All language subtitles for Earth Life from Above Series 1 4of4 Changing Planet 1080p

NARRATOR: SATELLITE CAMERAS NOW
COVER EVERY PART OF THE GLOBE.

THIS HAS REVOLUTIONIZED
THE VIEW OF OUR HOME.

NOW, BY COMBINING IMAGES
TAKEN OVER DAYS...

MONTHS...

AND YEARS...

WE CAN WATCH OUR PLANET CHANGE.

SOME CHANGES COME AND GO
WITH THE SEASONS.

OTHERS ARE SCULPTED
BY POWERFUL FORCES...

BOTH ANCIENT...

AND NEW.

AND NOW THERE IS
ANOTHER FORCE...

US...

AS WE CHANGE THE SURFACE
OF OUR PLANET...

FASTER THAN EVER
IN HUMAN HISTORY.

SATELLITES ORBITING THE EARTH

CAN LOOK DOWN AT OUR HOME

IN EXTRAORDINARY DETAIL.

THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE IS
TRANSFORMING OUR UNDERSTANDING

OF THE NATURAL WORLD,

HELPING US TO CONSERVE
OUR FRAGILE PLANET.

THIS IS OUR HOME

AS WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

[MEN SHOUT]

[WIND HOWLING]

PLANET EARTH
IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.

IT ALWAYS HAS AND ALWAYS WILL.

LOOK DOWN ON THE PLANET
AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN THE YEAR,

AND IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT.

EXTRAORDINARY CHANGES BROUGHT ON
BY THE PASSING SEASONS

CAN BE SEEN ALL ACROSS
THE EARTH'S SURFACE.

RAIN TRANSFORMS
A CALIFORNIA DESERT.

IN NEW ENGLAND,
FALL CHANGES THE LANDSCAPE

FROM GREEN TO RUSSET RED.

HEAVY SNOWFALL COVERS ALMOST ALL
OF THE BRITISH ISLES.

BUT SOME SEASONAL CHANGES
ARE MORE DRAMATIC

AND UNEXPECTED.

SPRING IN EASTERN CHINA.

5 MAJOR RIVERS CONVERGE

TO FORM A BODY OF FRESHWATER...

POYANG LAKE.

ITS WATERS STRETCH FOR OVER
A THOUSAND SQUARE MILES...

BUT EACH YEAR,
WHEN WINTER ARRIVES...

THE LAKE BEGINS TO SHRINK.

WITHIN 3 MONTHS,

IT ALMOST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARS.

THE VANISHING LAKE LEAVES BEHIND
HUGE AREAS OF RICH MUD...

AND HUNDREDS OF SHALLOW POOLS...

A VAST WETLAND.

[DISTANT BIRDS SQUAWKING]

THIS SEASONAL CHANGE
IS THE CUE

FOR ONE OF THE GREATEST
MIGRATIONS ON OUR PLANET.

NEARLY HALF A MILLION BIRDS

FLOCK HERE FROM ALL ACROSS ASIA.

BUT NONE HAVE TRAVELED FARTHER

THAN THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
SIBERIAN CRANES.

FOR THESE MIGRANTS,

THIS IS THE END
OF A MONTH-LONG JOURNEY

FROM NORTHERN SIBERIA,

3,000 MILES AWAY.

[CRANES SQUAWKING]

THEY'VE COME
FOR A FEEDING OPPORTUNITY,

REVEALED BY
THE CHANGING WATER LEVEL.

[SQUAWKING CONTINUES]

IN THESE SHALLOW POOLS

IN THESE SHALLOW POOLS

ARE THE NUTRITIOUS ROOTS
OF AQUATIC PLANTS.

THE CRANES GORGE THEMSELVES
AFTER THEIR LONG JOURNEY...

AND THEY AREN'T
INTERESTED IN SHARING.

AMONG THE MANY FAMILIES
FEEDING IN THE POOLS

ARE TWO PARENTS, WITH
THEIR 5-MONTH-OLD OFFSPRING.

HE'S SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED
HIS FIRST MIGRATION...

BUT 3,000 MILES WAS
A LONG WAY TO FLY

ON YOUNG WINGS.

HE BEGS HIS MOTHER FOR FOOD...

BUT SHE IGNORES HIM.

IT'S EVERY BIRD
FOR THEMSELVES...

AND FROM SPACE,

IT'S CLEAR TO SEE WHY.

AS WINTER PROGRESSES,

THE POOLS CAN CONTINUE
TO SHRINK,

INCREASING THE COMPETITION
FOR THE BEST FEEDING SPOTS.

[CRANES SQUAWKING]

A RIVAL HAS STRAYED
ONTO THE FAMILY'S TERRITORY

AND IS HELPING HIMSELF.

THIS CANNOT GO UNCHALLENGED.

FATHER SQUARES UP
TO THE INTRUDER.

NEITHER IS WILLING
TO BACK DOWN.

THEIR CLAWS ARE RAZOR-SHARP...

AND 7-INCH-LONG BEAKS
CAN ALSO BE USED AS WEAPONS.

THE INTRUDER IS CHASED OFF.

THE FAMILY HAS HELD ON
TO THEIR PRECIOUS TERRITORY...

BUT THE YOUNGSTER STILL HASN'T
BEEN ABLE TO GET A MEAL.

THERE'S ONLY ONE THING
HE CAN DO.

HE'S FINALLY FIGURED OUT
HOW TO FEED ON HIS OWN.

THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL NOW
FUEL THEMSELVES UP

FOR THE RETURN JOURNEY
TO SIBERIA.

AFTER 4 MONTHS,

THE RIVERS THAT FLOW INTO POYANG
START TO RISE AGAIN...

AND THE CRANES START
THE LONG FLIGHT HOME.

AN EPIC JOURNEY,

TRIGGERED BY A REMARKABLE
SEASONAL TRANSFORMATION.

IN SOME PLACES,

THESE SEASONAL CHANGES
ARE SO DRAMATIC

THAT SURVIVING THEM
IS A CHALLENGE.

EACH WINTER,

THESE ISLANDS IN JAPAN TURN
FROM GREEN TO BRIGHT WHITE...

ONE OF THE DEEPEST SNOWFALLS
ANYWHERE ON EARTH.

TREES ARE TRANSFORMED
INTO SNOW SCULPTURES.

IT TAKES POWERFUL MACHINES

TO CLEAR THE MOUNTAIN PASS ABOVE
THE CITY OF TOYAMA...

CREATING WALLS OF SNOW
60 FEET HIGH.

FOR ONE FOREST SPECIES,

SUCH A COMPLETE CHANGE
IN THE LANDSCAPE

REQUIRES AN EQUALLY RADICAL
SURVIVAL STRATEGY.

A SOLITARY SQUIRREL.

AT JUST A FIFTH THE SIZE
OF A COMMON GRAY SQUIRREL,

AT JUST A FIFTH THE SIZE
OF A COMMON GRAY SQUIRREL,

THIS FEMALE IS SMALL ENOUGH

TO FIT IN THE PALM OF A HAND.

[WIND HOWLING]

THESE SQUIRRELS SPEND
THEIR DAYS ALONE

IN THE TREETOPS.

BEING LIGHT ALLOWS HER
TO REACH NUTRITIOUS BUDS

AT THE VERY TIPS OF BRANCHES.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR,
THERE'S VERY LITTLE TO EAT.

[BIRD SQUAWKS]

THE DEEP SNOW MAKES MOVING
ALONG THE FOREST FLOOR

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE...

BUT SHE HAS A STRATEGY.

A MEMBRANE THAT STRETCHES
BETWEEN THEIR FRONT

AND BACK LEGS ALLOWS
THESE SIBERIAN FLYING SQUIRRELS

TO GLIDE UP TO 60 FEET
FROM TREE TO TREE

IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

BUT EVEN WITH
THIS USEFUL ADAPTATION,

IT'S A STRUGGLE TO CONSUME
ENOUGH CALORIES TO KEEP WARM.

UNTIL RECENTLY, SCIENTISTS
WEREN'T SURE HOW

SUCH A SMALL MAMMAL SURVIVED
IN SUCH HOSTILE CONDITIONS...

UNTIL THEY DISCOVERED
THAT THIS SQUIRREL

CHANGES ITS BEHAVIOR.

THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE YEAR,

FLYING SQUIRRELS ARE
SOLITARY ANIMALS...

BUT IN WINTER, SHE CAN'T
GENERATE ENOUGH BODY HEAT

ON HER OWN...

SO ANOTHER FEMALE
IN HER TERRITORY

IS HER CHANCE TO SURVIVE.

THE NEW FEMALE
IS WELCOMED INTO HER DEN.

THEY'LL SPEND
THE WINTER TOGETHER,

SHARING BODY HEAT
TO SURVIVE THE COLD...

PARTING WAYS WHEN
THE ISLAND ONCE AGAIN

TRANSFORMS.

LIFE ON EARTH HAS LEARNED TO
ADAPT TO THESE SEASONAL CHANGES.

BUT EARTH'S CLIMATE
IS CHANGING...

MAKING ITS SEASONS
MORE UNPREDICTABLE.

MAKING ITS SEASONS
MORE UNPREDICTABLE.

IN AFRICA,

SNOW FALLS IN THE SAHARA...

WHILE, IN BOLIVIA,
LAKE POOPO'S WATERS

ONCE STRETCHED FOR OVER
1,200 SQUARE MILES.

NOW, PARTLY DUE
TO SEVERE DROUGHT,

THEY'VE ALL BUT DISAPPEARED.

THE VIEW FROM SPACE
ALSO GIVES US

A BRAND-NEW PERSPECTIVE
ON ONE OF THE MOST UNPREDICTABLE

AND DESTRUCTIVE
SEASONAL EVENTS ON THE PLANET.

AT NIGHT, THE GLOBE
CRACKLES AND SPARKS.

LIGHTNING.

OUR PLANET IS STRUCK
UP TO 50 TIMES

EACH SECOND.

[THUNDER]

AS THE ENERGY OF EACH STRIKE
HITS THE EARTH'S SURFACE,

IT CREATES DEADLY SPARKS

THAT CAN CAUSE THE LAND
TO IGNITE.

IN NORTH AMERICA,

UP TO 15,000 WILDFIRES

A YEAR ARE CAUSED BY LIGHTNING.

BUT THE VIEW FROM SPACE

ISN'T THE ONLY WAY
TO SPOT THESE DANGERS.

FROM ALMOST 10,000 FEET UP,

KEEN EYES ARE KEEPING WATCH.

MAN: USUALLY I GET UP
AT ABOUT 6:00 IN THE MORNING,

I GET UP, HAVE A CUP
OF COFFEE...

AND THEN I'M READY TO GO.

NARRATOR:
EVERY DAY, EACH SUMMER,

85-YEAR-OLD BILLY ELLIS CLIMBS

THE 143 STEPS TO HIS OFFICE...

THE 143 STEPS TO HIS OFFICE...

AT THE TOP OF DEVILS HEAD

IN COLORADO.

BILLY: I GET
TO THE RADIO ABOUT 9:25.

PUEBLO DISPATCH, THIS IS
DEVIL'S HEAD TOWER, IN SERVICE.

MAN, ON RADIO: ROGER.

BILLY: I'M A FIRE LOOKOUT,

AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT NOW
FOR 33 SUMMERS.

NARRATOR:
AFTER A LONG, HOT SUMMER,

THE FOREST IS TINDER-DRY,

PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR A FIRE.

[WIND HOWLING]

BILLY: I LOOK ABOUT
EVERY 15 MINUTES.

I TAKE A LOOK AROUND.

YOU CAN LOOK FOR DAYS
AND NEVER SEE ANYTHING,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THERE IT IS.

[THUNDER]

BILLY: PUEBLO DISPATCH,
THIS IS DEVIL'S HEAD TOWER.

WE HAVE A SMOKE.

NARRATOR: BILLY IS ONE
OF THE LAST OF HIS KIND...

BECAUSE NOW, THE MOST EFFECTIVE
WAY TO TRACK FIRES...

IS FROM SPACE.

CAMERAS CAN FOLLOW A FIRE'S
PATH IN ALMOST REAL TIME...

OBSERVING THE SMOKE TO PREDICT

ITS DIRECTION, SIZE,
AND SPEED...

GUIDING THOSE FIGHTING IT
TO THE HEART OF THE BLAZE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

NARRATOR: USING
SATELLITE POSITIONING,

SMOKE JUMPERS CAN BE
ON THE GROUND

WITHIN 7 MINUTES OF A CALL.

A WILDFIRE CAN BURN AT OVER
2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

TO STOP IT, THEY CREATE
BREAKS IN THE FOREST...

[CHAINSAW BUZZING]

TAKING AWAY THE FIRE'S FUEL.

AS THE NUMBER OF FIRES
GROWS EACH YEAR,

THEY ARE BECOMING
MORE OF A THREAT

TO HUMAN POPULATIONS.

CALIFORNIA 2018.

SATELLITES FOLLOWED AS FIRES
RAGED ACROSS THE STATE...

INCLUDING THE MENDOCINO
COMPLEX FIRE...

CALIFORNIA'S LARGEST
WILDFIRE EVER.

IT'S ONLY FROM SPACE

THAT WE CAN SEE
THE SCALE OF THE DAMAGE.

LARGE BROWN AREAS
ARE LEFT BEHIND,

HUGE BURN SCARS

COVERING OVER 350,000 ACRES.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

BUT EVEN IN SOME OF
THE MOST DEVASTATED LANDSCAPES

LIES OPPORTUNITY.

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

THIS WOOD-BORING BEETLE
IS ON THE LOOKOUT

FOR BURNED-OUT AREAS.

SPECIAL SENSORS IN HIS BODY

DETECT THE SMOKE
FROM MILES AWAY.

BURNT BRANCHES ARE WEAKER...

EASIER TO BORE INTO
AND FEED ON.

[PECKING]

AND WHERE INSECTS GO,

BIRDS FOLLOW.

A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER...

PERFECTLY CAMOUFLAGED
IN BURNT FORESTS.

BEETLE GRUBS ARE FULL OF FAT.

[CHICKS PEEPING]

FOOD FOR HUNGRY CHICKS.

FOOD FOR HUNGRY CHICKS.

WITHIN MONTHS,

THE WOODPECKER HOLES
HAVE NEW RESIDENTS.

[BIRDSONG]

BLUEBIRDS MAKE USE
OF THESE READY-MADE HOMES.

NEW TREES TAKE ROOT.

INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGES
OF THIS FOREST SHOW

A BURN SCAR TURNING

FROM BROWN TO GREEN

IN JUST 3 YEARS.

WILDFIRES ARE ESSENTIAL

FOR HEALTHY FOREST HABITAT,

REGENERATING THE TREES

AND SUPPORTING THE SPECIES
THAT HAVE LIVED IN THEM

FOR MILLENNIA.

[WOODPECKER PECKING]

BUT AS THE SIZE AND SEVERITY
OF THESE FIRES INCREASES,

IT HAS BECOME OUR RESPONSIBILITY

TO KEEP THEM UNDER CONTROL.

[OWL HOOTING]

WITH THE HELP OF SATELLITES,

WE CAN NOW REACT
TO CHANGES ON THE GROUND

FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE.

BUT SOME FORCES OF CHANGE
ARE SO POWERFUL,

THEY ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

AN 800-MILE SCAR

RUNS THROUGH CALIFORNIA.

THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT,

CREATED BY THE SHIFTING
OF TECTONIC PLATES

OVER THE LAST 20 MILLION YEARS.

THE GRAND CANYON,

CARVED BY THE COLORADO RIVER
OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS,

IS NOW 5,000 FEET DEEP.

AND IN AUSTRALIA,

ULURU, OR AYERS ROCK,

STANDS PROUD IN
AN OTHERWISE FLAT DESERT,

AN ISLAND OF STONE

ERODED OVER 300 MILLION YEARS.

THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE SHOWS
HOW EARTH'S SURFACE

HAS BEEN SHAPED BY GEOLOGICAL
CHANGE OVER MILLENNIA.

AND FROM ABOVE,

SATELLITES CAN SAFELY MONITOR

SATELLITES CAN SAFELY MONITOR

ONE OF THE FASTEST
GEOLOGICAL FORCES OF CHANGE

ON THE PLANET...

VOLCANOES.

IN THE KINGDOM OF TONGA
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC,

TWO ISLANDS BECOME ONE.

AN UNDERWATER VOLCANO
FORMED NEW LAND

IN A MATTER OF DAYS.

BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT,

VOLCANOES ARE DESTRUCTIVE.

IN 2018, GUATEMALA'S
MOUNT FUEGO CAME TO LIFE.

SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS
WERE DECIMATED BY MUDFLOWS.

THESE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS
CANNOT BE STOPPED...

BUT THE VIEW
FROM ABOVE ALLOWS US

TO SAFELY MONITOR THEM
AND, CRUCIALLY, REACT.

IN THE HEART OF SOUTH AMERICA...

LIES COTOPAXI,

ONE OF THE WORLD'S
HIGHEST VOLCANOES.

STILL ACTIVE,

IF COTOPAXI WERE TO BLOW,

ITS GLACIERS WOULD MELT...

CAUSING A TIDAL WAVE
OF MUD SO HUGE,

IT COULD REACH THE OCEAN
OVER 60 MILES AWAY...

A POTENTIAL DISASTER
FOR ONE ANIMAL

LIVING IN ITS PATH...

[FROGS CROAKING]

THE QUITO ROCKET FROG.

THE SPECIES WAS THOUGHT
TO BE EXTINCT...

UNTIL THE LAST REMAINING
POPULATION WAS DISCOVERED

LIVING ONLY HERE...

BUT THESE FROGS ARE IN TROUBLE.

SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY
DETECTED ACTIVITY

ON COTOPAXI, INVISIBLE
FROM THE GROUND.

THE SIDES OF THE VOLCANO
WERE SWELLING.

AS MAGMA MOVED CLOSER
TO THE SURFACE,

AS MAGMA MOVED CLOSER
TO THE SURFACE,

THE LOCAL POPULATION
WAS ALERTED.

THE VOLCANO WAS WAKING.

FOR THE ROCKET FROG,

AN ERUPTION WOULD WIPE OUT
HER SPECIES ENTIRELY...

[FROG SQUEAKS]

BUT THIS FROG HAS
OTHER THINGS ON HER MIND.

IT'S BREEDING SEASON...

AND SHE NEEDS TO FIND A MATE.

[DISTANT CROAKING]

A NEARBY MALE IS DOING
HIS VERY BEST

TO ATTRACT HER ATTENTION...

BUT SOMETHING'S NOT QUITE RIGHT.

[CROAKING CONTINUES]

SHE'S BEEN DUPED.

HER CAPTOR?

BIOLOGIST DR. SANTIAGO RON.

AS SATELLITES CAPTURED
THE FIRST SMOKE ERUPTING

FROM COTOPAXI'S CRATER,

DR, RON'S RESCUE MISSION
WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY

TO SAVE THIS SPECIES
FROM POSSIBLE EXTINCTION.

SHE HAS BEEN TAKEN
TO THE BALSA DE LOS SAPOS...

THE LIFE RAFT FOR FROGS...

WHERE SHE CAN BE KEPT

SAFELY OUT
OF THE VOLCANO'S PATH.

DR. RON AND HIS TEAM
HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES

TO SECURING THE FUTURE
OF ECUADOR'S AMPHIBIANS.

OVER 2,000 INDIVIDUALS

FROM 50 DIFFERENT SPECIES
LIVE HERE,

INCLUDING...

A MALE ROCKET FROG.

THE HOPE IS THAT THIS
SPECIAL PAIR MIGHT BREED.

WITH THE HELP
OF A DEDICATED TEAM,

THESE FROGS ARE
SECURING THE FUTURE

OF THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES.

AS COTOPAXI SMOKES,

SATELLITES ARE MONITORING
ITS MOVEMENT,

GIVING US ADVANCED WARNING
SHOULD THE VOLCANO FINALLY BLOW.

THE CHANGING SEASONS
AND GEOLOGICAL FORCES

HAVE BEEN ALTERING
THE SURFACE OF OUR PLANET

SINCE ITS VERY BEGINNING.

NOW THERE IS A MORE RAPID
AND DRAMATIC FORCE AT WORK.

LOOKING DOWN FROM ABOVE,

WE CAN SEE THE EFFECT THAT WE
ARE HAVING ON THE PLANET.

HUMANS NOW INHABIT ALMOST
EVERY PART OF THE GLOBE,

AND THE EXTENT OF HUMANITY

IS MOST OBVIOUS WHEN
THE SUN GOES DOWN.

SCIENTISTS CAN NOW COMBINE
SATELLITE IMAGES

TO GIVE A CLEAR VIEW
OF THE ENTIRE PLANET

AT NIGHT.

THE PATTERNS OF OUR CITIES
AND TOWNS CAN BE SEEN

REACHING OUT ACROSS ITS SURFACE.

OVER THE YEARS,
THESE CITIES HAVE EXPANDED...

AND TO SUPPORT
THEIR GROWING POPULATIONS,

HUMANS HAVE FOUND WAYS TO MINE

EARTH'S NATURAL RESOURCES.

COAL PITS FAN OUT IN GERMANY,

PRODUCING 3 MILLION TONS A YEAR

TO FUEL POWER STATIONS.

IN CHILE,

EXPANSES OF BLUE APPEAR
IN A VAST SALT FLAT.

THESE EVAPORATION PONDS
CREATE LITHIUM

TO BE MADE INTO BATTERIES
FOR OUR CELL PHONES.

AND IN THE DESERTS
OF SAUDI ARABIA,

CIRCLES APPEAR IN THE SAND.

WATER PUMPED FROM 3,000 FEET
BELOW THE EARTH'S SURFACE

IS USED TO IRRIGATE CROPS.

AND AS WE USE EARTH'S
NATURAL RESOURCES,

WE LEAVE OUR TRASH BEHIND.

THOUSANDS OF OLD AIRCRAFT FILL
THE ARIZONA DESERT.

HUNDREDS OF SHIPS LINE
THE COAST OF BANGLADESH,

WAITING TO BE DISMANTLED.

AND IN KUWAIT,

AND IN KUWAIT,

A BLACK PATCHWORK IN THE SAND...

MILLIONS OF USED TIRES,

LEFT DISCARDED.

BUT THE BY-PRODUCTS
OF ALMOST EVERYTHING

THAT HUMANS MAKE

ARE GASES.

THEY RISE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE,

WHERE THEY BECOME TRAPPED

AND ABSORB HEAT
FROM THE EARTH BELOW,

MAKING THE PLANET HOTTER.

SINCE THE END
OF THE 19th CENTURY,

OUR PLANET HAS WARMED
BY AT LEAST 1.4 DEGREES,

ENOUGH TO DRAMATICALLY AFFECT

ONE OF OUR GREATEST
NATURAL RESOURCES...

GLACIERS...

HUGE BODIES OF ICE.

IN ALASKA,

BEAR GLACIER RUNS
FOR 13 MILES DOWN THE VALLEY...

BEFORE IT BREAKS UP
WHERE IT MEETS THE OCEAN.

THE MOVEMENT OF GLACIERS
IS SO SLOW,

THEY ALMOST APPEAR STATIC...

BUT BY COMBINING SATELLITE
IMAGES TAKEN OVER YEARS,

WE CAN SEE THAT THE ICE
IS RETREATING.

OVER 30 YEARS,

MORE THAN 12 MILES
OF ICE HAS BEEN LOST

FROM ALASKA'S COLUMBIA GLACIER.

GREAT MOUNTAIN GLACIERS
ARE ALSO UNDER THREAT.

IN THE CENTER OF ECUADOR

LIES CHIMBORAZO...

THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN.

FOR MILLENNIA, ITS PEAK HAS
BEEN COVERED IN GLACIERS...

BUT IN THE PAST 3 DECADES,

THE VIEW FROM SPACE
HAS STARTED TO CHANGE.

CHIMBORAZO IS LOSING ITS ICE.

CHIMBORAZO IS LOSING ITS ICE.

ONE MAN LIVING IN ITS FOOTHILLS

KNOWS THIS ALL TOO WELL.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

NARRATOR: BALTHAZAR IS
AN ICE HARVESTER.

FOR GENERATIONS,

HIS FAMILY HAS COLLECTED
GLACIAL ICE FROM THE MOUNTAIN

TO SELL TO THE TOWNS
AND VILLAGES BELOW.

HE USED TO BE ONE
OF 40 WORKING HERE.

HE'S NOW THE VERY LAST ONE.

AS THE GLACIER MELTS,

HE'S HAD TO CLIMB
HIGHER AND HIGHER

TO FIND THE ICE.

[DISTANT BIRD SQUAWKING]

[WHIRRING]

NARRATOR: ON TOP
OF THE MOUNTAIN,

SCIENTISTS USE DRONES

TO MEASURE THE CHANGE
IN THE DEPTH OF THE ICE.

BUT A DRONE CAN ONLY GO SO HIGH.

COMBINING THEIR FINDINGS
WITH SATELLITE DATA

CREATES A CLEARER PICTURE.

BETWEEN 1986 AND 2013,

21% OF CHIMBORAZO'S ICE
DISAPPEARED.

ITS GLACIERS ARE MELTING.

GLACIERS ACT
AS THE WORLD'S WATER TOWERS...

FEEDING STREAMS AND RIVERS.

IF THEY DRY UP,

THE EFFECT COULD BE SEVERE.

THE EFFECT COULD BE SEVERE.

FOR BALTHAZAR,

THIS COULD BE THE END
OF THE ONLY WAY OF LIFE

HE'S EVER KNOWN.

IN THE OLD DAYS,

HE DELIVERED ICE
TO TOWNS ALL OVER THE REGION.

BUT NOW, HE SUPPLIES JUST
A HANDFUL OF LOCAL CAFES...

[ALL SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE]

WHO, LIKE HIM,
BELIEVE THAT HIS ICE

IS THE BEST MONEY CAN BUY.

AS THE PLANET CHANGES,

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE
IS A POWERFUL TOOL

TO MONITOR THE IMPACT
HUMANS ARE HAVING,

CAPTURING THE SCALE
AND SPEED OF CHANGES

ON EARTH'S MOST IMPORTANT
NATURAL HABITATS.

IN SOUTH AMERICA,

FORESTS ARE CLEARED
FOR AGRICULTURE

AND INDUSTRY.

SATELLITES POSITIONED
OVER THE AMAZON

CAPTURE SMALL PATCHES OF GREEN
PROTECTED BY LOCAL TRIBES--

ALL THAT REMAIN OF WHAT WAS ONCE
A GREAT FOREST...

THE ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR.

IMAGES TAKEN OVER 30 YEARS
SHOW IT HAS LOST

ALMOST 80% OF
ITS ORIGINAL FOREST.

THERE AREN'T ENOUGH TREES LEFT
TO HOLD THE SOIL IN PLACE.

RED EARTH, RICH IN IRON OXIDE,

NOW RUNS INTO THE RIVERS

AND OUT INTO THE OCEAN.

ALL ACROSS INDONESIA,

HUGE STRETCHES OF FOREST
ARE DISAPPEARING

TO BE REPLACED BY ROWS AND ROWS

OF PALM OIL TREES.

THEIR NUTS WILL BE MADE
INTO OIL TO BE USED

IN OVER HALF THE PRODUCTS
ON OUR SUPERMARKET SHELVES.

BUT SATELLITES ARE ALSO
CAPTURING IMAGES

WHERE WE ARE MAKING
POSITIVE CHANGE

AS WE TRY TO RESTORE
THE BALANCE.

JUST OFF THE EAST COAST
OF ENGLAND...

WHITE DOTS APPEAR IN THE SEA...

WHITE DOTS APPEAR IN THE SEA...

ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST
OFFSHORE WIND FARMS,

GENERATING ENOUGH POWER FOR HALF
A MILLION HOMES EACH YEAR.

IN THE NEVADA DESERT,

THOUSANDS OF MIRRORS REDIRECT
THE SUN'S RAYS

TO A CENTRAL TOWER,

WHERE ITS POWER WILL BE USED

TO DRIVE STEAM TURBINES,

CREATING CLEAN ENERGY.

IN CHINA,

TWO GIANT PANDAS...

SOLAR PANELS,

HARVESTING ELECTRICITY
SUSTAINABLY,

INSTEAD OF BURNING COAL.

IN AFRICA, BY 2005,

LAND IN TANZANIA HAD BEEN
DEFORESTED FOR FARMING.

BUT NOW, THE VIEW HAS
CHANGED CONSIDERABLY.

THE FOREST HAS REGROWN...

A TRANSFORMATION
THAT HAS HELPED SAVE ONE

OF OUR MOST ICONIC SPECIES.

[DISTANT SCREECHING]

GOMBE STREAM NATIONAL PARK.

THIS IS SALAMA...

AND HER MOTHER, SCHWEINI.

THEY'RE MEMBERS
OF THE KASAKELA COMMUNITY...

A TROOP OF OVER
90 CHIMPANZEES...

FIRST STUDIED BY PRIMATOLOGIST
JANE GOODALL BACK IN 1960.

THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN FOLLOWED

ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY
FOR 58 YEARS...

IN WHAT IS NOW
THE LONGEST-RUNNING STUDY

OF ANY ANIMAL ON EARTH.

THEIR PROTECTED FOREST

IS NEAR THE VILLAGE
OF KIGALYE...

WHERE LOCAL PEOPLE
HAD CUT DOWN TREES

TO MAKE SPACE FOR FARMLAND.

BUT WITHOUT THE TREES HOLDING
THE EARTH TOGETHER,

THERE WERE LANDSLIDES...

AND FLASH FLOODS...

THREATENING NOT ONLY
THE VILLAGE,

BUT ALSO THEIR NEIGHBORS.

[CHIMPANZEES SCREECHING]

FEMALE CHIMPANZEES NEED
TO MIX WITH OTHER TROOPS,

MOVING TERRITORY
TO FIND A MATE.

BUT THIS DEFORESTATION MEANT
THE COMMUNITY WAS STUCK.

THEIR FOREST HAD
BECOME AN ISLAND.

NARRATOR: WITH BOTH PEOPLE
AND CHIMPANZEES SUFFERING,

THE JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE
BEGAN TO WORK

WITH THE VILLAGE
TO REPLANT TREES...

AND PROVIDE THE LOCALS
WITH SUSTAINABLE WAYS

TO USE THE LAND.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

NARRATOR: EMMANUEL MTITI

AND LILIAN PINTEA
HAVE BEEN WORKING

ON THE PROJECT FOR 18 YEARS.

AND THEY'VE HAD A LITTLE HELP

FROM SATELLITES.

THIS IS THE LATEST IMAGE
OF THE AREA.

[PEOPLE SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]

NARRATOR: EVEN THE FINEST
DETAILS ARE VISIBLE.

SO LET'S GO BACK
TO--TO THIS.

EMMANUEL: YEAH.

NARRATOR: BY COMPARING
SATELLITE IMAGES,

THE VILLAGERS CAN SEE WHAT
A DIFFERENCE THEY'VE MADE.

NARRATOR: THE FORESTS
HAVE REGROWN.

NARRATOR: THE FORESTS
HAVE REGROWN.

LAND THAT WAS INFERTILE

HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE.

THE LANDSLIDES HAVE STOPPED...

AND FLASH FLOODS ARE
NO LONGER A PROBLEM.

AND IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BENEFITED.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES,

NEW CHIMPANZEES HAVE BEEN SEEN

COMING TO THE RESERVE...

TRAVELING THROUGH THESE
NEWLY RESTORED FORESTS.

POTENTIAL NEW MATES...

[CHIMPANZEES SCREECHING]

AND A BRIGHT FUTURE
FOR THIS ICONIC FAMILY.

HERE, IN THIS SMALL CORNER
OF THE PLANET...

SCIENTISTS AND LOCAL PEOPLE

HAVE SHOWN WHAT
A DIFFERENCE CAN BE MADE

WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER...

A CHANGE SO IMPORTANT

AND SO DRAMATIC

THAT IT CAN BE SEEN FROM SPACE.

AS WE LOOK DOWN FROM ABOVE,

THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE.

ANCIENT FORCES...

AND SEASONAL TRANSFORMATIONS

HAVE BEEN SCULPTING OUR PLANET
FOR BILLIONS OF YEARS.

BUT AS HUMANS CHANGE
THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH...

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE HAS NEVER
BEEN MORE IMPORTANT

TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
OUR IMPACT

AND TO INSPIRE US

TO PROTECT OUR UNIQUE
AND FRAGILE HOME.

♪

TO ORDER
"LIFE FROM ABOVE"

ON DVD.

VISIT
SHOP.PBS.ORG

OR CALL
1-800-PLAY-PBS

ALSO AVAILABLE ON
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

♪

♪♪