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Narrator: Ever wonder
what could make an animal
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Vanish into thin air...
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It's as if the animals
just teleported out of there.
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00:00:07,308 --> 00:00:10,476
♪
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Narrator:
...What could cause this sea
to take on an eerie glow?
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There is actually
something in the water.
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Narrator: ...Or why
killer whales would gather
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In their hundreds?
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Man #1: I've never seen
anything like this, never!
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Narrator:
Nature is awe-inspiring,
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00:00:27,661 --> 00:00:30,396
But, sometimes,
it just doesn't make sense.
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00:00:30,398 --> 00:00:32,664
I have never seen
anything like this!
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Our team of experts investigate
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The weirdest animal behavior...
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That's amazing.
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...And the most
unexpected events...
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What is causing that?
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...Ever caught on camera.
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Man #2: My god!
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These are nature's
strangest mysteries, solved.
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♪
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The great basin desert, utah.
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♪
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Field biologist,
evan buechley, is on a mission
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To discover
how scavengers behave.
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♪
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I've always been
really attracted to deserts.
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Deserts are one of
the less-studied ecosystems.
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It's a very tough
environment to survive.
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For animals,
it all comes down
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To whether
you're able to find food.
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Narrator: And evan has
a trunk full of bait.
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I have one calf carcass
in the back of the car.
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♪
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This was a stillborn calf.
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It had died of natural causes.
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Narrator: A 60-pound dead calf
is not your usual cargo,
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But it's a regular load
for a scavenger scientist.
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Evan's plan is to leave
the carcass in the wild,
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Stake it out
with motion-sensitive cameras,
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Then come back later to find out
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What animals have fed on it.
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It's up on this little ridge,
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So if birds are flying over
they'll be able to see it.
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♪
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Narrator:
Evan sets up the experiment.
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Scavengers keep
our landscapes healthy
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By cleaning up
disease-ridden carcasses.
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♪
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Understanding what they need
will help us
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Protect these species
in the future.
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Every time a animal
will come and visit the carcass,
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It'll automatically sense that
and take a photo.
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♪
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Narrator: As usual, he leaves
the bait for two full weeks,
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But when he returns
to his desert stakeout,
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Something strange has happened.
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Buechley: I come up
to the carcass and...
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It's totally gone.
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Narrator: The carcass
has vanished without a trace.
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It's as if the animal has just
teleported out of there.
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I searched all around to see
if there might be some bones
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Or parts of the carcass
that are left,
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And I couldn't find anything.
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Narrator: Something like this
has never happened before
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In evan's experiments
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And he's been running them
for years.
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Carcasses don't just disappear
without leaving anything behind.
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So who, or what,
could have taken it?
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My first thought was coyotes.
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[ coyotes crying ]
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There the most common
predatory mammal out here.
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They work in packs sometimes,
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So they could conceivably
have drug away a big carcass.
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They're intelligent
and they work in groups,
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They work together as
a team, just like wolves do.
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They'll go for
big things like deer
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Or something
as small as a raccoon,
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But they do also go
for already killed dead meat
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Waiting and decaying.
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Narrator:
But, coyotes are messy eaters.
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They would have left
plenty of evidence.
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Buechley: They could
have eaten part of it,
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But there still would have been,
you know, big chunks of bone
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And other parts left.
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Schreiber:
You would see little bits
of shrapnel along of the way
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Of the animal.
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We've seen nothing of that.
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So, it's unlikely
that they were responsible
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For this missing calf.
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00:04:02,109 --> 00:04:03,875
♪
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Narrator: It looks like
coyotes are no longer
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In the frame.
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00:04:06,981 --> 00:04:10,916
♪
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The plot thickens.
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If the carcass
wasn't dragged away,
97
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Could it have been
lifted up and carried off?
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Could the carcass have
disappeared because of vultures?
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♪
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Narrator:
Vultures are purpose-built
to find dead animals.
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♪
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Turkey vultures' nostrils
are so brilliantly designed
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That they can smell the unique
sulfurous chemical compounds
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Of decaying meat
from a mile away,
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Which means they can then
circle around in the air
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Until they pinpoint it
exactly...
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...And then swoop down on it.
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[ vultures squawking ]
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Narrator: There are 23 different
species of vulture worldwide,
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Including six
in just the serengeti
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Where they feast on zebras
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00:05:01,902 --> 00:05:04,670
And pretty much any other
carcass they come across.
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00:05:04,672 --> 00:05:06,672
In ecosystems around the world,
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Vultures will be
the first vertebrate animal
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That will find and
start feeding on a carcass
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00:05:10,844 --> 00:05:12,611
Within minutes.
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Vultures are
incredible scavengers
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And it's a result of
the ability for them
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To take in toxins
that most animals can't
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And digest them
in their stomachs.
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00:05:21,555 --> 00:05:23,889
They're effectively
the cleaning crew of nature.
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You know, if you've got
a spillage, bring in a vulture.
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They will deal
with the situation.
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♪
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Narrator: But there's a problem
with this line of investigation.
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Turkey vultures don't eat bones.
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There were no bones
found at this location.
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00:05:39,239 --> 00:05:41,273
Where did they go?
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00:05:41,275 --> 00:05:43,742
Could the turkey vultures
have picked up the bones
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00:05:43,744 --> 00:05:45,777
And carried them somewhere else?
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00:05:45,779 --> 00:05:49,047
Vultures don't have
those powerful talons
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00:05:49,049 --> 00:05:51,149
And powerful leg muscles
and wings
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00:05:51,151 --> 00:05:52,951
That would enable them
to carry something
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As heavy as a carcass,
even in pieces,
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Away from
the scene of the crime.
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♪
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00:05:59,727 --> 00:06:02,094
Narrator:
Evan is running out of suspects,
138
00:06:02,096 --> 00:06:04,029
And our experts are stumped.
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00:06:04,031 --> 00:06:09,167
♪
140
00:06:09,169 --> 00:06:12,804
After finding no evidence
at the scene of the crime,
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00:06:12,806 --> 00:06:15,407
Evan hopes the camera
will offer up some answers.
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♪
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Buechley: We did not have
any photos of coyotes.
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00:06:20,314 --> 00:06:22,247
There's no photos
of mountain lions.
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There's very little other
activity at the site,
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Except for a solitary bobcat.
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00:06:28,355 --> 00:06:30,622
As I continued
to flip through the photos,
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I was very surprised.
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There was a picture of...
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This guy,
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A north american badger.
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♪
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He showed up,
seemed to just kind of
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Sniff around the carcass,
and then left.
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The next morning he came back
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And started to dig.
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♪
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He was digging all around
the edge of the carcass,
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And he just kept at it.
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Very fastidiously,
the carcass just slowly sunk
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Into a massive hole
that this badger was excavating.
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He continued into the night.
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It was snowing, he kept
digging through the snow.
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♪
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Third day after
we had placed the carcass,
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He started to backfill
over the top of the carcass.
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So started to push all
the dirt he had excavated
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Out from under the cow,
back over the top of it,
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And then the badger dug a hole,
disappeared into the hole,
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And presumably fed
on that carcass.
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♪
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Badgers, what a plot twist!
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♪
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The american badger
is the culprit in this case.
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Narrator: The badger
stayed in its new den,
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Feeding on the calf carcass
for weeks.
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♪
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Badgers have been filmed
burying small snacks,
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Like mice or squirrels,
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00:07:55,943 --> 00:07:58,310
But this is
the first video evidence
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That they can bury
something as big as a calf,
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Four times their own size.
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00:08:04,785 --> 00:08:07,619
Schreiber: Badgers are
the ultimate digging machine.
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00:08:07,621 --> 00:08:10,589
They have the ability to go
through tightly-packed ground
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Like a drill
would go through concrete.
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[ badger sniffing ]
187
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They have a third eyelid,
and it's transparent.
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00:08:16,697 --> 00:08:18,697
So it means while the other
eyelids are blinking away
189
00:08:18,699 --> 00:08:20,398
And doing their job
of getting rid of dirt,
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They can still see
what they're doing
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00:08:21,802 --> 00:08:23,201
As they're digging
into the ground.
192
00:08:24,838 --> 00:08:27,906
Buechley: By placing
the carcass underground,
193
00:08:27,908 --> 00:08:29,341
They're keeping
the carcass cool.
194
00:08:29,343 --> 00:08:32,911
They're essentially, like,
putting it in the refrigerator.
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It's an extraordinary way
of consuming your meals
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In utter privacy.
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It's the ultimate v.I.P. Meal.
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Narrator:
So far, this is the only badger
199
00:08:41,321 --> 00:08:43,121
To have ever been caught
on film
200
00:08:43,123 --> 00:08:45,624
Pulling off
such an ambitious stunt.
201
00:08:45,626 --> 00:08:48,593
♪
202
00:08:48,595 --> 00:08:50,395
[ insects chirping ]
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♪
204
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Norway, December 2017.
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♪
206
00:08:58,939 --> 00:09:02,173
Hundreds of killer whales
gather off skjervoy island.
207
00:09:02,175 --> 00:09:04,309
It's really amazing to see.
208
00:09:04,311 --> 00:09:07,379
Narrator: A guide catches
the bizarre event on film.
209
00:09:08,482 --> 00:09:10,248
Man #1:
Oh, my god!
210
00:09:10,250 --> 00:09:12,017
And this is incredible.
211
00:09:12,019 --> 00:09:14,352
♪
212
00:09:14,354 --> 00:09:18,256
I've never seen anything
like this. Never, never!
213
00:09:18,258 --> 00:09:20,725
Narrator: This could be
the biggest single gathering
214
00:09:20,727 --> 00:09:22,994
Of killer whales
ever caught on camera.
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00:09:22,996 --> 00:09:27,232
♪
216
00:09:27,234 --> 00:09:29,234
Why are they here?
217
00:09:29,236 --> 00:09:31,136
And what do they want?
218
00:09:31,138 --> 00:09:34,472
♪
219
00:09:43,984 --> 00:09:46,585
Narrator: In norway,
hundreds of killer whales
220
00:09:46,587 --> 00:09:49,821
Gather off skjervoy island.
221
00:09:49,823 --> 00:09:54,993
It could be the biggest killer
whale gathering ever filmed,
222
00:09:54,995 --> 00:09:57,495
But what have
they come here for?
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00:09:57,497 --> 00:10:03,735
♪
224
00:10:03,737 --> 00:10:06,071
Why are they doing this?
225
00:10:06,073 --> 00:10:07,372
Man #1: My god!
226
00:10:07,374 --> 00:10:09,541
We think of killer whales,
the pods that they form
227
00:10:09,543 --> 00:10:11,042
We think of
as usually being smaller,
228
00:10:11,044 --> 00:10:13,378
Maybe a few dozen individuals.
229
00:10:13,380 --> 00:10:14,846
We have to stop and ask,
230
00:10:14,848 --> 00:10:16,781
"why are there so many
killer whales all together?"
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00:10:16,783 --> 00:10:21,453
♪
232
00:10:21,455 --> 00:10:22,721
Conley: What we're seeing
in this video
233
00:10:22,723 --> 00:10:23,888
Is way more than that.
234
00:10:23,890 --> 00:10:26,825
So, up to 200 orcas,
235
00:10:26,827 --> 00:10:29,160
And we're calling this
a megapod.
236
00:10:29,162 --> 00:10:31,329
The question is
why are they congregating
237
00:10:31,331 --> 00:10:33,498
In such a large number?
238
00:10:33,500 --> 00:10:35,200
Narrator:
Could this huge gathering
239
00:10:35,202 --> 00:10:37,469
Be one, big extended family?
240
00:10:37,471 --> 00:10:40,739
♪
241
00:10:40,741 --> 00:10:43,008
The kardashians
of the killer whales.
242
00:10:43,010 --> 00:10:45,810
Well, there's a surprising
way to find out...
243
00:10:45,812 --> 00:10:48,413
♪
244
00:10:48,415 --> 00:10:50,248
...By listening
to their wailing.
245
00:10:50,250 --> 00:10:52,651
♪
246
00:10:52,653 --> 00:10:55,286
Conley:
Whales and dolphins do have
247
00:10:55,288 --> 00:10:57,055
What we would think of
as a language,
248
00:10:57,057 --> 00:11:02,661
And if you hear the chattering
of one orca, or dolphin,
249
00:11:02,663 --> 00:11:06,431
You can tell approximately
what pod it came from.
250
00:11:06,433 --> 00:11:09,868
Narrator:
Each female family line
has their own dialect,
251
00:11:09,870 --> 00:11:11,803
Their own version
of local slang.
252
00:11:12,973 --> 00:11:15,106
[ whales crying ]
253
00:11:15,108 --> 00:11:17,142
And in a pod full of cousins,
254
00:11:17,144 --> 00:11:19,110
Everyone speaks
in a similar way.
255
00:11:20,681 --> 00:11:24,049
So, are they chatting like
locals in this megapod?
256
00:11:24,051 --> 00:11:28,987
♪
257
00:11:28,989 --> 00:11:31,790
We think there are
several different dialects
258
00:11:31,792 --> 00:11:33,124
Within this group,
so we know that
259
00:11:33,126 --> 00:11:34,759
This is not
just one big pod.
260
00:11:34,761 --> 00:11:36,494
This is
actually a conglomeration
261
00:11:36,496 --> 00:11:40,031
Of several pods coming
together in this area.
262
00:11:41,368 --> 00:11:45,103
Narrator: This is pretty unusual
in killer whale society.
263
00:11:45,105 --> 00:11:47,572
Normally, we don't
see them socializing
264
00:11:47,574 --> 00:11:48,840
Between different pods.
265
00:11:48,842 --> 00:11:50,508
It's not something
that's very common.
266
00:11:50,510 --> 00:11:53,545
Narrator: If it's not
a big family gathering,
267
00:11:53,547 --> 00:11:54,879
What else is going on?
268
00:11:56,116 --> 00:11:57,515
Could love be in the air,
269
00:11:57,517 --> 00:11:59,350
Or rather in the water?
270
00:11:59,352 --> 00:12:02,854
One possibility this pod
of killer whales formed
271
00:12:02,856 --> 00:12:04,556
Was for mating purposes.
272
00:12:05,992 --> 00:12:07,659
Narrator:
Orcas are fairly secretive
273
00:12:07,661 --> 00:12:09,561
About their mating habits.
274
00:12:09,563 --> 00:12:12,397
We don't know much
about what they get up to,
275
00:12:12,399 --> 00:12:15,734
But we do know they seem
to wait for warmer waters
276
00:12:15,736 --> 00:12:17,402
Before they heat things up.
277
00:12:18,972 --> 00:12:21,206
And they also tend
to breed more in the spring,
278
00:12:21,208 --> 00:12:23,374
Whereas this footage
was captured in the winter.
279
00:12:23,376 --> 00:12:26,111
♪
280
00:12:26,113 --> 00:12:29,614
Narrator: It's the wrong
time of year for romance.
281
00:12:29,616 --> 00:12:33,918
They weren't mating, and
they're not all close relatives.
282
00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:35,954
What other clues
are there in the video?
283
00:12:35,956 --> 00:12:39,491
There are also tons and tons
of birds flying up above head,
284
00:12:39,493 --> 00:12:41,526
Which is indicative of
some sort of feeding frenzy,
285
00:12:41,528 --> 00:12:43,528
Because wherever there's food
the birds are gonna show up.
286
00:12:45,599 --> 00:12:49,634
Narrator:
A frenzy of birds above
could mean a feast down below.
287
00:12:51,138 --> 00:12:53,705
Are the bird after fish
that the orcas are catching?
288
00:12:53,707 --> 00:12:58,843
♪
289
00:12:58,845 --> 00:13:02,814
The fish in this part of norway
are most likely herring,
290
00:13:02,816 --> 00:13:05,450
Famous for being pickled
by the scandinavians
291
00:13:05,452 --> 00:13:09,120
Into a fairly-niche dish
of fermented fish.
292
00:13:09,122 --> 00:13:11,089
Delicious.
293
00:13:11,091 --> 00:13:14,092
But herring is also
an orca favorite.
294
00:13:14,094 --> 00:13:16,628
Is that what the whales
in the video are after?
295
00:13:18,098 --> 00:13:20,398
Fish-eating orcas work together
296
00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,735
By flashing their white bellies
and blowing bubbles
297
00:13:23,737 --> 00:13:27,071
To drive fish into a ball
close to the surface.
298
00:13:27,073 --> 00:13:29,641
The whales will corral
a school of fish
299
00:13:29,643 --> 00:13:31,543
By blowing a wall of bubbles.
300
00:13:31,545 --> 00:13:34,946
The fish are too scared
to go through the bubbles.
301
00:13:34,948 --> 00:13:36,481
Conley: Fish won't go through
the bubbles
302
00:13:36,483 --> 00:13:38,183
Because they're afraid,
and they'll just get closer
303
00:13:38,185 --> 00:13:39,617
And closer and closer.
304
00:13:39,619 --> 00:13:42,086
Nosal: Narrower and narrower
until they're all corralled
305
00:13:42,088 --> 00:13:43,822
And they can actually
go and eat those fish.
306
00:13:46,459 --> 00:13:49,160
Narrator:
It's called carousel feeding,
307
00:13:49,162 --> 00:13:52,463
And it's a nightmare
merry-go-round for the herring.
308
00:13:52,465 --> 00:13:55,333
Once they've chased
the fish into a ball,
309
00:13:55,335 --> 00:13:58,136
The orcas bring out
their signature move.
310
00:13:58,138 --> 00:14:03,041
♪
311
00:14:03,043 --> 00:14:05,743
Tail slapping, which is
sometimes used to stun fish
312
00:14:05,745 --> 00:14:07,278
Before going to eat them.
313
00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,782
♪
314
00:14:10,784 --> 00:14:13,084
Narrator: One tail slap
on the edge of a school
315
00:14:13,086 --> 00:14:17,589
Can stun up to 16 fish
rendering them helpless
316
00:14:17,591 --> 00:14:18,990
And ready to scoop up.
317
00:14:18,992 --> 00:14:23,862
♪
318
00:14:23,864 --> 00:14:26,464
Now that's fast food.
319
00:14:26,466 --> 00:14:29,934
So could this invasion of orcas
be a massive feeding frenzy?
320
00:14:29,936 --> 00:14:33,071
♪
321
00:14:41,615 --> 00:14:44,582
Narrator: Hundreds of
killer whales gather in norway.
322
00:14:44,584 --> 00:14:48,152
Man #1: I've never seen anything
like this, never! Never!
323
00:14:48,154 --> 00:14:50,054
Are they there to hunt?
324
00:14:50,056 --> 00:14:53,191
There would be telltale signs
in their behavior --
325
00:14:53,193 --> 00:14:55,560
Tail slapping and herding.
326
00:14:55,562 --> 00:14:57,095
But we don't see that here.
327
00:14:57,097 --> 00:14:58,997
♪
328
00:14:58,999 --> 00:15:02,700
Narrator:
In the video, it looks like
more of a free-for-all.
329
00:15:02,702 --> 00:15:05,370
What are they doing?
330
00:15:05,372 --> 00:15:08,373
Is there a different food source
these orcas could be after?
331
00:15:08,375 --> 00:15:15,179
♪
332
00:15:15,181 --> 00:15:18,549
In the background of the video,
333
00:15:18,551 --> 00:15:21,786
Norwegian fishing boats
are bringing in their catch.
334
00:15:21,788 --> 00:15:24,455
When the fishers are hauling
in their nets full of fish,
335
00:15:24,457 --> 00:15:26,791
Many fish will escape,
there could be bycatch
336
00:15:26,793 --> 00:15:28,126
That are thrown back in.
337
00:15:28,128 --> 00:15:30,261
There's a lot of easy food
for these orcas,
338
00:15:30,263 --> 00:15:32,130
And it makes sense
that they would all gather there
339
00:15:32,132 --> 00:15:33,798
For the easy meal.
340
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,366
Conley: They sometimes
will actually break the nets
341
00:15:35,368 --> 00:15:37,435
And take the fish
out of the nets.
342
00:15:37,437 --> 00:15:39,537
I mean, these guys
can eat tons of fish a day.
343
00:15:39,539 --> 00:15:40,638
You know they're in
direct competition
344
00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:42,907
With these fishermen.
345
00:15:42,909 --> 00:15:44,575
Narrator:
If that is what's happening,
346
00:15:44,577 --> 00:15:48,746
How did so many orcas know
where to come for a free meal?
347
00:15:48,748 --> 00:15:51,716
These intelligent animals
have actually learned
348
00:15:51,718 --> 00:15:53,518
What these fishing
vessels sound like,
349
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,020
Their motors sound like,
what the gears grinding,
350
00:15:56,022 --> 00:15:58,623
Lifting nets up
out the water sound like.
351
00:15:58,625 --> 00:16:00,158
Narrator: Just like
when your dog hears you
352
00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:04,162
Open a bag of chips
from upstairs.
353
00:16:04,164 --> 00:16:05,964
And it could be that
these distinct sounds
354
00:16:05,966 --> 00:16:10,735
Are what attracted all of these
killer whales from so far way.
355
00:16:10,737 --> 00:16:14,005
Narrator: Killer whale hearing
is super-sensitive.
356
00:16:14,007 --> 00:16:15,940
They use clicks to hunt
357
00:16:15,942 --> 00:16:20,111
And can hear them bouncing
off herring 100 meters away.
358
00:16:20,113 --> 00:16:21,612
So these fishing boat noises
359
00:16:21,614 --> 00:16:24,148
Are like ringing the dinner bell
360
00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:27,552
For the all-you-can-eat
scandinavian smorgasbord.
361
00:16:27,554 --> 00:16:35,760
♪
362
00:16:35,762 --> 00:16:38,997
Anglesey, u.K., summer 2018.
363
00:16:40,734 --> 00:16:44,335
In the dead of night,
the ocean appears to glow.
364
00:16:45,739 --> 00:16:47,238
Nosal:
When the waves were breaking,
365
00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,708
They were glowing
a brilliant blue color.
366
00:16:50,710 --> 00:16:53,845
So the question is, why?
367
00:16:53,847 --> 00:16:57,015
Narrator: Glowing blue water
is a well-known phenomenon,
368
00:16:57,017 --> 00:17:00,752
But it usually appears
3,000 miles south of here.
369
00:17:00,754 --> 00:17:03,855
So, typically we see glowing
blue water in the tropics,
370
00:17:03,857 --> 00:17:07,759
Places like vietnam,
the maldives, puerto rico.
371
00:17:09,329 --> 00:17:12,830
Narrator: So what could be
causing these waters to glow?
372
00:17:12,832 --> 00:17:15,800
♪
373
00:17:25,378 --> 00:17:26,911
Narrator: In anglesey, u.K.,
374
00:17:26,913 --> 00:17:29,480
The ocean started to glow
375
00:17:29,482 --> 00:17:31,449
3,000 miles further north
376
00:17:31,451 --> 00:17:34,652
Than this phenomenon
is usually seen.
377
00:17:34,654 --> 00:17:38,990
What is causing
this bright, blue light?
378
00:17:38,992 --> 00:17:42,060
Could it be a reflection?
379
00:17:42,062 --> 00:17:43,494
Well, one could argue that
380
00:17:43,496 --> 00:17:46,197
With higher, northerly
latitudes of wales,
381
00:17:46,199 --> 00:17:47,532
Oh, it might
have been a reflection
382
00:17:47,534 --> 00:17:50,101
Of an aurora borealis.
383
00:17:50,103 --> 00:17:51,836
Narrator: Bit of a mouthful.
384
00:17:51,838 --> 00:17:54,739
It's also called
the northern lights
385
00:17:54,741 --> 00:17:56,541
When amazing patterns
in the sky
386
00:17:56,543 --> 00:17:59,210
Are caused
by solar weather from space.
387
00:17:59,212 --> 00:18:02,346
♪
388
00:18:02,348 --> 00:18:05,583
But, there were no northern
lights at this time.
389
00:18:05,585 --> 00:18:08,286
Narrator:
In fact, the whole of 2018
390
00:18:08,288 --> 00:18:11,322
Was pretty quiet
in space weather reports.
391
00:18:11,324 --> 00:18:13,858
So, it can't be
a reflection of the aurora.
392
00:18:13,860 --> 00:18:16,194
Nosal: It seems more likely
that there is actually
393
00:18:16,196 --> 00:18:20,098
Something in the water
creating this glow.
394
00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:22,800
Narrator:
There's one main cause
of glowing blue water
395
00:18:22,802 --> 00:18:24,535
Near the equator.
396
00:18:24,537 --> 00:18:27,672
Could anglesey's glow
have this same explanation?
397
00:18:29,676 --> 00:18:31,943
What's actually
happening here is there are
398
00:18:31,945 --> 00:18:34,612
Bioluminescent phytoplankton
in the water.
399
00:18:36,149 --> 00:18:37,415
Narrator: Apparently so.
400
00:18:37,417 --> 00:18:40,585
These are these tiny,
single-celled organisms
401
00:18:40,587 --> 00:18:42,920
That photosynthesize
just like plants do.
402
00:18:44,491 --> 00:18:46,858
Narrator:
Phytoplankton can be tiny --
403
00:18:46,860 --> 00:18:48,826
Less than
a tenth of a millimeter.
404
00:18:48,828 --> 00:18:50,995
They'd fit on a pinpoint,
405
00:18:50,997 --> 00:18:52,997
But together they produce
more than half
406
00:18:52,999 --> 00:18:54,866
Of the oxygen on earth.
407
00:18:54,868 --> 00:18:56,367
We owe them a lot.
408
00:18:56,369 --> 00:18:58,469
♪
409
00:18:58,471 --> 00:19:01,539
And what's amazing is that
when they are disturbed,
410
00:19:01,541 --> 00:19:02,640
They glow.
411
00:19:02,642 --> 00:19:04,542
Narrator:
These tiny guys would be useful
412
00:19:04,544 --> 00:19:06,611
At a diy beach party.
413
00:19:06,613 --> 00:19:08,212
Just throwing a rock
in the water
414
00:19:08,214 --> 00:19:11,115
Makes a dazzling display.
415
00:19:11,117 --> 00:19:12,984
Moser: But this still begs
the question
416
00:19:12,986 --> 00:19:17,054
Of why there are so many here
in a part of the world
417
00:19:17,056 --> 00:19:19,891
Where this phenomenon
really is very rare.
418
00:19:19,893 --> 00:19:22,860
It's very unusual that in
the more temperate to cold water
419
00:19:22,862 --> 00:19:24,562
That we see off of the u.K.
420
00:19:24,564 --> 00:19:27,231
That we would see
a bloom like this.
421
00:19:27,233 --> 00:19:30,968
Narrator: But 2018 was
the u.K.'s joint hottest summer
422
00:19:30,970 --> 00:19:32,236
On record.
423
00:19:32,238 --> 00:19:34,772
Those temperatures
helped lend themselves
424
00:19:34,774 --> 00:19:37,108
To warming the waters locally,
425
00:19:37,110 --> 00:19:39,277
And as those local
waters warmed, well,
426
00:19:39,279 --> 00:19:42,680
Those plankton found
themselves right at home.
427
00:19:42,682 --> 00:19:44,682
Part of the reason we think
that this is happening
428
00:19:44,684 --> 00:19:48,753
Is that the oceans
are warming 60% faster
429
00:19:48,755 --> 00:19:51,622
Than what models have indicated.
430
00:19:51,624 --> 00:19:53,257
Nosal: As the climate
continues to change
431
00:19:53,259 --> 00:19:56,394
And we see the average
temperature getting warmer
432
00:19:56,396 --> 00:19:59,463
And warmer, we're likely
to see this more and more.
433
00:19:59,465 --> 00:20:02,099
Narrator:
So these living lightbulbs
came to the u.K.
434
00:20:02,101 --> 00:20:05,536
After a super-hot summer.
435
00:20:05,538 --> 00:20:07,638
But why do they light up
in the first place?
436
00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:15,379
♪
437
00:20:15,381 --> 00:20:18,849
They could be acting as their
own natural intruder alert.
438
00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,553
They're emitting
that bioluminescence
439
00:20:22,555 --> 00:20:24,121
As a form of self-defense.
440
00:20:24,123 --> 00:20:25,957
So when they're disturbed
or they're agitated,
441
00:20:25,959 --> 00:20:29,293
These tiny, little
creatures flash!
442
00:20:29,295 --> 00:20:32,263
Narrator:
Their light draws attention
to their would-be attacker,
443
00:20:32,265 --> 00:20:36,000
And in theory, scares them off.
444
00:20:36,002 --> 00:20:37,468
They can't tell the difference
445
00:20:37,470 --> 00:20:40,238
Between a fish
that wants to eat them,
446
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,407
A kayak paddle in san diego,
447
00:20:43,409 --> 00:20:45,610
Or someone splashing
through the shallows
448
00:20:45,612 --> 00:20:48,479
In anglesey, u.K.
449
00:20:48,481 --> 00:20:51,115
So they create
the light-up displays.
450
00:20:51,117 --> 00:20:54,118
-- Captions by vitac --
www.Vitac.Com
451
00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:57,121
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