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Can explosive new evidence prove
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that one of the worst maritime
disasters in recent years
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was no accident?
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All they can find are lifeboats
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00:00:13,133 --> 00:00:15,673
and people terrified
in the water.
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Does the answer
to one of America's
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most iconic aviation mysteries
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lie hidden in a mighty river?
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What happened to Cooper
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and the $200,000 of cold cash?
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And what are the bizarre growths
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on the deep ocean floor
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said to be worth
trillions of dollars?
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They have enough rare metals
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to supply civilization
for thousands of years.
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What are they?
How did they get there?
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The underwater
realm is another dimension.
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It's a physically
hostile place...
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where dreams of promise
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can sink into darkness.
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I'm Jeremy Wade,
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and I'm searching the world
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to bring you the most iconic
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and baffling underwater
mysteries known to science.
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The vast majority of our ocean
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is unobserved,
unmapped and unexplored.
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It's a dangerous frontier
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that swallows evidence.
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You have nowhere to run.
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Where unknown is normal,
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and understanding is rare.
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When disaster strikes at sea,
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even the most
exhaustive investigations
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sometimes fail to get it right.
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With 852 lives lost,
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the sinking of the
passenger ferry MS Estonia
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is one of the worst
civilian sea disasters
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after the loss of the Titanic.
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But now, will modern
underwater technology
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deployed by a daring
team of investigators
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overturn the official
version of events?
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September 28th, 1994.
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It's the dead of night,
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and cruise ferry MS Estonia
is making a routine crossing
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of the Baltic Sea.
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Carrying almost
1,000 passengers,
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she's five hours
into her journey
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from Tallinn, Estonia,
to Stockholm in Sweden.
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Storm winds are creating
20-foot high waves.
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But the conditions
aren't out of the ordinary
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for the 515-foot long ship.
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It has made countless crossings
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across the Baltic in
very stormy conditions.
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The journey on this particular
day was nothing special.
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The Estonia is a huge ship.
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It's bigger than 12 buses
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or two-thirds
the length of Titanic.
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But shortly
after 1:00 a.m.,
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the Estonia is in deep trouble.
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The third officer
reports that the ship is leaning
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dangerously to one side.
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Then, in a dramatic
worsening of events,
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a total blackout.
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The ship loses all
its lights, all its power.
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But, amazingly, the
third officer is able
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to still read the coordinates
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on the battery-operated
equipment.
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Nearby vessels race
towards the Estonia' s coordinates.
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But they're too late.
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The ferry vanishes below the
waves in a matter of minutes.
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It's a shocking
and inexplicable event.
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How could this have happened?
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00:04:29,067 --> 00:04:32,467
Is it possible something
sinister is at play?
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00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:37,500
All they can find are lifeboats
and people terrified in the water.
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It's the Baltic,
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and it's very, very cold.
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And these people are really
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in the last minutes
of hypothermia
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and are close to drowning.
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Rescuers work through the night
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to pull survivors
from the water.
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But hundreds of
passengers are missing.
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Of the 989 passengers on board,
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only 138 are rescued.
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No one understands
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how or why a ship this
size could sink so quickly.
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It's unprecedented in
modern maritime history.
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In all, 852 lives are
lost in the tragedy.
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The sinking of the MS Estonia
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00:05:15,967 --> 00:05:19,697
was completely unexpected
and out of the ordinary.
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Given the previous
reliability of this ferry,
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it's shocking that it would
sink in these conditions.
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What happened
on that fateful night
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to cause one of the worst maritime
disasters of the 20th century
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is a question that many
are still trying to answer.
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And there's strong suspicion
that this was no accident.
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Two days after the sinking,
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a Finnish survey vessel
finds the wreck using sonar.
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The Estonia's found
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resting on her side in a
depth of about 230 feet.
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Plans are quickly made to get
a closer look at the wreckage.
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Investigators deploy
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00:06:01,233 --> 00:06:04,073
two remotely-operated
submersibles.
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The grainy black-and-white
footage is difficult to analyze.
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00:06:08,267 --> 00:06:11,767
But before long,
officials uncover a clue.
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The Estonia is missing
its bow visor.
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This is a critical piece
of the front of the ship.
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But bizarrely, it's
nowhere to be seen.
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The MS Estonia had been built
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to transport vehicles
as well as passengers.
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The bow would actually lift up
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00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,130
and cars would drive
inside the ship.
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If this weak spot in
the hull was compromised,
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could it explain how the
Estonia went down so quickly?
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It takes salvagers two
weeks to find the bow visor.
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To their amazement,
it's on the seafloor
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over one nautical mile
from the Estonia.
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Why is it so far from the wreck?
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After raising it to the surface,
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00:07:01,233 --> 00:07:02,603
investigators are confident
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00:07:02,633 --> 00:07:04,533
that the damaged steel visor
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00:07:04,567 --> 00:07:06,827
is the cause of the disaster.
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00:07:06,867 --> 00:07:09,327
The official report found that
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00:07:09,367 --> 00:07:12,197
because of the storm
the Estonia was in,
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The waves had smashed into
the bow, and this had weakened
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00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,070
the locking mechanism,
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00:07:17,100 --> 00:07:20,070
ultimately ripping it off.
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00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:22,630
While this
explains why the bow visor
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was so far from the wreck,
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00:07:24,667 --> 00:07:28,067
some refused to believe
this version of events.
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For a start, there
was a strange noise
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just before the Estonia
started sinking.
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Witnesses reported
hearing a loud bang
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00:07:38,767 --> 00:07:40,497
just before the lights went out.
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00:07:42,067 --> 00:07:44,767
And according to
others, the passenger ferry
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00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,400
may have been carrying
a secret military cargo.
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Eyewitnesses claim
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they saw military vehicles
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00:07:51,067 --> 00:07:52,467
being loaded onto the vessel
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00:07:52,500 --> 00:07:54,230
in the weeks leading
up to the disaster.
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What were they carrying,
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and was there an explosion?
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The answer could point
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00:08:00,833 --> 00:08:03,103
to a shocking act of sabotage
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00:08:03,133 --> 00:08:05,633
and an international cover-up.
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00:08:05,667 --> 00:08:09,597
The only way to know for
sure is to return to the wreck
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230 feet beneath the Baltic Sea.
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The sinking of
the passenger ferry
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MS Estonia cost 852 lives.
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The official
investigation claims
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00:08:36,900 --> 00:08:40,430
rough seas weakened
the ship's bow visor,
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causing it to come loose.
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00:08:42,067 --> 00:08:46,227
But reports of covert
military smuggling on board
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and rumors of an explosion
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have caused people to
question the official narrative.
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There are theories there was
an explosion on the vessel,
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00:09:01,333 --> 00:09:04,403
because people heard
a big sharp bang.
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Is it possible that
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a secret military
cargo exploded?
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Was the ship sabotaged
by ex-Soviet forces?
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Or, even more shocking,
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was the cause of the
sinking closer to home?
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Not long after the disaster,
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European officials put forward
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controversial plans to bury
the Estonia on the seafloor.
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Authorities decide that
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they actually want
to entomb the wreck
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so that nobody can
access the wreck.
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And, of course, this
immediately raises suspicion.
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The only motivation I can think
of for entombing a shipwreck
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would be to cover up something
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that had occurred
before the ship sank.
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Fortunately,
the entombing is stopped
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after a backlash
from victims' families.
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Instead, authorities
declare the site a grave,
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Instead, authorities declare the site a
grave, prohibiting anyone from approaching it.
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prohibiting anyone
from approaching it.
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If people wanna
go visit this wreck site
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to honor their lost loved ones,
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why should that be stopped?
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00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,700
Some are still
determined to uncover the truth.
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00:10:19,933 --> 00:10:21,473
And in 2019,
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two Swedish filmmakers
hatch a daring plan.
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They approach the wreck site
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in defiance of the law
and patrolling vessels.
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00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,770
They deploy a high-tech
underwater drone far more advanced
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than the equipment available
in 1994, when the ship sank.
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These new ROVs have
much higher resolution,
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so this allowed researchers
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to be able to see the Estonia
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like it had never
been seen before.
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Monitoring the
video feed from the surface,
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they explore the outer
perimeter of the Estonia.
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And it's not long before they
make a shocking discovery.
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All of a sudden,
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they see this
astonishing fact that
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00:11:08,833 --> 00:11:13,103
there is a big hole in the
ship. A significant hole.
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00:11:13,133 --> 00:11:15,773
Estimates suggest
the massive hole in the hull
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is 13 feet tall
and four feet wide,
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straddling the waterline
on the starboard's side.
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This was a total surprise
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because it has never
been reported
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00:11:27,433 --> 00:11:29,173
that there is a hole
in the ship's side.
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In a bid to understand
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00:11:35,733 --> 00:11:38,373
what could have
created this gaping hole,
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00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,300
Jorgen Amdahl was asked
to scrutinize the findings.
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00:11:42,333 --> 00:11:45,273
I am professor at the University
of Science and Technology
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00:11:45,300 --> 00:11:47,800
based in Trondheim, Norway.
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We were asked to conduct
an analysis of this damage.
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00:11:51,133 --> 00:11:54,773
And we made a model of the side.
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00:11:56,100 --> 00:11:58,130
The first
observation Jorgen makes
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00:11:58,167 --> 00:12:00,427
is that the force that
ruptured the hull
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00:12:00,467 --> 00:12:03,367
could not have come
from inside the ship.
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00:12:04,567 --> 00:12:06,497
The damage points inwards,
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00:12:06,533 --> 00:12:08,673
so I am very convinced that
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00:12:08,700 --> 00:12:11,700
it has been an external
action that has caused it,
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00:12:11,733 --> 00:12:14,203
and not, for example,
an internal explosion.
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00:12:15,267 --> 00:12:16,597
So, it's possible that
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00:12:16,633 --> 00:12:19,803
something struck the Estonia.
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00:12:19,833 --> 00:12:23,673
The force is equivalent to a
collision with a freight train.
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00:12:23,700 --> 00:12:27,400
What could have created
such an immense impact?
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00:12:27,433 --> 00:12:29,103
Scans of the seabed reveal
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00:12:29,133 --> 00:12:34,073
there are no rocks capable
of gauging a hole this large.
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00:12:34,067 --> 00:12:35,897
If it is not due to
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00:12:35,933 --> 00:12:38,073
something that happened
on the seafloor,
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00:12:38,067 --> 00:12:41,697
if there's something that
hit it on the sea surface,
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00:12:41,733 --> 00:12:43,673
then there is
a different situation.
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00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:49,100
Some speculate that only
one seafaring vessel could cause
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00:12:49,133 --> 00:12:51,933
this type of damage
without being detected.
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00:12:55,233 --> 00:12:56,403
A submarine.
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There were
no other ships nearby.
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00:13:01,300 --> 00:13:04,500
It's possible that a submarine
may have actually ran into it.
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00:13:05,967 --> 00:13:08,397
There have been
speculations about submarines.
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00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,770
We don't know. We don't
know which object that could be.
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00:13:15,367 --> 00:13:18,097
Why would a
submarine strike the Estonia?
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00:13:18,133 --> 00:13:22,073
Were Russian forces unhappy
with military smuggling?
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00:13:22,067 --> 00:13:25,067
Or was it a devastating
maritime mistake
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00:13:25,067 --> 00:13:28,727
that European powers
are trying to cover up?
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00:13:28,767 --> 00:13:31,627
The hole found in
the side of the wreck...
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00:13:31,667 --> 00:13:35,397
at present, there is no
known explanation for it.
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00:13:35,433 --> 00:13:36,773
There are a lot of theories,
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00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:39,300
but it still remains a mystery.
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00:13:39,333 --> 00:13:41,503
For now, there's
no further evidence
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00:13:41,533 --> 00:13:43,203
to confirm or rule out
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00:13:43,233 --> 00:13:45,473
the theory that
the Estonia was struck
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00:13:45,500 --> 00:13:46,900
as she crossed the Baltic.
247
00:13:48,300 --> 00:13:51,700
But, for many, this
previously unreported hole
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00:13:51,733 --> 00:13:53,533
throws suspicion on the findings
249
00:13:53,567 --> 00:13:56,067
of the official investigation.
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00:13:56,067 --> 00:13:59,727
This hole is
completely unexplained.
251
00:13:59,767 --> 00:14:03,267
One wonders if the authorities
have something to hide.
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00:14:08,433 --> 00:14:10,633
The hole in the Estonia's hull
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00:14:10,667 --> 00:14:14,067
raises more questions
than it answers.
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00:14:14,067 --> 00:14:16,767
With demands growing
for a new investigation,
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00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,070
perhaps, soon, we'll
get to the bottom
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00:14:19,067 --> 00:14:23,067
of one of the world's most
devastating ocean disasters.
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00:14:33,667 --> 00:14:37,127
In 2016, the FBI closes the file
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00:14:37,167 --> 00:14:40,297
on one of the most
infamous heists of all time.
259
00:14:41,933 --> 00:14:45,673
D. B. Cooper's notorious
jump from a hijacked plane
260
00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:50,230
has puzzled official
investigators for half a century.
261
00:14:50,267 --> 00:14:52,397
But now, have amateur sleuths
262
00:14:52,433 --> 00:14:54,973
found evidence that
can finally solve
263
00:14:55,067 --> 00:14:58,497
one of America's most
puzzling cold cases?
264
00:15:01,167 --> 00:15:04,367
November 24th, 1971,
265
00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,970
a well-dressed man going
by the name of Dan Cooper
266
00:15:08,067 --> 00:15:12,067
boards a Northwest Airlines
flight in Portland, Oregon
267
00:15:12,100 --> 00:15:13,830
bound for Seattle.
268
00:15:16,067 --> 00:15:20,067
Once in the air, Cooper
hands the stewardess a note.
269
00:15:20,067 --> 00:15:21,927
There's a bomb in his briefcase.
270
00:15:24,333 --> 00:15:25,673
When they touched down,
271
00:15:25,700 --> 00:15:27,470
he exchanges the passengers
272
00:15:27,500 --> 00:15:32,400
for $200,000 in cash
and four parachutes.
273
00:15:32,433 --> 00:15:35,573
They have no idea
what's going to happen.
274
00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,900
Cooper instructs
the pilot and crew
275
00:15:37,933 --> 00:15:41,573
to fly south to Mexico
so he can evade capture.
276
00:15:42,667 --> 00:15:44,467
But not long into the flight,
277
00:15:44,500 --> 00:15:48,070
somewhere over the state line
between Washington and Oregon,
278
00:15:48,067 --> 00:15:49,867
Cooper does the incredible.
279
00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:53,200
He jumps from
the back of the plane
280
00:15:53,233 --> 00:15:56,603
with a parachute
and his ransom money.
281
00:15:56,633 --> 00:16:00,603
This is the biggest
skyjacking in US history.
282
00:16:00,633 --> 00:16:03,073
The plane lands safely.
283
00:16:03,067 --> 00:16:05,827
But what becomes of
Cooper after his jump
284
00:16:05,867 --> 00:16:07,667
is a mystery that has perplexed
285
00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:10,370
and fascinated
the world ever since.
286
00:16:11,467 --> 00:16:14,397
Did D. B. Cooper
fall to his death?
287
00:16:14,433 --> 00:16:18,203
Did he escape never to been
seen or heard from again?
288
00:16:18,233 --> 00:16:20,803
What happened to Cooper
289
00:16:20,833 --> 00:16:24,133
and the $200,000 of cold cash?
290
00:16:25,733 --> 00:16:30,073
Authorities
launch a full scale manhunt.
291
00:16:30,067 --> 00:16:34,567
The FBI do this
huge search for D. B. Cooper.
292
00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,300
Hijacking an airplane is
not the best thing to do
293
00:16:37,333 --> 00:16:38,903
if you're a criminal
294
00:16:38,933 --> 00:16:40,333
because you're going
to have the full power
295
00:16:40,367 --> 00:16:43,067
of the federal government
come down on you.
296
00:16:43,067 --> 00:16:46,327
Initial calculations
place Cooper's landing zone
297
00:16:46,367 --> 00:16:48,797
in the area of the
southern most outreach
298
00:16:48,833 --> 00:16:51,373
of Mount Saint Helens.
299
00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,270
Not only is this a vast
mountainous wilderness,
300
00:16:55,300 --> 00:16:58,470
it's also crisscrossed
by mighty waterways.
301
00:17:00,267 --> 00:17:02,727
I've explored
the Pacific Northwest.
302
00:17:04,333 --> 00:17:07,533
Its rivers are powerful
and treacherous,
303
00:17:07,567 --> 00:17:10,827
and its forests populated
with deadly bears.
304
00:17:10,867 --> 00:17:13,597
Well, I think I'm gonna
make a graceful retreat.
305
00:17:13,633 --> 00:17:15,573
It's hard to imagine
being dropped
306
00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:16,800
into this environment
307
00:17:16,833 --> 00:17:19,103
without any means of survival.
308
00:17:22,467 --> 00:17:25,267
They focus
searches through the woods,
309
00:17:25,300 --> 00:17:27,930
boats on the lakes, uh,
up and down the rivers,
310
00:17:27,967 --> 00:17:29,927
looking for any
bits of evidence.
311
00:17:31,433 --> 00:17:34,133
Despite an extensive search,
312
00:17:34,167 --> 00:17:37,667
investigators come up
empty handed.
313
00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:39,730
Cooper disappeared
without a trace.
314
00:17:41,233 --> 00:17:44,703
While public interest
in the case never goes away,
315
00:17:44,733 --> 00:17:47,933
eight years pass without
a significant breakthrough.
316
00:17:48,733 --> 00:17:51,373
Then on February 10th, 1980,
317
00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,270
a chance discovery
changes everything.
318
00:17:55,633 --> 00:17:57,833
A young boy is
building a campfire
319
00:17:57,867 --> 00:17:59,897
on the banks of
the Columbia River.
320
00:18:00,933 --> 00:18:02,503
As he digs into the sand,
321
00:18:02,533 --> 00:18:05,303
he discovers
three bundles of cash
322
00:18:05,333 --> 00:18:08,073
totaling almost $6,000.
323
00:18:08,100 --> 00:18:11,070
His parents took
that cash to the FBI.
324
00:18:11,067 --> 00:18:13,597
A nd it turns out that
the serial numbers
325
00:18:13,633 --> 00:18:17,933
match the cash that was
involved in the ransom.
326
00:18:17,967 --> 00:18:20,427
The discovery of
the money could be the ticket
327
00:18:20,467 --> 00:18:22,697
to solving this enduring puzzle.
328
00:18:24,067 --> 00:18:26,367
Now more than 50 years on,
329
00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:30,100
can new cutting edge
scientific analysis of the cash
330
00:18:30,133 --> 00:18:33,703
finally tell us what
became of D. B. Cooper?
331
00:18:44,867 --> 00:18:46,967
The mystery of
D. B. Cooper
332
00:18:47,067 --> 00:18:51,467
and his $200,000 ransom
takes a strange turn
333
00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:55,770
when some of the money is found
on the banks of the Columbia River.
334
00:18:56,833 --> 00:18:59,233
But despite this
incredible breakthrough,
335
00:18:59,267 --> 00:19:02,867
the cash creates
a new conundrum.
336
00:19:02,900 --> 00:19:05,100
In terms of
where the money was found,
337
00:19:05,133 --> 00:19:08,273
it was actually 18 miles away
338
00:19:08,300 --> 00:19:10,830
from the proposed drop zone.
339
00:19:13,533 --> 00:19:15,633
Investigators are puzzled.
340
00:19:15,667 --> 00:19:18,167
How did the cash
travel from the drop zone
341
00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,170
to the beach where it was found?
342
00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:24,700
The leading theory is that it
went on an epic river journey.
343
00:19:24,733 --> 00:19:28,073
Initially, they think the cash
flowed into the Columbia River.
344
00:19:28,067 --> 00:19:30,627
But there's a problem with this.
345
00:19:30,667 --> 00:19:33,397
The cash could not
have fallen into the Lewis River
346
00:19:33,433 --> 00:19:34,633
within the drop zone
347
00:19:34,667 --> 00:19:36,397
because it joins the Columbia
348
00:19:36,433 --> 00:19:39,073
downstream of where
the money was found.
349
00:19:40,933 --> 00:19:42,873
Some argue the cash
could've entered
350
00:19:42,900 --> 00:19:45,270
the Washougal River
Valley to the east,
351
00:19:45,300 --> 00:19:48,630
washing into the Columbia
and down to the beach.
352
00:19:48,667 --> 00:19:50,527
But there's a problem
with this, too.
353
00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,270
Experts don't believe that
354
00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:55,970
the cash could've
remained so well preserved
355
00:19:56,067 --> 00:19:57,397
after such a journey.
356
00:19:58,733 --> 00:20:01,503
The bills still have
rubber bands around them
357
00:20:01,533 --> 00:20:06,773
and bundles of cash seem to
be buried on top of each other.
358
00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,500
How would they all have
washed down river over months
359
00:20:09,533 --> 00:20:10,633
and stayed intact?
360
00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:15,600
Still no closer to answering
361
00:20:15,633 --> 00:20:18,403
what happened to D.
B. Cooper and his cash,
362
00:20:18,433 --> 00:20:22,303
in 2016 the FBI shuts
down the investigation.
363
00:20:24,733 --> 00:20:28,403
In their place, a determined
group of amateur sleuths
364
00:20:28,433 --> 00:20:31,103
keeps the search alive.
365
00:20:31,133 --> 00:20:34,373
In 2020, armed with
an electron microscope,
366
00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,300
researcher Tom Kaye
examines the bills
367
00:20:37,333 --> 00:20:39,733
in closer detail
than ever before.
368
00:20:40,533 --> 00:20:42,533
What he finds astounds him.
369
00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:49,570
So, what new science have you
been able to bring to this case?
370
00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:50,830
Under the microscope,
371
00:20:50,867 --> 00:20:55,367
we found that this form
of algae called diatoms,
372
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,030
they're not the slimy
algae you're used to seeing.
373
00:20:58,067 --> 00:21:00,497
The diatoms form a glass shell,
374
00:21:00,533 --> 00:21:01,903
like a shoebox,
375
00:21:01,933 --> 00:21:04,603
around each individual cell.
376
00:21:04,633 --> 00:21:08,203
Most rivers have dozens
of species of diatoms.
377
00:21:08,233 --> 00:21:11,073
They die and fall to
the bottom of the river,
378
00:21:11,067 --> 00:21:13,227
but the glass shell remains.
379
00:21:13,267 --> 00:21:16,567
So many years later, we
can pick them up and identify
380
00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,200
what species of diatoms
are there in the river.
381
00:21:19,900 --> 00:21:21,070
Throughout the year,
382
00:21:21,067 --> 00:21:24,067
the types of diatoms
in a river change
383
00:21:24,067 --> 00:21:25,467
depending on the season.
384
00:21:27,433 --> 00:21:30,773
Crucially, Tom detects
a specific species
385
00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,300
that doesn't match the time
of year that Cooper jumped.
386
00:21:35,233 --> 00:21:36,873
The particular type of diatom
387
00:21:36,900 --> 00:21:39,070
that we found on Cooper's cash
388
00:21:39,067 --> 00:21:43,267
was Asterionella
formosa, a Latin name.
389
00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:47,970
But that particular diatom
is only found in the spring,
390
00:21:48,067 --> 00:21:51,067
not in November
when Cooper jumped.
391
00:21:51,067 --> 00:21:52,967
The lack of winter
diatoms indicates that
392
00:21:53,067 --> 00:21:55,597
the money couldn't have
become submerged in November
393
00:21:55,633 --> 00:21:57,303
when the hijack happened,
394
00:21:57,333 --> 00:22:00,503
suggesting a significant time
delay between Cooper's jump
395
00:22:00,533 --> 00:22:04,473
and his cash getting
exposed to river water.
396
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:07,900
It tells us that the money
spent at least six months
397
00:22:07,933 --> 00:22:10,703
somewhere other
than getting buried.
398
00:22:10,733 --> 00:22:12,373
Where?
We don't know yet,
399
00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,330
but that's what adds to
the mystery of the case.
400
00:22:15,367 --> 00:22:17,397
The money can't have been
401
00:22:17,433 --> 00:22:19,603
floating in the water
after Cooper landed.
402
00:22:20,667 --> 00:22:22,767
The finding
definitively rules out
403
00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,600
the theory that these bills
404
00:22:24,633 --> 00:22:28,073
came splashing down into
a waterway with Cooper.
405
00:22:30,267 --> 00:22:31,627
But that's not all.
406
00:22:31,667 --> 00:22:33,267
It removes any suspicion
407
00:22:33,300 --> 00:22:35,200
that Cooper landed on the ground
408
00:22:35,233 --> 00:22:37,773
and quickly buried
some of the cash himself.
409
00:22:39,633 --> 00:22:42,133
Tom runs tests on $20 bills.
410
00:22:44,100 --> 00:22:46,700
Research shows that the diatoms
411
00:22:46,733 --> 00:22:51,203
couldn't have entered the bills
once the bills were in the ground.
412
00:22:51,233 --> 00:22:55,333
The cash is submerged in the
water months after Cooper jumped.
413
00:22:56,300 --> 00:22:59,600
Somehow, it winds up
buried in the ground.
414
00:22:59,633 --> 00:23:03,433
This research creates a
new riddle in the Cooper mystery.
415
00:23:03,467 --> 00:23:06,697
Why was there this
strange time delay?
416
00:23:06,733 --> 00:23:09,333
How did the cash get buried?
417
00:23:09,367 --> 00:23:11,727
It's like Cooper is
still messing with us
418
00:23:11,767 --> 00:23:14,097
more than 50 years
after this event.
419
00:23:16,267 --> 00:23:20,597
While new evidence often helps
to rule out long-held theories,
420
00:23:20,633 --> 00:23:23,673
this time, it widens
the mystery.
421
00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:25,230
People will never stop trying
422
00:23:25,267 --> 00:23:27,127
to solve the Cooper case,
423
00:23:27,167 --> 00:23:32,427
but now experts realize the
answer may lie beneath the surface.
424
00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:41,430
The AE1, Australia's
first ever submarine,
425
00:23:41,467 --> 00:23:45,397
disappears at the start
of World War I.
426
00:23:45,433 --> 00:23:48,073
It's the only naval vessel
in the nation's history
427
00:23:48,067 --> 00:23:50,427
whose whereabouts
remain unknown.
428
00:23:51,133 --> 00:23:53,473
Can a dedicated team uncover
429
00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:57,600
how the AE1 vanished
without leaving a trace?
430
00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,070
September 14th, 1914.
431
00:24:03,067 --> 00:24:05,067
What's now Papua New Guinea
432
00:24:05,067 --> 00:24:08,427
is divided into British and
German held territories.
433
00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:14,870
Australia's flagship
submarine, AE1,
434
00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:17,530
is on patrol scouting
for German warships.
435
00:24:17,567 --> 00:24:20,927
World War I has just begun.
436
00:24:20,967 --> 00:24:23,827
The Australians are
part of the British Empire
437
00:24:23,867 --> 00:24:25,697
and Australian resources
438
00:24:25,733 --> 00:24:27,833
are brought into the war effort.
439
00:24:29,133 --> 00:24:32,803
With 35 crew
on board, the AE1 patrols
440
00:24:32,833 --> 00:24:37,573
alongside the torpedo
boat HMAS Parramatta.
441
00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,470
The two vessels plan to
rendezvous at 6:00 p.m.
442
00:24:40,500 --> 00:24:43,170
once their watch is over.
443
00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,970
But at 3:20,
the Parramatta's crew
444
00:24:46,067 --> 00:24:48,467
loses sight of the submarine.
445
00:24:50,067 --> 00:24:53,697
The Parramatta immediately
tried to make contact with AE1
446
00:24:53,733 --> 00:24:56,133
by radio using Morse Code,
447
00:24:56,167 --> 00:24:58,927
but was unable to
make contact with it.
448
00:24:58,967 --> 00:25:03,167
By 8:00 p.m.
there's still no sign of AE1.
449
00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,670
Was she spotted and
engaged by the enemy?
450
00:25:07,667 --> 00:25:09,167
Or did she get into trouble
451
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,430
navigating around the
area's many islands?
452
00:25:12,467 --> 00:25:15,697
In 1914, there was no radar.
453
00:25:16,533 --> 00:25:18,673
They didn't have
technology like sonar.
454
00:25:18,700 --> 00:25:21,300
They didn't have any
beacons like we do today.
455
00:25:21,333 --> 00:25:23,633
So, basically, you're looking
for a needle in a haystack.
456
00:25:24,933 --> 00:25:25,973
The Australians
457
00:25:26,067 --> 00:25:28,697
searched for the
vessel for three days.
458
00:25:28,733 --> 00:25:32,103
If any of the sailors remained
alive on the submarine,
459
00:25:32,133 --> 00:25:34,703
by that time, the oxygen
would've been used up
460
00:25:34,733 --> 00:25:36,073
just through breathing.
461
00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,130
With no bodies
and no debris found,
462
00:25:41,167 --> 00:25:44,067
AE1 is declared lost at sea.
463
00:25:48,300 --> 00:25:51,370
For Australia, losing
this iconic symbol
464
00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:55,470
of their emerging naval
strength is a tragic blow.
465
00:25:55,500 --> 00:25:58,070
But it's also
a perplexing mystery.
466
00:25:59,567 --> 00:26:04,527
AE1's commander was known
for having a spotless record at sea.
467
00:26:04,567 --> 00:26:07,827
And of all the vessels
lost in the Navy's history,
468
00:26:07,867 --> 00:26:11,397
AE1 is the only one
still unaccounted for.
469
00:26:12,367 --> 00:26:14,067
This is a mystery
that has haunted
470
00:26:14,067 --> 00:26:16,297
the Australian Navy for decades.
471
00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,100
Over the course of a century,
472
00:26:20,133 --> 00:26:24,303
the search for AE1
never truly stops.
473
00:26:24,333 --> 00:26:27,533
Twelve separate
missions try and fail
474
00:26:27,567 --> 00:26:30,567
to find the sub and
determine what happened.
475
00:26:32,133 --> 00:26:35,073
Then in 2017, a pioneering team
476
00:26:35,100 --> 00:26:37,670
armed with an autonomous
underwater vehicle
477
00:26:37,700 --> 00:26:39,600
finally catches a break.
478
00:26:44,167 --> 00:26:46,827
Seabed scans
show a distinctive shape
479
00:26:46,867 --> 00:26:50,827
on the seafloor at a
depth close to 1,000 feet.
480
00:26:50,867 --> 00:26:53,067
It's the AE1.
481
00:26:53,100 --> 00:26:55,200
This is the first sighting
of the submarine
482
00:26:55,233 --> 00:26:58,873
since she disappeared
over 100 years ago.
483
00:26:58,900 --> 00:27:01,130
Not only is she sitting upright,
484
00:27:01,167 --> 00:27:03,767
the sub is in one piece.
485
00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:05,730
It turns out that the
hull of the submarine
486
00:27:05,767 --> 00:27:07,067
was more or less intact.
487
00:27:07,100 --> 00:27:10,700
There was no sign of a debris
field around it whatsoever.
488
00:27:10,733 --> 00:27:14,503
No bodies or wreckage was
found outside of the submarine.
489
00:27:14,533 --> 00:27:17,533
It was completely in one piece.
490
00:27:17,567 --> 00:27:21,827
To some, this is a clear
indication that AE1 wasn't attacked.
491
00:27:22,867 --> 00:27:24,897
But despite finally finding her,
492
00:27:24,933 --> 00:27:27,703
we still don't know
what happened.
493
00:27:27,733 --> 00:27:29,273
There was no enemy action.
494
00:27:29,300 --> 00:27:31,370
How does this submarine go down?
495
00:27:42,633 --> 00:27:45,073
After 12 failed missions,
496
00:27:45,067 --> 00:27:51,227
in 2017, the Australian
submarine AE1 is finally found.
497
00:27:51,267 --> 00:27:56,827
But why she sank with all
35 hands lost is still a mystery.
498
00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:59,170
Sonar images reveal that
499
00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,830
she's sitting upright at a
depth of around 1,000 feet.
500
00:28:03,867 --> 00:28:09,897
Bizarrely, there are no
clear signs she was attacked.
501
00:28:09,933 --> 00:28:12,803
If we can
examine it, look at it,
502
00:28:12,833 --> 00:28:15,773
we may be able to
discover what went wrong.
503
00:28:17,667 --> 00:28:19,897
During the 2017 expedition,
504
00:28:19,933 --> 00:28:24,073
the only underwater camera the
team have is tethered to a winch.
505
00:28:25,833 --> 00:28:28,833
It limits them to a top-down
view of the wreckage.
506
00:28:30,433 --> 00:28:33,203
But it's enough to
reveal a vital clue.
507
00:28:34,967 --> 00:28:37,397
Special fins called hydroplanes
508
00:28:37,433 --> 00:28:39,603
that control
the submarine's pitch
509
00:28:39,633 --> 00:28:44,073
are set in what's called
the hard-to-rise position.
510
00:28:44,100 --> 00:28:47,070
That indicates there was a
desperate attempt by the captain
511
00:28:47,067 --> 00:28:48,897
to get the submarine
to the surface.
512
00:28:50,833 --> 00:28:52,073
More importantly,
513
00:28:52,100 --> 00:28:56,130
it reveals that AE1
had executed a dive.
514
00:28:56,900 --> 00:28:58,170
It's a strange maneuver
515
00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,570
for a submarine that's
only on a scouting mission.
516
00:29:03,067 --> 00:29:04,627
Theoretically, there's
no real need for them
517
00:29:04,667 --> 00:29:06,767
to dive dee below the surface.
518
00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,830
Could it be
that the submariners on AE1
519
00:29:09,867 --> 00:29:11,297
spotted an enemy vessel?
520
00:29:11,333 --> 00:29:14,433
And is that why they
dived to greater depths?
521
00:29:14,467 --> 00:29:17,127
Was
the dive a training exercise?
522
00:29:17,167 --> 00:29:19,067
We know the crew
was trying to train up
523
00:29:19,067 --> 00:29:20,797
and were hoping to be deployed
524
00:29:20,833 --> 00:29:24,433
to a more active
theater of conflict soon.
525
00:29:24,467 --> 00:29:26,067
They could well have
been putting themselves
526
00:29:26,067 --> 00:29:27,897
through some very,
very hard training
527
00:29:27,933 --> 00:29:29,073
to get themselves ready.
528
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,400
In order to truly
lay this mystery to rest,
529
00:29:34,433 --> 00:29:37,373
the team must figure
out what went wrong.
530
00:29:39,467 --> 00:29:42,897
In 2018, they go in
for a closer look.
531
00:29:44,633 --> 00:29:46,773
Could this be
their chance to solve
532
00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,400
the 100-year-old mystery?
533
00:29:50,300 --> 00:29:52,470
Before long, the wreck of AE1
534
00:29:52,500 --> 00:29:54,400
comes into sharp focus.
535
00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,400
The footage
reveals, for the first time,
536
00:30:08,433 --> 00:30:14,633
the devastating forces that would
have killed AE1's 35 crew members.
537
00:30:14,667 --> 00:30:18,197
Researchers could see from
the video that the forward section
538
00:30:18,233 --> 00:30:20,933
of the submarine had
actually been crushed,
539
00:30:20,967 --> 00:30:22,997
much like if you
squeezed a soda can.
540
00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,230
The submarine actually imploded.
541
00:30:29,900 --> 00:30:30,970
Before long,
542
00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,970
video from the ROV
reveals a small,
543
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,270
but highly significant clue.
544
00:30:36,300 --> 00:30:40,100
An open vent above
the sub's engine room.
545
00:30:40,133 --> 00:30:42,173
Archaeologist,
Dr. James Hunter,
546
00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,470
is watching the feed
from the surface.
547
00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:47,130
As we're looking, we realize,
548
00:30:47,167 --> 00:30:48,927
"Wait a second.
Um, hold up.
549
00:30:48,967 --> 00:30:52,997
It looks like one of those
might not be completely closed.
550
00:30:53,033 --> 00:30:55,503
It might be, you know,
partially opened."
551
00:30:55,533 --> 00:30:58,173
This is something we
weren't expecting at all.
552
00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,330
And we realized this is a really
significant piece of the puzzle.
553
00:31:02,533 --> 00:31:05,073
The vent may not look like much,
554
00:31:05,067 --> 00:31:07,797
but if left open when
the submarine dived,
555
00:31:07,833 --> 00:31:11,773
it would have caused a
catastrophic ingress of water.
556
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,400
It, no doubt, short-circuited
the electric engines,
557
00:31:15,433 --> 00:31:17,473
shutting them off.
558
00:31:17,500 --> 00:31:19,670
And as that water
enters the submarine,
559
00:31:19,700 --> 00:31:21,900
it starts to create more
weight in the stern.
560
00:31:21,933 --> 00:31:23,833
And that causes the submarine
561
00:31:23,867 --> 00:31:26,397
to start to sink by the stern.
562
00:31:27,367 --> 00:31:29,967
We suspect around 300 feet.
563
00:31:30,067 --> 00:31:34,567
The hull could no longer withstand
the external water pressure
564
00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,400
and the front end of
the submarine imploded.
565
00:31:37,433 --> 00:31:40,773
We now know
how sub AE1 met its end,
566
00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,530
but why the valve was
left open is still unsolved.
567
00:31:44,567 --> 00:31:47,327
It could have been one of the
crewmen forgetting to close it,
568
00:31:47,367 --> 00:31:50,097
and then realizing too late.
569
00:31:50,133 --> 00:31:53,503
Or it could have been
something like a piece of debris.
570
00:31:53,533 --> 00:31:56,103
Whether it was
human error or sheer bad luck
571
00:31:56,133 --> 00:31:58,603
may one day be answered.
572
00:31:58,633 --> 00:32:02,873
For many though, the most
important mystery is solved.
573
00:32:02,900 --> 00:32:06,600
The AE1 and her
35 brave submariners
574
00:32:06,633 --> 00:32:09,873
are found and not forgotten.
575
00:32:18,767 --> 00:32:21,667
In a world of dwindling
natural resources,
576
00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:25,100
could the answer to our
future renewable energy needs
577
00:32:25,133 --> 00:32:28,073
be hiding in the depths
of our planet's oceans?
578
00:32:29,567 --> 00:32:32,327
Potato-sized metallic nodules
579
00:32:32,367 --> 00:32:35,467
which contain the materials
to power electric cars
580
00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:38,470
cover vast areas
of the ocean floor,
581
00:32:38,500 --> 00:32:40,800
and they're worth
trillions of dollars.
582
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:46,300
When people think of what's
valuable on the seafloor,
583
00:32:46,333 --> 00:32:48,503
they most often
think of shipwrecks
584
00:32:48,533 --> 00:32:51,633
and valuable treasures,
like gold and silver.
585
00:32:52,567 --> 00:32:54,497
But what most people
don't realize is
586
00:32:54,533 --> 00:32:56,473
there's something more valuable.
587
00:32:57,967 --> 00:33:00,767
Mining finite
resources from the earth
588
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:03,530
can make or break
a nation's fortunes,
589
00:33:03,567 --> 00:33:05,827
and even start wars.
590
00:33:05,867 --> 00:33:09,597
These nodules contain
rare earth elements,
591
00:33:09,633 --> 00:33:12,933
and some of the most precious
metals known to humankind.
592
00:33:14,067 --> 00:33:16,267
But what exactly are they?
593
00:33:16,300 --> 00:33:19,500
And is it possible to turn
them to our advantage?
594
00:33:32,067 --> 00:33:34,467
The world is changing.
595
00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:36,970
As we transition to
sustainable power
596
00:33:37,067 --> 00:33:39,227
and a technology driven society,
597
00:33:39,267 --> 00:33:41,367
the demand for precious metals
598
00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,230
mined from the earth
is at an all-time high.
599
00:33:45,900 --> 00:33:47,800
But there is an alternative.
600
00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,500
Deep beneath the ocean,
in the dark realm
601
00:33:52,533 --> 00:33:55,503
that's almost totally
unexplored by humans,
602
00:33:55,533 --> 00:33:57,973
there is a mysterious
crop of black,
603
00:33:58,067 --> 00:34:02,567
potato-sized objects
named polymetallic nodules.
604
00:34:04,933 --> 00:34:07,503
Scientists think
these so-called nodules
605
00:34:07,533 --> 00:34:09,933
are millions of years old,
606
00:34:09,967 --> 00:34:13,397
and there could be over
500 billion tons of them
607
00:34:13,433 --> 00:34:15,133
on the sea floor.
608
00:34:15,167 --> 00:34:16,267
What's more,
609
00:34:16,300 --> 00:34:19,470
they're loaded with
highly valuable resources.
610
00:34:25,633 --> 00:34:27,903
Individual nodules were
first discovered
611
00:34:27,933 --> 00:34:31,333
by early ocean
explorers in the 1870s.
612
00:34:32,667 --> 00:34:34,867
They didn't know what they were.
613
00:34:34,900 --> 00:34:37,700
They didn't have
any feel for whether
614
00:34:37,733 --> 00:34:40,503
this was something
created by an organism,
615
00:34:40,533 --> 00:34:42,373
or whether it was just a rock.
616
00:34:44,133 --> 00:34:48,503
Examining them reveals
strange tree-like rings inside
617
00:34:48,533 --> 00:34:52,773
that suggest these small, mysterious
objects are somehow growing...
618
00:34:53,833 --> 00:34:55,933
and that they
contain concentrations
619
00:34:55,967 --> 00:34:58,097
of the precious
metal, manganese.
620
00:35:01,067 --> 00:35:04,127
But without the scientific
tools to investigate further,
621
00:35:04,167 --> 00:35:07,767
these unexplainable
curiosities are filed away
622
00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:10,100
and forgotten for 100 years.
623
00:35:14,167 --> 00:35:16,327
It's not until 1974,
624
00:35:16,367 --> 00:35:19,397
that they are thrust
back into the limelight
625
00:35:19,433 --> 00:35:22,373
in a very unexpected way.
626
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:25,070
When US Intelligence
reacts to intel
627
00:35:25,067 --> 00:35:29,067
of a Soviet submarine wrecked
at the bottom of the Pacific,
628
00:35:29,067 --> 00:35:31,667
1,500 miles west of Hawaii.
629
00:35:33,367 --> 00:35:37,727
In a bid to recover the sub
and the Soviet secrets inside,
630
00:35:37,767 --> 00:35:41,097
the CIA launches
a top secret mission
631
00:35:41,133 --> 00:35:44,803
involving iconic
entrepreneur, Howard Hughes.
632
00:35:45,933 --> 00:35:48,903
They wrangled in this
eccentric billionaire,
633
00:35:48,933 --> 00:35:51,633
and they claimed together
that what they were looking for,
634
00:35:51,667 --> 00:35:54,827
instead of the sub, was
polymetallic nodules.
635
00:35:56,633 --> 00:35:59,573
The secret mission
is a failure for the CIA,
636
00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:03,330
who are unable to raise all
of the sub from the sea floor.
637
00:36:04,833 --> 00:36:09,733
The ocean mining cover story,
however, is a remarkable success.
638
00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:14,500
For the first time, scientists
are able to examine
639
00:36:14,533 --> 00:36:17,733
the strange nodules in detail.
640
00:36:17,767 --> 00:36:21,897
They find high concentrations
of nickel, copper and cobalt,
641
00:36:21,933 --> 00:36:25,833
and trace amounts of
silicon, aluminum and titanium.
642
00:36:28,067 --> 00:36:33,227
Now, we know that these
nodules are highly valuable
643
00:36:33,267 --> 00:36:36,697
because of the metals and
the minerals that they contain.
644
00:36:36,733 --> 00:36:40,733
And these are essential in
today's modern technology,
645
00:36:40,767 --> 00:36:42,227
whether it's the car you drive
646
00:36:42,267 --> 00:36:43,567
or the cellphone that you use.
647
00:36:45,267 --> 00:36:47,227
The nodules are so plentiful,
648
00:36:47,267 --> 00:36:49,667
it's said that if we
mine only 10 percent,
649
00:36:49,700 --> 00:36:51,230
they'd keep the world supplied
650
00:36:51,267 --> 00:36:54,067
with key metals for
thousands of years.
651
00:36:55,067 --> 00:36:57,497
In one part of
the Pacific Ocean alone,
652
00:36:57,533 --> 00:37:03,203
estimates of their worth run from
eight to more than 16 trillion dollars.
653
00:37:03,233 --> 00:37:06,203
As worldwide
economies transition
654
00:37:06,233 --> 00:37:08,833
from using fossil fuels
655
00:37:08,867 --> 00:37:11,427
to more modern technologies,
656
00:37:11,467 --> 00:37:15,097
these metals are going to
become increasingly important.
657
00:37:16,367 --> 00:37:19,167
This untapped,
underwater goldmine
658
00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:23,070
has the potential to
transform the global economy.
659
00:37:23,100 --> 00:37:26,930
But scientists still don't
understand what these nodules are,
660
00:37:26,967 --> 00:37:30,097
or how they've seemingly
grown on the seabed
661
00:37:30,133 --> 00:37:32,433
since before humans
walked the earth.
662
00:37:33,633 --> 00:37:37,773
The mystery is how these
nodules actually form.
663
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,400
Are they biological?
Are they an animal?
664
00:37:41,433 --> 00:37:43,603
Are they geological?
Are they a rock?
665
00:37:43,633 --> 00:37:47,603
Could unlocking the
secret of these mysterious nodules
666
00:37:47,633 --> 00:37:50,533
be the key to
our technological future?
667
00:38:03,233 --> 00:38:05,373
In a remote part
of the Pacific Ocean,
668
00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:09,370
a vast and mysterious
crop of black nodules
669
00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,300
is said to be worth
trillions of dollars.
670
00:38:13,067 --> 00:38:14,227
But what are they,
671
00:38:14,267 --> 00:38:17,767
and why do they seem to
grow at impossible depths?
672
00:38:18,900 --> 00:38:22,630
In addition to these
nodules being very valuable,
673
00:38:22,667 --> 00:38:24,967
they're also very precious
674
00:38:25,067 --> 00:38:26,897
because on average,
675
00:38:26,933 --> 00:38:29,933
they grow one centimeter
per million years.
676
00:38:33,533 --> 00:38:36,533
During X-ray
examination in the 1970s,
677
00:38:36,567 --> 00:38:38,727
scientists discovered
that the growth rings
678
00:38:38,767 --> 00:38:41,097
in the center of these
mysterious nodules
679
00:38:41,133 --> 00:38:44,333
often formed around a
piece of organic matter,
680
00:38:44,367 --> 00:38:45,897
like a shark's tooth.
681
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,570
The deep ocean is a
highly pressurized broth
682
00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:53,430
of dissolved
metals and minerals.
683
00:38:53,467 --> 00:38:57,197
One theory is that some
unknown microbial process
684
00:38:57,233 --> 00:39:00,403
draws them towards the tooth.
685
00:39:00,433 --> 00:39:04,133
The theory is that shark
teeth act as a catalyst
686
00:39:04,167 --> 00:39:07,427
to cause these minerals
to precipitate out.
687
00:39:07,467 --> 00:39:09,467
It's an astonishing thought.
688
00:39:09,500 --> 00:39:11,870
The metal nodules
that could change
689
00:39:11,900 --> 00:39:13,930
the fortunes of humanity
690
00:39:13,967 --> 00:39:16,927
are the remains of a
shark tooth graveyard.
691
00:39:18,133 --> 00:39:20,603
Now, one might ask,
how many shark teeth
692
00:39:20,633 --> 00:39:22,533
can there possibly be
on the seafloor?
693
00:39:22,567 --> 00:39:26,067
But the reality is,
some species of shark
694
00:39:26,067 --> 00:39:31,297
shed over 35,000 teeth
over the course of their life.
695
00:39:31,333 --> 00:39:35,173
So, if one shark can
shed 35,000 teeth,
696
00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:37,500
imagine how many
shark teeth there must be
697
00:39:37,533 --> 00:39:39,073
at the bottom of the ocean.
698
00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:44,100
In another bizarre twist,
699
00:39:44,133 --> 00:39:45,633
scientists can't explain
700
00:39:45,667 --> 00:39:49,297
why or how the nodules
stay visible on the sea floor.
701
00:39:50,433 --> 00:39:51,733
Over millions of years,
702
00:39:51,767 --> 00:39:55,497
ocean's sediments should
bury them out of sight.
703
00:39:55,533 --> 00:39:58,303
You would still
expect sediment to be drifting
704
00:39:58,333 --> 00:39:59,633
through the water column
705
00:39:59,667 --> 00:40:02,627
and gently covering
these nodules.
706
00:40:02,667 --> 00:40:04,467
But that doesn't seem
to be the case.
707
00:40:06,133 --> 00:40:08,733
Somehow, this
ancient, deep ocean crop
708
00:40:08,767 --> 00:40:11,697
remains exposed
on the sea floor.
709
00:40:11,733 --> 00:40:15,533
It's a mystery that
continues to stump scientists.
710
00:40:15,567 --> 00:40:18,467
Some researchers have
theorized that starfish
711
00:40:18,500 --> 00:40:20,670
or other invertebrates
712
00:40:20,700 --> 00:40:21,930
who live on the seafloor
713
00:40:21,967 --> 00:40:23,897
might be constantly
clearing the seafloor sediment
714
00:40:23,933 --> 00:40:26,403
off of the polymetallic nodules,
715
00:40:26,433 --> 00:40:28,573
thus leaving them
exposed on the seafloor
716
00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,630
for thousands, if
not millions of years.
717
00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:37,470
Although the nodules
are still shrouded in mystery,
718
00:40:37,500 --> 00:40:39,300
the technology to harvest them
719
00:40:39,333 --> 00:40:42,473
from the seafloor now exists.
720
00:40:42,500 --> 00:40:46,870
Today, deep sea mining companies
are in a race to perfect the machines
721
00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:49,670
that will raise the nodules
from the ocean floor
722
00:40:49,700 --> 00:40:51,570
on an industrial scale.
723
00:40:52,700 --> 00:40:55,500
At the moment, no one
on the planet has the right
724
00:40:55,533 --> 00:40:57,773
to extract minerals
from the sea floor.
725
00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,270
However, licenses
have been given
726
00:41:00,300 --> 00:41:02,630
to explore whether
it might be feasible.
727
00:41:05,667 --> 00:41:08,697
International authorities
are scrambling to figure out
728
00:41:08,733 --> 00:41:11,533
how the spoils of this
modern day gold rush
729
00:41:11,567 --> 00:41:14,067
should be divided fairly.
730
00:41:14,100 --> 00:41:16,330
But many fear this
race to the bottom
731
00:41:16,367 --> 00:41:18,567
could have devastating
consequences.
732
00:41:19,900 --> 00:41:21,670
Because for now, it's impossible
733
00:41:21,700 --> 00:41:23,930
to harvest the nodules
from the seafloor
734
00:41:23,967 --> 00:41:27,927
without laying waste
to the life around them.
735
00:41:27,967 --> 00:41:30,727
There are an incredible amount
of sea creatures down there
736
00:41:30,767 --> 00:41:32,727
that remain undiscovered.
737
00:41:32,767 --> 00:41:36,227
And the ones that are
discovered, are poorly understood.
738
00:41:36,267 --> 00:41:41,067
We have to be careful that
we don't cause other lifeforms
739
00:41:41,067 --> 00:41:43,127
to become extinct
in the process.
740
00:41:46,900 --> 00:41:48,630
We're still trying to find out
741
00:41:48,667 --> 00:41:51,667
how these mysterious
natural treasures grow
742
00:41:51,700 --> 00:41:54,470
and how they stay
visible on the seafloor.
743
00:41:57,167 --> 00:42:01,427
Meanwhile, as humans reach
into the deep to fill their pockets,
744
00:42:01,467 --> 00:42:03,327
what will this mean
for the future
745
00:42:03,367 --> 00:42:05,867
of our oceans and our world?
55742
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