Original subtitles

ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER, JOIN ME ON AN ADVENTURE

THAT'S GUARANTEED TO GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING.

WE'RE GOING SKYDIVING.

DYLAN: WE'LL RIDE ALONGSIDE EXPERT SKYDIVERS THAT USE

WINGSUITS TO ROCKET THROUGH THE CLOUDS.

WE'LL TRAVEL TO THE TOWERING PEAKS OF NORWAY

AND DISCOVER WHAT IT'S LIKE TO JUMP OFF A CLIFF

THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

AND WE'LL TEST A PARACHUTE DESIGNED BY THE GREAT

LEONARDO DA VINCI.

WILL HIS 500 YEAR-OLD VISION ACTUALLY WORK?

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: IT'S BEEN SAID THE GREATEST RISK OF ALL IS

NOT TAKING ONE.

MOST OF US HAVE TAKEN RISKS OF ONE KIND OR

ANOTHER AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THEIR VALUE.

SOMETIMES A RISKY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CAN CREATE NEW

INCOME.

SOMETIMES RISKING REJECTION CAN LAND YOU A

GREAT SATURDAY NIGHT DATE.

WELL THE THRILL SEEKERS WE'RE ABOUT TO MEET TAKE

THE IDEA OF RISK TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

DYLAN: WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD JUMP OUT OF A

PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE?...

...A SKYDIVER, THAT'S WHO.

DYLAN: MODERN-DAY SKYDIVING IS CONSIDERED AN EXTREME

SPORT DUE TO THE OBVIOUS RISKS INVOLVED.

BUT WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT, TRAINING AND

PREPARATION SKYDIVERS ROUTINELY ENJOY SOME OF

THE GREATEST THRILLS IMAGINABLE AND REMAIN

RELATIVELY SAFE WHILE EXPERIENCING THEM.

DYLAN: SKYDIVING AND OTHER EXTREME SPORTS CAN TRIGGER

OUR BODY'S NATURAL EVOLUTIONARY RESPONSES.

RESPONSES THAT HAVE HELPED OUR SPECIES OVERCOME

DANGERS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

DYLAN: THINK OF YOUR FIRST DAY AT A NEW SCHOOL.

CHARLIE IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD AND CAN'T KNOW WHAT TO

EXPECT.

AN IMPORTANT CHEMICAL CALLED ADRENALINE BEGINS

TO FLOW THROUGH HIS VEINS, PUTTING HIS ENTIRE BODY ON

ALERT.

ALL HUMAN BEINGS REACT TO RISK THIS WAY AND IT MAKES

NO DIFFERENCE TO THE BODY IF THE DANGER IS REAL OR

JUST IMAGINED.

FOR THRILL SEEKERS THE BODY'S RESPONSE TO DANGER

IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE AFTER.

DYLAN: MOST PEOPLE COULDN'T BEAR THIS MUCH

INTENSITY BUT SOME PEOPLE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT.

MAN: WOO!

YEAH!

DYLAN: THESE PROFESSIONALS MAKE IT LOOK EASY BUT WHAT

YOU'RE WATCHING IS THE RESULT OF HUNDREDS OF

PRACTICE JUMPS.

BEING ABLE TO CONTROL YOUR BODY WHILE IN FLIGHT IS

DIFFICULT.

AND ONE AWKWARD MOVE AT HIGH SPEEDS CAN END UP IN

A COLLISION.

MAINTAINING A CLEAR, FOCUSED MIND DURING THE

OVERWHELMING SENSATION OF FREE FALL IS THE FIRST

SKILL TO MASTER.

DYLAN: THESE EXPERTS REACH PEAKS OF UP TO

200 MILES PER HOUR.

THEY TRAVEL HALF A MILE IN 12 SECONDS.

DYLAN: ULTIMATELY WHAT MAKES THIS RISK BEARABLE

FOR THE JUMPERS IS THEIR FAITH IN THEIR EQUIPMENT,

ESPECIALLY THEIR PARACHUTES.

AIR RUSHING UNDERNEATH THE PARACHUTE CREATES LOW

PRESSURE ABOVE IT, CREATING A LIFT THAT

BREAKS THE JUMPER'S FALL.

BUT IT TAKES A CAREFUL DESIGN AND THE RIGHT

MATERIAL TO MAKE A PARACHUTE THAT WORKS.

DYLAN: MEET KATARINA OLLIKAINEN

AND ADRIAN NICHOLAS.

THEIR QUEST FOR NEW SENSATIONS HAS LED THEM TO

DEVELOP NEW AND BETTER WAYS OF SKYDIVING.

AS ADRIAN SAYS, IF RIDING A BOAT ISN'T SWIMMING,

THEN RIDING IN AN AIRPLANE ISN'T FLYING.

DYLAN: KATARINA DESIGNED THE WINGSUIT WHICH CATCHES THE

AIR AROUND IT LIKE A BIRD'S WING.

THE TECHNOLOGY AND MATERIALS ARE CUTTING

EDGE, BUT THE DREAM IS TIMELESS; AS ADRIAN AND

KATARINA FORGE AHEAD ON A TRAIL BLAZED FIRST BY

LEONARDO DA VINCI.

DYLAN: IN A SMALL ITALIAN TOWN IN THE YEAR 1452 ONE

OF HISTORY'S GREATEST AND BOLDEST MINDS WAS BORN.

LEONARDO DA VINCI'S GREAT FAME ENDURES THANKS TO

WHAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS PAINTING IN THE

WORLD; THE MONA LISA.

DYLAN: NO SUBJECT WAS BEYOND THE REACH OF

HIS CURIOSITY AND INSIGHT.

HE DARED TO DISSECT THE HUMAN BODY IN ORDER TO

BETTER UNDERSTAND IT AND TO LEARN TO HEAL IT.

HE DESIGNED COUNTLESS POSSIBLE AND IMPOSSIBLE

DEVICES; MANY THAT WOULDN'T BE INVENTED FOR

HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

BUT THERE WAS ONE VISION HE CHERISHED ABOVE ALL

OTHERS; HE BELIEVED THAT SOME DAY HUMAN BEINGS

WOULD FLY.

"AND ONCE YOU HAVE TASTED FLIGHT," HE SAID, "YOU

WILL WALK THE EARTH WITH YOUR EYES TURNED SKYWARDS,

FOR THERE YOU HAVE BEEN AND THERE YOU WILL LONG TO

RETURN."

DYLAN: ADRIAN SHARES LEONARDO'S PASSION TO

PUSH THE LIMITS OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

WEARING THE WINGSUIT, ADRIAN FLEW OVER 10 MILES,

A NEW RECORD.

DYLAN: THE AVERAGE SKYDIVE LASTS ABOUT 55 SECONDS.

ADRIAN FLEW FOR NEARLY 5 MINUTES.

THE JET ENGINE SOUND YOU HEAR IS THE ACTUAL SOUND

OF HUMAN FLIGHT RECORDED LIVE.

[JET ENGINE SOUND]

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: SO WHAT CAUSES ADRIAN'S INSATIABLE

APPETITE FOR THIS KIND OF EXTREME SENSATION?

DYLAN: BIOLOGICALLY ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE NEARLY

IDENTICAL, BUT EVEN THE SMALLEST VARIATIONS CAN

PRODUCE TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCES WHEN IT COMES

TO ONE'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS RISK.

DYLAN: ONE IN PARTICULAR IS CALLED SEROTONIN; A

CHEMICAL IN THE BRAIN THAT'S LINKED WITH

FEELINGS OF WELL-BEING AND ANXIETY.

SEROTONIN LEVELS ARE REGULATED BY ANOTHER

MOLECULE CALLED MONOAMINE OXIDASE, OR MAO.

AND IT'S BEEN FOUND THAT EXTREME RISK-TAKERS TEND

TO HAVE ABOUT ONE-THIRD LESS MAO THAN THE AVERAGE

PERSON.

HAVING A LOW MAO LEVEL IS NO GUARANTEE THAT SOMEONE

LIKE CHARLIE WILL GROW UP TO BECOME A SKYDIVER OR A

BASE JUMPER, BUT IT COULDN'T HURT.

DYLAN: COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL TRAVEL TO NORWAY

AND EXPERIENCE ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS

AND SPECTACULAR JUMPS ON PLANET EARTH.

AND LATER, A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA FROM LEONARDO DA

VINCI COMES TO LIFE BEFORE OUR EYES.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: MOST SKYDIVING IS DONE OUT OF A PLANE

TRAVELING AT LEAST 12,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.

BASE JUMPING IS A DIFFERENT MATTER.

BASE JUMPING STANDS FOR BUILDING ANTENNA SPAN,

LIKE A BRIDGE, OR EARTH.

THIS FORM OF SKYDIVING IS THE MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL

AND THE PEOPLE WHO TRY IT RISK THEIR LIVES WITH

EVERY ATTEMPT.

DYLAN: THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL THING

ABOUT RECREATIONAL RISK IS THAT SEEKING

IT IS A UNIQUELY HUMAN TRAIT.

NO OTHER ANIMAL PUTS ITS LIFE IN DANGER FOR FUN.

DYLAN: THESE ARE THE MOUNTAINS AND FJORDS OF

NORWAY. FOR BASE JUMPERS IT IS A MYTHICAL PLACE.

DYLAN: WE ARE HEADING FOR NORWAY'S CATAMARAN WALL;

THE SHEER VERTICAL DROP OF 4,150 FEET; THREE TIMES

THE HEIGHT OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

DYLAN: OUR BASE JUMPING TEAM IS HIGHLY EXPERIENCED,

LED BY TOP PRO MARIO RICHARD.

BUT THE SPORT IS CONSIDERED SO DANGEROUS

THAT ONLY A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE EVER TRIED IT.

DYLAN: UNLIKE SKYDIVING, BASE JUMPERS DON'T USE A

RESERVE PARACHUTE.

PREPARATION IS SERIOUS AND THOROUGH, BUT EVEN THE

MOST EXPERIENCED JUMPERS ADMIT FEELING FEAR BEFORE

THE JUMP.

ADRENALINE BEGINS TO FLOW, THEIR EYES WIDEN, AND

THEIR HEART BEATS QUICKEN.

BODY TEMPERATURE RISES WHILE BREATHING BECOMES

SHORT AND RAPID.

MANY PEOPLE WOULD RECOGNIZE IT AS A PANIC

STATE.

BUT THE ANTICIPATION OF THE THRILL PUSHES THESE

JUMPERS FORWARD.

GROUP: FASTER!

LONGER!

LOWER!

WOO HOO!

DYLAN: THE LURE OF THE CATAMARAN WALL IS A

POTENTIAL RECORD 28 SECOND FREE FALL.

BUT TO FALL FOR THAT LONG YOU HAVE TO VEER AWAY FROM

THE WALL AND CLEAR A SLOPE OF ROCKS THAT COMES WITHIN

A SECOND AND A HALF OF IMPACT.

NONE OF THESE JUMPERS COULD RESIST TRYING IT.

♪ INTENSE MUSIC ♪ [AIR SOUNDS]

DYLAN: THE INITIAL REWARD IS PHYSIOLOGICAL.

IN A RUSH OF RELIEF THEIR BODIES RELEASE ENDORPHINS,

MOLECULES ASSOCIATED WITH PAIN RELIEF AND PLEASURE,

LEAVING THE JUMPERS WITH A LONG-LASTING, BLISSFUL

HIGH.

DYLAN: EVEN LEONARDO DA VINCI COULD NOT HAVE

DREAMED HOW EXTREME RISK-TAKERS AND THRILL

SEEKERS WOULD SOME DAY TURN THE

SKY ITSELF INTO THEIR PLAYGROUND.

THIS TEAM OF JUMPERS IS PLAYING SKY BALL USING A

TENNIS BALL FILLED WITH LEAD.

DYLAN: IF THE BALL IS FUMBLED AND NOT RECOVERED IT COULD

CREATE A HOLE IN THE GROUND ALMOST 7 FEET DEEP

UPON IMPACT.

THAT'S WHY THEY ALWAYS PLAY SKY BALL OVER WATER.

IMAGINE TOSSING A BALL BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TWO

TRAINS SPEEDING AT 200 MILES PER HOUR AND YOU'LL

GET AN IDEA OF THE DIFFICULTY OF THIS

PARTICULAR GAME.

DYLAN: LEGEND SAYS A MAN JUMPED OFF A TALL TREE

HOLDING TWO UMBRELLAS IN 1783.

BUT THE FIRST DOCUMENTED PARACHUTE JUMP WAS IN 1797

IN PARIS.

DYLAN: PARACHUTISTS FIRST JUMPED FROM AIRPLANES IN

1912 BUT SKYDIVING AS WE KNOW IT TODAY INCLUDING A

FREE FALL BEFORE THE PARACHUTE IS PULLED,

DIDN'T BECOME A SPORT UNTIL THE 1950'S.

DYLAN: FOR KATARINA OLLIKAINEN AND HER

PARTNER ADRIAN NICHOLAS, SKYDIVING IS NOT ONLY

ABOUT HAVING FUN, IT'S ALSO ABOUT PUSHING THE LIMITS

OF SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY.

TODAY KATARINA AND ADRIAN ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A

JOURNEY MORE THAN 5 CENTURIES IN THE MAKING AS

THEY BRING ONE OF LEONARDO DA VINCI'S MOST FAMOUS

DREAMS TO LIFE.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY.

MORE THAN 5 CENTURIES AGO THE FAMOUS RENAISSANCE MAN

LEONARDO DA VINCI DREAMED OF A DEVICE THAT WOULD

ALLOW PEOPLE TO FLOAT DOWN TO EARTH AFTER JUMPING

FROM A SIGNIFICANT HEIGHT.

LEONARDO'S DESIGN WAS MISUNDERSTOOD IN HIS OWN

TIME, SCOFFED AT BY LATER GENERATIONS OF SCIENTISTS,

AND NEVER TESTED UNTIL NOW.

DYLAN: KATARINA OLLIKAINEN AND ADRIAN NICHOLAS,

TOGETHER WITH SCIENTISTS FROM SULFUR UNIVERSITY AND

PROFESSOR NICK AVIS ARE ABOUT TO REACH BACK IN

TIME TO HELP PUSH HUMANITY FORWARD.

DYLAN: LEONARDO DA VINCI'S FASCINATION WITH FLIGHT

LED TO COUNTLESS DRAWINGS OF BIRDS AND HYPOTHETICAL

FLYING MACHINES.

AMONG THEM, ONE SKETCH APPEARS LIKE AN AMAZING

INTUITION, THE PARACHUTE; AN IDEA CENTURIES AHEAD OF

ITS TIME.

ADRIAN: I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT NOBODY HAD

EVER TRIED TO BUILD THIS, NOBODY HAD EVER TRIED TO

FLY IT.

IT WAS CONSIDERED A LEAD BALLOON; A NICE TRY, BLESS

HIS COTTON SOCKS, BUT NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK.

IT JUST TOOK US 515 YEARS TO FIND SOMEBODY WITH A

BRAIN SMALL ENOUGH TO BUILD IT AND TRY IT.

DYLAN: HIS PARTNER KATARINA TOOK UP THE

CHALLENGE AS WELL.

KATARINA: FROM THE BEGINNING WE CONSULTED A

LOT OF SCIENTISTS AND SPECIALISTS IN SKYDIVING

AND PARACHUTE MANUFACTURERS AND THEY ALL

SAID "OH NO, IT WON'T WORK, NO CHANCE, IT'S GONNA

START SPILLING AIR BACK AND FORTH," BUT WE THOUGHT IT

WOULD BE WORTH THE TRY ANYWAY; IT'S TOO GOOD TO

NOT TRY IT.

DYLAN: MARTIN KEMP, AN ART HISTORY PROFESSOR AT

OXFORD, HELPED KATARINA AND ADRIAN INTERPRET

LEONARDO'S VISION.

ADRIAN: OXFORD UNIVERSITY GAVE US SO MUCH HELP AND

ENTHUSIASM TO TRY AND SEE THIS THROUGH, TO MAKE

THIS, TO HELP US TO BUILD A PARACHUTE AS

AUTHENTICALLY AS POSSIBLE, AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO

HOW DA VINCI WOULD HAVE MADE IT.

DYLAN: CRITICAL GROUND TESTS ARE CONDUCTED THE

DAY BEFORE THE EXPERIMENT TO MINIMIZE THE RISK TO

ADRIAN WHO WILL BE FLYING THE PARACHUTE.

SINCE NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY HOW LEONARDO'S PARACHUTE

WILL PERFORM, ADRIAN MUST BE ABLE TO FREE HIMSELF

AND WILL BE OUTFITTED WITH A MODERN PARACHUTE AS A

BACKUP.

IF LEONARDO'S SHUTE FAILS AND THE 200-POUND

STRUCTURE COLLAPSES AROUND ADRIAN, HE WILL HAVE TO

RELY ON HIS OWN SURVIVAL INSTINCT AND CUNNING TO

GET OUT OF IT IN TIME TO OPEN HIS OWN PARACHUTE.

WHEN THE PARACHUTE IS DEPLOYED SPECIAL CAMERAS

WILL RECORD THE MOVEMENTS OF A PATTERN OF BLACK DOTS

PAINTED ON ONE FACE OF THE CANOPY.

THE SULFUR SCIENTISTS BELIEVE LEONARDO'S

PARACHUTE, DESIGNED OVER 500 YEARS AGO, WILL HELP

TEACH THEM HOW DEFORMABLE SURFACES BEHAVE IN FLUID

AIRFLOW.

THE VISION OF LEONARDO DA VINCI IS STILL AT THE

CUTTING EDGE OF SCIENCE.

DYLAN: ON THE DAY OF THE EXPERIMENT THE SUN RISES

ON PERFECT CONDITIONS.

THE SKY IS CLEAR WITH ALMOST NO WIND.

DYLAN: A HOT AIR BALLOON WILL LIFT ADRIAN AND THE

PARACHUTE TO 10,000 FEET.

ADRIAN: KATARINA HAS BUILT A BEAUTIFUL PARACHUTE; IT

SEEMS VERY WELL ENGINEERED AND I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT

AFTER ALL THIS ANTICIPATION, AFTER ALL

THIS TIME OF WONDERING WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

IT'S GONNA BE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL

EXPERIENCE.

DYLAN: A 21ST CENTURY SKYDIVER GUIDED BY A 15TH

CENTURY VISIONARY.

THERE'S NO TURNING BACK NOW.

LEONARDO'S PARACHUTE WILL FLY OR FAIL.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: AFTER MORE THAN 5 CENTURIES LEONARDO DA

VINCI'S DREAM OF A PARACHUTE IS ABOUT TO

COME TO LIFE.

AS THE EXPERIMENT BEGINS, CONDITIONS ARE PERFECT.

THE SUN IS SHINING, THE SKY IS CLEAR, THERE'S

ALMOST NO WIND.

THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO IS HOLD ON.

DYLAN: A HOT AIR BALLOON IS LIFTING ADRIAN AND

LEONARDO DA VINCI'S PARACHUTE HIGH ABOVE THE

GROUND.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME LEONARDO'S DESIGN HAS

EVER BEEN TESTED.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT.

AT 10,000 FEET KATARINA GIVES THE COMMAND TO DROP.

♪ ADVENTUROUS MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: LEONARDO'S PARACHUTE FILLS WITH AIR

AND TAKES ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

THE PARACHUTE FLOATS AND GLIDES LIKE A DREAM.

5 CENTURIES AND 20 GENERATIONS OF DOUBT

DISAPPEAR AMONG THE CLOUDS.

ONE OF THE GREAT MODERN SKYDIVERS HAS RETURNED TO

THE RENAISSANCE AND RECAPTURED THE WONDER OF

FLIGHT.

AT 1,800 FEET ADRIAN CUTS AWAY.

THE EXPERIMENT WAS A SUCCESS AND THE CONCLUSION

IS INESCAPABLE, SIMPLE, EXTRAORDINARY.

LEONARDO DA VINCI WAS RIGHT.

DYLAN: MOST OF US WILL NEVER JUMP OUT OF A PLANE

OR OFF A CLIFF OR HANG FROM A GIANT FLOATING

TRIANGLE. BUT THE RISKS WE TAKE EVERY DAY ARE USUALLY

THE MOST MEANINGFUL MOMENTS OF OUR LIVES.

THEY ARE WHAT CALL US TO ACTION, WHAT CHALLENGE US

TO ACHIEVE, AND WHAT GETS OUR HEARTS BEATING.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR ADRENALINE-FILLED JOURNEY.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ MUSIC ♪