Original subtitles

ITS HEART IS MOLTEN ROCK.

ITS BREATH, JETS OF FIRE.

ITS CRATERS ARE PORTALS DEEP INTO THE EARTH.

IT IS THE VOLCANO KILAUEA.

AND WITH ITS EVERY ERUPTION,

HAWAII IS BORN ANEW.

Man: YOU'VE GOT RED-HOT MOLTEN LAVA

SHOOTING UP IN THE AIR 1,000 FEET.

NOW THE MOUNTAIN OF FIRE IS REAWAKENING

WITH A FURY.

Man: THESE ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST EXPLOSIONS

PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED HERE FOR A LONG TIME HAVE EVER SEEN.

Man: I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 25 YEARS

FOR THIS TO OCCUR AGAIN.

Man: SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED THAT HASN'T HAPPENED

IN ALMOST 100 YEARS.

KILAUEA IS SUDDENLY

EXPLODING WITH QUESTIONS.

HOW IS IT THAT LIFE CAN CLING

TO THESE PERILOUS SLOPES?

Man: THERE ARE AT LEAST 300 WASPS AROUND US RIGHT NOW.

DECIPHERING THE MYSTERIES OF ONE OF THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE

AND CREATIVE FORCES IN THE WORLD.

MAJOR FUNDIN Man: HELICOPTER, 407, WHISKY-HOTEL.

Abraham: THE EARTH FORMED 4 1/2 BILLION YEARS AGO.

BUT ASK BEN BROOKS,

AND HE'LL TELL YOU...

Brooks: THAT IS AWESOME.

Abraham: IT'S BEING BORN RIGHT NOW.

Brooks: WE'RE LUCKY, BECAUSE THE TRADE WINDS

ARE BLOWING TO THE WEST,

SO WE'RE NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

Abraham: BEN IS A VOLCANOLOGIST.

THE FOCUS OF HIS WORK?

ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN THE WORLD: KILAUEA.

Brooks: I'VE NEVER SEEN OCEAN ENTRIES BY WALK TO IT,

BUT NOT LIKE THIS.

Abraham: VOLCANOES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

FORM WHEN PLATES ALONG THE EARTH'S CRUST

COLLIDE OR ARE WRENCHED APART.

BUT HAWAII'S RISE FROM FAR DEEPER --

STRAIGHT OUT OF HOT SPOTS DOWN IN THE PLANET'S MANTLE.

PERHAPS 100,000 YEARS AGO,

KILAUEA BROKE THE WATER'S SURFACE

TO HELP FORM THE BIGGEST ISLAND OF THE CHAIN -- HAWAII.

ONE OF ITS LATEST OUTBURSTS,

A VENT CALLED PU'U O'O.

Brooks: SO NOW WE'RE COMING UP FROM THE OCEAN

UP TOWARDS PU'U O'O.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE WHOLE EDIFICE

IS FILLED WITH A BUNCH OF VOLCANIC FUME.

Abraham: KILAUEA HAS GENERATED ENOUGH LAVA

TO PAVE A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY OVER A MILLION MILES LONG,

CHURNING IT OUT OF VENTS LIKE PU'U O'O.

Brooks: BASICALLY, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,

THE LAVA LAKE WHICH WAS IN THE CENTER OF THE CRATER

DRAINED VERY RAPIDLY,

AND THIS NEW VENT FORMED HERE OVER ON THE EAST SIDE.

YOU CAN SEE THE BLACK FRESH LAVA.

Abraham: NOTORIOUS AS PU'U O'O IS,

IT ONLY BEGAN IN 1983.

[ RUMBLING ]

ONE WITNESS WAS PARK RANGER GREG SANTOS.

Santos: WHEN PU'U O'O WOULD GO OFF,

WE WOULD LITERALLY GET WOKEN UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

THE LOUD ROAR SOUNDED LIKE A FLEET OF 747s.

[ RUMBLING ]

EVEN FROM FIVE MILES AWAY, IT WOULD GET SO LOUD

THAT WE COULDN'T EVEN TALK TO EACH OTHER.

THE NOISE IS JUST DEAFENING.

RED-HOT MOLTEN LAVA

SHOOTING UP IN THE AIR A THOUSAND FEET OR MORE.

Abraham: WHEN PU'U O'O WILL BLOW AGAIN, IT'S HARD TO KNOW.

BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP SCIENTISTS FROM TRYING TO PREDICT.

Brooks: WIND 0-7-0 AT 3-0-0-5.

Abraham: WHAT ARE THE HYDRAULICS OF THIS MOLTEN SYSTEM?

HOW IS PRESSURE BUILT AND DISPLACED?

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND OUT,

IF ONLY WE COULD PEER INTO

THE VOLCANO'S DEPTHS.

Brooks: THE FUME IS COMPOSED PRIMARILY OF

WATER VAPOR AND SULFUR DIOXIDE GAS.

IT'S HARD TO GET THROUGH THAT.

Abraham: NOW BEN'S ABOUT TO PENETRATE PU'U O'O'S SHROUD.

OKAY.

THERE'S A REVOLUTIONARY 3-D IMAGING DEVICE

CALLED "LIDAR."

I GOT IT.

Brooks: IT'S ABOUT 60 POUNDS -- HEAVY ENOUGH

TO NOT LET US WALK THAT FAST.

BUT IF THE PLUME CHANGES,

WE'LL WALK A LOT FASTER.

Abraham: MIKE POLAND IS WITH THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'S

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY.

Poland: IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWN THERE,

BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT

WITHOUT THE VIEW OF THE VOLCANO.

WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A CLUE

OF WHETHER OR NOT MORE COLLAPSE MIGHT HAPPEN

OR WHETHER NOT THERE'S A LAVA LAKE

THAT'S STARTING TO FORM...

WHETHER NEW VENTS ARE FORMING.

PRETTY TIGHT TODAY.

Abraham: KILAUEA IS A BEAUTIFUL KILLER.

A BLAST OF THE VOLCANO'S SULFUR DIOXIDE FUMES

CAN SUFFOCATE.

A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

CAN END YOUR DAY EVEN QUICKER.

Poland: I DON'T LIKE THIS AREA HERE

BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY OVERHUNG.

I DON'THINK IT IS HERE,

BUT WE SHOULD WALK OVER HERE AND TAKE A LOOK BACK.

Brooks: SO THIS ALL HAPPENED SINCE WHEN?

Poland: LAST FEW MONTHS.

THIS WASN'T HERE THE LAST TIME I WAS OUT HERE.

YOU CAN SEE SOME QUITE LARGE CRACKS,

IN HERE, THAT DO ATTACH TO THE EDGE OF THE CRATER,

AND THEY RUN THROUGH SOME REALLY RUBBLY STUFF.

SO THIS OUT HERE, WE WOULDN'T WANT TO GET ANYWHERE NEAR THAT,

THAT'S PRETTY UNSTABLE.

SO RIGHT ABOUT -- YEAH, RIGHT ABOUT HERE.

YEAH, I THINK RIGHT IN HERE IS PRETTY GOOD.

Abraham: IT'S A 200-FOOT DROP

TO THE CRATER FLOOR --

A GAP THE TEAM HOPES TO LEAP WITH LIDAR.

THE LASER WILL BOMBARD THE TARGETED REGION

WITH 2,500 PULSES PER SECOND.

OKAY, LET'S GO.

THIS IS PRETTY COOL.

Poland: NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS JOB.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S DONE.

Abraham: IN ROUGHLY AN HOUR,

THE FIRST RESULTS ARE IN.

Poland: THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

IT DOESN'T LOOK BAD. I THINK THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

OKAY.

Abraham: THE KEY TO THIS SCAN IS HOW IT COMPARES TO THOSE PAST.

A YEAR AGO,

LIDAR PROVIDED THIS SCAN OF THE CRATER FLOOR.

DAYS LATER, THE TEAM TOOK A SECOND SCAN, SHOWN IN GREEN.

IN IT, THE FLOOR PLUMMETS MORE THAN 80 FEET.

WHERE DID THE MISSING MAGMA GO?

Abraham: ON CUE,

NEW VENTS OPENED UP

A MILE DOWNSLOPE FROM PU'U O'O.

THEY RELEASED MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF LAVA

IN ONE WEEK.

KILAUEA HAD SHOWN ONCE AGAIN THE POWER IT WIELDS.

THE LAVA, UNLEASHED, TRANSFORMS THE EARTH.

ALONG ITS WAY, FROM CONE TO SEA,

IT IS A FORCE OF CHANGE,

LEAVING IN ITS WAKE A COURSE OF DESTRUCTION...

AND CREATION.

THE VOLCANO SCULPTS A SURREAL MOONSCAPE.

HUGE ROCKS, FERRIED ON THE BACKS OF FLOWS,

TOWER OVER BARREN PLAINS.

IT'S WINDY.

IT'S HOT.

THE TREES ARE LONG GONE.

BUT CLUES TO A GREENER PAST LINGER --

TRUNKS MADE OF STONE.

THE LAST REMNANTS OF A LUSH FOREST.

A MOLD FORMS WHEN LAVA ENGULFS A TREE

AND COOLS BEFORE THE TREE IGNITES.

AN OPTIMIST REARS

ITS FRAGILE HEAD.

THESE COLONISTS ARE THE OFFSPRING OF SURVIVORS.

A CHANCE DIVERSION IN THE LAVA'S COURSE

CAN LEAVE DEFIANT OASES AMID THE DEVASTATION.

THEY'RE CALLED KIPUKAS.

OFTEN HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLDER THAN THE SURROUNDING WASTELANDS,

A KIPUKA IS AN ECOLOGICAL TIME CAPSULE.

SOME SPECIES

LIVING HERE IN ISOLATION EVEN BECOME

GENETICALLY DISTINCT.

[ BIRD SINGING ]

HAWAIIAN HONEYCREEPERS ARE SERIOUSLY THREATENED.

BUT AT THE KIPUKAS THEY FIND HAVEN.

THE NENE -- THE HAWAIIAN STATE BIRD --

CURRENTLY NUMBERS JUST 500-PLUS

IN THE WILD.

THESE ENCLAVES ARE A RESPITE...

THOUGH MOST KIPUKAS SUCCUMB TO THE INEVITABLE.

THOSE KIPUKAS THAT SURVIVE THE HELLFIRE

ARE LEFT TO ENDURE ANOTHER PLAGUE.

[ BUZZING ]

THEY'VE BEEN PLUNDERING THE BIOLOGICAL TREASURE

OF THE KIPUKAS FOR 30 YEARS.

YELLOWJACKET WASPS

WERE INTRODUCED TO HAWAII ACCIDENTALLY --

A HUMAN-MADE DISASTER ONLY HUMANS CAN STOP.

DID YOU REMEMBER THOSE EXTRA WICKS?

YES, I GOT THEM IN THE PACK.

THE ECO SWAT TEAM IS HERE.

Man: THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE SITES THIS YEAR.

Abraham: BIOLOGISTS DAVID FOOTE AND ERIN WILSON

ARE GOING TO BATTLE FOR THESE FRAGILE HABITATS.

Foote: WHAT WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT

IS THE IMPACT OF THE WASPS ON THE LOCAL INSECT FAUNA.

Abraham: FIERCELY AGGRESSIVE...

HIGHLY COOPERATIVE.

FOR THEIR PREY,

YELLOWJACKETS ARE AN OVERWHELMING ADVERSARY.

THEY TEAR THE HEADS OFF THEIR VICTIMS.

THE INSECT POPULATIONS OF THE KIPUKAS ARE BEING DECIMATED.

AND SO GO THE FOREST BIRDS THAT FEED ON THEM --

AND THE PLANTS THAT RELY ON THEM AS POLLINATORS.

Foote: THE WASPS COME IN

AND THEY ACT AS VACUUM CLEANERS, ESSENTIALLY --

THEY GO THROUGH THE FOLIAGE

AND THEY GLEAN THE FOLIAGE OF INSECTS,

AND THEY BRING THEM BACK TO THEIR HIVE.

Abraham: WHERE THAT HIVE IS, IS THE QUESTION.

TO FIND OUT, THE TEAM LAYS A TRAP.

WASPS HAVE A HEARTY APPETITE.

Foote: ERIN'S PUTTING OUT SOME CHICKEN MEAT,

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY,

PROBABLY GET PICKED UP PRETTY FAST.

YEP, ONE RIGHT HERE.

SO THIS WORKER HERE,

HE'S GOT A BIG BALL,

HE'S JUST ABOUT TO TAKE OFF.

HERE HE GOES -- OKAY, FOLLOW HIM.

OVER BY THE BARE ROCK. ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW IT AS FAR AS WE CAN,

THEN WE'RE GOING TO PUT DOWN SOME MORE CHICKEN,

FOLLOW THEM AGAIN,

AND WE'RE GOING TO LEAPFROG UNTIL WE FIND THE NEST.

Abraham: THE CHASE IS ON...

Foote: THERE WE GO.

BACK HERE.

THEY'RE HEADING THIS WAY.

I THINK IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

[ BUZZING ]

Abraham: THE NEST IS BURIED.

ITS SIZE IS ANYONE'S GUESS.

DAVID SUSPECTS THE WORST.

[ Radio clicks ] Foote: HEY, ANTON,

CAN YOU HELP US TREAT THIS NEST?

10-4, COPY.

Abraham: SO THE TEAM PREPARES FOR WAR.

Foote: WASPS ARE VERY GOOD AT FINDING

ESCAPING HEAT FROM YOUR SUIT --

THE SMALLEST TEAR IN YOUR SUIT

OR YOUR GLOVE WILL LEAD TO ESCAPING BODY HEAT,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THE WASP WILL GO.

THEY'RE REALLY COMING OUT NOW, LOOK AT THAT.

THEY'RE GETTING DEFENSIVE AND THEY'RE FLYING

AROUND US AND I THINK THAT IF WE'RE HERE LONG ENOUGH

WE MIGHT GET STUNG.

Abraham: IN THEIR NATIVE CLIMES OF THE AMERICAN NORTHWEST,

YELLOWJACKETS LAST ONLY A SINGLE SEASON,

SO THEIR NESTS RARELY GROW BIGGER THAN A BASKETBALL.

BUT HAWAII'S WARMER WEATHER HAS SPAWNED A MONSTER --

WASPS THAT WINTER OVER

AND BUILD COLONIES THAT COULD BE

TEN TIMES THE SIZE.

Foote: THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING PRETTY DARN AGGRESSIVE HERE.

THERE ARE AT LEAST 300 WASPS

AROUND US RIGHT NOW, AND THERE'LL BE MORE SOON.

THIS IS A NEST THAT WE NEED TO DESTROY TODAY.

CAN YOU GET A GOOD SHOT IN THERE, ANTON?

YEAH, I CAN.

Abraham: FOR MANY EXTERMINATORS,

BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY IS NOT A PRIORITY.

BUT THIS TEAM USES A MINT OIL SPRAY,

WHICH IS NON-TOXIC --

EXCEPT TO INSECTS.

Anton: OKAY. Wilson: ALL RIGHT?

Abraham: A FEW DAYS LATER, THE TEAM RETURNS.

Foote: WE'RE BACK HERE THIS MORNING

TO EXCAVATE THE NEST.

IT'S LARGER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO

IS TRY TO GO IN AS QUICKLY AS IS POSSIBLE

AND EXPOSE THE COMBS,

GET 'EM OUT OF THE GROUND,

SO THAT THE WASPS AREN'T SO AGGRESSIVE.

OKAY.

Foote: THEY'RE REALLY NOT AS BAD

AS I WORRIED THEY WOULD BE SO FAR.

IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE CARRYING OUT DEAD LARVAE

WHEN THEY WERE MOVING OUT OF THIS COMB.

THERE'S ALSO SOME DEAD WORKERS HERE RIGHT AROUND THE ENTRANCE.

Abraham: THE GUARDS HAVE ALL BEEN KILLED OR DISORIENTED.

Foote: WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT A COLONY

THAT'S BEEN MOSTLY DESTROYED.

Abraham: BUT THERE'S NO VICTORY UNLESS THEY CAPTURE

THE QUEEN.

Foote: YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE THE QUEEN,

AND SHE'S GOT A VERY LARGE ABDOMEN.

SHE'S PROBABLY PACKED WITH EGGS RIGHT NOW.

PUT HER INTO A VIAL HERE.

Abraham: ONE STRAY QUEEN

COULD START A NEW COLONY.

THOUGH DAVID WIPES OUT ABOUT 50 COLONIES A YEAR,

HE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO ERADICATE THEM.

Foote: OKAY, WE CAN GET THIS STUFF BACK TO THE LAB.

Abraham: IN THE SHADOW OF THE VOLCANO

LIVES A WORLD UNDER SIEGE.

WHETHER THE THREAT IS INVASIVE...

OR EXPLOSIVE...

KILAUEA DEMANDS VIGILANCE.

Man: YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S WORKING DAY AND NIGHT.

LAVA NEVER SLEEPS.

Abraham: FOR GEOLOGIST MATT PATRICK,

"9 TO 5" IS 24/7.

HE'S WITH THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY'S

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY.

MATT IS A LATTER-DAY DIVINER.

HIS WAY IS GUIDED BY THE MYSTERIOUS PATH OF THE LAVA.

JUST UNDERFOOT IS A SPRAWLING FURNACE.

MATT IS WALKING ON FIRE.

DIRECT BELOW ME RIGHT NOW THERE IS A FLOWING LAVA STREAM

THAT IS ERUPTING FROM THE VENT TEN KILOMETERS UPSTREAM,

IT'S COMING DOWNHILL,

IT'S PASSING THROUGH THIS COASTAL TUBE SYSTEM,

AND IT'S EVENTUALLY MAKING ITS WAY TO THE OCEAN ENTRY THERE

WHERE YOU SEE THE STEAM PLUME.

Abraham: AS LAVA RUNS DOWN

THE VOLCANO'S SLOPES,

ITS UPPER LAYER COOLS AND FORMS A ROOF.

THE NOW-CLOSED CONDUIT INSULATES THE FLUID LAVA

BENEATH...

KEEPING IT HOT AND VISCOUS FOR ITS JOURNEY TO THE SEA.

MATT'S JOB IS TO TRACK THE FLOW.

BUT HOW DO YOU CHART AN INVISIBLE COURSE?

[ MACHINE WHINING ]

THE ANSWER IS A HIGH-TECH DIVINING ROD.

"VLF," OR VERY LOW FREQUENCY,

DETECTS THE LAVA'S ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE.

SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE BASICALLY RIGHT OVER

THE LAVA STREAM IN THE TUBE.

THE FLOW STREAM HERE IS MAYBE TWO OR THREE METERS WIDE.

MAYBE A METER IN DEPTH.

[ WHINING ]

AND IT'S FLOWING ABOUT SIX MILES AN HOUR OR SO.

Abraham: BUT SOMETIMES THE LAVA CAN'T BE CONTAINED.

Patrick: PERIODICALLY, WHEN YOU HAVE

PULSES OF LAVA COMING THROUGH, THEY CAN RUPTURE THE TUBE.

AND THEY COME OUT AS SURFACE FLOWS,

WHICH ARE A HAZARD.

WHEN YOU KNOW WHERE THE TUBE IS,

YOU KNOW WHERE THESE POTENTIAL BREAKOUTS WILL ORIGINATE.

Abraham: "BREAKOUTS" -- PERILOUS BREACHES IN THE EARTH.

Patrick: THIS IS ONE OF ABOUT A DOZEN SKYLIGHTS.

SKYLIGHTS ARE COLLAPSES

IN THE ROOF OF A SUB-SURFACE LAVA TUBE.

AND THIS GIVES US A VIEW OF THE LAVA STREAM.

[ WHINING ]

AND HERE IS WHERE

WE GENERALLY MAKE OUR MEASUREMENTS OF LAVA FLOW.

Abraham: THOUGH MATT CAN ONLY LEARN SO MUCH

FROM THIS VANTAGE.

Patrick: WITH THE NAKED EYE,

IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE WHERE THE TUBE IS.

Abraham: BUT SEEN THROUGH A SPECIAL CAMERA...

Patrick, laughing: IT'S A WHOLE OTHER WORLD.

Abraham: IT'S DESIGNED TO DETECT

THERMAL ACTIVITY.

BLUE IS THE COOLEST AREA.

RED SIGNALS HEAT.

WHITE, HOTTER STILL.

IT IS A SECRET WELL KEPT --

HAWAII IS BURNING.

Patrick: WITH A THERMAL CAMERA THE TUBE SHOWS UP VERY CLEARLY

AS A LINE OF WARM TEMPERATURES ON THE SURFACE.

Abraham: WHEN THE SUMMIT IS ACTIVE,

SO ARE THE LAVA FLOWS BELOW.

LATELY, THOSE SURGES HAVE BEEN HAPPENING OFTEN --

UP TO ONCE A WEEK.

IN FACT, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS,

THE AMOUNT OF MAGMA

COURSING THROUGH THE VOLCANO HAS DOUBLED.

Patrick: KILAUEA RIGHT NOW IS DOING SOME REALLY SPECTACULAR

AND UNIQUE THINGS, PARTICULARLY AT THE SUMMIT.

WE'RE CONSTANTLY SEEING CHANGES.

THAT'S WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS JOB,

IS COMING IN EVERY DAY, SEEING SOMETHING NEW,

AND ALMOST EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED.

Abraham: THE MOUNTAIN OF FIRE IS STILL SHAPING HAWAII.

A SUBTLE SHIFT IN LAVA FLOW,

AND YESTERDAY'S OUTBURST TURNS INTO TODAY'S CAVE.

KAZUMURA IS THE LONGEST, DEEPEST LAVA TUBE

YET DISCOVERED ON EARTH.

SPELUNKER HARRY SCHICK KNOWS KILAUEA FROM THE INSIDE.

THE FOYER CEILING IS DRAPED WITH TREE ROOTS,

REMINDERS OF HOW THE VOLCANO'S DESTRUCTION SPARKS NEW LIFE.

THE WAY OPENS INTO A VAULTED CHAMBER 80 FEET HIGH,

A CATHEDRAL OF RIBBED FLOORS AND TWISTING MAZES.

EVERY STEP TRACES THE FURIOUS FLOW

THAT ONCE COURSED THROUGH HERE.

IN KAZUMURA'S DEPTHS,

A VIOLENT PAST IS REBORN IN STRANGE, DARK BEAY.

Schick: THESE ARE LAVACICLES, AND LAVACICLES FORM WHEN

THE LAVA LEVELS IN THE TUBE RISE,

THEY COAT THE CEILING.

WHEN THE LAVA LEVEL DROPS, YOU GET DRIPS.

THE NEXT TIME THE LAVA LEVELS RISE,

THEY COAT THE CEILING AGAIN.

WHEN THEY FALL A SECOND TIME YOU GET DRIPS ON THE DRIPS.

SO THE EASIEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT THESE

IS TO THINK ABOUT A CANDLE BEING DIPPED IN WAX --

YOU GET ONE LAYER AFTER ANOTHER, AFTER ANOTHER.

Abraham: KAZUMURA IS QUIET TODAY.

BUT HARRY IS NOT ALONE.

THEY'RE CALLED TROGLOBITES -- INSECT CAVE DWELLERS.

THE TUBE THEY INHABIT MAY BE JUST 350 YEARS OLD --

YET IN THAT SHORT TIME, IT'S BELIEVED

SOME EVOLVED TO BE WHOLLY UNIQUE.

CREATURES LIKE THE LAVA TUBE WATER TREADER

NAVIGATE THE GLOOM.

A SINGLE ANTENNA CAN SMELL AND HEAR AND DETECT HUMIDITY.

A MEASURE OF HOW IT HAS ADAPTED --

THIS "WATER-TREADER" DOESN'T TREAD WATER AT ALL.

IT SCAVENGES THE CAVE FLOOR.

THE CAVE CRICKET FAVORS THE CARCASSES OF HAPLESS ANIMALS

WHO WANDER IN AND PERISH HERE.

THE CRICKET LIVES IN THE DARKEST REACHES.

ITS VESTIGIAL EYES ARE NO USE

IN DETECTING THAT THERE'S A DANGER ABOVE.

THE CAVE WOLF SPIDER

HAS A REMARKABLY VARIED DIET TO PARTAKE OF HERE.

IT IS THE APEX PREDATOR OF A VOLCANIC WORLD.

PEOPLE ARE LESS RESILIENT.

THIS IS AN OASIS OF HUMAN ACTIVITY --

THAT IS, IT WAS.

THAT BLACK LINE ISN'T LAVA.

IT'S AN OLD STREET.

ROYAL GARDENS WAS ONCE A THRIVING COMMUNITY.

THE VOLCANO CHANGED THAT.

NOW IT HAS ONE HOLD-OUT.

MEET JACK THOMPSON.

Thompson: WELL, WHEN I FIRST MOVED IN, THERE WAS GREEN

ALL THE WAY TO THE OCEAN,

COASTLINE WAS LINED WITH COCONUT PALMS.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE I EVER SAW.

Abraham: THE GREENERY HAS GIVEN WAY

TO A MILE OF LAVA STRETCHING TO THE SEA.

SINCE 1983, KILAUEA HAS STEADILY CONSUMED THIS SUBURB.

Thompson: THERE WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE LIVING IN HERE,

AND MOST OF THEM FAMILY PEOPLE AND SURFERS.

AND LITTLE BY LITTLE, EVERYBODY'S LEFT.

IT'S LIKE ANY NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU PUT UP WITH WHATEVER GOES ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,

WHETHER IT'S DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGS, OR LAVA, FIRE,

YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.

IT'S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HOUSE IN AMERICA

IN ANY OTHER SUBDIVISION,

EXCEPT THAT I CAN WATCH THE LAVA FROM HERE GOING IN THE OCEAN.

Abraham: NO MAN IS AN ISLAND.

WHEN SUPPLIES RUN LOW, THERE'S ONLY ONE THING TO DO.

[ STARTS ENGINE ]

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, IT'S ALL GOOD.

BUT WHEN THE ROAD RUNS OUT...

NOW THE HARD PART.

JACK'S IS THE ULTIMATE "ROAD LESS TRAVELED."

HIS TREK TAKES ABOUT TWO TREACHEROUS HOURS.

WHEN HE REACHES TOWN,

HE CAN BUY ONLY AS MUCH AS HE CAN CARRY.

BUT JACK'S NOT ABOUT TO MOVE.

Thompson: I'VE NEVER BEEN AFRAID OF ANYTHING UP HERE.

IT'S A PARADISE -- WHAT CAN I SAY?

AND IF THE LAVA COMES, I JUST STEP OUT OF THE WAY,

AND LET MADAM PELE HAVE IT.

Abraham: PELE -- THE HAWAIIAN VOLCANO GODDESS.

IN THE END, SHE ALWAYS HAS THE LAST WORD.

IF ONLY WE HAD EARS TO HEAR HER.

Man: FOR DECADES WE THOUGHT THAT KILAUEA WAS QUIESCENT.

AND THEN WE PUT SOME INSTRUMENTS OUT IN EARLY 2000,

AND WE GOT SOUND OUT OF IT.

WE SAID, "WOW, WHAT'S MAKING THE SOUND?"

Abraham: GEOPHYSICIST MILTON GARCES

IS TRYING TO HEAR THE SONG OF THE VOLCANO.

FIRST HE HAS TO CAPTURE ITS VOICE.

HE PLACES MICROPHONES NEAR KILAUEA'S ACTIVE VENTS.

DEEP BELOW LOOMS A CHOIR.

TO RAISE THEIR VOICES TAKES AN EXTRAORDINARY INSTRUMENT.

Garces: THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST A MORE SENSITIVE VERSION OF IT

IS ALSO USED FOR MONITORING CLANDESTINE NUCLEAR TESTS.

Abraham: LIKE AN UNDERGROUND BOMB,

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY PRODUCES PRESSURE WAVES

THAT CAN EMANATE THROUGH SOLID ROCK.

THEY TRAVEL ONCE EVERY TWO SECONDS --

SO SLOWLY, THEY FALL A HUNDRED TIMES BELOW

THE RANGE OF WHAT'S AUDIBLE TO HUMANS.

INFRASONIC TECHNOLOGY LETS US HEAR.

THIS VOLCANO IS MAKING SOUND CONTINUOUSLY.

EVERY TIME THERE'S A FISSURE ERUPTION,

LITTORAL EXPLOSIONS,

AND GAS PISTON EVENTS,

ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROCESSES CREATE SOUND.

THERE'S A CONTINUOUS SONG, A VERY DIVERSE SONG.

Abraham: MILTON LOVES THE MUSIC OF KILAUEA,

BUT HE'S HERE AT THE SERVICE OF SCIENCE.

WHAT DO THE SOUNDS MEAN?

[ DISTORTED RUMBLING ]

BACK IN HIS AUDIO LAB,

MILTON GIVES NEW MEANING TO "ROCK MUSIC."

TO MAKE THE VOLCANO'S SONG AUDIBLE,

HE SPEEDS IT UP 200 TIMES.

VISUALIZATIONS HELP HIM MATCH SOUNDS TO EVENTS.

[ DISTORTED RUMBLING ]

Garces: SO YOU HEAR THAT RIGHT THERE.

THAT IS THE LAVA TUBE SYSTEM.

IT'S THE GAS INSIDE THE LAVA TUBE,

THE HORIZONTAL CONDUIT, THAT'S GETTING EXCITED,

ACOUSTICALLY, AND IS JUST RINGING.

Abraham: POWERING THE VOLCANO KILAUEA

IS AN INTRICATE MATRIX OF UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS.

MILTON IS TRYING TO DISTINGUISH THEM.

RECENTLY HE GOT A CHANCE.

TWELVE MILES WEST OF THE VOLCANO'S VENT, PU'U O'O,

IS THE SUMMIT CRATER CALLED HALEMAUMAU.

CALM FOR NEARLY A CENTURY,

IT SIGNALED ITS REAWAKENING IN EARLY 2008.

AN ENORMOUS PLUME DRIFTED DOWNSLOPE,

PUTTING A WHOLE ISLAND ON ALERT.

[ CRASHING ]

THEN, A VIOLENT EXPLOSION TORE A HUNDRED-FOOT HOLE.

ASH AND HUGE BOULDERS,

SOME WEIGHING ALMOST THREE TONS,

ROCKETED 200 FEET OUT OF THE CRATER.

SCIENTISTS BRAVED THE SCENE TO COLLECT FRESH LAVA.

THE SAMPLES, THEY HOPED,

WOULD HELP THEM DETERMINE HOW THIS VENT,

HOW THIS ERUPTION, CONNECTS BACK TO PU'U O'O'S.

BUT MILTON HAD ANOTHER WAY.

HIS MICS WERE THERE.

Milton: SO WHAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO IS PU'U O'O,

THE MAIN CRATER, RINGING AT VERY LOW FREQUENCIES,

AND THEN, RIGHT AROUND HERE,

THIS HIGH-FREQUENCY SIGNAL KICKS IN.

THERE'S A VENT IN THERE

THAT JUST KICKS ON IN RESPONSE

TO SOME CHANGES IN THE VOLUME FLUX

OF THE VOLCANIC SYSTEM.

IT OPENED UP WITH A BANG,

AND FROM THEN ON IT'S BEEN RADIATING SOUND CONTINUOUSLY.

[ RUMBLING ]

WHEN WE FIRST HEARD THIS SOUND,

IT WAS LIKE AN EXCITEMENT OF A NEW BEGINNING.

SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED

THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN ALMOST 100 YEARS.

THE HALEMAUMAU SOUND IS BEAUTIFUL,

IN TERMS OF ITS TONAL STRUCTURE, IN TERMS OF ITS HARMONICS.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

HALEMAUMAU IS JUST A NATURAL-BORN SINGER.

Abraham: MILTON CALLS HER SONG "PELE'S CHANT."

Garces: INSTEAD OF A SONG THAT HAS A CLEAR BEGINNING AND END,

IT'S A CONTINUOUS TALE OF CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION.

IT TELLS A STORY.

IT TELLS US ABOUT ITSELF.

THE STORY OF TRANSFORMATION, OF FLOW.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WILL GO NEXT.

Abraham: THAT STORY, FOR MILTON, RINGS LOUD AND CLEAR.

FOR MATT, IT'S A SECRET SHARED IN A WHISPER.

Patrick: WHEN IT'S QUIET, AND ALL YOU HEAR

IS THE SOUND OF THE EJECTA FALLING ON THE CONE...

[ BOOMING AND SPLATTERING ]

IT REALLY GIVES YOU A SENSE

THAT SOMETHING POWERFUL IS GOING ON.

IT DOES SEEM MORE ALIVE AT NIGHT.

Abraham: THE MOURNFUL GRAYS AND BLACKS OF DAY

ARE BANISHED.

THROUGH TWISTING ARTERIES, THE VOLCANO'S LIFEBLOOD PULSES.

THE LAVA HAS COME FAR.

FROM ITS VIOLENT RELEASE, DOWN ACROSS THE FIELDS.

NOTHING COULD STOP IT --

EXCEPT THE ONE FORCE THAT IS ITS MEASURE...

THE SEA.

[ STEAM HISSING ]

Patrick: WHAT WE HAVE HERE

ARE EXPLOSIONS AT THE OCEAN ENTRY,

BUILDING A LITTORAL CONE --

"LITTORAL" BASICALLY MEANS "COAST."

Abraham: WHEN WATER AND LAVA GET TRAPPED TOGETHER IN A TUBE,

STEAM PRESSURE BUILDS,

THEN EXPLODES.

NOW, AFTER SEVEN MONTHS,

THE TUBE FROM ONE OF THE NEW VENTS,

FISSURE "D,"

HAS AT LAST REACHED THE SEA.

KILAUEA'S SHORELINE IS TODAY A BATTLE ZONE.

Patrick: THE EXPLOSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING

OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY VIOLENT.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE LARGEST EXPLOSIONS

PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED HERE FOR A LONG TIME HAVE EVER SEEN.

Abraham: THE LAVA HAS BEEN WELL INSULATED

ON ITS JOURNEY HERE FROM THE CONE,

SO IT'S LOST LITTLE HEAT.

NOW 2,000-DEGREE MOLTEN ROCK

MEETS 80-DEGREE WATER --

A VOLATILE MIX.

THE STEAM ALSO CREATES WATERSPOUTS --

MINIATURE TORNADOES

THAT CAN TOWER OVER 200 FEET.

THIS IS A PLACE TO AVOID.

FILMMAKER PAUL ATKINS IS HEADING STRAIGHT FOR IT.

HERE WE GO!

PAUL HAS BEEN DOCUMENTING KILAUEA FOR 25 YEARS.

OVER THERE, THE WATER'S STEAMING.

HIS PLAN TODAY --

TO DIVE RIGHT IN,

AND CATCH KILAUEA'S GRAND ENTRY UNDERWATER.

Atkins: THE KEY TO FILMING THIS THING

IS TO GET HERE WITHIN A FEW DAYS,

WHEN LAVA HAS JUST STARTED TO ENTER THE OCEAN.

IT'S A NICE BIG PLUME, SO THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.

WE KNOW IT'S GOING INTO THE SEA.

WE'D FILMED IT ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO,

AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING ANOTHER 25 YEARS

FOR THE CONDITIONS TO BE RIGHT,

SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME REAL HIGH-QUALITY

SHOTS OF THIS.

Abraham: SWIMMING WITH LAVA IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.

LOOKS PROMISING.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S REALLY PUMPING, THOUGH.

OOH, WOW, THAT IS HOT.

IT'S LIKE HOT WATER TO MY HAND.

LIKE TURNING ON THE HOT WATER.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THE WATER'S STEAMING

LIKE FOR 100 YARDS OUT BEYOND THE FLOW HERE.

THAT WATER'S SCALDING HOT.

BUT UNDERNEATH IT, THE WATER'S COOLER.

AND IT'S DIVEABLE AND SWIMMABLE.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS,

JUST TO GET TO THE FLOW FRONT TO FILM,

YOU HAVE TO SLIP UNDER THAT SCALDING HOT WATER.

IT'D BE NICE TO APPROACH IT FROM THE BOTTOM IF WE CAN.

Man: RIGHT, RIGHT, EXACTLY.

WE GOT THE C-R PRO FILTER IN.

LET'S GET SUITED UP.

Abraham: IN JUST FOUR MONTHS, THE NEW FLOW HAS BUILT

A 13-ACRE SHELF, KNOWN AS A BENCH.

BUT ITS FOUNDATION IS UNSTABLE.

PAUL WOULDN'T RISK THIS DIVE WITHOUT A SAFETY PARTNER.

Atkins: WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE OCEAN ENTRIES

IS THAT THE LAVA BUILDS A CRUMBLY KIND OF BENCH

OF COOLING LAVA, AND THEN IT EVENTUALLY COLLAPSES.

YOU'D BE CAUGHT IN THIS TURBULENT KIND OF LANDSLIDE

OF LAVA ROCKS THAT WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE FATAL.

Abraham: A ONCE-VIBRANT REEF BEING ENGULFED BY LAVA

IS NOW LAID TO WASTE.

RAINING DOWN IS VOLCANIC SHRAPNEL --

FALLOUT FROM THE COLLISION OF EXTREMES AHEAD.

THEN, PAUL AND KILAUEA MEET.

IT'S CALLED PILLOW LAVA.

LAVA HARDENS, WHILE LAVA SURGES WITHIN.

SO IT BURSTS INTO ANOTHER BALLOON -- AND ANOTHER.

SUDDENLY, A LANDSLIDE.

[ MUFFLED SCREAM ]

A NARROW ESCAPE.

AMAZING!

THAT WAS AMAZING!

THAT WAS PRETTY INSANE.

OH, MY GOD.

THERE WERE REAL BIG LANDSLIDES HAPPENING

AND WE HAD TO LEAVE THE AREA.

IT WAS ONE OF THE SCAREDEST I'VE BEEN ON A DIVE,

ACTUALLY, AT THAT FIRST ONE.

ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THE WHOLE BOTTOM GAVE WAY.

JUST SLID DOWN BENEATH US.

Abraham: AT GREAT RISK, PAUL HAS BROUGHT BACK

VISIONS OF NATURE AT ITS MOST PRIMAL --

A VOLCANO IN THE ACT OF CREATION.

ITS LAVA IS DELIVERED, FROM SUMMIT TO SEA.

KILAUEA DESTROYS SO HAWAII MAY BE REBORN.

THE LAVA TURNS TO ROCK

AND BECOMES THE PERFECT PURCHASE FOR CORAL.

IN TIME, REEFS WILL BLOOM ANEW,

DRAWING MARINE LIFE

IN DAZZLING DISPLAY.

IT IS A STORY OLD AS EARTH,

FORGED IN ROCK...

AND FLAME.

SCIENCE MAY ONE DAY FATHOM THE VOLCANO'S AWESOME POWERS,

BUT KILAUEA WILL NEVER BE SUBDUED,

NOT SO LONG AS THE MOUNTAIN OF FIRE BURNS ON.

FOR $19.99 PLUS SHIPPING.M IS AVAILABLE ON DVD

TO ORDER, CALL 1-800-336-1917.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

WHAT YOU'VE SEEN

ON THIS "NATURE" PROGRAM,

VISIT pbs.org.