Original subtitles

- Dawn has broken

in Indonesia's Raja Ampat Archipelago

the same way for many millions of years.

It's a place where two mighty oceans meet.

Over eons,

time has worked its magic here.

The life in these waters

has become a thriving community

of the world's most extraordinary forms.

An underwater metropolis...

Suspended beneath the sea.

This turtle is a visitor to the coral reef.

His kind have been traveling to waters like these

for over 100 million years...

To rest

and relax.

Listen carefully.

That's the sound of a busy morning

on a coral reef.

The hums and echoes are fish.

Calling to one another,

making themselves heard above the crowds.

This aquatic symphony is vital to life here.

The soothing harmonies attract fish from far and wide

to seek out the safety of the coral...

And make it their home.

While it might look like a static structure,

this vast, rocky network

is actually a living,

breathing organism.

A coral reef is made up of hundreds and thousands

of tiny creatures

that are part mineral, part animal.

Over millennia,

they can create external skeletons

that develop into elaborate and fantastical shapes.

Within every nook,

small creatures seek shelter.

Perfectly hidden,

safe amongst the coral.

Seahorses wrap their tails

around the smallest of structures.

Providing them with a much-needed anchor

in the vast ocean.

Though each creature is unique,

down here,

everything is woven together...

In an intricate coral tapestry.

This visiting turtle has found what he was searching for.

An underwater spa.

Now, in his sanctuary,

he simply sits and waits for the fish to come

and polish his shell...

While he takes... a nap.

His whole body slows.

Nine minutes can pass

between each beat of his heart.

I wonder... if he dreams.

This is Feri.

His ancestors, the Bajau,

have called these seas home for centuries.

For him,

being underwater is as familiar

as breathing air.

Over generations,

his people have lived a subaquatic life,

adapting to their environment...

Enabling them to suspend their breath

for long stretches of time.

It's what allows Feri to roam free in the depths...

Expertly navigating the coral.

This is his playground.

He is part of this vast underwater world...

Independent yet interconnected.

With each dip of the oar,

a tiny spectacle.

This light comes from living organisms

within the water.

It's called bioluminescence

and it can take on many forms.

Under the right conditions,

corals can put on a kaleidoscopic light show.

Hidden within the coral are specialized algae

that convert light into food,

just like the leaves of trees in a forest.

It's thought coral fluoresce with light like this...

To help sustain the algae inside them.

Every single one of these glowing polyps...

Is a determined little creature.

But all work together,

sharing the energy they capture...

So that the entire reef thrives.

Over thousands of lifetimes,

the corals have created a place

of restful calm.

Perhaps on land,

we could take inspiration

from this ancient coral city.

A multitude of interconnected individuals

collaborating and cooperating

to share a single home.

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