00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:52,730
If you were caught
with this silver,
384
00:22:52,767 --> 00:22:55,897
having it confiscated
would be punishment enough.
385
00:22:55,933 --> 00:22:58,233
You would return home,
heavily in debt
386
00:22:58,267 --> 00:23:00,897
and face debtor's
prison or worse.
387
00:23:06,767 --> 00:23:09,397
And the wreck of the Rooswijk
388
00:23:09,433 --> 00:23:11,773
may still have more to tell us.
389
00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,130
Archaeologists have
only found the stern of the ship,
390
00:23:17,167 --> 00:23:19,967
and so a large section
is still unaccounted for.
391
00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:23,430
Has it been ravaged by the sea?
392
00:23:23,467 --> 00:23:25,897
Or is it waiting somewhere
out there in the sea floor,
393
00:23:25,933 --> 00:23:27,533
yet to be discovered?
394
00:23:31,467 --> 00:23:36,267
Over the centuries,
246 Dutch VOC ships
395
00:23:36,300 --> 00:23:39,070
have sunk
to the bottom of the sea.
396
00:23:39,067 --> 00:23:42,127
If silver smuggling
was as rife on these ships
397
00:23:42,167 --> 00:23:45,367
as researchers now believe,
there could be millions
398
00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:49,830
of dollars' worth of illicit
treasure hiding in the deep.
399
00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:04,570
The world's coastlines
are teeming with life,
400
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,230
with the majority
of ocean creatures
401
00:24:07,267 --> 00:24:09,397
swimming near our shores.
402
00:24:09,433 --> 00:24:12,973
People thrive here too
with 40% of the Earth's
403
00:24:13,067 --> 00:24:16,067
human population living
close to a coast.
404
00:24:17,433 --> 00:24:20,103
So what happens when
this crowded zone
405
00:24:20,133 --> 00:24:22,703
becomes a toxic wasteland?
406
00:24:28,067 --> 00:24:29,927
The Kamchatka peninsula,
407
00:24:30,867 --> 00:24:33,267
a pristine and remote wilderness
408
00:24:34,300 --> 00:24:36,370
with towering volcanic peaks
409
00:24:38,467 --> 00:24:40,697
and dark sweeping beaches.
410
00:24:42,333 --> 00:24:44,933
Kamchatka's shores
are where eastern Russia
411
00:24:44,967 --> 00:24:48,067
meets the vast
North Pacific Ocean.
412
00:24:49,133 --> 00:24:50,833
In September 2020,
413
00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,730
several surfers
are enjoying the waves
414
00:24:56,667 --> 00:25:00,467
when suddenly they're hit
by a strange sickness.
415
00:25:02,733 --> 00:25:05,233
Surfers in the water
describe a variety
416
00:25:05,267 --> 00:25:08,227
of adverse reactions,
including nausea,
417
00:25:08,267 --> 00:25:11,767
headaches,
and burning and itching eyes.
418
00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:15,500
Some report what feel
like chemical burns.
419
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,530
More than 15 surfers
are hospitalized.
420
00:25:21,467 --> 00:25:25,067
They report the incident
to local authorities,
421
00:25:25,067 --> 00:25:30,427
but within 24 hours Kamchatka's
waters go from bad to worse.
422
00:25:32,300 --> 00:25:35,230
Video captured by beach
goers reveals a scene
423
00:25:35,267 --> 00:25:37,627
of mass death.
424
00:25:37,667 --> 00:25:40,227
Lots of marine
wildlife starts washing up
425
00:25:40,267 --> 00:25:43,467
on the beaches, dead or sick.
426
00:25:43,500 --> 00:25:46,430
It didn't matter what
level of animal life
427
00:25:46,467 --> 00:25:48,497
in the sea
you were talking about.
428
00:25:48,533 --> 00:25:50,673
Everything was dying.
429
00:25:52,100 --> 00:25:54,670
Underwater footage
shows the sea floor
430
00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:57,670
is now a marine graveyard.
431
00:25:57,700 --> 00:26:00,230
Even stranger, some
creatures look like
432
00:26:00,267 --> 00:26:02,197
they've been boiled alive.
433
00:26:03,633 --> 00:26:07,303
Scientists estimate
some 95% of sea life
434
00:26:07,333 --> 00:26:09,473
has been wiped out.
435
00:26:09,500 --> 00:26:11,270
There's something deadly
in the water here,
436
00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:12,630
but we don't know what.
437
00:26:12,667 --> 00:26:14,327
Could this be
a manmade disaster,
438
00:26:14,367 --> 00:26:16,067
or an act of Mother Nature?
439
00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,330
As the bizarre
incident gains global attention,
440
00:26:22,367 --> 00:26:25,497
international observers
suggest there is one culprit
441
00:26:25,533 --> 00:26:27,803
capable of causing
such widespread death
442
00:26:27,833 --> 00:26:28,933
and destruction.
443
00:26:31,333 --> 00:26:33,733
Kamchatka's mighty volcanoes.
444
00:26:34,767 --> 00:26:37,227
One hypothesis is
that volcanic activity
445
00:26:37,267 --> 00:26:38,597
could be to blame.
446
00:26:38,633 --> 00:26:41,633
Kamchatka has over 300 volcanoes
447
00:26:41,667 --> 00:26:43,867
densely packed
across the peninsula.
448
00:26:45,867 --> 00:26:48,127
Well, over 20 of these
volcanoes are known
449
00:26:48,167 --> 00:26:49,267
to be active.
450
00:26:49,300 --> 00:26:52,070
They can erupt
with explosive force,
451
00:26:53,533 --> 00:26:57,603
but it's the toxic gases they
spew that can be just as deadly.
452
00:26:59,333 --> 00:27:02,573
Around 20 miles
from Kamchatka beaches,
453
00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,430
Karymsky Lake lies
next to a volcano
454
00:27:05,467 --> 00:27:08,567
that was once
thought to be extinct.
455
00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,470
But on January 2nd,
1996, the volcano erupts.
456
00:27:13,500 --> 00:27:15,870
A sulfurous plume rains down,
457
00:27:15,900 --> 00:27:19,600
transforming the nearby
lake into a toxic soup.
458
00:27:19,633 --> 00:27:22,303
An ecological
catastrophe ensues.
459
00:27:23,867 --> 00:27:27,297
The water in the lake
becomes extremely acidic.
460
00:27:27,333 --> 00:27:30,173
All but the most simple
versions of algae
461
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,100
and bacteria cannot survive
in this environment.
462
00:27:33,767 --> 00:27:34,797
Everything else dies.
463
00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,300
But around the time of
Kamchatka's mass sea life deaths,
464
00:27:40,333 --> 00:27:43,073
there are no reports
of the seismic shockwaves
465
00:27:43,100 --> 00:27:46,170
that usually
accompany an eruption,
466
00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,700
so volcanic activity
is ruled out as the cause.
467
00:27:51,133 --> 00:27:53,073
Instead,
Russian officials suggest
468
00:27:53,067 --> 00:27:55,867
a different natural phenomenon
could be to blame
469
00:27:55,900 --> 00:27:58,100
for this
bizarre watery disaster.
470
00:28:00,367 --> 00:28:02,527
Satellite
images reveal a strange
471
00:28:02,567 --> 00:28:04,927
yellow discoloration
along the coast.
472
00:28:06,267 --> 00:28:08,527
It prompts Russian
researchers to link
473
00:28:08,567 --> 00:28:13,727
the catastrophe to a known
ocean killer, algae blooms.
474
00:28:13,767 --> 00:28:16,067
It's like a cancer of the ocean.
475
00:28:16,067 --> 00:28:19,197
It sucks up all the oxygen,
all the nutrients.
476
00:28:19,233 --> 00:28:23,373
It will take over an entire
ocean if it is not controlled.
477
00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:30,130
In the US, red tides
ravage coastlines each year.
478
00:28:30,167 --> 00:28:32,767
Blood colored
microorganisms produce toxins
479
00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:34,730
that accumulate in shellfish,
480
00:28:34,767 --> 00:28:39,097
making any creatures that eat
them sick or even worse.
481
00:28:39,133 --> 00:28:42,303
It speeds on through
the chain of marine
482
00:28:42,333 --> 00:28:45,073
ecosystem all the way up.
483
00:28:46,133 --> 00:28:48,203
Other species
of blue green algae,
484
00:28:48,233 --> 00:28:49,933
called cyanobacteria,
485
00:28:49,967 --> 00:28:52,297
can also release harmful toxins.
486
00:28:53,867 --> 00:28:57,267
Humans who come into contact
can suffer skin irritation,
487
00:28:57,300 --> 00:28:59,470
fevers and breathing
difficulties,
488
00:28:59,500 --> 00:29:03,430
the same symptoms experienced
by the Kamchatka's surfers.
489
00:29:05,500 --> 00:29:09,070
Did they encounter toxic
algae as it washed ashore?
490
00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,630
Some people think that Russian
officials are quite keen
491
00:29:13,667 --> 00:29:15,827
to push this idea
that algae blooms
492
00:29:15,867 --> 00:29:19,527
are to blame in order
to move the attention away
493
00:29:19,567 --> 00:29:21,967
from possible
other reasons for it.
494
00:29:22,067 --> 00:29:26,797
It seems that this might
not be the full story.
495
00:29:26,833 --> 00:29:29,203
Environmental
scientists conducting
496
00:29:29,233 --> 00:29:33,133
their own separate investigation
find something shocking.
497
00:29:33,167 --> 00:29:36,067
Evidence of industrial
chemicals in the water.
498
00:29:37,333 --> 00:29:40,173
A secret source leads
the scientists to a site
499
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:45,870
near Kamchatka's coast known to
harbor decades old industrial waste.
500
00:29:45,900 --> 00:29:48,170
Could it be that some
of the chemicals that were
501
00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:49,970
dumped here 'cause
they were deemed too toxic
502
00:29:50,067 --> 00:29:53,197
for industry are
related to this problem?
503
00:29:53,233 --> 00:29:56,373
Are thousands of dead
sea creatures in fact
504
00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,870
the victims of a sinister
manmade disaster?
505
00:30:10,167 --> 00:30:13,367
On the coast where Russia
meets the North Pacific,
506
00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:19,500
a deadly poisonous soup has
wiped out 95% of ocean life.
507
00:30:19,533 --> 00:30:23,003
Can water analysis
reveal the identity
508
00:30:23,033 --> 00:30:24,803
of the mysterious killer?
509
00:30:29,100 --> 00:30:31,600
Such a mass die-off
of marine creatures
510
00:30:31,633 --> 00:30:35,933
is unusual and strange,
and needs to be investigated.
511
00:30:35,967 --> 00:30:38,927
Samples from the
ocean reveal concentrations
512
00:30:38,967 --> 00:30:41,567
of several
unexpected toxic agents.
513
00:30:43,267 --> 00:30:48,567
2,4-dichlorophenol is a
compound used in pesticides.
514
00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:54,430
Highly corrosive, it causes severe
skin and eye damage in humans.
515
00:30:54,467 --> 00:30:59,497
Another, tetrachloromethane,
banned because of its toxicity,
516
00:30:59,533 --> 00:31:01,633
can cause
liver and kidney failure.
517
00:31:03,100 --> 00:31:05,470
What we're seeing here is
some kind of pollution event.
518
00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:08,770
But where did it come from?
519
00:31:10,833 --> 00:31:15,203
Just five miles inland is an
isolated industrial compound
520
00:31:15,233 --> 00:31:18,273
called the Kozelsky
chemical landfill.
521
00:31:18,300 --> 00:31:20,500
For decades the site
has been used to store barrels
522
00:31:20,533 --> 00:31:23,503
of poisonous and hazardous
chemicals in the ground.
523
00:31:23,533 --> 00:31:25,933
The site
is in a derelict condition.
524
00:31:27,133 --> 00:31:29,873
The chemicals are actually
seeping into the ground water.
525
00:31:31,867 --> 00:31:35,967
If any of these toxic
substances get into the ground water,
526
00:31:36,067 --> 00:31:39,127
it makes sense that they
would flow into the ocean,
527
00:31:39,167 --> 00:31:41,727
right where
this massive die-off occurs.
528
00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:45,100
Despite evidence
linking the Kozelsky
529
00:31:45,133 --> 00:31:47,773
chemical landfill
to the mass marine deaths,
530
00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,330
Russian officials
publicly deny it.
531
00:31:51,967 --> 00:31:55,727
Then, in 2021,
in a strange turn of events,
532
00:31:55,767 --> 00:31:59,067
authorities announce
plans of a cleanup operation.
533
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,900
It seems odd that they would
make plans to clear out
534
00:32:04,933 --> 00:32:10,303
and liquidate this facility
just months after these claims.
535
00:32:10,333 --> 00:32:13,373
With Russian
officials refusing to admit guilt,
536
00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,100
environmentalists are
now closely monitoring
537
00:32:16,133 --> 00:32:17,933
the beaches of Kamchatka,
538
00:32:17,967 --> 00:32:21,397
amidst fears that the toxic
waters could return.
539
00:32:22,967 --> 00:32:25,267
This is a real problem,
540
00:32:25,300 --> 00:32:30,430
because this area is so rich
in the ecological system.
541
00:32:30,467 --> 00:32:33,727
It has some fantastic wildlife.
542
00:32:33,767 --> 00:32:37,167
It's very important that we
need to protect these waters.
543
00:32:42,667 --> 00:32:44,667
Whether it was an act of nature
544
00:32:44,700 --> 00:32:48,370
or industrial neglect,
the sea life massacre
545
00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:52,500
along the Kamchatka coast
should serve as a warning.
546
00:32:52,533 --> 00:32:55,403
The world's coastlines
are a turbulent
547
00:32:55,433 --> 00:32:59,433
and blurred boundary
between land and water.
548
00:32:59,467 --> 00:33:03,927
In a place where humans and
ocean creatures must coexist,
549
00:33:03,967 --> 00:33:08,797
where and when will the next
toxic disaster strike?
550
00:33:18,633 --> 00:33:21,933
Across the vast blue
expanses of our planet,
551
00:33:21,967 --> 00:33:24,797
there's a bizarre
invasion underway.
552
00:33:24,833 --> 00:33:28,133
Multiplying armies
of jellyfish are taking over
553
00:33:28,167 --> 00:33:30,597
large areas
of the world's oceans
554
00:33:30,633 --> 00:33:33,703
where they've never seen before.
555
00:33:33,733 --> 00:33:36,703
Why are these freakish
gelatinous lifeforms
556
00:33:36,733 --> 00:33:41,633
suddenly dominating our seas
and what could it mean for us?
557
00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,600
Jellyfish have been
around for 500 million years.
558
00:33:51,633 --> 00:33:53,903
They not
only populate our coastlines,
559
00:33:53,933 --> 00:33:56,803
but they've also been
found up to 2.5 miles deep
560
00:33:56,833 --> 00:33:58,073
underneath the ocean.
561
00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:01,400
Jellyfish are freaky.
562
00:34:01,433 --> 00:34:03,903
We have no real
understanding of them.
563
00:34:03,933 --> 00:34:06,503
They have no brain
as far as we can tell.
564
00:34:06,533 --> 00:34:08,933
They may
be very simple lifeforms,
565
00:34:08,967 --> 00:34:11,367
but venomous tentacles
make jellyfish
566
00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:14,600
some of the most fearsome
underwater inhabitants.
567
00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,870
I handled one of the world's
deadliest creatures,
568
00:34:20,900 --> 00:34:22,970
the box jellyfish.
569
00:34:23,067 --> 00:34:26,097
No one should approach
these translucent terrors
570
00:34:26,133 --> 00:34:27,973
without extreme caution.
571
00:34:28,067 --> 00:34:31,267
This one has enough
venom to kill 50 people.
572
00:34:31,300 --> 00:34:33,630
I still can't compute
the deadliness
573
00:34:33,667 --> 00:34:34,867
of the venom of this thing.
574
00:34:34,900 --> 00:34:37,200
This would kill people
in a very, very a short time.
575
00:34:42,333 --> 00:34:46,303
These toxins are found
in a cell that we call
576
00:34:46,333 --> 00:34:49,403
the nomadasis, which are
like little daggers.
577
00:34:49,433 --> 00:34:52,933
As the tentacle
rubs up against you,
578
00:34:52,967 --> 00:34:54,497
it's like a harpoon,
579
00:34:55,700 --> 00:34:58,670
and that injects
a toxin into the victim.
580
00:34:58,700 --> 00:35:01,400
You're in a bad situation there.
581
00:35:01,433 --> 00:35:04,333
Not all species
have lethal stinging power,
582
00:35:04,367 --> 00:35:09,067
but in huge numbers they
present a different kind of danger.
583
00:35:09,067 --> 00:35:12,267
Studies now show that some
2,000 different species
584
00:35:12,300 --> 00:35:15,900
of jellyfish are turning up at
unexpected times of the year
585
00:35:15,933 --> 00:35:19,473
in greater volumes than
have ever been seen before.
586
00:35:19,500 --> 00:35:23,670
One of the most bizarre phenomena in
today's natural world are jellyfish swarms.
587
00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:26,700
Increasing jellyfish
numbers around the world
588
00:35:26,733 --> 00:35:30,103
has puzzled
scientists for decades.
589
00:35:30,133 --> 00:35:33,133
Researchers aren't
sure why this is happening,
590
00:35:33,167 --> 00:35:35,967
but one leading
theory is overfishing...
591
00:35:37,833 --> 00:35:41,973
which has depleted
our oceans worldwide.
592
00:35:42,067 --> 00:35:44,967
With the fish gone, the
jellyfish have access to all the food,
593
00:35:45,067 --> 00:35:49,167
so therefore their numbers
grow exponentially.
594
00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:52,400
And in a frightening
twist, this jellyfish plague
595
00:35:52,433 --> 00:35:54,833
is wreaking havoc
on some of the most
596
00:35:54,867 --> 00:35:57,327
dangerous
structures on the planet.
597
00:35:57,367 --> 00:35:58,897
For a non-thinking animal,
598
00:35:58,933 --> 00:36:02,203
to take down
a nuclear power plant...
599
00:36:03,533 --> 00:36:04,833
It's pretty phenomenal.
600
00:36:15,900 --> 00:36:18,600
Across the world,
multiplying armies
601
00:36:18,633 --> 00:36:22,633
of jellyfish are
overwhelming our oceans.
602
00:36:22,667 --> 00:36:26,667
And now they threaten
our coastal infrastructure.
603
00:36:26,700 --> 00:36:31,300
July, 2020, in Israel, workers
mount a massive cleanup
604
00:36:31,333 --> 00:36:35,273
after thousands swarm
a coastal power station.
605
00:36:35,300 --> 00:36:37,470
Video footage from
the power plant reveals
606
00:36:37,500 --> 00:36:40,300
images of hundreds
of blue jellyfish
607
00:36:40,333 --> 00:36:43,473
being swept down
the chute and into a bin.
608
00:36:43,500 --> 00:36:47,730
The plant needs a constant
supply of cold sea water to run,
609
00:36:47,767 --> 00:36:49,697
and its complex filter systems
610
00:36:49,733 --> 00:36:51,973
are no match
for the mysterious onslaught
611
00:36:52,067 --> 00:36:56,067
of jellyfish seemingly
intent on shutting it down.
612
00:36:56,100 --> 00:36:58,070
These washed in from
the Mediterranean,
613
00:36:58,067 --> 00:37:01,497
blocking
the critical cooling system.
614
00:37:01,533 --> 00:37:04,303
If the cooldown
system goes down,
615
00:37:04,333 --> 00:37:06,573
that means trouble
for the power plant.
616
00:37:07,867 --> 00:37:10,797
It would be a costly
setback for a coal plant,
617
00:37:10,833 --> 00:37:13,933
but for a nuclear power
station, a jellyfish invasion
618
00:37:13,967 --> 00:37:15,967
has the potential
for catastrophe.
619
00:37:18,667 --> 00:37:21,867
In the last decade, four
countries have been forced
620
00:37:21,900 --> 00:37:26,270
to shut down nuclear plants
because of jellyfish swarms.
621
00:37:26,300 --> 00:37:29,070
Without cold water
to cool their reactors,
622
00:37:29,067 --> 00:37:31,767
meltdown is a real possibility.
623
00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:35,070
Jellyfish can literally take
out a nuclear power plant.
624
00:37:35,067 --> 00:37:37,097
That's crazy.
625
00:37:37,133 --> 00:37:39,833
Why do these
gelatinous zombie hoards
626
00:37:39,867 --> 00:37:42,927
seem to hone in
on our nuclear reactors?
627
00:37:42,967 --> 00:37:45,297
Is there something in the
water that's attracting them?
628
00:37:46,900 --> 00:37:49,730
What is now known is
that these strange creatures
629
00:37:49,767 --> 00:37:52,897
absorb radioactive
compounds from the ocean.
630
00:37:54,833 --> 00:37:57,603
In 2015, scientists
discovered radiation
631
00:37:57,633 --> 00:38:00,273
in three sets of jellyfish.
632
00:38:00,300 --> 00:38:02,830
Could there be a connection
between radioactivity
633
00:38:02,867 --> 00:38:05,797
and these bizarre
jellyfish invasions?
634
00:38:05,833 --> 00:38:11,103
Scientists think these ocean
drifters somehow accumulate radionuclides,
635
00:38:11,133 --> 00:38:13,633
radioactive atoms
found in the sea.
636
00:38:13,667 --> 00:38:17,927
When radioactive compounds
accumulate in sea jellies,
637
00:38:17,967 --> 00:38:19,827
we can have
a really big problem.
638
00:38:20,500 --> 00:38:22,400
It's called bioaccumulation.
639
00:38:22,433 --> 00:38:26,603
This contamination can travel
through the entire food chain.
640
00:38:26,633 --> 00:38:31,073
Jellyfish are
the world's filtration system.
641
00:38:31,100 --> 00:38:33,430
They go through
the oceans and they pick up
642
00:38:33,467 --> 00:38:35,297
everything that's
flowing through it.
643
00:38:35,333 --> 00:38:38,633
So if the world's oceans
have radiation in them,
644
00:38:38,667 --> 00:38:39,727
they're gonna pick it up.
645
00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:43,070
Could this
radioactivity be affecting
646
00:38:43,100 --> 00:38:45,630
jellyfish evolution?
647
00:38:45,667 --> 00:38:47,867
Scientists are now
finding that jellyfish
648
00:38:47,900 --> 00:38:50,130
all over the world
are getting bigger.
649
00:38:52,533 --> 00:38:55,873
Over the last four years,
the shores of Japan
650
00:38:55,900 --> 00:38:59,200
have been invaded by
the giant nomura jellyfish.
651
00:39:00,500 --> 00:39:03,170
Growing to more
than six feet in diameter
652
00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:06,070
and reaching over
400 pounds in weight,
653
00:39:06,067 --> 00:39:08,227
they are truly gargantuan.
654
00:39:09,433 --> 00:39:12,103
In 2009,
a Japanese fishing trawler
655
00:39:12,133 --> 00:39:15,633
was sunk by giant
nomura jellyfish.
656
00:39:15,667 --> 00:39:17,497
They were the size of cars,
657
00:39:17,533 --> 00:39:20,573
and they were hundreds,
if not thousands of them,
658
00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:23,100
all around the trawler,
overwhelming it.
659
00:39:24,133 --> 00:39:25,903
To limit the destruction
660
00:39:25,933 --> 00:39:27,773
caused by
these enormous creatures,
661
00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:32,230
scientists are desperately trying
to predict where swarms will occur.
662
00:39:32,267 --> 00:39:34,097
The problem
really, with jellyfish,
663
00:39:34,133 --> 00:39:35,773
is that they appear
out of the blue,
664
00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:37,770
and we can't really predict
665
00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,800
when they're gonna come, or
where they're going to come.
666
00:39:40,833 --> 00:39:43,273
Scientists know
that overfished areas
667
00:39:43,300 --> 00:39:44,830
of the ocean allow jellyfish
668
00:39:44,867 --> 00:39:47,627
to thrive and multiply,
but they might be even
669
00:39:47,667 --> 00:39:51,327
stranger forces driving them
towards our coastlines.
670
00:39:51,367 --> 00:39:54,567
Jellyfish swarms could
be controlled by the moon.
671
00:39:55,867 --> 00:39:59,327
In 2016, a research
scientist makes inroads
672
00:39:59,367 --> 00:40:02,767
into why and where
jellyfish blooms may occur.
673
00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,900
He finds that they maybe
connected to the lunar cycle.
674
00:40:07,233 --> 00:40:09,573
Data shows that big swarms occur
675
00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:12,630
in the days before
and during a full moon,
676
00:40:12,667 --> 00:40:14,997
but we have no idea why.
677
00:40:15,033 --> 00:40:19,333
We do know many other animals,
including to an extent humans,
678
00:40:19,367 --> 00:40:23,097
are impacted by the lunar
gravitational fields.
679
00:40:26,233 --> 00:40:28,703
There's no obvious
way to fight back
680
00:40:28,733 --> 00:40:31,733
against this sinister
wave of slime.
681
00:40:31,767 --> 00:40:34,597
In fact, it's thought
that as the world's human
682
00:40:34,633 --> 00:40:37,903
population increases,
so will the environmental
683
00:40:37,933 --> 00:40:40,633
conditions that favor jellyfish.
684
00:40:40,667 --> 00:40:43,127
But we don't have enough
historical data
685
00:40:43,167 --> 00:40:45,997
to determine if this
is a natural fluctuation
686
00:40:46,033 --> 00:40:48,973
or if the jellyfish
army is here to stay.
687
00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,930
New species of jellyfish
are discovered every year.
688
00:40:52,967 --> 00:40:56,927
They are on our coastlines,
they're 2.5 miles down
689
00:40:56,967 --> 00:40:58,997
in our oceans,
they're everywhere.
690
00:40:59,033 --> 00:41:00,433
They seem to be evolving,
691
00:41:00,467 --> 00:41:02,427
and more seem
to be coming about.
692
00:41:02,467 --> 00:41:04,867
What's the next chapter
in the evolution
693
00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:08,500
of this resilient and
long-living type of species?
694
00:41:10,367 --> 00:41:12,797
In a final terrifying twist,
695
00:41:12,833 --> 00:41:15,373
it's now thought
that our gelatinous adversary
696
00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:20,200
has the ultimate weapon
in its arsenal... immortality.
697
00:41:20,233 --> 00:41:22,473
Humans have
very clear age-limits,
698
00:41:22,500 --> 00:41:25,270
because our cells begin
to regenerate slower,
699
00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:28,070
and we lose our ability
to grow new tissue
700
00:41:28,067 --> 00:41:30,067
in the way
we would when we're babies.
701
00:41:30,067 --> 00:41:31,597
Jellyfish, on the other hand,
702
00:41:31,633 --> 00:41:34,733
don't have those mechanisms,
so some people theorize
703
00:41:34,767 --> 00:41:36,697
they might be
able to live forever.
704
00:41:36,733 --> 00:41:38,903
We really don't understand them.
705
00:41:38,933 --> 00:41:42,633
They could be the key
to unlocking eternal life.
706
00:41:42,667 --> 00:41:44,067
We don't know.
707
00:41:50,067 --> 00:41:54,727
The rise of the jellyfish shows
no signs of slowing down.
708
00:41:54,767 --> 00:41:57,397
Experts now think
that within 40 years,
709
00:41:57,433 --> 00:42:01,703
they'll be the dominant species
in many marine ecosystems.
710
00:42:01,733 --> 00:42:03,833
Unless we find a way to stop it,
711
00:42:03,867 --> 00:42:06,897
this spineless invader
is in line to become
712
00:42:06,933 --> 00:42:09,503
the new King of the Ocean.
59657
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