Original subtitles

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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; TODAY WE'RE ON AN

ADVENTURE THROUGH FIRE, ASH AND NEW LIFE AS WE

DISCOVER THE AWESOME POWER OF VOLCANOES.

WE'LL COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE INCREDIBLE

ANIMALS WHO FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL IN THE MOST

DIFFICULT AND UNPREDICTABLE CONDITIONS.

WE'LL WITNESS THE DESTRUCTION VOLCANOES

CAUSE TO ECOSYSTEMS BOTH ABOVE THE WAVES AND BELOW.

AND WE'LL EXPERIENCE IT ALL THROUGH THE LENS OF

AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY AS OUR CAMERAS DELIVER IMAGES

LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

THE JOURNEY STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: A VOLCANO IS FORMED WHEN HOT GASSES AND

LAVA DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH'S CORE ERUPT THROUGH

A CRACK IN THE EARTH'S CRUST.

SOME VOLCANOES CREATE VIOLENT,

DEADLY EXPLOSIONS, SOME OCCUR DEEP UNDER THE

OCEAN, OTHERS ARE MORE PREDICTABLE - LEAKING

STEADY STREAMS OF LAVA OVER DECADES OR CENTURIES.

TODAY OUR STORY IS LESS ABOUT VOLCANOES THEMSELVES

AND MORE ABOUT THE WILDLIFE THAT LIVES WITHIN

THEIR SHADOW.

THESE UNIQUE AND RESOURCEFUL ANIMALS

SURVIVE THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING

CONDITIONS ON OUR PLANET; RISING UP THROUGH THE

ASHES TOWARD THE PROMISE OF A NEW LIFE.

LITTLE STIRS SO CLOSE TO AN ERUPTING VOLCANO.

♪ MUSIC ♪ -- [SOUNDS OF VOLCANO ERUPTING]

DYLAN: THE SURVIVING ANIMALS HAVE A CHOICE;

STAY AND FIGHT OR FLEE THE WRATH.

YET AMAZINGLY SOME CREATURES ARE ACTUALLY

ATTRACTED TO THE DISASTER ZONE.

OUR STORY BEGINS WITH PAPUA,

NEW GUINEA ON AN ISLAND KNOWN AS NEW BRITAIN.

HERE THE HARBOR TOWN OF RABAUL NESTLES INSIDE A

VAST CALDERA; A LARGE, GAPING CENTRAL MOUTH WITH

SEVERAL SMALLER VOLCANOES AROUND ITS EDGE.

IT WAS TOWARDS THE END OF THE LAST CENTURY THAT THIS

CALDERA FIRST BEGAN TO GIVE CLEAR WARNING.

ACIDIC GASSES BEGAN TO BURN THE TREES SUGGESTING

THAT THE PRESSURE IN THE CHAMBER WAS BUILDING UP

AND THE VOLCANO ABOUT TO EXPLODE.

DESPITE ALL THESE SIGNS OF THE MONSTER WITHIN SOME

PEOPLE WERE RELUCTANT TO LEAVE.

THEN EARLY ONE MORNING IN 1994.

IT FINALLY EXPLODED.

LUCKILY MOST PEOPLE GOT AWAY JUST IN TIME.

BUT THIS WAS ONLY THE START OF ITS LONGEST

ERUPTION IN LIVING MEMORY.

LOCAL PEOPLE NAMED THIS CRATER TAVURVUR;

THE HORNET'S NEST.

COME MORNING THE HORNET'S NEST IS EXTREMELY ANGRY.

CLOUDS OF FRESH ASH ABSORB WATER AND FALL AS THICK,

CHOKING, BLACK RAIN.

IT COATS THE PLANTS IN A CEMENT-LIKE LAYER WHICH

THE SUN'S RAYS WILL NEVER PENETRATE.

NO SUNLIGHT, NO CHANCE TO GROW.

LIKE THE PEOPLE BEFORE THEM,

THESE FRUIT BATS ARE FORCED TO CHOOSE;

EITHER FLEE OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.

STINGING ASH COATS THE FRUIT LIKE A DUSTING OF

PEPPER AND THE HUNGRY BATS HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO

EAT IT.

AND LIKE OTHERS BEFORE THEM,

THEY LEAVE IN A MASS EXODUS.

IN THIS INHOSPITABLE LANDSCAPE FOUR

EXTRAORDINARY CREATURES FIGHT TO BRING YOUNG INTO

THIS STRANGE NEW WORLD.

THE PLANTS IT FEEDS ON MAY BE DYING BUT THIS

BIRD-WINGED CATERPILLAR IS GOING TO KEEP ON MUNCHING

WHILE IT CAN.

PROTECTED BY ITS SHELL, THE HERMIT CRAB SURVIVED

AND NOW IT MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW

OPPORTUNITIES.

AS IT SCOURS THE DEVASTATION FOR FRESH

PICKINGS, THE BRAHMINY KITE FLIES DANGEROUSLY

CLOSE TO THE VOLATILE HORNET'S NEST.

FOR THIS STRANGE PREHISTORIC-LIKE BIRD THE

MEGAPODE, THE ROAR OF THE VOLCANO IS LIKE A CALL TO

COMMUNE WITH THE ASHES.

IT'S SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT NURSERY FOR THEIR

YOUNG; FOR THESE UNUSUAL BIRDS ACTUALLY USE THE

HEAT FROM THE ASH TO PROVIDE A NATURAL

INCUBATOR FOR THEIR EGGS.

THEY HAVE TO BE CHOOSEY FOR THE TEMPERATURE NEEDS

TO STAY AROUND BODY HEAT.

COMPETITION IS FRANTIC.

GIANT EGGS ARE LAID QUICKLY IN BURROWS DEEP IN

THE WARM ASH.

EVEN THE TREES OFFER LITTLE SHELTER;

FOR SOME OF THE BOMBS RAINING DOWN ARE BIGGER

THAN A TRUCK.

FEW OTHER BIRDS TAKE CRAZY RISKS LIKE THESE.

THEY'VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY TO RUN FOR THEIR

LIVES.

WHEN EACH EGG IS LAID THE HENS WILL RETURN TO THE

FOREST TO FEED UP, TRUSTING TO FATE THAT

THEIR EGGS WON'T BECOME HARD-BOILED.

THE MOST POWERFUL VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN MODERN HISTORY

OCCURRED IN INDONESIA IN THE YEAR 1815.

THE EXPLOSION OF MOUNT TAMBORA WAS HEARD MORE

THAN 1,500 MILES AWAY AND SENT COLUMNS OF ASH 27

MILES INTO THE SKY.

THICK CLOUDS BLOCKED OUT SUNLIGHT AS FAR AWAY AS

EUROPE, CAUSING GLOBAL TEMPERATURES TO FALL AND

CROPS TO FAIL.

THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 1816 IS KNOWN AS THE YEAR

WITHOUT A SUMMER.

SUCH MASSIVE VOLCANIC EVENTS ARE RARE,

BUT THEY DO HAPPEN AND EVENTUALLY ONE WILL HAPPEN

AGAIN.

COMING UP NEXT, SEA MONSTERS DO EXIST.

WE'LL LEARN HOW GIANT EELS SURVIVE IN THE SHADOW OF

THE VOLCANO.

DON'T GO AWAY, JOURNEY WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

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

.

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

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

THE ISLANDS OF INDONESIA ARE LOCATED ALONG THE RIM

OF THE PACIFIC RING OF FIRE.

THE RING OF FIRE IS A LINE OF VOLCANOES THAT

ENCIRCLES THE ENTIRE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM THE TIP

OF SOUTH AMERICA ALL THE WAY TO ALASKA,

ACROSS TO EASTERN RUSSIA AND JAPAN,

BACK DOWN TO THE CONTINENT OF AUSTRALIA.

THE VOLCANOES ARE CAUSED BY MASSIVE TECTONIC PLATES

IN THE EARTH'S CRUST THAT ARE CONSTANTLY RUBBING,

BUMPING AND TEARING INTO EACH OTHER.

ALL THAT GEOLOGIC ACTIVITY HAS CREATED MORE THAN 100

ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN THE REGION OF INDONESIA AND A

FEW OF THOSE VOLCANOES ARE AMONG THE MOST DEADLY ON

EARTH.

SURPRISINGLY LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM THE

RUMBLING ERUPTION OF THE HORNET'S NEST IT'S JUST

ANOTHER DAY IN THE OCEAN AND THE FAMILY OF SPINNER

DOLPHINS IS PLAYING.

BATHED BY FRESH OCEAN CURRENTS AND BUFFERED FROM

SHOCK WAVES, THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM THE

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE.

BUT ON LAND A SHIFT IN THE WIND WHIPS THE LIGHT ASH

INTO DUST DEVILS, OR DRIFTS IN DUNES WHICH

SMOTHER MORE PLANTS.

AGAINST THE ODDS, AT LEAST ONE BIRD-WINGED

CATERPILLAR HAS SURVIVED AND NOW AT LAST IT CAN

STOP EATING.

IT BUILDS A CHRYSALIS WHICH WHEN DRY WILL

PROTECT IT FROM EXTREME HEAT.

SHELTERED FROM TAVURVUR'S RAGE,

SLOWLY OVER SEVERAL DAYS THE UNGAINLY CATERPILLAR

TRANSFORMS INTO A BEAUTIFUL BIRD-WINGED

BUTTERFLY.

RIGHT NOW SHE'S AT HER MOST VULNERABLE;

SHE NEEDS ANOTHER DAY FREE FROM ASH AND RAIN WHILE

HER WINGS HARDEN AND HER COMPLEX EYES LEARN TO

FOCUS.

A BIRD-WING CAN SEE MANY MORE FRAMES PER SECOND

THAN WE CAN, AS IF MOVING OBJECTS ARE IN

SLOW-MOTION, AND EVERY DETAIL SO MUCH SHARPER.

ALL AROUND THE BAY THE WINDBLOWN ASH CONTINUES TO

WREAK HAVOC.

AND THE LOCAL OPPORTUNISTS ARE READY TO TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAOS.

HERMIT CRABS PATROL THE SHORELINE USING THEIR

ANTENNAE TO FIND FREE OFFERINGS THROWN UP BY

LAND OR SEA.

THIS FEMALE NEEDS TO FEAST WELL,

FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THE MOON WHEN THE TIDE IS AT

ITS LOWEST IT WILL BE TIME TO LAY HER EGGS.

SHE HEADS FOR THE CORAL REEF TO GIVE HER OFFSPRING

SOME SHELTER.

CLOWNFISH AND SEA ANEMONES WAIT TO GREET HER.

SHE LAYS OVER 1,000 EGGS AND AS SOON AS THEY MEET

SALTWATER TINY LARVA HATCH.

AND IF ONLY 10 LARVA SURVIVE,

TRANSFORM INTO BABY CRABS AND COLONIZE NEW ISLANDS

SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN,

IT WON'T HAVE BEEN A BAD NIGHT'S WORK FOR ONE

MOTHER.

DON'T GO AWAY, JOURNEY WILL BE BACK

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.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THE LARGEST VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN

UNITED STATES HISTORY OCCURRED AT MOUNT ST.

HELENS ON MAY 18TH, 1980.

THE ERUPTION ALSO TRIGGERED THE LARGEST

LANDSLIDE IN RECORDED HISTORY.

THIS IS WHAT THE MOUNTAIN LOOKED LIKE A DAY BEFORE

THE BLAST AND HERE IT IS 2 MONTHS LATER AFTER MORE

THAN 1,000 VERTICAL FEET OF EARTH EXPLODED INTO THE

SKY.

MOUNT ST. HELENS HAD BEEN QUIET FOR MORE THAN 100

YEARS BEFORE IT ERUPTED, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF

THE WORLD THE VOLCANOES OF INDONESIA ARE VERY ACTIVE

INDEED.

BACK AT TAVURVUR DESPITE THE DESOLATION THE

BRAHMINY KITE MUST ALSO BREED.

THE MALE RIDES THE SUPER-HEATED THERMAL

SEARCHING FOR A TREE WITH A GOOD ALL-AROUND VIEW.

THIS DYING FOUNTAIN TREE SEEMS A STRANGE CHOICE.

SURELY EVEN FOR A SCAVENGER IT'S FAR TOO

CLOSE TO AN ACTIVE VOLCANO FOR COMFORT.

THE FEMALE ARRIVES TO CHECK HIS JUDGMENT.

IF SHE DOESN'T LIKE HIS CHOICE SHE WILL SIMPLY

MOVE OUT.

JUST ONE OTHER PROBLEM; A PARTY OF SINGING STARLINGS

ALSO FANCIES THE FOUNTAIN TREE.

STARLINGS WILL ALWAYS MOCK BIRDS OF PREY,

ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN GANG UP ON THEM.

THE KITE SEES THEM OFF, BUT STARLINGS LIKE TO HAVE

THE LAST WORD.

WITH THE STARLINGS A CONSTANT PEST ONE KITE

WILL NEED TO STAY ON WATCH WHILE THE OTHER BUILDS THE

NEST.

THEY MAY HAVE WON THE TREE FROM THE PESKY STARLINGS,

BUT WITH VOLCANIC DUST BLOWING DIRECTLY TOWARDS

THEM IT COULD PROVE A FRAGILE VICTORY.

SOMETIMES THE VOLCANO IS DECEPTIVELY QUIET AS

COOLED MAGMA PLUGS THE CRATER.

BUT PRESSURE BUILDS UP AGAIN READY TO BURST.

♪ MUSIC ♪ -- [VOLCANIC ERUPTION NOISES]

DYLAN: IN A SERIOUS BAD MOOD TAVURVUR CAN CHUCK

OUT SEVERAL TONS OF ASH DAILY.

WITH SO MUCH DEBRIS FLUNG INTO THE STRATOSPHERE IT

ALSO INFLUENCES THE WEATHER.

A TROPICAL DOWNPOUR OFFERS SOME RELIEF AS IT WASHES

AWAY ENCRUSTED ASH.

HEAVY RAIN ERODES THE LIGHT ASH SOIL,

OPENING UP NEW CHANNELS TO THE SEA ALLOWING STRANGE

OCEAN PREDATORS TO SNEAK DEEP INLAND;

GIANT MOTTLED EELS, UP TO 6 FEET LONG.

IF THEY CAN GET UP ENOUGH SPEED UNDERWATER THE

MOMENTUM WILL CARRY THEIR OPEN JAWS RIGHT TO THE

CRAB.

THIS HERMIT SIDLES OUT OF REACH.

LIVING UNDER REGULAR ATTACK FROM THE VOLCANO,

IT'S GOT FAR BIGGER DANGERS TO CONTEND WITH.

DON'T GO AWAY, JOURNEY WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

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

.

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

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THE SERENGETI PLAINS OF EASTERN AFRICA

ARE HOME TO THE LARGEST TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS ON

EARTH.

APPROXIMATELY 70 LARGE MAMMAL SPECIES AND MORE

THAN 500 SPECIES OF BIRDS THRIVE IN THE TALL GRASS

AND WOODLANDS.

THIS STUNNING LANDSCAPE IS DUE IN PART TO THE

NYIRAGONGO VOLCANO LOCATED ALMOST 400 MILES AWAY.

MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO PLUMES OF ASH FROM THIS

VOLCANO BLANKETED LARGE SECTIONS OF MODERN DAY

KENYA AND TANZANIA CREATING THE NUTRIENT-RICH

SOIL OF TODAY'S SERENGETI.

BACK AT RABAUL IT SEEMS A GOOD DAY FOR THE FIRST

MEGAPODE CHICKS TO EMERGE FROM THEIR BURROWS.

UNIQUE AMONGST BIRDS, THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.

WITH THEIR MOTHERS LONG GONE THEY HAVE TO FEND

ENTIRELY FOR THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE BORN TO RUN FROM FLYING BOMBS.

THE HORNET'S NEST LOOKS SURPRISINGLY BENIGN.

IT CHANGES MOOD CONSTANTLY.

WHEN THE CRATER HISSES WHITE SMOKE IT INDICATES

THAT THE PRESSURE INSIDE THE CHAMBER HAS FALLEN.

FOR THIS IS SEAWATER, EVAPORATING AND ESCAPING

THROUGH THE CRACKS.

THE CHANGE WON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO THE DOLPHINS

BUT IT MIGHT JUST SIGNAL THAT THE FIERCEST

ERUPTIONS ARE IN THE PAST.

AFTER MORE THAN 16 YEARS OF ERUPTIONS THE COMMUNITY

HERE HAS REACHED A KIND OF NORMALITY;

IF LIFE CAN EVER BE NORMAL AROUND SUCH A MOODY

VOLCANO.

THANKFULLY FOR THE VILLAGERS LIVING IN THE

TOWN OF RABAUL TODAY THE HORNET'S NEST LOOKS

SURPRISINGLY QUIET AND BENIGN.

ALTHOUGH ITS MOOD CHANGES CONSTANTLY,

WHEN THE INNER CRATER HISSES WITH WHITE SMOKE

IT'S A GOOD INDICATION THAT THE PRESSURE INSIDE

THE CHAMBER HAS FALLEN AND THE CHANCE OF A LARGE

ERUPTION IS SLIM.

FINALLY, BOTH HUMANS AND WILDLIFE CAN BREATHE A

SIGH OF RELIEF.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR VOLCANIC ADVENTURE.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ CREDITS ♪

♪ CREDITS ♪