Original subtitles

NARRATOR: FROM SPACE, EARTH APPEARS TO BE STILL.

BUT LOOK CLOSER, AND IT'S MOVING.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING IN UNISON]

NARRATOR: SATELLITE CAMERAS CAPTURE

SOME OF THE GREATEST MOVEMENTS ON THE PLANET--

THE RELENTLESS SWIRLING OF THE ATMOSPHERE...

THE CONSTANT SURGE OF WATER...

[FROGS CROAKING]

[OTTER CHITTERS]

EVEN THE MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS.

ALL HAVE THE POWER TO SHAPE OUR LANDSCAPE.

LOOKING DOWN FROM SPACE, THESE MOVEMENTS COMBINE AND INTERACT

TO CREATE A PLANET UNIQUE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE IS TRANSFORMING

OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

AT A TIME WHEN EARTH'S SURFACE IS CHANGING FASTER

THAN AT ANY POINT IN HUMAN HISTORY...

THESE CAMERAS ARE REVEALING OUR PLANET IN A WHOLE NEW WAY.

THIS IS OUR HOME AS WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

NARRATOR: AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THERE ARE

OVER A THOUSAND ACTIVE SATELLITES ORBITING EARTH.

THEIR CAMERAS REVEAL

SOME OF EARTH'S GREATEST AND MOST POWERFUL MOVEMENTS,

BUT THEY'RE ALSO CAPABLE OF CAPTURING INCREDIBLE DETAIL.

CENTRAL CHINA--

THE SMALL CITY OF DENGFENG.

IN AMONGST THE BUILDINGS, BRIGHT RED CIRCLES, X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

IN AMONGST THE BUILDINGS, BRIGHT RED CIRCLES,

FORMATIONS CREATED BY SOME TRULY SPECTACULAR MOVEMENT.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

[MAN SAYING COMMANDS IN CHINESE]

NARRATOR: THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD CHING YIU LAM

GOES TO A VERY SPECIAL SCHOOL.

[BOYS SHOUTING RESPONSES]

NARRATOR: THE STUDENTS HERE SPEND THEIR SCHOOL LIFE

MASTERING THE ART OF SHAOLIN KUNG FU.

EACH INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT IS PRECISE--

SOME FAST, SOME SLOW, BUT ALL WITH PURPOSE.

[STUDENTS SHOUTING IN UNISON]

ON HIS OWN, CHING YIU IS IMPRESSIVE.

BUT TOGETHER WITH HIS CLASSMATES, THEY CREATE

SOMETHING MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL.

[BOYS SHOUT IN CHINESE]

NARRATOR: ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS,

THE STUDENTS OF THIS KUNG FU SCHOOL COME TOGETHER

FOR A REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE.

[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENTS]

WHEN YOU COMBINE THE MOVEMENTS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL...

[INSTRUCTOR SHOUTS, STUDENTS RESPOND]

NARRATOR: WITH THE MOTION OF THOUSANDS,

IT CREATES MOVEMENT SO IMPRESSIVE,

IT CAN BE SEEN FROM SPACE.

[STUDENTS SHOUTING IN UNISON]

NARRATOR: THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS...

PERFORMING AS ONE. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

PERFORMING AS ONE.

THIS IS THE POWER OF MOVEMENT EN MASSE.

AND IT TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING WHEN VIEWED FROM ABOVE.

THE ACTIONS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT SEEM SIGNIFICANT,

BUT TOGETHER, THEY HAVE A REAL IMPACT.

IT IS THE SAME FOR ALL LIFE ON OUR PLANET.

SIX THOUSAND MILES FROM CHINA,

THE REPETITIVE MOVEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS HAS SHAPED

ONE OF THE NATURAL WORLD'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY LANDSCAPES.

BOTSWANA, AFRICA.

IN THE HEART OF A DESERT, A VAST SHIMMERING FAN.

CHANNELS OF WATER HAVE CREATED A DELTA...

THAT NEVER REACHES THE OCEAN BUT DISAPPEARS INTO THE SAND--

THE OKAVANGO.

FROM ABOVE, YOU CAN SEE A NETWORK OF TRACKS AND PATHS

RUNNING THROUGH THE WETLAND--

CROSSROADS...

FORKS IN THE ROAD...

ROUNDABOUTS...

CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED

BY AFRICA'S MOST UNLIKELY ARCHITECT...

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

[HIPPOPOTAMUSES GRUNTING]

THE DELTA IS HOME TO BOTSWANA'S LARGEST POPULATION OF HIPPOS.

THEY WALLOW IN POOLS TO ESCAPE THE HEAT.

BUT THEY CAN'T ESCAPE EACH OTHER. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

MALES DEFEND THEIR TERRITORY

WHILE JUVENILES TRY TO COPY THEM.

THERE ARE YOUNGSTERS UNDERFOOT.

[HIPPOPOTAMUS CALLS]

AND THE FEMALES HAVE HAD ENOUGH.

THEY ALL NEED JUST A BIT MORE SPACE.

[HIPPOPOTAMUSES GRUNTING]

AS THE SUN BEGINS TO SET AND THE TEMPERATURE DROPS...

THE HIPPOS LEAVE THE POOL TO FIND FOOD.

BUT THE BEST GRAZING SPOTS CAN BE MORE THAN A MILE AWAY

THROUGH THICK VEGETATION.

THEIR ROUTES TO FEEDING GROUNDS ARE RETRACED DAILY.

THREE-TON BULLDOZERS KEEPING THE PATHWAYS CLEAR.

[HIPPOPOTAMUS CALLING]

AND SINCE ALL JOURNEYS ORIGINATE IN A POOL,

THE HIPPO TRACKS ACT LIKE RELEASE VALVES...

ALLOWING WATER AND NUTRIENTS TO FLOW DEEP INTO THE DELTA.

IT'S THIS MOVEMENT THAT HELPS TO CREATE THE CHANNELS

THAT SUSTAIN SO MUCH LIFE HERE IN THE OKAVANGO.

THESE HIPPO TRACKS HAVE FORMED A TANGLED NETWORK OF WATERWAYS

STRETCHING FOR OVER 5,000 SQUARE MILES...

TRANSFORMING A DESERT INTO AN OASIS... X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

TRANSFORMING A DESERT INTO AN OASIS...

IN THE HEART OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.

70% OF THE PLANET IS COVERED BY WATER.

ITS POWERFUL MOVEMENT HAS ALLOWED

LIFE TO FLOURISH ON EARTH.

AS WATER FLOWS ACROSS THE PLANET'S SURFACE,

IT CREATES DIVERSE HABITATS.

OFF ALASKA, THE YUKON RIVER FANS OUT INTO AN INTRICATE DELTA

AS IT REACHES THE BERING SEA.

TINY RIVERS JOIN TOGETHER

AS THEY CHANNEL THROUGH AN ISLAND IN WEST AFRICA.

BUT AS WATER FLOWS INTO VAST OCEANS,

ITS MOVEMENT BECOMES HARDER TO SEE.

BUT LOOK DOWN FROM ABOVE AND SATELLITES CAN TRACK IT

OR, MORE SPECIFICALLY, THOSE USING IT.

OFF THE COAST OF SINGAPORE, THE BLUE IS FLECKED WITH COLOR--

CONTAINER SHIPS.

OVER 50,000 MERCHANT SHIPS CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WORLD

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR...

CARRYING 90% OF GLOBAL TRADE.

AND THEY FOLLOW SOME OF THE GREATEST MOVEMENTS

ON THE PLANET.

WINDS RACING OVER THE OCEAN TRANSFER THEIR ENERGY

INTO THE WATER BELOW,

BECOMING AN UNSTOPPABLE, POWERFUL FORCE,

OCEANIC CURRENTS.

CURRENTS ARE USUALLY INVISIBLE.

BUT BY FOLLOWING THE SHIPS FROM ABOVE,

PLOTTING THE MANY THOUSANDS OF JOURNEYS MADE EACH YEAR,

THE PATH OF THE CURRENTS BECOMES APPARENT.

AS SHIPS LEAVE NEW YORK, THEY FOLLOW A DIRECT ROUTE...

HITCHING A RIDE ON THE CURRENTS OF THE GULF STREAM

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO EUROPE. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO EUROPE.

TRAVELING WITH A CURRENT MAKES AN OCEAN CROSSING

SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFICIENT...

[THUNDER]

AND NOT JUST FOR SHIPS.

BY FOLLOWING THE POWERFUL CURRENTS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN,

THIS BABY TURTLE IS ABLE TO BEGIN A JOURNEY

OF OVER A THOUSAND MILES TO DISTANT FEEDING GROUNDS.

UNDER THE HULLS OF SHIPS,

CURRENTS PROPEL HUNDREDS OF OCEAN TRAVELERS...

FROM JELLYFISH...

TO WHALES.

BUT FOLLOWING THE CURRENTS

DOESN'T ALWAYS MAKE FOR THE SHORTEST ROUTE.

THE VOYAGE TO EUROPE FROM ASIA

ONCE MEANT SAILING AROUND THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.

SO HUMANS CREATED A SHORTCUT--

THE SUEZ CANAL...

120 MILES CARVED THROUGH THE SAND...

AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN ENDEAVOR THAT NOW SHORTENS THE JOURNEY

BY OVER 4,000 MILES.

LOOKING DOWN FROM ABOVE

IN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE CIRCUMSTANCES,

SATELLITES TRACE THE PATH OF A CURRENT.

LIKE AIRPLANES, SHIP EXHAUSTS CREATE CLOUDS,

LEAVING TRAILS IN THE ATMOSPHERE

THAT MIMIC THE MOVEMENT OF THE WATER BELOW.

WATER IS NEVER STILL.

IT MOVES AROUND THE PLANET, BUT IT ALSO RISES AND FALLS.

ON THE NORTHWEST COAST OF FRANCE,

THE WATER SURROUNDS AND ABANDONS THE ISLAND OF MONT SAINT MICHEL. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

THE WATER SURROUNDS AND ABANDONS THE ISLAND OF MONT SAINT MICHEL.

AT THE BAY OF FUNDY IN CANADA,

THE TIDE CAN RISE BY 50 FEET IN JUST OVER SIX HOURS...

THE MOST EXTREME TIDAL DIFFERENCE

FOUND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

BUT EVERY COASTLINE ACROSS THE GLOBE FEELS

THIS EBB AND FLOW.

AND NOWHERE IS LIFE MORE KEENLY ATTUNED

TO THE WATER'S MOVEMENT

THAN HERE ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF BANGLADESH AND INDIA.

THIS MAZE OF WATERWAYS IS THE SUNDARBANS.

TWICE A DAY, IT'S TRANSFORMED BY THE TIDE,

BLUE...

TO BROWN.

AS THE WATERS FALL, EXPOSING THE MUD BELOW...

[ANIMALS CALLING]

SILT FROM RIVER WATER TRAPPED BY MANGROVE ROOTS CREATES

A HABITAT LIKE NO OTHER--

A HOME FOR TIMID CHITAL DEER...

TROOPS OF MACAQUES...

ELUSIVE BENGAL TIGERS...

AND OVER THREE MILLION...

[CONVERSATIONS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

PEOPLE.

BHOBEN BISWASH AND HIS SON HRIDOY LIVE

IN THE NORTH OF THE SUNDARBANS.

LIFE HERE REVOLVES AROUND THE MOVEMENT OF THE TIDES.

BHOBEN IS A FISHERMAN.

HIS SON HRIDOY IS LEARNING THE FAMILY TRADE.

BUT THEY WON'T BE FISHING WITH LINES OR POLES.

INSTEAD, THEY'LL BE USING TEN SMOOTH-COATED OTTERS.

[OTTERS CALLING]

THESE ARE NOT WILD ANIMALS.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BREEDING OTTERS SINCE THE SIXTH CENTURY,

WORKING WITH THEM LIKE HUNTING DOGS.

INTELLIGENT AND AGILE,

THEY'RE EXTREMELY PRECIOUS TO THEIR OWNERS. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

THEY'RE EXTREMELY PRECIOUS TO THEIR OWNERS.

[BHOBEN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE]

NARRATOR: BUT FISHING HERE

DOESN'T JUST RELY ON THE OTTERS' HELP.

THE FAMILY'S SUCCESS DEPENDS ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE WATER.

AT HIGH TIDE, THOUSANDS OF TINY INLETS CRISSCROSS

THROUGH THE MANGROVE FOREST...

GIVING ITS FISH PLENTY OF ROOM TO HIDE.

BUT AS THE MOON ORBITS AROUND THE EARTH,

IT'S GRAVITATIONAL PULL ON THE OCEANS CHANGES.

WHEN THE MOON IS OVERHEAD, TIDES ARE HIGH.

BUT AS THE MOON DROPS BELOW THE HORIZON,

THE TIDES RETREAT WITH IT.

AT THE VERY LOWEST TIDE,

FISH ARE FORCED INTO THE FEW REMAINING STRETCHES OF WATER.

THE OTTERS CAN NOW GET TO WORK.

[OTTERS CHITTERING]

THEIR SENSITIVE WHISKERS DETECT THE MOVEMENT OF FISH...

AND THEY FLUSH THEM TOWARDS THE NETS.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

NARRATOR: YOUNG OTTERS SWIM FREELY.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE LEARNING FROM THE ADULTS,

BUT IT'S EASY TO GET DISTRACTED.

NARRATOR: THE OTTERS BRING IN UP TO TWICE AS MANY FISH

AS USING NETS ALONE.

AND THEY TAKE THEIR CUT.

TEN OTTERS CAN EAT 17 POUNDS OF FISH A DAY. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

BUT IT'S GETTING HARDER FOR THESE FISHERMEN

TO EARN A LIVING.

LARGE SCALE FISHING AND POLLUTION FROM GROWING INDUSTRY

ARE DECIMATING THE FISH STOCK IN THE SUNDARBANS.

[OTTER CALLS]

FROM WHAT WAS ONCE OVER 200 BOATS,

THIS IS NOW JUST ONE OF EIGHT

KEEPING THIS ANCIENT SKILL ALIVE.

THE TIDE TURNS, ONCE AGAIN FILLING THE CHANNELS,

AND THE FISHERMEN AND OTTERS FOLLOW THE RISING WATER HOME.

THE MOVEMENT OF WATER AFFECTS

ALMOST EVERY LIVING THING ON EARTH.

BUT TO COMPLETE ITS JOURNEY ACROSS THE PLANET,

IT MUST RELY ON A MORE POWERFUL FORCE

BECAUSE WATER DOESN'T ONLY MOVE ACROSS THE PLANET'S SURFACE.

IT IS CARRIED IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

FROM A SATELLITE TAKING AN IMAGE OF THE EARTH EVERY 15 MINUTES...

WEATHER PATTERNS SWIRL.

THE ATMOSPHERE INFLUENCES THESE SYSTEMS...

[THUNDER]

WHICH BRINGS RAIN,

SNOW,

STORMS, AND FLOODS.

ANIMALS ON OUR PLANET CAN THRIVE OR FAIL

IN RESPONSE TO THESE MOVEMENTS.

KENYA, EAST AFRICA.

BESIDE THE GREEN OF A RIVERBANK...

A FAMILY OF ELEPHANTS.

ON THE MOVE AND FORAGING FOR FOOD...

THEY HAVE A NEW CALF

JUST OVER A WEEK OLD.

[CALF CALLS]

AT AROUND 200 POUNDS AND GROWING FAST, X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

AT AROUND 200 POUNDS AND GROWING FAST,

SHE NEEDS TO DRINK SOME 21 PINTS OF MILK A DAY.

BUT HER MOTHER IS STRUGGLING TO PROVIDE IT FOR HER.

SHE HASN'T EATEN PROPERLY IN WEEKS.

IN FACT, THE WHOLE HERD IS IN TROUBLE.

AND TO BIOLOGISTS, IT'S CLEAR WHY.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE FAMILY IS USUALLY FOUND

SIX MILES NORTH

IN THE RELATIVE SAFETY OF SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE.

BUT THE VIEW FROM ABOVE REVEALS THAT ALL IS NOT WELL.

THE GROUND IS DEEP ORANGE,

BARELY ANY SIGNS OF WATER

OR GREEN SPOTS OF VEGETATION.

SAMBURU IS IN THE GRIP OF A VICIOUS DROUGHT.

NORTHERN KENYA HAS BEEN STRUCK HARD

BY THE PLANET'S CHANGING CLIMATE.

THIS YEAR HAS SEEN 25% LESS RAIN THAN USUAL.

THE DRY SEASON HAS BEEN EXTREME.

ANIMALS ARE STARVING.

A DESPERATE SEARCH FOR FOOD HAS FORCED THE FAMILY

TO MIGRATE OUT OF THE SAFETY OF THE RESERVE

TO A FEW SMALL PATCHES OF GREEN

DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO A BUSY MAIN HIGHWAY.

[TRAFFIC NOISE]

[ELEPHANT GRUNTING]

SCRUBBY VEGETATION PROVIDES A LITTLE TO EAT,

BUT HERE THE FAMILY COULD BE A TARGET FOR POACHERS.

ON THE GROUND, THEIR SITUATION IS DESPERATE. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

ON THE GROUND, THEIR SITUATION IS DESPERATE.

BUT LOOKING DOWN AT THE EARTH

REVEALS WHAT THE ELEPHANTS CAN'T SEE.

WEATHER PATTERNS RACE ACROSS THE PLANET,

PRECIOUS WATER CARRIED BY THE ATMOSPHERE.

OVER EAST AFRICA, CLOUDS ARE FINALLY BUILDING.

RAIN IS JUST SIX DAYS AWAY...

BUT THE CALF IS WORN OUT.

HER MOTHER WILL NOT LET HER REST.

ELEPHANTS SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND PAST EXPERIENCES.

AND SO THEY KNOW IT'S NOT SAFE

TO BE SO CLOSE TO A BUSY HIGHWAY.

THEY NEED TO MOVE ON.

BUT THE CALF IS TOO TIRED.

[THUNDER]

THIS IS THE FIRST RAIN SHE'S EVER EXPERIENCED.

AND IT'S A BIT OF A STRUGGLE.

THE MOTHER ENCOURAGES THE CALF TO HER FEET.

AND NOW THEY CAN TRAVEL BACK TO THE SAFETY OF THE RESERVE.

SAMBURU IS TRANSFORMING. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

ELEPHANTS, SCATTERED BY THE DROUGHT

AS FAR AS 40 MILES AWAY,

ARE NOW RETURNING TO THE RESERVE,

AND OUR FAMILY IS WITH THEM.

OVERNIGHT, ONE OF THE OTHER FEMALES HAS GIVEN BIRTH.

ONE NEW LIFE INEXTRICABLY LINKED

TO ONE OF THE GREATEST MOVEMENTS ON EARTH.

THE POWERFUL CIRCULATION OF AIR AROUND THE PLANET

CAN SUSTAIN LIFE.

BUT AROUND THE TROPICS,

AIR WARMED BY THE WATER BELOW RISES HIGH INTO THE ATMOSPHERE,

WHERE IT PICKS UP SPEED,

CREATING A DEADLY NATURAL FORCE.

LOOK DOWN OVER THE OCEAN, AND THE CLOUDS SHIFT INTO SHAPE.

THEY BEGIN TO SPIRAL AND RACE...

PICKING UP ENERGY AS THEY SPIN ACROSS THE OCEAN.

HURRICANES.

ON AVERAGE, ONE HURRICANE HITS THE GULF COAST EVERY YEAR. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

BUT THE VIEW FROM SPACE HAS TRANSFORMED OUR ABILITY

TO STUDY THESE STORMS AND SAVE LIVES.

AUGUST 2017--HURRICANE HARVEY.

WEATHER SATELLITES CAPTURED SOME OF THE CLEAREST VISUAL DATA

ON A HURRICANE EVER SEEN.

MEASURING TWO HUNDRED MILES ACROSS

AND WITH WIND SPEEDS OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR,

A CRUCIAL PART OF KNOWING WHERE HARVEY WOULD HIT

WAS TO TRACK ITS MOVEMENTS BY SATELLITE.

WITH NEAR REAL-TIME DATA SENT TO THE GROUND,

SCIENTISTS COULD NARROW ITS PROJECTED LANDFALL

JUST SOUTH OF HOUSTON.

ONCE IT HIT, THESE CAMERAS COULD BE USED TO MONITOR

THE EXTENT AND LOCATION OF DEVASTATING FLOODING.

HARVEY WAS THE MOST POWERFUL STORM TO HIT THE U.S.

SINCE HURRICANE KATRINA...

AND THE WETTEST IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND HARVEY WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.

NEXT CAME IRMA, JOSE, AND KATIA

IN ONE OF THE WORST HURRICANE SEASONS ON RECORD.

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE HELPED SCIENTISTS AND DISASTER AGENCIES

TO MONITOR THEIR MOVEMENT AND RESPOND.

THE VIEW FROM SPACE ALLOWS US TO TRACK MOVEMENTS

WITHIN OUR ATMOSPHERE

IN A WAY THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE FROM THE GROUND.

AND THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE HAS MADE

ONE OF THE EARTH'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENA VISIBLE,

REVEALING A CONNECTION X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

REVEALING A CONNECTION

BETWEEN CONTINENTS THOUSANDS OF MILES APART.

A PLUME OF ORANGE...

SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES ACROSS.

DUST.

IT COMES FROM HERE, NORTH AFRICA.

WHAT LOOKS LIKE A SMALL WHITE SCAR IN THE SAHARA DESERT

IS ACTUALLY THE REMAINS OF A VAST LAKE

THAT DRIED UP OVER A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

ONCE RICH IN LIFE, NOW A DUST BOWL.

WINDS WHIPPING ACROSS THE LAKEBED

LIFT NUTRIENT-RICH SAHARAN DUST INTO THE AIR.

BY FOCUSING ON THE DUST PLUME DAY AND NIGHT,

WE CAN SEE IT TRAVEL MORE THAN 2,000 MILES...

AS IT MOVES OVER THE ATLANTIC...

TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA...

HOME OF THE LARGEST TROPICAL RAINFOREST IN THE WORLD.

[THUNDER]

IT RAINS HERE ALMOST EVERY DAY...

BUT PLANTS NEED MORE THAN JUST WATER TO GROW.

NUTRIENT-RICH SAHARAN DUST

FROM THOUSANDS OF MILES ACROSS THE GLOBE,

CARRIED IN RAINDROPS

FERTILIZES THE SOIL...

FEEDING THE FOREST... X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

FEEDING THE FOREST...

AND HELPING TO SUSTAIN MORE SPECIES OF ANIMALS...

THAN ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

IT IS ONLY WITH SATELLITES THAT SCIENTISTS ARE

ABLE TO CALCULATE THAT 27 MILLION TONS OF DUST

MAKES THIS JOURNEY EACH YEAR--

A GIFT THAT HAS MADE THESE RAINFORESTS

THE MOST DIVERSE ON THE PLANET.

FROM ABOVE, EPIC MOVEMENT CAN BE TRACKED ACROSS CONTINENTS.

OVER THE EAST AFRICAN PLAINS OF THE SERENGETI,

HUGE WILDEBEEST HERDS CAN BE SEEN ON THEIR ANNUAL MIGRATION--

AN 1,800-MILE ROUND TRIP FOLLOWING SEASONAL RAINS.

[WILDEBEEST GRUNTING]

FROM 380 MILES ABOVE BAJA, MEXICO...

GRAY WHALES ARE VISIBLE BENEATH THE WATER,

ARRIVING HERE TO GIVE BIRTH

AFTER A 4,000-MILE JOURNEY FROM ALASKA.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ANIMALS THAT CROSS CONTINENTS

TO GATHER TOGETHER.

IN MECCA, MILLIONS OF PILGRIMS TRAVEL FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

TO WORSHIP DURING THE HAJJ...

IN THE DESERT OF NEVADA, THE CRESCENT FORMED

BY OVER 50,000 REVELERS AT BURNING MAN...

AND IN ITALY, CROWDS GATHER IN THE VATICAN TO HEAR

THE POPE SPEAK AT EASTER.

BE THEY RELIGIOUS OR CELEBRATORY,

PEOPLE CONGREGATE FOR MANY REASONS.

IN 2017, MILLIONS TRAVELED ACROSS THE GLOBE

TO BE PART OF ONE OF THE GREATEST MOVEMENTS ON EARTH.

AS THE EARTH ROTATES, ORBITING AROUND THE SUN,

ITS MOVEMENT CREATES AN AWE-INSPIRING SPECTACLE. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

ITS MOVEMENT CREATES AN AWE-INSPIRING SPECTACLE.

ON AUGUST 21st THAT YEAR, SATELLITES CAPTURED

A HUGE BLACK SHADOW MOVING ACROSS THE U.S.

AND TWO YOUNG SCIENTISTS WERE READY TO RECORD IT

IN THE MOST INGENIOUS WAY.

KIMBERLY: WE'VE BEEN PLANNING WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DO

FOR ALMOST A YEAR.

NARRATOR: KIMBERLY AND REBECCA YEUNG ARE TRAVELING

OVER A THOUSAND MILES TO WHAT THEY HOPE IS

THE PERFECT LOCATION.

KIMBERLY: IT'S REALLY PRETTY HERE, BUT IT'S SO FLAT.

NARRATOR: THESE SISTERS HAVE DESIGNED SOMETHING

TO BRING THE VIEW FROM SPACE CLOSER TO HOME.

KIMBERLY: SOMEONE AT NASA HAD THE SAME IDEA THAT WE DID.

NARRATOR: THEY'RE GOING TO BE COLLABORATING WITH NASA

ON SOME GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH.

TOGETHER THEY ARE GOING TO STUDY

THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN FROM SPACE.

NIGHT FALLS ACROSS AMERICA.

THE EARTH FINISHES ANOTHER REVOLUTION.

[INDISTINCT TRANSMISSIONS]

AND THE STAGE IS SET FOR THE BIG EVENT.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO POSITION

FOR THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE...

CLIMBING MOUNTAINS,

GATHERING AT ECLIPSE PARTIES AND CELEBRATIONS...

[GAS HISSING]

BUT REBECCA AND KIMBERLY ARE BUSY PREPARING FOR LAUNCH.

IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS, THE MOON WILL MOVE

BETWEEN THE EARTH AND THE SUN...

BLOCKING ITS LIGHT COMPLETELY.

THESE YOUNG SCIENTISTS ARE GOING TO SEND A WEATHER BALLOON

LOADED WITH INSTRUMENTS INTO SPACE TO RECORD THE ECLIPSE.

THEY'VE GOT CAMERAS ON BOARD

AND TWO SPECIAL PASSENGERS.

KIMBERLY: WE HAVE A PICTURE OF OUR CAT LOKI,

AND WE HAVE AMELIA EARHART.

SHE'S A VERY STRONG FEMALE.

SHE WAS VERY BRAVE, AND WE THINK SHE'S A REALLY GREAT ROLE MODEL.

NARRATOR: THEY HAVE TO LAUNCH AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME

TO ENSURE THEY'RE AT THE BEST ALTITUDE FOR THE ECLIPSE. X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

TO ENSURE THEY'RE AT THE BEST ALTITUDE FOR THE ECLIPSE.

KIMBERLY AND REBECCA: 3, 2, 1.

NARRATOR: THE BALLOON WILL RISE TO APPROXIMATELY 80,000 FEET,

OVER 15 MILES STRAIGHT UP.

THE GIRLS ARE ONE OF OVER 50 TEAMS RELEASING BALLOONS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS PART OF NASA'S RESEARCH.

THEN AT PRECISELY 10:24 ON THE PLAINS OF WYOMING,

THE SHOW BEGINS.

GIRL: OOH! MAN: WHOA.

NARRATOR: THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TOTAL ECLIPSE

TO TRAVEL COAST TO COAST ACROSS THE U.S. IN 99 YEARS.

[CROWD CHEERS]

NARRATOR: HIGH ABOVE THE GROUND,

THEIR BALLOON IS STILL RISING.

YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE CURVATURE OF THE EARTH

AND THE BLACKNESS OF SPACE.

LOKI THE CAT AND AMELIA WILL SOON BE AT THE RIGHT ALTITUDE

FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE VIEW.

MAN: THERE IT GOES. THERE IT GOES.

NARRATOR: IT TAKES AROUND AN HOUR AND 20 MINUTES

FOR THE MOON TO MOVE TO THE POINT

WHERE IT COMPLETELY OBSCURES THE SUN.

MAN: LOOK AT THAT.

GIRL: YEAH, LOOK HOW DARK IT IS.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

NARRATOR: FROM 80,000 FEET UP, YOU CAN TRULY APPRECIATE

WHY IT GOES DARK DURING AN ECLIPSE.

WHEN EVERYTHING ALIGNS, THE MOON CASTS A CIRCULAR SHADOW

MORE THAN 70 MILES ACROSS.

LOKI AND AMELIA NOW SHARE A SIMILAR REMARKABLE VIEW

TO THE ASTRONAUTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION... X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

TO THE ASTRONAUTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION...

AND A SATELLITE CAMERA

POSITIONED 22,000 MILES ABOVE AMERICA

THAT RECORDS THE SHADOW PASSING COMPLETELY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THEY'VE SUCCEEDED IN CAPTURING

ONE OF THE GREATEST MOVEMENTS ON EARTH.

FINALLY, THE SUN APPEARS ONCE MORE FROM BEHIND THE MOON,

AND THE TOTALITY OF THE SOLAR ECLIPSE COMES TO AN END.

MAN: OH, IT'S COMING BACK. OH, NO.

HERE COMES THE LIGHT. GIRL: THERE IT IS.

OH, SO SAD.

OHH.

MAN: THAT WAS JUST THE MOST AMAZING THING.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

NARRATOR: AT OVER 96,000 FEET, THE BALLOON BURSTS...

AND THEIR SPACECRAFT FALLS BACK TO EARTH.

[SISTERS LAUGHING]

YEAH, THAT WAS AWESOME.

NARRATOR: AND WITH A SIMPLE IDEA, THEY'VE SHOWN US

THAT THE VIEW FROM SPACE IS WITHIN THE GRASP OF EVERYONE.

IT'S ONLY FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE

THAT WE CAN WATCH THE EARTH SPIN ON ITS AXIS,

A MOVEMENT THAT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO ALL LIFE,

TAKING US FROM DAY TO NIGHT...

INFLUENCING THE RISE AND FALL OF THE TIDES...

AND THE CIRCULATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE...

CREATING WEATHER...

AND, IN TURN, AFFECTING ALMOST EVERY LIVING THING ON EARTH.

MOVEMENT TRIGGERS MORE MOVEMENT.

AND THE BEST WAY TO TRULY UNDERSTAND

HOW IT'S ALL CONNECTED IS TO LOOK DOWN FROM ABOVE.

♪

TO ORDER "LIFE FROM ABOVE"

ON DVD.

VISIT SHOP.PBS.ORG

OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS

ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

♪

♪♪

X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000

VO: Next time on Life From Above...

Looking down from space...

Satellite cameras capture the brilliant colors of our planet.

Revealing an amazing kaleidoscope...

Set in a world that is vibrant...

Surprising...

And changing...

Created by nature...

and humans.

This new perspective is

transforming our understanding of the natural world.

Discover our planet's incredible spectrum of colors...

As you've never seen it before.