All language subtitles for Secrets.of.the.Underground.S01E01.Capones.Escape.Tunnels.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

IN THE HEART
OF KENTUCKY BOURBON COUNTRY,

BELOW ONE OF LOUISVILLE'S
ELITE HOTELS,

LIES A SERIES
OF FORGOTTEN TUNNELS.

WAS THIS THE SECRET ESCAPE ROUTE
OF NOTORIOUS GANGSTER AL CAPONE?

I THINK WE FOUND
SOMETHING IN HERE.

I'LL DEPLOY
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

TO PEER BENEATH THE FLOORBOARDS

AND PICK UP HIS TRAIL.

AND, IN WESTERN WASHINGTON,
A BIZARRE LANDSCAPE

HAS BEEN BAFFLING SCIENTISTS
FOR CENTURIES.

WHO OR WHAT BUILT
THE MYSTERIOUS MIMA MOUNDS?

OKAY, HERE WE GO.

NOW, AN ADVANCED
SCANNING PROCESS

WILL TURN THEM INSIDE OUT

AND COULD LEAD TO
A STARTLING REVELATION.

HIDDEN JUST BELOW
THE EARTH'S SURFACE,

THERE ARE COUNTLESS
UNSOLVED MYSTERIES.

AND, TODAY, WE FINALLY HAVE
THE TOOLS TO UNLOCK THEM.

LOOK AT THAT!WHOA.

I THINK THIS IS IT.

I'M ROB NELSON,

A SCIENTIST USING
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

TO PEEL THE LID OFF
OUR PLANET'S HIDDEN DEPTHS.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
RIGHT HERE.

HOLY MOLY!

THESE ARE THE SECRETS
OF THE UNDERGROUND.

Captions by VITAC--
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,
KNOWN FOR ITS BOURBON,

BATS AND THE FASTEST
2 MINUTES IN SPORTS.

BUT THIS SOUTHERN JEWEL
OF THE BLUEGRASS STATE

MAY BE HIDING A DARK SECRET.

THIS BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICA'S
ONLY NATIVE WHISKEY

WAS A KNOWN BUSINESS HUB

FOR NOTORIOUS BOOTLEGGER
AL CAPONE.

AND EVERYONE KNEW IT,
INCLUDING THE POLICE.

YET, FOR NEARLY A DECADE,

HE CONDUCTED
HIS ILLICIT BOOZE TRADE

WITHOUT EVER BEING
CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

WHENEVER ONE OF HIS PREFERRED
HANGOUTS WAS RAIDED,

THE MOB BOSS WAS ALWAYS
ONE STEP AHEAD.

WITNESSES CLAIMED HE'D
BE THERE ONE MINUTE,

THEN GONE THE NEXT
WITHOUT A TRACE.

SO HOW DID CAPONE CONTINUE
HIS ILLEGAL OPERATION

FOR OVER A DECADE
WITHOUT EVER GETTING CAUGHT?

LEGEND SAYS THE ANSWER MAY LIE

UNDERNEATH THE CITY
OF LOUISVILLE.

THERE IS RUMORED TO BE
A SECRET NETWORK

OF TUNNELS CARVED
DEEP BELOW THE SKYSCRAPERS

AND CITY STREETS THAT CONNECT
SEVERAL DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS

WITH AN ALLEGED MAFIA ESCAPE
ROUTE TO THE OHIO RIVER.

DURING PROHIBITION,
THE UNDERGROUND NETWORK

IS BELIEVED TO HAVE
PLAYED A KEY ROLE

IN CAPONE'S
BOOTLEGGING BUSINESS.

THE QUESTION IS, DO THESE
RUMORED TUNNELS REALLY EXIST?

AND, IF SO, COULD CAPONE
HAVE ACCESSED THEM

TO ESCAPE AUTHORITIES

AND PEDDLE HIS ILLEGAL BOOZE?

MY INVESTIGATION STARTS
AT BIG AL'S FAVORITE POKER SPOT

AND THE CENTRAL FOCUS
OF TUNNEL RUMORS,

THE HISTORIC SEELBACH HOTEL.

OPENED IN 1905,

THIS DOWNTOWN HOT SPOT'S
OLD-WORLD GRANDEUR QUICKLY

MADE IT THE PLACE
TO SEE AND BE SEEN.

NOTABLE GUESTS INCLUDED
FDR, JFK AND THE ROLLING STONES.

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD USED

THE SEELBACH AS INSPIRATION
IN HIS CLASSIC NOVEL

"THE GREAT GATSBY."

THE TITLE CHARACTER WAS BASED
ON THE REAL-LIFE GANGSTERS

HE SAW HERE, LIKE AL CAPONE,

WHO WAS BUSY MAKING HIS MARK

ON THE BOURBON
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

IN THE PROHIBITION ERA
OF THE 1920s,

EASTERN KENTUCKY SUPPLIED

MUCH OF THE NATION
WITH ILLEGAL ALCOHOL.

AFTER PICKING UP A NEW SUPPLY
OF BOURBON AND MOONSHINE,

IT WAS SAID CAPONE
AND HIS CRONIES

WOULD MEET AT THE SEELBACH
TO CONDUCT BUSINESS.

FROM HERE, CASH AND CONTRABAND

WERE ALLEGEDLY
FUNNELED UNDERGROUND,

OUT OF SIGHT FROM THE POLICE,
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE LEGEND.

BUT DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

I NEED TO SEE THESE
RUMORED TUNNELS MYSELF.

HI!
WELCOME TO THE SEELBACH.

- ROB NELSON.
- HI, NICE TO MEET YOU.

- NICE HOTEL.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO I JOURNEY WITH HOTEL
REPRESENTATIVE JIM MEYER

TWO FLOORS BELOW THE LOBBY
TO THE HOTEL'S SUB-BASEMENT,

WHERE THEY'RE SAID
TO BE LOCATED.

TWO TUNNELS DOWN HERE.

WHOA!
LOOK AT THAT!

AND THEN THERE'S
A SECOND TUNNEL...

- OH, YEAH.
- ...ON THIS SIDE.

THIS IS AWESOME.

LOOKS LIKE A GREAT PLACE
TO ESCAPE AS A GANGSTER.

- YEAH.
- SMUGGLE YOUR BOOZE.

HAVE YOU BEEN IN HERE?

I HAVE LOOKED
AROUND THE CORNER.

THAT'S AS FAR
AS I WANTED TO GO.

WHEN THE HOTEL WAS
FIRST CONSTRUCTED,

THESE TUNNELS WERE BUILT
TO FLUSH OUT RAINWATER

FROM THE BASEMENT.

SO THEY COULD'VE CONNECTED
TO A CITY-WIDE

SEWER SYSTEM
THAT WOULD'VE OFFERED

CAPONE AN ESCAPE
TO JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT
THESE UNDERGROUND BASEMENTS

IS YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND.

AND YOU'RE KIND OF
LOOKING INTO THE--

THE SECRET HISTORY
OF THE BUILDING.

I CAN GUARANTEE,
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW

WHAT YOU'RE GONNA
FIND BACK THERE.

ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, JIM.

CAN I-- CAN I JUST
EXPLORE IT FROM HERE?

- ABSOLUTELY.
- OKAY.

- GOOD LUCK.
- THANK YOU.

I'M GONNA TAKE THE GoPro
BACK INTO THIS TUNNEL,

TRY TO FIGURE OUT
IF IT LEADS ANYWHERE.

SAFETY FIRST, THOUGH.

PUT MY MASK ON.

THIS IS EXCITING.
ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA TAKE YOU DOWN
DEEP INTO THE TUNNEL.

CHECK THIS OUT.

I MAKE MY WAY DOWN
THE NARROW TUNNEL.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING

THAT THE AVERAGE
TOURIST GETS TO SEE.

BUT I QUICKLY COME
TO WHAT APPEARS

TO BE A DEAD END

WITH TWO BLOCKED ENTRANCES.

THERE'S TWO PASSAGEWAYS,

ONE THIS WAY
AND ONE THIS WAY.

BOTH OF THEM COULD
LEAD SOMEWHERE.

HOLD ON.

OH, WOW.

THIS ONE DEFINITELY
LEADS SOMEWHERE.

AND IT KEEPS GOING.

I CAN HEAR RIGHT NOW,
I CAN FEEL AIR COMING THROUGH.

SO THE RUMOR THAT
AL CAPONE CAME IN HERE,

HID HIS MONEY, HID HIS BOOZE,

COULD VERY WELL BE TRUE.

BUT, TO CONFIRM THESE TUNNELS
REALLY KEEP GOING,

I NEED TO USE SOME OF THE TECH
I BROUGHT WITH ME.

FIRST UP, THE
GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR DEVICE.

THE GPR WILL EMIT
A PULSE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC

ENERGY INTO THE WALL.

THE PULSE WILL BOUNCE
BACK TO A RECEIVER.

AND THE SPEED AND STRENGTH
OF ITS RETURN DETERMINES

THE WALL'S DENSITY
AND THICKNESS.

AND, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
THE GPR OFFERS SOLID CLUES

ABOUT WHAT'S BEHIND THIS WALL.

SO YOU CAN SEE, CLEAR AS DAY,

THERE'S REINFORCEMENT,
3 TO 6 INCHES.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S
REBAR IN THERE.

THE ANOMALIES IN THE DATA

REVEAL NOT ONLY
WHAT'S INSIDE THE WALL

BUT WHAT'S BEHIND IT...

NOTHING.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT
THERE'S ESSENTIALLY A GAP

AFTER 9 INCHES.

SO IT LOOKS TO ME
THAT THIS WALL

IS ABOUT 9 INCHES THICK.

AND NOW FOR THE SECOND
POTENTIAL OPENING.

OKAY. I'M GONNA RUN IT
ON THE INNER WALL.

OH, YEAH.
THERE WE GO.

THIS IS A VERY,
VERY THIN WALL.

THIS IS ONLY, LIKE,
2 INCHES THICK.

THERE'S NOTHING BEHIND IT.

IF, IN THEORY, WE COULD
GET THROUGH THIS WALL,

I THINK WE COULD GET
TO A WHOLE TUNNEL NETWORK.

GPR CONFIRMS IT.

THERE'S EMPTY SPACE
BEHIND THESE TWO PORTALS.

THAT MEANS THAT,
IF CAPONE ESCAPED THROUGH

THESE SEWER TUNNELS,

HE COULD'VE CHOSEN
TO GO EITHER DIRECTION,

FURTHER CONFUSING ANYONE
ATTEMPTING TO PURSUE HIM.

SO ALL HE HAD TO DO
WAS WALK DOWN HERE

FROM THE LOBBY LIKE I DID,

AND HE'D BE HOME FREE, RIGHT?

ACCORDING TO THE LEGENDS,
NOT EXACTLY.

WHILE CAPONE MAY HAVE LIKED
DOING HIS BUSINESS

AT THE SEELBACH BECAUSE
OF ITS PROXIMITY

TO THE TUNNEL SYSTEM,

HE COULDN'T JUST MEET
HIS ASSOCIATES IN THE LOBBY

EXCHANGING SUITCASES OF CASH.

SO HE PREFERRED TO MEET
IN THE GENTLEMEN'S POKER ROOM,

WHICH WAS MORE PRIVATE.

BUT IT WAS ALSO ON THE 2nd FLOOR

WITH NO DIRECT ACCESS
TO THE SUB-BASEMENT.

OR WAS THERE?

IF THE POLICE RAIDED
THE HOTEL LOOKING FOR CAPONE,

WHICH THEY OFTEN DID,

HOW COULD HE HAVE MADE
HIS WAY DOWN THREE FLIGHTS

WITHOUT BEING SEEN?

I THINK THIS HOTEL
MAY BE HIDING EVEN MORE

THAN ITS
UNDERGROUND TUNNEL SYSTEM.

COULD THERE ALSO BE
A SECRET STAIRCASE

CONNECTING THE POKER ROOM
TO THE BASEMENT?

TO TRACE THE ESCAPE
ROUTE OF AL CAPONE,

I'M GOING TO NEED
SOME HIGH-TECH TOYS.

JUST TURN IT ON AND RUN IT.

OH, WOW.
LOOK AT THAT!

AND, LATER, I'LL DEPLOY
ANOTHER SET OF GADGETS

TO PROBE WASHINGTON'S
OTHERWORLDLY MIMA MOUNDS.

THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.

ARE THEY THE WORK
OF ANCIENT HUMANS,

THE EARTH ITSELF OR SOMETHING
EVEN MORE UNBELIEVABLE?

OKAY, SO LET ME JUST
GET THIS STRAIGHT.

I'M IN LOUISVILLE,
KENTUCKY, ON THE HUNT

FOR AL CAPONE'S SECRET
ESCAPE ROUTE.

I UNCOVERED A PAIR OF TUNNELS

IN THE BASEMENT OF
CAPONE'S FAVORITE LOCAL HOTEL,

THE SEELBACH, THAT APPEAR
TO LEAD AWAY FROM THE BUILDING.

BUT TO UNDERSTAND HOW
HE COULD'VE ACCESSED THEM,

I NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THE SEELBACH'S STORIED PAST.

SO I ARRANGE A MEETING
WITH HISTORIAN

AND FORMER SEELBACH EMPLOYEE
LARRY JOHNSON.

THIS IS THE GENTLEMEN'S
POKER ROOM.

SO I'VE HEARD THE LEGENDS

THAT,
WHEN AL CAPONE WAS HERE,

HE USED SOME SORT OF, UH,

ESCAPE DOOR TO ESCAPE,
YOU KNOW, THE POLICE.

YOU KNOW, IF HE WAS
HERE IN THIS ROOM,

THEN HOW WOULD
HE DO THAT?

AT THE TIME, THE HOTEL
WAS OWNED BY A GENTLEMAN

BY THE NAME OF ABRAHAM LIEBLING
FROM CHICAGO.

SO THERE WERE
CHICAGO TIES.

THEY WOULD, UH,
MAKE SURE THAT THE HOTEL

WAS SECURE FOR THEM
WHEN THEY WERE HERE.

IF THE POLICE
CAME IN DOWNSTAIRS,

THERE WAS A BUTTON EITHER
AT THE FRONT DESK

OR IN THE BELL STAND.

SOMEBODY WOULD
PUSH THE BUTTON.

THESE DOORS
WERE SPRING-LOADED.

AND THEY WOULD
AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE.

AND THAT TOLD THE GENTLEMEN

THAT IT WAS TIME
FOR THEM TO LEAVE.

SO IT WOULD SPRING SHUT?

IT WOULD SPRING SHUT

AND LOOK LIKE A WALL
FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

AND, FROM THE OUTSIDE,
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW

THAT THIS ROOM
EVEN EXISTED.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU'D NEED
AN ESCAPE OUT OF THIS ROOM.

BASICALLY, THIS WHOLE STORY
STARTS FROM THIS ROOM.

SEALING THE DOORS
COULD BUY CAPONE SOME TIME.

BUT HE STILL NEEDED
AN ESCAPE ROUTE IN CASE

THE COPS DISCOVERED
THE POKER ROOM.

SO HOW DID HE GET OUT?

LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM,

THERE DON'T APPEAR TO BE
ANY OBVIOUS EXITS.

BUT THEN I COME ACROSS
SOMETHING PECULIAR.

THIS PANEL IN THE WALL
LOOKS LIKE A SEALED DOOR

AND SOUNDS HOLLOW
WHEN I KNOCK ON IT.

IN, UH, 1981,
THERE WAS A FIRE

THAT BURNED OUT THE DOOR.

SO THEY WERE
NO LONGER OPERATIONAL.

COULD CONSTRUCTION
FROM THE REPAIRS

HAVE COVERED UP
AL CAPONE'S SECRET PASSAGEWAY?

SINCE WE CAN'T JUST
TEAR OPEN THE WALL,

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
TO FIND OUT FOR SURE.

I'M GONNA GET SOME OF
MY TECH GUYS UP HERE

TO SCAN THE ROOM
AND PIECE TOGETHER THIS MYSTERY.

I'M BRINGING IN BRAD RISTER
AND HIS TEAM OF EXPERTS

FROM GPR ENGINEERING
TO HELP ME HUNT

FOR THE POKER ROOM'S
HIDDEN SECRETS.

- THANKS FOR COMING.
- ABSOLUTELY.

- GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THE FIRST PIECE OF TECH
WE'LL USE IS A LiDAR MACHINE,

WHICH STANDS FOR LIGHT
DETECTION AND RANGING.

THIS THING IS GONNA
SPIN AROUND,

SHOOT A WHOLE
BUNCH OF LASERS,

WHICH IS GONNA GIVE US
A RELIEF PICTURE OF THIS ROOM.

SO, HOPEFULLY, IF THERE WAS
A SECRET PASSAGEWAY,

WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND IT.

LiDAR USES THE LIGHT FROM LASERS

TO CREATE
3-DIMENSIONAL RENDERINGS

THAT CAN THEN BE ANALYZED
WITH PRECISION

DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAILS.

IT CAN ALSO BE USED
ON A MACRO SCALE,

LIKE IN 2015,

WHEN AERIAL REMOTE-SENSING LiDAR

WAS USED TO DISCOVER
A MYSTERIOUS CULTURE'S LOST CITY

IN THE HONDURAN RAINFOREST.

TODAY, THOUGH, WE'LL USE IT

TO SCAN
CAPONE'S 2nd-FLOOR HIDEOUT,

INCLUDING THE POKER ROOM
AND HALLWAYS SURROUNDING IT,

TO GIVE US
A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE

OF THE ENTIRE SPACE

AND EXPOSE ANY ANOMALIES
UNDER FLOORS

AND BEHIND WALLS
THAT COULD UNCOVER

REMNANTS OF CAPONE'S
HIDDEN STAIRCASE.

LET'S TURN IT ON
AND RUN IT.

THE LASERS FROM THE LiDAR
COULD DAMAGE OUR CAMERAS.

SO WE CAN'T FILM THE PROCESS.

BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
WHAT THE DATA REVEALS.

OKAY.
SO I HAVE OUR RESULTS

OF OUR LiDAR TEST RIGHT HERE.

WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN
FIND ANY ANOMALIES.

THE DATA GIVES ME A 3-D
MODEL OF THE ENTIRE ROOM.

OKAY, SO HERE'S THE ENTRANCE
TO THE POKER ROOM.

THE TABLE, CHANDELIER AND EVEN
THE CARPET PATTERN

ARE CLEAR AS DAY.

ANYTHING THAT'S STRANGE
OR OUT OF PLACE

WILL SHOW UP
IN THE LiDAR IMAGE.

AND WHAT I'M MOST
INTERESTED IN IS THE AREA

NEAR THAT SEALED DOOR I FOUND.

OH, WOW.
LOOK AT THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, YEAH,

RIGHT HERE
BEHIND THE POKER ROOM,

THERE'S A LITTLE
INDENTATION IN THE FLOOR,

LIKE SOMEBODY WAS TRYING
TO COVER SOMETHING UP OR,

UM, MAYBE FILL SOMETHING IN.

ESSENTIALLY, WHAT IT'S DOING
IS IT'S ALLOWING US

TO NOW PINPOINT
OUR INVESTIGATION RIGHT HERE.

SO WHAT I'LL DO
IS I'LL GRAB BRAD.

I'LL GRAB THE GUYS.
WE'LL SCAN THIS AREA

AND SEE IF THERE'S
ANY HIDDEN SECRETS BELOW.

THE LiDAR REVEALED EXACTLY

WHERE I NEED
TO SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE

OF CAPONE'S HIDDEN ESCAPE HATCH,

MOST LIKELY A SMALL
STAIRCASE LEADING DOWN.

THERE IS
AN INDENTATION HERE.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO DETERMINE
WHAT LIES BENEATH IT

BY USING
GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR.

I'M GONNA RUN A VERTICAL STRIPE
FROM HERE OVER.

HOLY CRAP!

COULD THAT BE A STAIR?

YOU DO HAVE SOME TYPE
OF ANOMALY DOWN HERE,

UH, ABOUT 7 1/2 INCHES.

OUR GPR DATA HAS REVEALED
SOME CURIOUS IRREGULARITIES

IN THE MATERIALS
BENEATH THIS FLOOR.

THEY COULD'VE REMODELED
AND COVERED THIS BACK OVER.

WHAT I INTERPRET
OUT OF THE DATA

THAT YOU JUST SCANNED,

THAT THE FLOOR IS DISCONTINUOUS
ON HOW IT'S BUILT.

SO, IF IT WAS BUILT ORIGINAL
AT A CERTAIN THICKNESS,

THEN ALL THIS DATA
WOULD LOOK THE SAME.

IT'S GOT MULTIPLE LAYERS
OF SOME TYPE OF MATERIAL.

SO YOU CAN'T TELL
IF THERE'S A STAIRCASE.

BUT YOU CAN TELL THAT
THIS PROBABLY

WAS NOT
THE ORIGINAL FLOOR.

THAT'S NOT
THE ORIGINAL FLOOR, RIGHT.

IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT,
AT SOME POINT,

THIS PART OF THE HOTEL
WAS RECONSTRUCTED,

PERHAPS INADVERTENTLY COVERING
UP CAPONE'S INFAMOUS TRACKS.

WHEN IT CAME TO THE ART
OF ELUDING CAPTURE,

BIG AL WAS THE BEST
IN THE BUSINESS.

AT THE FAMOUS GREEN MILL
COCKTAIL LOUNGE

BACK IN HIS NATIVE CHICAGO,

HE HAD A REGULAR BOOTH
WITH CLEAR VIEWS

OF BOTH THE FRONT
AND BACK ENTRANCES.

IT WAS SAID THAT,
WHEN COPS RAIDED THE JOINT,

CAPONE DISAPPEARED DOWN
A SECRET HATCH BEHIND THE BAR

THAT LED TO A NETWORK
OF OLD COAL TUNNELS BELOW.

FROM THERE, HE COULD
SLIP INTO VARIOUS BUILDINGS

CONNECTED TO THE TUNNELS

AND STAY ONE STEP
AHEAD OF THE POLICE.

IT MAY SOUND LIKE THE STUFF
OF HOLLYWOOD MOVIES.

BUT CRAFTY CRIMINALS
HAVE BEEN USING TUNNELS

TO ESCAPE AS LONG AS AUTHORITIES
HAVE BEEN CHASING THEM.

SINCE ANCIENT TIMES,
CATACOMBS IN ROME

AND PARIS HAVE OFFERED OUTLAWS

AND REBELS AN EASY REFUGE
FROM THE LAW.

AND, EVEN IN OUR TIME,

INFAMOUS MEXICAN DRUG LORD
"EL CHAPO" GUZMáN

TOOK A PAGE
FROM CAPONE'S PLAYBOOK

WHEN HE CONSTRUCTED
SEVEN SAFE HOUSES

IN THE MEXICAN CITY OF CULIACáN.

LOOKS LIKE A BATHTUB, RIGHT?
CHECK THIS OUT.

EACH MODEST-LOOKING HOME
HAD A BATHTUB EQUIPPED

WITH A SECRET
TUNNEL BELOW IT.

THE TUNNELS WOULD LINK UP
WITH THE PUBLIC SEWAGE SYSTEM,

WHERE GUZMáN COULD TRUDGE
THROUGH UNDERGROUND SLUDGE

FOR UPWARDS OF 2 MILES

BEFORE RESURFACING
UNDER A BATHTUB

IN A DIFFERENT SAFE HOUSE,

EFFECTIVELY ALLOWING HIM
TO ELUDE POLICE FOR YEARS.

IN 2013, THE CHICAGO
CRIME COMMISSION NAMED

GUZMáN PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE.

AND THE FIRST PERSON
EVER TO RECEIVE

THAT TITLE, AL CAPONE.

THIS SECTION OF THIS ROOM

VERY WELL COULD'VE
BEEN THE STAIRWAY.

THIS IS A HUGE DISCOVERY
BECAUSE THIS COULD BE

THE HIDDEN PASSAGEWAY
OF AL CAPONE.

NOBODY HAS
ACTUALLY COME IN

AND DETECTED
THESE ANOMALIES YET.

- MM-HMM.
- THERE-- THERE'S RUMORS

THAT THESE EXISTED.

WE KNOW NOW THAT THE FLOOR
IS DIFFERENT HERE.

HE HAD TO HAVE FOUND A WAY
TO GET TO THE BASEMENT.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S BELOW THIS...

MM-HMM.

...AND KIND OF DO IT
ALL IN REVERSE...

- AND WORK IT BACKWARDS, SURE.
- ...AND WORK IT BACKWARDS.

NOW I WANT TO TRACE THIS
SHAFT DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT.

SO I ASK SEELBACH HISTORIAN
LARRY JOHNSON TO SHOW ME

WHAT'S DIRECTLY
UNDER THE POKER ROOM.

TWO FLIGHTS STRAIGHT DOWN LIES

ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC ROOMS

IN THE SEELBACH AND ONE
THAT CAPONE

AND HIS CRONIES
WOULD'VE KNOWN QUITE WELL.

HOLY MOLY!

THIS IS AN AWESOME ROOM.

THIS IS THE RATHSKELLER.

FUN FACT, "RATHSKELLER"
IS A GERMAN WORD

FOR A SUBTERRANEAN BEER HALL.

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD
WAS ACTUALLY

KICKED OUT OF THE ROOM
FOR BEING A DRUNK.

AND, ON ONE OCCASION,
HE WAS SITTING AT THE BAR.

AND HE SPOTTED
AL CAPONE AND GEORGE REMUS.

AND THAT'S WHERE HE STARTED
WRITING "THE GREAT GATSBY."

- OH, REALLY?
- HE'D WRITE DOWN NOTES

ON COCKTAIL NAPKINS
ABOUT HOW THE PEOPLE REACTED.

SO AL CAPONE WOULD'VE COME DOWN
THROUGH HERE, IN THEORY?

YES.

OUR PURSUIT
OF CAPONE'S ESCAPE ROUTE

TAKES US
INTO AN OLD WINE CELLAR

WHICH LINES UP EXACTLY

WITH THE STAIRCASE
SHAFT WE DETECTED.

SO, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE
UNDERNEATH THE POKER ROOM?

WE'RE ACTUALLY 1 1/2
FLOORS UNDERGROUND.

AND THE POKER ROOM
IS STRAIGHT UP

FROM THIS SHAFT
RIGHT HERE.

HOLY CRAP.

LARRY, HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?
IF YOU LOOK RIGHT HERE,

YOU CAN SEE THE WOOD
STEPS ON THE BOTTOM...

- OH, YEAH.
- ...AND RIGHT THERE.

AND THERE'S, LIKE,
A LITTLE BIT OF A COVE

KIND OF DUG OUT.

HERE WAS THE OLD MATERIAL.
THAT'S UNDERNEATH THE STAIRS.

- YEAH.
- SO THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN

WHERE THE STAIRCASE
WOULD'VE BEEN.

IT WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE BEEN
FROM ABOUT THERE OVER,

WHICH MEANS THAT IT WOULD'VE
ONLY BEEN ABOUT THAT WIDE.

YEAH.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN
A VERY NARROW STAIRCASE.

WAS THAT BEFORE YOU WERE HERE?
DID YOU EVER SEE THE STAIRS?

I NEVER SAW THE STAIRS.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROOM.

IT'S LIKE WE'RE FIGURING
OUT THIS MYSTERY AS WE GO.

- YEAH, AS WE GO.
- OH, WOW, LOOK AT THAT.

HAVE YOU--
DID YOU NOTICE THAT?

I'VE NEVER SEEN
THAT HOLE BEFORE.

WHOA!

LET ME CRAWL UP THERE
A LITTLE BIT.

WE'RE IN THE SEELBACH
HOTEL IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,

ON THE TRAIL OF WHAT
MAY HAVE BEEN

AL CAPONE'S LEGENDARY
ESCAPE ROUTE,

A VERTICAL SHAFT
FROM THE 2nd-FLOOR POKER ROOM

INTO THE SUB-BASEMENT.

THERE'S, LIKE, A LITTLE GAP.

IT'S NOT VERY BIG,
MAYBE 2 FEET.

I THINK YOU COULD SQUEEZE
THROUGH IT, THOUGH.

THIS IS FRICKING COOL.

I'M GONNA TAKE THE GoPro,
PUT IT UP THERE

SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

UH, ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING UP INSIDE--

INSIDE THE CEILING
FROM THE DOWNSTAIRS,

UP, UP, UP, UP, UP, UP.

AND THERE WE GO.
IT'S A SUPER TIGHT GAP.

AL CAPONE WAS NO FEATHERWEIGHT.

HE WAS SAID TO STAND
AROUND 5'10"

AND WEIGH AS MUCH AS 250 POUNDS.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN
ESPECIALLY TIGHT

FOR SOMEONE THE SIZE OF CAPONE.

BUT IT'S POSSIBLE HE COULD'VE
SQUEEZED THROUGH HERE.

WE'VE GOT THE STAIRS
RIGHT THERE AND THIS--

THIS IS THE WALL
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

SO WE'RE TALKING MAYBE
2 FEET IN BETWEEN.

BUT I THINK A STAIRCASE
COULD'VE BEEN IN THERE.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS
SOME SORT OF SIGNS OF A FIRE.

THAT-- THAT BLACK RIGHT THERE,

THAT LOOKS PRETTY PROMISING
TO ME.

IN 1981, A FIRE DESTROYED
THIS SECTION OF THE SEELBACH.

SO, IF THERE REALLY
WAS A STAIRCASE HERE,

IT WOULD'VE GONE UP IN FLAMES.

BUT THE SHAFT ITSELF
PREDATES THE FIRE.

COME HERE AND LOOK AT THIS.

OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

ALL THAT'S BEEN REDONE.
YOU SEE THAT BLACK THERE?

THAT COULD'VE BEEN
FROM THE OLD FIRE.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE
OF A STAIRCASE ANYMORE

EXCEPT FOR A FEW PIECES OF WOOD

THAT I'VE DISCOVERED.

THIS IS EXCITING.

THE BURNED WOOD
IS COMPELLING EVIDENCE

THAT A WOODEN STRUCTURE,
QUITE POSSIBLY

A WORKING STAIRCASE,
ONCE EXISTED HERE.

CAPONE COULD CONCEIVABLY
HAVE USED IT TO SLIP DOWN HERE

FROM THE POKER ROOM
WITHOUT BEING SEEN.

THESE SECRET STAIRS
WOULD'VE LED HIM

ALMOST DIRECTLY
TO THE RATHSKELLER,

WHERE HE COULD'VE QUICKLY
MADE HIS WAY DOWN

TO THE SUB-BASEMENT
AND, FROM THERE,

INTO THE TUNNEL SYSTEM
I SAW EARLIER,

WHERE HE'D HAVE HIS CHOICE
OF TWO EXIT PATHS LEADING

TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.

THIS HIDDEN ESCAPE ROUTE
WOULD'VE ALLOWED CAPONE

TO MOVE FREELY
UNDERNEATH LOUISVILLE,

ELUDE CAPTURE FOR YEARS

AND ENABLE HIS ILLEGAL EMPIRE,

WORTH BILLIONS IN TODAY'S MONEY,

TO FLOURISH FOR SO LONG.

SO IT SEEMS THE PARTY CROWD
OF THE PROHIBITION ERA

OWES A DEBT OF GRATITUDE

TO THE SEELBACH
AND ITS HIDDEN SECRETS.

NOW, FROM THE URBAN
UNDERBELLY OF THE HEARTLAND,

I'M HEADING TO THE WILD EXPANSE
OF THE WEST COAST.

JUST OUTSIDE OLYMPIA,
WASHINGTON, SITS

AN ALMOST OTHERWORLDLY SITE...

...A SPRAWLING PLAIN
COVERED BY ROUNDED,

EARTHEN MOUNDS THAT STRETCH
FOR 10,000 ACRES.

SOME OF THE MOUNDS
STAND OVER 7 FEET TALL.

THESE ARE THE MIMA MOUNDS.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

IN ALL DIRECTIONS,

AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE,

ARE THESE HUGE, HUGE MOUNDS.

ARE THEY MAN-MADE,

SOME SORT OF OBSCURE
GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENON

OR SOMETHING EVEN
MORE SURPRISING?

SO FAR, NO ONE HAS COME UP
WITH A DEFINITIVE ANSWER.

THESE MOUNDS ARE ONE
OF THE GREATEST

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES
IN ALL OF AMERICAN GEOLOGY.

SO I WANT TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON.

THIS MYSTERIOUS LANDSCAPE
IS SO BIZARRE

THAT SOME HAVE EVEN SUGGESTED
IT WAS SHAPED BY ANCIENT ALIENS.

THAT MIGHT BE A STRETCH.

BUT HOW ABOUT OTHER
SENTIENT BEINGS?

WHEN EARLY EXPLORERS
FIRST HAPPENED

UPON THIS SPOT IN 1841,

THEY BELIEVED THE HILLS

WERE ANCIENT NATIVE
AMERICAN BURIAL MOUNDS

BECAUSE THEY LOOKED SIMILAR TO
OTHERS FOUND ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

JUST ON A MUCH
WIDER SCALE.

WHEN THE ADVENTURERS
DUG INTO THEM,

THOUGH, THEY FOUND NO BONES
OR OTHER RELICS.

SO THE MOUNDS DON'T APPEAR
TO BE GRAVE SITES.

BUT COULD THEY BE SOME OTHER
KIND OF HUMAN CONSTRUCTION?

WALKING UP, DOWN AND AROUND
THESE HILLS,

THEY CERTAINLY REMIND ME
OF MAN-MADE EARTHWORKS

I'VE SEEN BEFORE,

LIKE THE CAHOKIA
MOUNDS IN ILLINOIS,

WHICH WERE PART OF
A THRIVING ANCIENT CITY COMPLETE

WITH A TOWERING CENTRAL PLAZA

OR THE REMNANTS OF RIDGES

AND HILLS THAT MARK PREHISTORIC
SETTLEMENTS AT WATSON BRAKE

AND POVERTY POINT IN LOUISIANA

OR EFFIGY MOUNDS SCATTERED
AROUND THE COUNTRY,

SOME OF WHICH HELPED CHART
THE ALIGNMENT OF PLANETS

AND STARS THAT WERE IMPORTANT
TO THE BUILDERS.

SO COULD THERE BE
SOME OTHER CEREMONIAL

OR PRACTICAL PURPOSE
TO THE MIMA MOUNDS

BEYOND SIMPLE BURIAL SITES?

ARCHAEOLOGICAL
EVIDENCE SUGGESTS

THAT HUMANS HAVE BEEN
IN THIS AREA

FOR ALMOST 13,000 YEARS.

SO I THINK THAT IF
I CAN FIND EVIDENCE

OF SOME CLEAR PATTERN
TO THE MOUND PLACEMENT,

THAT COULD SUGGEST
THEY'RE MAN-MADE.

IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE

IF THERE'S
AN OVERARCHING PATTERN

FROM DOWN HERE ON THE GROUND.

SO WHAT I REALLY NEED
IS A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW.

AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO
THAT IS TO BREAK OUT MY DRONE.

OKAY, HERE WE GO.

AS THE DRONE SOARS
INTO THE SKY ABOVE,

IMAGES START TO COME IN.

AND, AT FIRST GLANCE,
THE MOUNDS APPEAR VERY ORDERLY.

YOU KNOW,
AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS,

IT LOOKS VERY SYMMETRICAL TO ME.

I ALMOST THINK
I'M SEEING A PATTERN.

COULD THIS BE THE EVIDENCE

OF HUMAN INVOLVEMENT
I'M LOOKING FOR?

WHOA, LOOK AT THAT!

I'M TRYING TO SOLVE

THE ENDURING MYSTERY
OF THE MIMA MOUNDS,

A BIZARRE LANDSCAPE
THAT REMINDS ME

OF OTHER MAN-MADE EARTHWORKS

I'VE SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY

BUT ON A MUCH MORE
MIND-BOGGLING SCALE.

SO I'VE LAUNCHED A DRONE
TO SEE IF I CAN MAKE OUT

ANY EVIDENCE
OF UNNATURAL SHAPES

OR INTENTIONAL PATTERNS

THAT WOULD SUGGEST
HUMAN INVOLVEMENT.

AND I MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING.

I ALMOST THINK
I'M SEEING A PATTERN.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE
ALL THESE LITTLE MOUNDS.

AND THEY LOOK SOMEWHAT EVEN.
OR DO THEY?

IS IT JUST THAT MY BRAIN

WANTS TO SEE A PATTERN
EVEN IF NONE EXISTS?

THAT'S ACTUALLY
A PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON

CALLED PAREIDOLIA.

OUR BRAINS ARE WIRED
TO DETECT HUMAN FACES FROM BIRTH

AND TO MAKE SENSE
OF THE VISUAL INFORMATION

IN FRONT OF US.

SO, BECAUSE OF THAT,
WE SOMETIMES SEE FACES

OR DISTINCT SHAPES
IN INANIMATE OBJECTS

LIKE ROCKS OR PLANETS
OR EVEN TOAST.

IN FACT, THE LONGER I LOOK
AT THE DRONE FOOTAGE,

THE LESS CONVINCED I AM THAT

THERE'S ANY PRECONCEIVED ORDER

OR DESIGN TO THE MOUNDS.

I FEEL LIKE MY MIND

IS SHOWING A PATTERN TO ME
THAT MAY NOT EXIST.

I DON'T SEE ANY OF THE HALLMARKS
OF MAN-MADE ORIGINS FOUND

IN OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN MOUNDS.

THERE'S NO REPEATING
GEOMETRIC PATTERN

OR ANIMAL SHAPES

OR EVEN MORE THAN
A COUPLE MOUNDS

THAT LIE IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

THE MOUNDS ARE ALSO
ALL DIFFERENT SIZES.

SO, WITHOUT CONVINCING PHYSICAL
EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY,

LIKE A TRAIL OF MAN-MADE
ARTIFACTS IN THE VICINITY,

I'LL HAVE TO CONSIDER
OTHER THEORIES

ABOUT THE CREATION
OF THE MIMA MOUNDS.

THE MOST LIKELY ALTERNATIVE
TO HUMAN CONSTRUCTION

WOULD BE SOME SORT OF
GEOLOGICAL PROCESS.

IN FACT, LOOKING AT
THE DRONE FOOTAGE,

IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING
PUSHED THE EARTH UP FROM BELOW.

I'M WONDERING IF THE MIMA MOUNDS

MIGHT BE AN EXTREME VERSION
OF A PHENOMENON

I'VE SEEN BEFORE
CALLED A GILGAI FIELD.

GILGAI ARE REPEATED MOUNDS

AND DEPRESSIONS THAT FORM
IN CLAY-RICH SOIL.

CYCLES OF WET
AND DRY SEASONS

CAUSE THE GROUND TO SWELL

AND SHRINK AS THE CLAY
SUCKS UP WATER

AND THEN DRIES OUT.

OVER TIME, THE SUB-SOIL

IS FORCED UPWARDS
TO FORM MOUNDS.

THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IF THIS IS
WHAT I'M SEEING AT MIMA MOUNDS

IS TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF THE EARTH BENEATH MY FEET.

IF I CAN FIND CLAY
PRESENT IN THE SOIL,

THAT COULD SUGGEST
THESE MOUNDS ARE GILGAI.

SO I'M TURNING TO GEOPHYSICIST
DR. MIKE FEVES

TO HELP ME DEPLOY
A POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY

THAT SHOULD BE ABLE
TO DETECT CLAY CONTENT.

IT'S CALLED ELECTRICAL
RESISTIVITY TOMOGRAPHY OR E.R.T.

E.R.T. IS AN ADVANCED SUBSURFACE
IMAGING TECHNIQUE

THAT ALLOWS US TO SEE HUNDREDS
OF FEET BELOW THE SURFACE.

IT WORKS BY INJECTING
ELECTRICAL CURRENT

INTO THE GROUND

BETWEEN TWO ELECTRODES
AT A TIME.

ADDITIONAL ELECTRODES
THEN MEASURE HOW EASILY

THAT CURRENT IS FLOWING
THROUGH WHATEVER LIES BELOW.

SINCE THE CONDUCTIVITY OF
VARIOUS MATERIALS IS DIFFERENT,

E.R.T. CAN DETERMINE SPECIFIC
SOIL ELEMENTS,

FIND WATER TABLES

AND EVEN LOCATE VOIDS
IN THE SUBSURFACE.

E.R.T. MADE HEADLINES IN 2016

WHEN IT WAS USED TO UNCOVER
A SECRET TUNNEL DUG BY JEWS

ATTEMPTING TO FLEE A NAZI
EXECUTION SITE IN LITHUANIA.

AND IT'S A GREAT TOOL
FOR OUR INVESTIGATION

INTO WHETHER THE MIMA MOUNDS
COULD BE GILGAI.

SINCE CLAY MATERIALS
ARE HIGHLY CONDUCTIVE,

SOIL WITH CLAY CONTENT
CAN BE EASILY

IDENTIFIED WITH E.R.T. TESTING.

Dr. Feves: WE'RE GONNA PUT
A STAKE IN EVERY 4 FEET.

- OKAY.
- THAT'S GOOD!

56 METAL ELECTRODES

WILL PASS THE CURRENT
INTO THE GROUND.

COOL THING IS THIS HAS
NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE OUT HERE.

COULD FIND SOMETHING NEW.

THERE YOU GO.
PERFECT.

WITH THE STAKES IN PLACE,
WE RUN OUR CABLE,

WHICH ATTACHES TO EACH ELECTRODE

AND THE DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM.

- GOOD AND TIGHT.
- OKAY.

WELL, I'M HOPING
IT SHOWS SOMETHING,

GIVES US
SOME SORT OF READING,

SOME SORT OF INDICATION
WHAT'S UNDERNEATH HERE.

SO I'LL HIT THE START
BUTTON HERE.

AND WE'RE OFF AND RUNNING.

CURRENT STARTS PULSING
INTO THE EARTH.

AND DATA STARTS ROLLING IN
WITH SOME SURPRISING RESULTS.

THIS GROUND HERE IS REALLY
HIGH RESISTIVITY.

SO WHAT DOES THAT--
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WE'RE SEEING RESISTIVITIES
HERE OF 150,000 OHM-METERS.

THAT'S LIKE
INTACT KIND OF ROCK

THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T
GET CURRENT INTO,

WHICH IMPLIES THERE'S
NO CLAY CONTENT IN THE--

IN THE-- IN THE SOILS.

AND IT'S VERY DRY.

INSTEAD OF FINDING SOFTER,
CLAY-RICH SOIL,

WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT
A HARD LAYER OF DRY,

GRANULAR MATERIAL RUNS
UNDER THIS ENTIRE AREA,

WHICH MEANS THESE MOUNDS
COULDN'T BE GILGAI.

SO WE CAN ELIMINATE
THAT THEORY.

BUT NOW I'M WONDERING
WHAT OTHER NATURAL FORCES

HAVE THE ABILITY
TO RESHAPE THE EARTH?

AND THERE'S ONE
IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC

OF THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY
THAT HAS TO BE CONSIDERED.

IT'S PRONE TO SEISMIC ACTIVITY.

THE MIMA MOUNDS ARE LOCATED
WITHIN THE RING OF FIRE,

A GEOLOGICALLY AND
VOLCANICALLY ACTIVE AREA

THAT RUNS AROUND THE PACIFIC.

ROUGHLY 90%
OF THE WORLD'S EARTHQUAKES

OCCUR ALONG THIS PATH.

SOME SCIENTISTS HAVE SPECULATED
THAT THE MIMA MOUNDS

COULD BE THE RESULT
OF SEISMIC ACTIVITY,

THAT TECTONIC RUMBLINGS
CAUSE THE EARTH'S CRUST

TO RIPPLE AND FORM
DISTINCT HILLS.

IN MY RESEARCH, I CAME ACROSS
A PRETTY LOW-TECH EXPERIMENT

THAT CAN BE DONE
TO TEST THIS THEORY.

AND I WANT TO TRY IT OUT MYSELF.

SO I'M GONNA TAKE THIS HAMMER,
WHICH SIMULATES AN EARTHQUAKE.

THE EARTH'S CRUST
IS REPRESENTED HERE

BY THE PLYWOOD
AND KIND OF THE TOPSOIL

IS REPRESENTED
BY THIS THIN SHEET OF SAND.

AND SO LET'S JUST SEE
HOW LIKELY IT IS

THAT THESE MOUNDS
FORMED THIS WAY.

EACH HAMMER HIT IS MEANT
TO REPRESENT A SEISMIC EVENT.

IT'S MAKING THE BOARD SHAKE
IN ROUGHLY THE SAME WAY

THE GROUND
WOULD DURING AN EARTHQUAKE.

OH, MY GOSH!
LOOK AT THAT!

YOU SEE THAT?

THAT-- THAT BASICALLY LOOKS
EXACTLY LIKE MIMA MOUNDS.

THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.

IS A HAMMER AND PLYWOOD
REALLY ALL IT TAKES

TO UNLOCK THE MYSTERY
OF THE MIMA MOUNDS?

OR COULD THERE BE SOMETHING

EVEN MORE SURPRISING
AT WORK HERE?

TO FIND OUT, I'M GOING TO HAVE
TO DIG DEEPER, LITERALLY.

KILLED IT.

COULD THE MYSTERIOUS
MIMA MOUNDS OF WASHINGTON STATE

HAVE BEEN SHAPED BY CENTURIES
OF EARTHQUAKES?

I'M PUTTING THAT THEORY
TO THE TEST

WITH A PIECE OF PLYWOOD,

SOME SAND AND A HAMMER
TO REPLICATE SEISMIC ACTIVITY.

LOOK AT THAT!

ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S FORMING
MOUNDS ON THE SURFACE.

RIGHT DOWN HERE,
YOU CAN SEE

WHAT LOOKS EXACTLY
LIKE MIMA MOUNDS

BUT ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE.

THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.

I ACTUALLY DID NOT KNOW
IF THIS WAS GOING TO WORK.

PROBLEM IS, I'M NOT SURE
IF THIS SCALES UP

TO A LARGER LEVEL

AND REALLY COULD BE SOMETHING
THAT EARTHQUAKES FORM.

TO FIGURE THAT OUT, I NEED MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATURE

OF THE SEISMIC ACTIVITY
IN THE AREA.

SO I'M HEADING TO MEET
DR. JOHN VIDALE,

THE DIRECTOR OF THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST SEISMIC NETWORK

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.

SO, IN THIS
PARTICULAR AREA,

IN THE SEATTLE REGION,

THERE'S A LOT
OF SEISMIC ACTIVITY, RIGHT?

YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
KINDS OF EARTHQUAKES.

AND IT'S, UH, ONE OF
THE PRIMARY DANGERS

OF NATURE AROUND HERE.

SO COULD BIG EARTHQUAKES
LEAD TO BIG MOUNDS?

I TELL JOHN ABOUT
MY FINDINGS USING THE BOARD,

HAMMER AND SAND.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN
SCALE THAT UP, THOUGH.

YOU'RE THE SEISMIC EXPERT.
I MEAN, WHAT--

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
- PEOPLE DO THAT WITH DRUMS.

AND THEY PUT STEEL FILINGS.

AND IT MAKES ALL SORTS OF
PRETTY PATTERNS IF YOU SHAKE IT.

BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE GROUND
DOESN'T ACT THAT WAY.

IF YOU SHAKE IT,
IT DOESN'T JUST SHIFT

AROUND INTO LITTLE PILES
VERY EASILY.

IT JUST STAYS RIGHT
WHERE IT WAS AND VIBRATES.

AND, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE,
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING

LIKE THAT
FROM SEISMIC ACTIVITY?

NOTHING LIKE THAT.

JOHN TELLS ME
THAT EARTHQUAKES

CAN RESHAPE THE LAND
IN VARIOUS WAYS.

THEY CAN CAUSE THE EARTH
TO CRACK OPEN

OR TRIGGER
TSUNAMIS AND LANDSLIDES.

BUT THERE'S NO DOCUMENTED
INCIDENT OF SEISMIC ACTIVITY

CAUSING REPEATED, UNIFORM MOUNDS
TO FORM ON EARTH'S SURFACE.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE EARTHQUAKES

PROBABLY DIDN'T CREATE
THE MIMA MOUNDS.

AND THEY DON'T SEEM
TO BE MAN-MADE OR GILGAI EITHER.

I'M BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE LIST

OF FACTORS THAT DO NOT EXPLAIN
THESE MYSTERIOUS MOUNDS.

BUT I'M STILL SEARCHING
FOR THE ONE THAT DOES.

EACH FAILED THEORY
IS BRINGING ME CLOSER.

BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN
ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT

THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE
OF THE MOUNDS YET.

WHAT I REALLY NEED IS
TO ACTUALLY SEE INSIDE ONE.

I'VE GOTTEN PERMISSION
TO OPEN UP

A MOUND ON PRIVATE LAND,

ONE THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD
DOES NOT CONTAIN

ANY SENSITIVE ARTIFACTS.

SO I'M BRINGING
IN A BIG MACHINE.

THE ONLY WAY FOR ME
TO GET DOWN IN THESE THINGS

AND GET A GOOD CROSS-SECTION
IS TO USE A BIG TOY.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY
CUTTING-EDGE TECH.

BUT, MAN, IS IT FUN!

KILLED IT.

WOO-HOO-HOO!

YEAH!

ALL RIGHT.
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.

I IMMEDIATELY NOTICE
SOMETHING INTERESTING.

THE DISSECTED HILL IS MADE UP
OF TWO DISTINCT LAYERS OF SOIL.

SO WHAT WE GOT IS
WE GOT A NICE 2-1/2 FOOT SECTION

OF REALLY DARK DIRT INTERSPERSED

WITH THESE ROCKS,
LITTLE TINY PEBBLES AND THINGS.

AND THEN THERE'S
A REALLY GOOD LAYER

RIGHT HERE
OF LIGHTER-COLORED STONE.

SEEMS A LOT HARDER DOWN HERE.

BUT I'M NO GEOLOGY EXPERT.

AND I'M NOT SURE HOW
TO INTERPRET WHAT I'M SEEING.

SO I REACH OUT
TO DR. JENNIFER BURNHAM,

A SOIL SCIENTIST.

SHE AGREES TO MEET ME
AT THE MOUND.

SO, FROM HERE TO HERE,

YOU DON'T REALLY SEE
A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENCE.

IT'S ALL
FAIRLY CONSISTENT.

IT IS.
IT'S VERY UNIFORM.

WE DO HAVE A VERY
CLEAR BOUNDARY WHERE,

NOT ONLY
DOES THE COLOR CHANGE

BUT, EVEN AT FIRST GLANCE,

YOU CAN SEE THE SIZE
OF THE ROCKS VARIES.

WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THE TWO LAYERS

WITH THE AID OF A SIEVE.

FIRST, THE TOP LAYER...

SO, HERE, WE'D SAY THERE ARE
FAR MORE PARTICLES

THAT ARE SMALL
THAN THERE ARE LARGE.

THEN, THE BOTTOM.

TAKE IT AWAY.

ALL RIGHT.

BASICALLY, THE RATIO
OF THE BOTTOM

IS, UH, REALLY SKEWED
TOWARDS BIG ROCKS.

CORRECT.

JENNIFER SAYS THAT
THIS DISTRIBUTION,

SMALLER-GRAIN SEDIMENT ON TOP

AND LARGER CHUNKS
AT THE BOTTOM,

IS UNUSUAL IN
A SEISMICALLY ACTIVE ZONE.

WELL, IN A EARTHQUAKE-PRONE
AREA LIKE WE ARE HERE,

YOU MIGHT NOT EXPECT IT
TO LOOK LIKE THAT.

YOU MIGHT EXPECT MAYBE
SOME OF THE LARGER ROCKS

TO BE NEAR THE TOP.

THAT'S BECAUSE
OF A PHENOMENON

CALLED GRANULAR CONVECTION,

ALSO KNOWN AS
THE BRAZIL NUT EFFECT.

TAKE A JAR WITH RICE
AND BRAZIL NUTS.

AND THEN YOU SIMULATE SEISMIC
ACTIVITY BY SHAKING 'EM UP.

THE SMALLER RICE KERNELS FILTER

DOWN INTO THE SPACES
CREATED BY EACH JOSTLE

AND PUSH THE LARGER NUTS UP.

SO, WITH ALL THE EARTHQUAKES
THAT HAVE STIRRED UP

THE SOIL HERE
OVER THE CENTURIES,

YOU WOULD EXPECT
TO SEE LARGER STONES

IN THE TOPSOIL LAYER

WITH SMALLER PARTICLES BELOW.

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE EXACTLY
THE OPPOSITE IS HAPPENING.

SO THE QUESTION IS, WHY?

WHAT SECRET IS
THE SOIL REVEALING?

WHAT DO YOU THINK
THAT THIS COULD BE?

SO I THINK THAT
THE EVIDENCE FITS BEST

WITH WHAT'S CALLED
THE GOPHER HYPOTHESIS.

LIKE, THE IDEA
THAT GOPHERS BUILD THIS?

CORRECT.

I'VE OPENED UP

ONE OF WASHINGTON
STATE'S FAMOUS MIMA MOUNDS.

AND WHAT I'VE FOUND IS BIZARRE

FOR AN AREA PRONE
TO SEISMIC ACTIVITY,

A SOIL STRUCTURE WHERE
THE BIG STONES ARE AT THE BASE,

CONTRADICTING THE PHENOMENON
KNOWN AS THE BRAZIL NUT EFFECT,

WHICH HOLDS THAT
SMALLER PARTICLES

ACTUALLY SETTLE AT
THE BOTTOM OVER TIME.

I'VE ELIMINATED HUMANS
AND EARTHQUAKES

AS THE MAKERS OF THESE MOUNDS.

BUT SOIL SCIENTIST
JENNIFER BURNHAM

HAS A SURPRISING
ALTERNATIVE THEORY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK
THAT THIS COULD BE?

IT IS A BIT
INCOMPREHENSIBLE

TO THINK ABOUT THAT
SMALL POCKET GOPHERS

COULD HAVE CREATED
THESE MOUNDS.

WAIT A MINUTE.

DOES JENNIFER REALLY THINK
THAT CUTE LITTLE GOPHERS

BUILT THE HUGE MOUNDS AT MIMA?

POCKET GOPHERS ARE BURROWING
RODENTS THAT AVERAGE

JUST 8 INCHES IN LENGTH.

THEY SPEND MOST
OF THEIR LIVES UNDERGROUND,

IN A TUNNEL SYSTEM
WHERE THEY NEST,

REST AND STORE FOOD.

GOPHERS ARE KNOWN
TO HAVE INHABITED THE AREA

AROUND THE MIMA PRAIRIE
AT ONE TIME,

ALTHOUGH THEY'VE LONG SINCE
MOVED ON TO GREENER PASTURES.

OKAY, SO LET ME JUST
GET THIS STRAIGHT.

THESE ARE HUGE MOUNDS.

I THINK IT-- I THINK,
IF MOST PEOPLE WALKED UP

TO THIS AND THE IDEA

WAS PRESENTED
THAT GOPHERS MADE IT,

THEY'D SAY, "NO WAY.
THOSE ARE TOO BIG."

THEY'RE HUGE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ALMOST
6 FEET TALL,

SOME OF 'EM OVER THAT.
- YOU'RE RIGHT.

BUT IT'S NOT ONE GOPHER

DOING THESE
IN A SHORT ORDER OF TIME.

IT'S, UH,
MANY GENERATIONS OVER--

OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

IT SOUNDS CRAZY.

BUT JENNIFER THINKS
THE STONE LAYER AT THE BOTTOM

OF THE MOUND IS A SMOKING GUN.

WHAT'S KEY IS
THE SIZE OF THE COBBLES

THAT WE'RE FINDING HERE.

A GOPHER CAN'T MOVE
SOMETHING LIKE THIS

THROUGH THEIR BURROWS.

THEY CAN ONLY MOVE THE
SMALLER PARTICLES THAT ARE HERE.

SO THEY'LL BURROW AROUND

AND UNDER THESE LARGER
CLASTS AND,

EVENTUALLY, OVER TIME,

WILL START SINKING
TO THE BOTTOM.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

BUT THERE'S ONE KEY WAY
THE MIMA MOUNDS

ARE NOT LIKE TYPICAL BURROWS.

MOST OF THE TIME,
GOPHERS DIG DOWN.

WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE
DOING THAT HERE?

GOPHERS WILL NOT
BUILD MOUNDS

UNLESS THEY CANNOT
BURROW DOWNWARDS.

SO, IF THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT'S HARD TO GET THROUGH,

THEN THEY WILL TEND,
UM, TO DIG--

OR BUILD THEIR MOUNDS HERE.

AND WE KNOW FROM OUR E.R.T. TEST

THAT THERE'S HARDER MATERIAL

BENEATH THE ENTIRE
MIMA MOUND PRAIRIE.

NOW I CAN ALSO SEE IT

RIGHT BELOW
THE LAYER OF LARGER STONES.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A GOPHER
BEING ABLE TO BURROW THROUGH IT.

AND JENNIFER TELLS ME THIS AREA
USED TO HAVE A HIGH WATER TABLE,

WHICH IS ANOTHER IMPEDIMENT

THAT PREVENTS GOPHERS
FROM BURROWING DOWN.

BUT, STILL,
IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE

FOR SUCH TINY CRITTERS
TO MOVE SO MUCH DIRT?

JENNIFER HAS ONE
MORE PIECE OF TECH

TO HELP SUPPORT THE THEORY,

A NEW COMPUTER PROGRAM

THAT SIMULATES GOPHER
BURROWING BEHAVIOR.

I'LL SHOW YOU THIS COMPUTER
MODEL I HAVE HERE.

IT CAN CROSS-REFERENCE
STANDARD GOPHER STATISTICS,

SUCH AS THE AMOUNT OF SOIL

A GOPHER CAN MOVE ANNUALLY
AND THEIR TYPICAL HOME RANGE

WITH SITE-SPECIFIC CONDITIONS
LIKE THE HARD SUBSTRATE

WE DISCOVERED UNDER
THE MIMA MOUNDS

AND SHOW US WHAT WOULD HAPPEN

AS GOPHERS CONSTRUCT
THEIR BURROWS.

OKAY.
SO LET'S SEE THIS MODEL.

THE GROUND STARTS FLAT.

BUT, AS THE SIMULATION SPEEDS

THROUGH THE YEARS
OF GOPHER ACTIVITY,

SMALL HILLS START TO FORM.

OH, WOW!

THE REDDER COLORS INDICATE
THAT THE HEIGHT IS INCREASING.

THE WHITER...
- OH, MY GOODNESS.

...WHITER COLORS ARE INDICATING,
UM, LOWER ELEVATION.

SO THIS IS JUST
A RANDOMIZED MODEL.

IT-- IT LOOKS--

IT LOOKS JUST LIKE
THE AERIAL IMAGES WE TOOK.

THE MODEL IS SHOWING ME
SOMETHING

THAT SEEMED SO UNLIKELY
JUST MINUTES EARLIER.

OVER THE COURSE
OF 500 TO 700 YEARS,

SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS
OF GOPHERS

COULD HAVE FORMED MOUNDS
AS BIG AS THE ONES

THAT SURROUND US HERE
AT THE MIMA SITE.

THAT IS FANTASTIC.

AND YOU COULD NEVER HAVE
SEEN THIS WITHOUT

RUNNING A MODEL LIKE THIS,

RUNNING SOME
HIGH-TECH SCIENCE.

YEAH. IT'S ONE
IMPORTANT COMPONENT

OF THIS PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.

WHEN I STARTED
THIS INVESTIGATION,

I DEFINITELY DIDN'T
SEE THIS COMING.

BUT TECHNOLOGY MAY
FINALLY BE REVEALING

THE LIKELY ARCHITECTS
OF THE MIMA MOUNDS.

NOT THE NATIVE INHABITANTS
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

SINCE WE FOUND
NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

OF HUMAN HABITATION HERE.

NOT CLAY-RICH SOIL EXPANDING

AND SHRINKING WITH THE SEASONS,

SINCE OUR ELECTRICAL TESTING
REVEALED NO CLAY CONTENT.

AND NOT SEISMIC ACTIVITY,

WHICH TENDS TO LEAVE
BEHIND CREVICES,

NOT PIMPLES.

INSTEAD, THE MIMA MOUNDS APPEAR

TO BE THE WORK OF GENERATIONS
OF GOPHERS BUSILY

MOVING THE SOIL UPWARD
FROM BELOW

AND LEAVING BEHIND
A LANDSCAPE LIKE NO OTHER.

THE MIMA MOUNDS HAVE PRESERVED
THEIR SECRETS FOR MILLENNIA.

THEY JUST NEEDED SCIENCE
TO DECODE THEM.