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00:00:04,900 --> 00:00:06,910
This athlete is a champion
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00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:11,670
of one of the world's
most spectacular sports:
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00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,160
bull jumping.
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00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,070
This boxer survives being hit by a fist
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00:00:28,590 --> 00:00:32,210
travelling with the force
of a third of a tonne.
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00:00:33,630 --> 00:00:36,670
And this man is hoping
that surgeons will replace
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00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,370
his damaged limbs with
another man's hands.
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00:00:40,380 --> 00:00:44,140
Can we Twitter
that the surgery has started?
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00:00:48,100 --> 00:00:52,460
Their stories are
part of your story...
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00:00:53,460 --> 00:00:57,410
the story of what makes you human.
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00:01:02,630 --> 00:01:07,360
Hidden deep beneath your skin
is an extraordinary universe...
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where billions of tiny
powerhouses generate energy.
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Where vast forests digest food...
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and where the tiniest movements
set off violent chain reactions.
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This is a fantastic voyage through
the most complex organism on Earth...
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00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,970
the human BODY
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(?) Meet James ???
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I deliver packages for a living.
I'm a glorified postman.
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00:02:04,470 --> 00:02:06,340
James is a cycle courier,
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one of the riskiest
occupations in the world.
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It's a fact there's
danger about it, but...
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that's what draws people to it.
I suppose it's the adrenalyn factor.
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Research has shown
that cycle couriers
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00:02:22,270 --> 00:02:27,260
are three times more likely to be
injured than those in other jobs.
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00:02:28,780 --> 00:02:32,570
And danger can come
from any direction.
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People aren't looking for cyclists
so pedestrians will cross the road...
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00:02:40,820 --> 00:02:44,890
(? ) people will turn left on you,
people will do U turns...
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(?) ???
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You're not in people's conscience.
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00:02:50,620 --> 00:02:53,170
You've got to expect
things to happen.
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00:02:55,870 --> 00:03:00,200
James's life might be
more hazardous than most.
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But the fact is we all
live in a hostile world,
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a place full of unexpected threats.
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how we defeat the environment
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This programme will
show you just how hard
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your body has to work
to keep you safe.
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Because, as well as protecting you from
the more obvious physical dangers...
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00:03:36,570 --> 00:03:41,390
it must shield you from
potentially lethal solar radiation.
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00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:49,880
It must keep in check the 10 trillion
bacteria that cover your skin.
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00:03:54,050 --> 00:03:58,520
It must deal ruthlessly
with any invaders...
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and, if things go wrong,
immediately heal the damage.
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Your body does all of this without
your having to think about it.
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00:04:25,060 --> 00:04:27,300
And it works so effectively
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that some of us will live for a
hundred years or, perhaps, more.
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I've got 21 great-grandchildren now.
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I even have
one great-great-grandchild.
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Esther Turtle is in
her hundreth year.
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00:04:47,930 --> 00:04:51,060
And she is in great shape.
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00:04:55,660 --> 00:04:58,910
In the morning,
when I first get up, I do my yoga
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00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:04,030
to exercise every muscle in
my body that I can think of.
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00:05:04,410 --> 00:05:06,320
And then I go up on the roof
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where I take a walk
for a half an hour without stopping.
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So then I have a glass of orange
juice, oatmeal and black coffee -
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no sugar, no cream, no toast.
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Over the last century,
she's fought countless wars
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against largely unseen enemies.
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00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,120
Well, as a child,
I had all the usual diseases.
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I had tonsillectomy
and measles and chickenpox.
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As I grew older, I had to have
a hysterectomy at one point
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and I had an appendectomy
at another point.
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And then about 15 years ago,
I had breast cancer...
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And I think that's about all
the diseases I've had.
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Esther leads a healthy life and
has access to excellent medical care.
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00:06:09,220 --> 00:06:15,480
But perhaps the real reason she has
lived so long is because, like you,
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she has her own private army
working for her around the clock.
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Right now,
as you watch this programme,
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00:06:29,220 --> 00:06:33,450
your immune system is fighting
to keep you safe,
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every single breath you take.
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This tiny speck of dust is alive.
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It's a fungal spore.
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00:06:51,990 --> 00:06:56,870
The air you breathe
is filled with them.
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Each spore is looking for
a warm, moist home.
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And it's just found one...
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in your lungs.
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Every minute, you breathe in a couple
of spores just like this one.
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00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,250
Once it reaches a quiet corner
of your lungs,
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the spore implants
and begins to grow.
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Left unchecked,
it would fill this entire chamber,
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stopping oxygen passing
from the air into your blood.
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Within weeks, you'd be dead.
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Fortunately,
your body is armed and ready.
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It unleashes macrophages,
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prowling, remorseless,
marauding killers.
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They follow a chemical signal
given off by the fungus.
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The spore is doomed.
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Unnoticed and unappreciated,
the macrophage saves your life.
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00:08:51,170 --> 00:08:56,090
And it does this breath after breath,
day in and day out.
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00:09:04,060 --> 00:09:09,660
But your body is not just protecting
you from tiny, invisible things.
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00:09:13,420 --> 00:09:18,420
It's also designed to help you cope
with more obvious threats...
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like a fast-moving stick...
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00:09:26,260 --> 00:09:29,130
a huge hockey player...
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or a hard object coming at you
at nearly 100 miles an hour.
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00:09:39,510 --> 00:09:42,690
To survive in the fast-moving
world of ice hockey,
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00:09:42,700 --> 00:09:46,460
you have to be able to
react in an instant.
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00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:52,990
Professional goalkeeper Steve Lyle can
react in less than a fifth of a second.
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00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,460
That's just the blink of an eye.
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00:09:59,530 --> 00:10:02,230
So how does he do it?
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00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,740
Even before his
opponent hits the puck,
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Steve is already beginning
to work out where it might go,
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based on his opponent's
body position.
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00:10:20,860 --> 00:10:26,040
Then he has to work out how fast
the puck is moving and where it's going.
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His brain has to produce an action
plan before it actually does anything.
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All based on memories of previous
occasions when he saved goals.
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00:10:39,410 --> 00:10:44,230
Then, finally, his brain
tells his body what to do.
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Everything up to now has been
done entirely subconsciously.
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It's only at this point that
the goalie becomes consciously aware
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that the puck has been hit.
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What Steve is doing is something
that you do instinctively
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any time you are confronted
by unexpected danger.
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00:11:28,180 --> 00:11:32,430
But reaction times
are only part of the story.
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00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,640
You also rely on muscles.
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You have 640 muscles that together
make up 40% of your body weight.
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Cristian Seraa relies on his muscles
rather more than most of us do.
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He's a champion
of a truly terrifying sport.
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He jumps over bulls for a living.
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Cristian has no illusions
about the dangers.
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(in Spanish) One can fracture a bone,
can end up in the cemetery,
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or stay a year away, in bed.
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His fragile body
regularly goes head-to-head
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with half a tonne
of charging muscle.
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So, every day, on his farm in eastern
Spain, he hones his muscles.
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In this form of bullfighting,
known as recortes,
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it's the men who risk their lives -
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the bulls are unharmed.
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But no less bad-tempered.
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First in the ring are some
of Cristian's competitors.
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They're not allowed
to use weapons or armour.
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Instead, they rely on speed and
agility to dodge a gruesome goring.
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It's now Cristian's turn
to enter the ring.
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(?) As a champion "recortador",
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he takes some of
the greatest risks.
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Risks that, even with
all his experience, he finds scary.
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(speaking Spanish)
Fear is always present.
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Fear keeps us safe.
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It's good to be a little afraid.
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Escaping uninjured will depend
on how his muscles respond
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in the next few moments.
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We all have two different kinds
of skeletal muscle fibres.
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Just like a chicken,
we have dark and white meat.
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You use your dark, slow-twitch
muscles for things like walking.
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00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,230
They work tirelessly
for long periods of time,
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so they need a constant supply
of oxygen-rich blood.
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But you also have
white, fast-twitch muscles,
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which allow you to react quickly.
145
00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,500
And these are the muscles
Cristian is about to use
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00:15:12,510 --> 00:15:15,640
to try and leap over the bull.
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When you're dodging a bull,
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00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:54,010
you don't have time to
burn oxygen for power,
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so these fast-twitch muscles
do something ingenious.
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00:16:00,730 --> 00:16:03,730
They reply on a rapid
chemical reaction
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00:16:03,740 --> 00:16:09,580
that allows them to constrict four
times faster than slow-twitch muscles...
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which gives Cristian just
enough time to escape.
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(in Spanish) It is a feeling of power,
of which I am superior to him.
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My heart is filled with happiness.
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I dance with the bull.
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In some sports, muscles and
reaction times aren't enough
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to keep you out of danger.
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Being hit with a force
of up to a third of a tonne
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00:17:05,470 --> 00:17:08,020
means that getting damaged
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00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,820
is an occupational
hazard for a boxer.
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00:17:13,820 --> 00:17:18,760
Fortunately, your body is incredibly
good at healing injuries.
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00:17:21,100 --> 00:17:25,810
And that's something that
boxer Johnny Greaves relies on...
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00:17:28,500 --> 00:17:31,820
because he gets hit a lot.
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00:17:33,020 --> 00:17:38,320
Get in close with this kid, cos he's
tall, mate, you know what I mean?
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00:17:39,820 --> 00:17:41,970
Tonight, Johnny is fighting a man
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00:17:41,980 --> 00:17:45,570
who's three inches taller
and five years younger.
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I'm a professional opponent.
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I fight week in, week out.
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I get all the tough jobs
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against all the up-and-coming boys,
the good ticket sellers.
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00:17:55,470 --> 00:18:01,470
I basically get paid to fight
and I do a good job.
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00:18:01,900 --> 00:18:06,220
For Johnny, boxing isn't just a
sport, it's his livelihood.
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I'm here primarily to pay my bills
and to keep my kids OK,
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so, obviously, that's the
first thought in my mind,
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is bringing home the bacon.
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Johnny has fought
in 53 professional fights.
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But he's only won two of them.
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He knows that tonight
he's likely to get hurt.
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00:18:42,820 --> 00:18:46,920
Johnny works hard
to avoid serious injury.
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00:18:51,540 --> 00:18:55,830
He ducks and dives,
dodging punches.
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00:18:57,500 --> 00:19:02,540
He works at a frantic rate
to keep himself a moving target.
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00:19:14,420 --> 00:19:18,460
But as Johnny tires,
his defences begin to fail.
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00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:27,980
And then he gets injured.
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The delicate blood vessels that wind
through the fat cells under his eye
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are destroyed by a punch.
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As the vessels burst,
blood cells rush out.
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On the outside, the full extent of
Johnny's injury is not yet obvious,
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00:20:03,830 --> 00:20:07,650
but a black eye is about to form.
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00:20:08,060 --> 00:20:13,780
What his body does next is normal
and yet also utterly remarkable.
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It begins to heal.
191
00:20:18,620 --> 00:20:22,860
A repair crew is already on the way.
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00:20:23,740 --> 00:20:28,300
Travelling in the blood are some
very special cell fragments.
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00:20:28,310 --> 00:20:32,090
Called platelets,
they are there to stop the bleeding.
194
00:20:35,060 --> 00:20:38,070
They extend arms
that stick to each other
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00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:42,100
and form a net to catch
the leaking blood cells.
196
00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:48,740
This clot plugs the hole,
and the bleeding stops.
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00:20:49,740 --> 00:20:52,710
But this is just the start.
198
00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:59,640
Soon after the fight, Johnny's eye
turns red and begins to swell.
199
00:20:59,660 --> 00:21:05,340
It's caused by fluid seeping
into the tissue around his eye.
200
00:21:05,690 --> 00:21:10,190
The fluid is coming from tiny pores
in the blood vessel.
201
00:21:11,740 --> 00:21:13,890
This is not a sign of damage.
202
00:21:13,900 --> 00:21:18,280
It's actually a rather clever
form of defence.
203
00:21:20,980 --> 00:21:24,750
The force of the flow would
stop any infection in the wound
204
00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,700
from travelling into the bloodstream
205
00:21:28,420 --> 00:21:31,700
trapping it in the tissue instead.
206
00:21:34,580 --> 00:21:37,650
Johnny's eye isn't just puffed up.
207
00:21:37,660 --> 00:21:42,450
His bruise has now turned
a lurid shade of purple.
208
00:21:49,380 --> 00:21:52,710
The colour is the result
of decaying blood cells
209
00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,370
trapped outside the
circulatory system.
210
00:21:56,380 --> 00:21:59,300
Here, they can't survive.
211
00:22:02,460 --> 00:22:07,100
Now, Johnny's body starts
to clear up the mess.
212
00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:11,970
Scavenging macrophages
sweep through the tissue
213
00:22:11,980 --> 00:22:14,860
and gobble up the dying cells.
214
00:22:16,340 --> 00:22:18,090
Inside the macrophages,
215
00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:22,290
the chemical that gives blood cells
their red colour, haemoglobin,
216
00:22:22,300 --> 00:22:24,820
begins to break down.
217
00:22:24,830 --> 00:22:29,590
It's this that gives the bruise
its familiar cocktail of colours.
218
00:22:30,380 --> 00:22:32,350
As the haemoglobin breaks apart,
219
00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:36,240
it transforms into
different-coloured chemicals.
220
00:22:37,060 --> 00:22:39,260
Over time, the colour shifts
221
00:22:39,270 --> 00:22:43,660
from green to yellow
and finally to brown.
222
00:22:58,260 --> 00:23:00,000
As the macrophages leave,
223
00:23:00,010 --> 00:23:04,070
they draw the coloured
chemicals away from the skin.
224
00:23:07,380 --> 00:23:10,510
Healing is now complete.
225
00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:22,280
Two weeks later, and Johnny
is fighting fit once again...
226
00:23:23,380 --> 00:23:27,780
so he can step back into the ring
to earn his living.
227
00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,920
Your body is brilliant
at dealing with damage.
228
00:23:45,300 --> 00:23:49,460
But prevention is
always better than cure.
229
00:23:51,450 --> 00:23:53,460
And when it comes to prevention,
230
00:23:53,470 --> 00:23:56,790
the most impressive
defence you have comes
231
00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,700
from the largest organ in your body:
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00:24:00,710 --> 00:24:03,250
your skin.
233
00:24:08,190 --> 00:24:13,040
Each centimeter of your skin is built
from 10 million individual cells
234
00:24:13,050 --> 00:24:16,850
and bristles with
over a hundred hairs.
235
00:24:17,490 --> 00:24:23,070
It acts as a formidable barrier against
the threat of the outside world.
236
00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,160
That's something that Jamie
Donaldson is counting on.
237
00:24:28,660 --> 00:24:32,930
OK, first step -
identify the value of the last...
238
00:24:32,940 --> 00:24:35,510
- Decimal...
- Place.
239
00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:38,670
She's a maths teacher,
but she leads a double life.
240
00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,910
Could this be simplified any more?
Yes or no?
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00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:41,960
CHILDREN: No!
242
00:24:51,380 --> 00:24:55,110
Jamie is about to run
the equivalent of five marathons
243
00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:59,460
in the hottest and driest place
in North America -
244
00:24:59,470 --> 00:25:01,830
Death Valley.
245
00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,240
It's neat to see what the body
is really capable of doing and
246
00:25:05,250 --> 00:25:09,440
to prove that you can do a lot
more than you think you can.
247
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:15,730
Here, temperatures can reach
56 degrees Celsius.
248
00:25:16,810 --> 00:25:21,750
Water evaporates faster
than almost anywhere else on Earth.
249
00:25:23,210 --> 00:25:27,240
CROWD: Three, two, one, zero!
250
00:25:29,500 --> 00:25:33,980
Jamie has entered
the Badwater Ultramarathon.
251
00:25:37,220 --> 00:25:40,410
She'll be running across
this inhospitable environment
252
00:25:40,420 --> 00:25:44,410
for over 24 hours non-stop.
253
00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,410
And Jamie will be relying
on her skin
254
00:25:50,420 --> 00:25:54,100
to protect her from
the brutal heat.
255
00:25:56,340 --> 00:26:01,370
In the desert, you never really do know
what is going to happen to your body.
256
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,320
It's extremely hot.
257
00:26:07,150 --> 00:26:10,800
Jamie's greatest
threat is dehydration.
258
00:26:12,210 --> 00:26:14,250
Every step, the parched air
259
00:26:14,260 --> 00:26:18,480
is trying to suck the moisture
out of her body.
260
00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,970
What stops her shrivelling
up like a prune
261
00:26:21,980 --> 00:26:24,320
is a substance made by the skin
262
00:26:24,330 --> 00:26:28,740
that most of us casually
wash away every morning.
263
00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:42,500
At the base of every hair on your
body is a tiny sebaceous gland.
264
00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,270
It squeezes an oily
substance called sebum
265
00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,110
onto the surface of your skin.
266
00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,380
It makes your hair greasy...
267
00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:55,760
and gives you spots.
268
00:26:56,010 --> 00:27:00,230
But this oil also makes
your skin waterproof.
269
00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,650
Waterproofing is essential
in hot, dry climates...
270
00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,570
because sebum
doesn't just keep water out.
271
00:27:16,580 --> 00:27:22,580
It also stops bodily fluids from
evaporating into the desert air.
272
00:27:28,790 --> 00:27:34,730
(?) As well as the heat, Jamie also
has to contend with a ??? the sun.
273
00:27:35,110 --> 00:27:40,140
Getting sunburned would seriously affect
her chances of finishing the race.
274
00:27:41,660 --> 00:27:44,050
So her dedicated
sport group made sure
275
00:27:44,060 --> 00:27:47,860
she's constantly
covered and protected.
276
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,350
Ultraviolet radiation
in the sun's rays
277
00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:57,360
breaks down the DNA in skin cells.
278
00:27:58,770 --> 00:28:03,940
Your skin responds by flooding the
area with blood to repair the damage.
279
00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:13,860
This heats up the skin and produces
the familiar redness of sunburn.
280
00:28:16,250 --> 00:28:19,860
But there can also
be long-term damage.
281
00:28:30,070 --> 00:28:33,770
By next morning,
Jamie is still running.
282
00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:40,250
She's covered 135
miles in record time.
283
00:28:53,300 --> 00:28:56,940
(?) Alice ???, new women's record and...
284
00:28:58,580 --> 00:29:01,820
(?)???, here's your medal.
285
00:29:14,990 --> 00:29:18,010
Most of us have some
control over how much
286
00:29:18,020 --> 00:29:21,810
we expose ourselves
to the sun's rays.
287
00:29:22,820 --> 00:29:27,440
But there's another threat that
we can never get away from.
288
00:29:34,190 --> 00:29:40,240
Each square centimetre of skin has
ten million bacteria camped out on it.
289
00:29:41,930 --> 00:29:46,120
The tissues inside your body would
provide a nice, juicy environment
290
00:29:46,130 --> 00:29:48,800
if only they could get in.
291
00:29:50,350 --> 00:29:54,640
What keeps them at bay is the way
your skin cells lock together,
292
00:29:54,650 --> 00:29:57,270
just like armour plating.
293
00:30:01,810 --> 00:30:05,570
But your skin is also
pushing outwards.
294
00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:11,280
As new layers grow,
the old surface layers peel away...
295
00:30:12,250 --> 00:30:15,610
carrying a cargo of
microbes with them.
296
00:30:22,350 --> 00:30:27,860
But this also means you lose
30,000 skin cells every minute.
297
00:30:29,570 --> 00:30:31,060
By this time next month,
298
00:30:31,070 --> 00:30:34,800
you'll have replaced all
the skin on your body.
299
00:30:38,410 --> 00:30:41,430
Your skin is an
absolutely fabulous barrier,
300
00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,600
but, unfortunately,
it does have holes in it.
301
00:30:44,610 --> 00:30:48,740
Like your eyes... and your nose.
302
00:30:48,750 --> 00:30:52,050
And these are very
vulnerable to infection.
303
00:30:55,650 --> 00:30:56,750
In particular,
304
00:30:56,760 --> 00:31:02,840
viruses use our own defence mechanism -
sneezing - against us.
305
00:31:06,230 --> 00:31:09,810
A sneeze is all it takes
for microbes to jump
306
00:31:09,820 --> 00:31:12,660
from one person to another.
307
00:31:20,830 --> 00:31:22,270
The main reason you sneeze
308
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:25,870
is to clear your nose of dust
and other fine particles.
309
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:31,250
But as you blast out air
at up to 100 miles an hour,
310
00:31:31,260 --> 00:31:34,310
you also spray a
fine mist of droplets
311
00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,430
containing millions of microbes...
312
00:31:38,790 --> 00:31:42,080
anything up to 12 feet away...
313
00:31:43,310 --> 00:31:49,110
giving the microbes the perfect
opportunity to find a new host.
314
00:31:53,970 --> 00:31:58,820
If they do get inside you,
your body quickly responds
315
00:31:58,830 --> 00:32:02,570
by mobilising an army
of white blood cells.
316
00:32:05,340 --> 00:32:09,450
These are called phagocytes.
They eat things.
317
00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,080
In this case,
they are packing little green blobs,
318
00:32:13,090 --> 00:32:15,510
which are fake bacteria.
319
00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,640
In just one tiny drop of blood
320
00:32:19,650 --> 00:32:24,390
there are around 400,000
of these white cells.
321
00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:27,680
And this is just a tiny fraction
322
00:32:27,690 --> 00:32:31,930
of the forces your body can
call on to fight infection.
323
00:32:36,390 --> 00:32:39,260
- Do you know that letter?
- Yes.
324
00:32:39,270 --> 00:32:42,310
Rowan O'Brien is three years old.
325
00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,490
He should be at school,
but he's feeling unwell.
326
00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:47,550
What letter's that one?
327
00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,420
- Muh!
- That's it. That's it.
328
00:32:50,430 --> 00:32:52,720
He's got the flu.
329
00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:54,220
No, that's not right.
330
00:32:54,230 --> 00:32:57,270
No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...
331
00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:02,010
Inside him, his body
is about to engage in all-out war
332
00:33:02,020 --> 00:33:06,400
with one of the most infectious
viruses on the planet.
333
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:18,410
Flu viruses start by attacking the
tissue at the back of your throat.
334
00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:21,830
But strangely enough,
335
00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,970
it's not only the virus
that will make you feel ill,
336
00:33:24,980 --> 00:33:28,220
it's also your own immune system.
337
00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:36,580
Your body's first response
to infection is fever.
338
00:33:38,380 --> 00:33:39,700
The flu virus thrives
339
00:33:39,710 --> 00:33:44,470
at your normal body temperature
of 37 degrees Celsius...
340
00:33:46,510 --> 00:33:49,960
so you raise your temperature
by a few degrees.
341
00:33:51,740 --> 00:33:55,850
It's just enough
to slow the infection down.
342
00:34:01,900 --> 00:34:07,140
Meanwhile, an army of phagocytes
flood the infection site.
343
00:34:13,740 --> 00:34:17,990
They have come to
feast on their enemies.
344
00:34:21,580 --> 00:34:24,060
But instead of
destroying the viruses,
345
00:34:24,070 --> 00:34:27,480
the fighters are themselves infected
346
00:34:27,740 --> 00:34:30,920
and are forced to self-destruct.
347
00:34:36,780 --> 00:34:41,980
As their bodies pile up,
they form the basis of your snot.
348
00:34:43,790 --> 00:34:45,570
Rowan's symptoms
are getting worse.
349
00:34:45,580 --> 00:34:47,460
You're a little bit hot.
350
00:34:48,250 --> 00:34:53,000
It's a sign the battle
inside him is hotting up.
351
00:34:56,500 --> 00:35:01,220
His body has launched
a second wave of attack -
352
00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:04,070
the killer Ts.
353
00:35:06,100 --> 00:35:11,640
They home in on the throat cells that
have been infected by the virus.
354
00:35:12,620 --> 00:35:15,430
They administer the kiss of death,
355
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,880
destroying the viruses inside.
356
00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:25,740
But this approach has its cost.
357
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:32,130
The killer Ts are causing
heavy collateral damage.
358
00:35:36,250 --> 00:35:39,130
Rowan is feeling the effects.
359
00:35:40,860 --> 00:35:43,680
He's got a really sore throat.
360
00:35:49,100 --> 00:35:53,660
Despite everything,
the virus remains undefeated.
361
00:35:55,800 --> 00:36:00,570
Now, your immune system tries
a completely different approach.
362
00:36:00,580 --> 00:36:03,950
Instead of trying to destroy
the virus head-on,
363
00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:08,100
it releases a cloud
of Y-shaped antibodies.
364
00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:15,850
These are specifically produced
to destroy this strain of virus.
365
00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:23,190
They coat the viruses,
making them stick together.
366
00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:30,640
Now, they are easily swept up.
367
00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:39,820
Rowan finally starts
to feel better.
368
00:36:47,110 --> 00:36:48,690
And with his energy restored,
369
00:36:48,700 --> 00:36:52,780
he can go back to doing
what three-year-old boys do best.
370
00:36:55,050 --> 00:36:58,850
As well as working hard to
protect you from infection,
371
00:36:58,860 --> 00:37:01,040
the human body is very versatile
372
00:37:01,050 --> 00:37:05,660
when it comes to dealing with
other medical emergencies.
373
00:37:07,620 --> 00:37:11,050
It can mend damaged nerves,
374
00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,040
plug leaking blood vessels,
375
00:37:15,050 --> 00:37:18,520
regenerate broken bones,
376
00:37:18,780 --> 00:37:21,100
heal your skin
377
00:37:21,430 --> 00:37:24,720
and repair ripped muscles.
378
00:37:26,890 --> 00:37:30,250
Your body is so adaptable,
it can even be encouraged
379
00:37:30,260 --> 00:37:35,230
to accept and repair
part of someone else's body.
380
00:37:35,240 --> 00:37:37,520
Buns.
381
00:37:37,530 --> 00:37:39,680
Let's see...
382
00:37:39,690 --> 00:37:42,420
Put the buns right here.
383
00:37:42,430 --> 00:37:45,860
Richard Edwards is a chiropractor.
384
00:37:46,490 --> 00:37:52,270
He has a loving wife and family,
and considers himself a lucky man.
385
00:37:53,410 --> 00:37:54,800
He doesn't even know what food is!
386
00:37:54,810 --> 00:37:59,340
But five years ago, Richard was
caught in a freak accident.
387
00:38:00,050 --> 00:38:03,320
It really is hot, guys.
388
00:38:03,330 --> 00:38:07,490
He found himself trapped
in a burning vehicle.
389
00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,760
Everything was on fire behind me.
390
00:38:11,770 --> 00:38:16,080
My electrical system had burnt up,
and I couldn't unlock my door.
391
00:38:16,090 --> 00:38:19,560
I couldn't even manually
lift up the lock.
392
00:38:19,570 --> 00:38:20,760
I was having trouble breathing
393
00:38:20,770 --> 00:38:23,540
and I quickly looked over
to the passenger side
394
00:38:23,550 --> 00:38:26,760
to see if it was unlocked,
so maybe I could get out that way,
395
00:38:26,770 --> 00:38:29,880
and as soon as I looked over
to the passenger door,
396
00:38:29,890 --> 00:38:33,060
I remember seeing
the window on the passenger side,
397
00:38:33,070 --> 00:38:38,760
it just exploded into several
thousands of pieces of glass,
398
00:38:38,770 --> 00:38:43,540
and I'd already started...
burning alive.
399
00:38:43,930 --> 00:38:47,080
Every time I open one of these
things, the heat,
400
00:38:47,090 --> 00:38:49,420
- that blast from the heat...
- Yeah, I know.
401
00:38:49,430 --> 00:38:51,440
is a memory of...
402
00:38:51,450 --> 00:38:54,590
the moments in the truck, but...
403
00:38:56,390 --> 00:39:01,430
The heat from the fire
left 30% of his body severely burnt.
404
00:39:03,230 --> 00:39:07,240
With medical help, most of his
injuries have now healed,
405
00:39:07,250 --> 00:39:09,620
but his hands were
too badly damaged.
406
00:39:09,630 --> 00:39:11,920
OK, guys.
407
00:39:11,930 --> 00:39:14,400
He can't button buttons.
408
00:39:14,410 --> 00:39:17,340
He can't do his
zipper very easily.
409
00:39:17,350 --> 00:39:21,120
I have to look around the rest room
and find a guy that I think is,
410
00:39:21,130 --> 00:39:25,650
maybe the most,
or the least... masculine...
411
00:39:25,660 --> 00:39:30,410
and ask, "Would you mind
unzipping my pants for me?"
412
00:39:30,950 --> 00:39:36,580
This fire has really
put a stop to my life.
413
00:39:36,590 --> 00:39:39,380
I want to be able to go back
to work and grab an X-ray
414
00:39:39,390 --> 00:39:41,820
and separate one sheet of X-ray
from another
415
00:39:41,830 --> 00:39:47,410
and talk to patients about how I
can help THEM again instead of...
416
00:39:47,950 --> 00:39:53,610
checking out of life like I have
done for the last couple of years.
417
00:39:54,750 --> 00:39:59,680
Richard has decided
to undergo a radical operation.
418
00:40:00,670 --> 00:40:06,090
It will push his body's ability to
heal to the absolute limit.
419
00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,500
A very unusual package
is being delivered
420
00:40:13,510 --> 00:40:16,900
to a hospital in Louisville,
Kentucky.
421
00:40:17,550 --> 00:40:22,120
With just a few hours' notice,
Richard is rushed to the hospital.
422
00:40:25,910 --> 00:40:29,340
He's about to have a
double hand transplant.
423
00:40:29,350 --> 00:40:33,380
His hands will be cut off and
replaced with someone else's.
424
00:40:33,390 --> 00:40:36,420
97 over 54 is his blood pressure.
425
00:40:39,570 --> 00:40:44,440
It's the first time something as
radical as this has ever been attempted.
426
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,460
OK, so have you guys decided
who's going on what team to start?
427
00:40:52,470 --> 00:40:56,720
The operation will be masterminded
by Dr Warren Breidenbach.
428
00:40:56,730 --> 00:41:00,740
There'll be four teams
working simultaneously at one point.
429
00:41:00,750 --> 00:41:04,660
There'll be two teams on each
of the arms that we're preparing,
430
00:41:04,670 --> 00:41:06,200
that is the patient himself,
431
00:41:06,210 --> 00:41:11,620
and there'll be two teams working on
the arms that have come from the donor.
432
00:41:12,310 --> 00:41:17,590
The new hands have come from
someone who died in the last 15 hours.
433
00:41:24,970 --> 00:41:28,830
It's a race against time to connect
them to Richard's blood supply
434
00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:32,770
before they begin to deteriorate.
435
00:41:32,780 --> 00:41:37,320
Okey-dokey. That arm is ready
to shake, rattle and roll...
436
00:41:37,790 --> 00:41:41,720
To give Richard's body the best
chance of accepting the new hands,
437
00:41:41,730 --> 00:41:44,640
both the donor's blood type
and bone structure
438
00:41:44,650 --> 00:41:47,140
were matched to his.
439
00:41:47,150 --> 00:41:50,630
Did we Twitter
that the surgery has started?
440
00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:54,120
Both donor hands are on the table.
Preparing for bone work.
441
00:41:54,130 --> 00:41:57,290
It's going to be a long night,
everybody.
442
00:42:02,130 --> 00:42:03,460
The first thing they do
443
00:42:03,470 --> 00:42:08,280
is prepare Richard's damaged
hands for amputation.
444
00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:13,980
His nerves and blood vessels
need to be carefully preserved.
445
00:42:15,390 --> 00:42:17,910
Let me have the knife.
446
00:42:18,490 --> 00:42:22,180
The same is done
to the vessels in the donor arm.
447
00:42:22,190 --> 00:42:24,440
Hand is being scraped
and sterile dressing.
448
00:42:24,450 --> 00:42:26,780
Don't throw any of
those veins away, ok?
449
00:42:26,790 --> 00:42:30,520
Save the veins as though
they're gonna work.
450
00:42:30,920 --> 00:42:34,710
Once his hands are off,
there is no going back.
451
00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:39,140
The donor arm came off at 5.30.
452
00:42:39,150 --> 00:42:41,660
So, we're five-and-a-half
hours now,
453
00:42:41,670 --> 00:42:45,780
so, we wanna try to
get some blood into it.
454
00:42:45,790 --> 00:42:49,140
Very carefully,
the new hands are attached,
455
00:42:49,150 --> 00:42:53,080
vessel by vessel, nerve by nerve.
456
00:42:53,090 --> 00:42:57,140
- Nerve, I need nerve.
- Ok, nerve.
457
00:42:57,150 --> 00:43:01,220
Surgeons are now
preparing the arteries.
458
00:43:01,730 --> 00:43:06,480
Next, 54 bones and 56 muscles
have to be connected
459
00:43:06,490 --> 00:43:10,920
so that Richard will be able
to control his new limbs.
460
00:43:11,650 --> 00:43:13,860
- Find the motor branch.
- Yes.
461
00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:18,420
Dissect it back in here,
connect it to that.
462
00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:23,060
After 18 hours of
painstaking surgery,
463
00:43:23,070 --> 00:43:25,910
the new hands are attached.
464
00:43:26,790 --> 00:43:29,030
Hand looks pretty pink.
465
00:43:29,140 --> 00:43:31,260
Everything looks good.
466
00:43:31,270 --> 00:43:32,950
Pretty cool, huh?
467
00:43:37,310 --> 00:43:38,910
The patient is now in recovery.
468
00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:40,820
Our first double hand
trasplant is complete!
469
00:43:40,830 --> 00:43:43,070
Signing off for the day.
Thanks for following along.
470
00:43:47,390 --> 00:43:49,360
Just ten hours after surgery,
471
00:43:49,370 --> 00:43:53,670
Richard sees his new
hands for the first time.
472
00:43:54,930 --> 00:43:57,440
It will take months
for his body to complete
473
00:43:57,450 --> 00:44:00,280
this remarkable repair job.
474
00:44:00,870 --> 00:44:03,760
- Thanks, Doctor.
- You're welcome!
475
00:44:03,770 --> 00:44:05,770
You can go ahead and
let this go down.
476
00:44:05,780 --> 00:44:06,950
But astonishingly,
477
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:12,580
Richard is already able to take
control of someone else's hands.
478
00:44:12,590 --> 00:44:14,660
Let's go ahead and get him moving.
479
00:44:14,670 --> 00:44:17,260
Pull that down.
That's good and strong.
480
00:44:17,270 --> 00:44:18,880
Pull that down.
481
00:44:18,890 --> 00:44:20,240
That's pretty strong.
482
00:44:20,250 --> 00:44:22,820
Remember the one we tightened up?
It's good and strong.
483
00:44:22,830 --> 00:44:24,820
Pull it down, little finger.
484
00:44:24,830 --> 00:44:26,300
That's strong.
485
00:44:26,310 --> 00:44:27,880
It's amazing.
486
00:44:28,310 --> 00:44:32,260
I'm very thankful to have
a new pair of hands.
487
00:44:32,270 --> 00:44:35,750
I've waited a long time for this.
488
00:44:36,870 --> 00:44:39,020
Now and for the rest of his life,
489
00:44:39,030 --> 00:44:42,520
Richard will have to take drugs
to suppress his immune system
490
00:44:42,530 --> 00:44:47,400
and prevent his body rejecting
the new, alien hands.
491
00:44:47,410 --> 00:44:49,260
Yep, I think it looks excellent.
492
00:44:49,270 --> 00:44:52,320
But if the drugs work...
493
00:44:53,510 --> 00:44:58,730
his bones will fuse together
with the bones of the new hands.
494
00:44:58,740 --> 00:45:01,890
They will join as one.
495
00:45:04,930 --> 00:45:10,830
Blood will flow from his body
into the donor tissue.
496
00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:19,550
And the nerves of his body will grow,
connect and control
497
00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:23,360
what were once a stranger's hands.
498
00:45:34,150 --> 00:45:39,330
Three months later, Richard is
trying out his new accessories.
499
00:45:42,510 --> 00:45:45,200
Back to the tough stuff!
500
00:45:48,330 --> 00:45:52,480
He's gained some sensation
in his new fingers,
501
00:45:52,490 --> 00:45:56,170
and these hands
are already changing his life.
502
00:45:56,180 --> 00:46:00,760
It hits us, I think,
every single day about how amazing,
503
00:46:00,770 --> 00:46:07,450
how miraculous it is to have a
brand-new set of hands on me.
504
00:46:07,460 --> 00:46:11,490
When we thought I was...
505
00:46:11,500 --> 00:46:14,610
never going to be able
to have another set of hands,
506
00:46:14,620 --> 00:46:17,760
I had to live with what I had.
507
00:46:17,930 --> 00:46:22,600
His body is beginning
to take full control of them.
508
00:46:25,090 --> 00:46:29,610
They really look like
they belong and fit to him.
509
00:46:29,620 --> 00:46:33,050
Oh, yeah, they feel like my hands...
510
00:46:33,310 --> 00:46:35,780
in... in every way.
511
00:46:35,790 --> 00:46:39,760
- She loves them.
- These are his hands to me and...
512
00:46:39,770 --> 00:46:43,200
At least I can see
that in her eyes!
513
00:46:43,670 --> 00:46:45,880
Look at the wrist. The wrist...
514
00:46:45,890 --> 00:46:49,560
Richard's recovery is impressive.
515
00:46:49,630 --> 00:46:53,430
- Ooh, nice catch!
- "Bet she won't get that."
516
00:46:55,370 --> 00:46:58,540
A real tribute to
his own resilience
517
00:46:58,550 --> 00:47:01,780
and to the skill of his
medical and surgical team.
518
00:47:01,790 --> 00:47:04,020
I can hold her hand again.
519
00:47:04,030 --> 00:47:07,020
- Now I can do it.
- All right.
520
00:47:19,270 --> 00:47:23,630
We are, each and every one of us,
biological marvels,
521
00:47:24,200 --> 00:47:27,710
able to adapt to a
challenging world.
522
00:47:29,230 --> 00:47:30,780
Although we have our differences,
523
00:47:30,790 --> 00:47:34,600
we are fundamentally all the same.
524
00:47:37,610 --> 00:47:41,430
We smile using the same muscles.
525
00:47:42,950 --> 00:47:46,670
We see the world
with the same eyes.
526
00:47:49,310 --> 00:47:52,380
We have the same hearts...
527
00:47:55,730 --> 00:47:59,350
which work around the clock
to keep us alive,
528
00:47:59,610 --> 00:48:02,880
tirelessly pumping blood,
529
00:48:03,490 --> 00:48:06,530
picking up oxygen from our lungs
530
00:48:07,590 --> 00:48:13,020
and transporting it
to every cell in our body.
531
00:48:13,790 --> 00:48:17,220
We have such remarkably
efficient life-support systems
532
00:48:17,230 --> 00:48:22,400
that we can survive on water
and just a small amount of food.
533
00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:28,400
And that nourishment feeds the most
complex brains that have ever existed.
534
00:48:29,950 --> 00:48:33,940
Each of our brains
has 100 billion cells
535
00:48:33,950 --> 00:48:37,260
that are constantly processing
a mass of information,
536
00:48:37,270 --> 00:48:40,030
rushing in through our senses.
537
00:48:50,470 --> 00:48:53,270
We all began the same way,
538
00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:57,300
when a precious egg
and a single sperm came together,
539
00:48:57,310 --> 00:48:59,710
creating a new individual:
540
00:48:59,720 --> 00:49:01,410
you.
541
00:49:09,310 --> 00:49:13,670
As our hearts began to beat,
we grew from a tiny embryo...
542
00:49:16,190 --> 00:49:21,790
into the 100 trillion cells
that make up every one of us.
543
00:49:26,320 --> 00:49:29,240
I played with Humphrey
Bogart and Leslie Howard...
544
00:49:29,250 --> 00:49:31,760
And your body is so
well put together
545
00:49:31,770 --> 00:49:37,320
that with a little careful maintenance
it can last a hundred years or more.
546
00:49:37,330 --> 00:49:39,850
Just like Esther Turtle.
547
00:49:49,740 --> 00:49:52,740
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
548
00:49:52,750 --> 00:49:55,750
E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
549
00:49:55,760 --> 00:49:59,760
reviewed/corrected for this release by:
Tio Beto from Brazil
550
00:49:59,770 --> 00:50:04,770
tiobetonh@gmail. com
... =Peace Through Anarchy=...