Original subtitles

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- NARRATOR: WHEN YOU SEE THIS - SYMBOL, YOU KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING

TELEVISION THAT IS EDUCATIONAL

AND INFORMATIONAL.

THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: HI, EVERYBODY.

I'M DYLAN DREYER, AND THIS IS

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

TODAY, WE'LL TRAVEL THE EARTH IN

SEARCH OF THE PLANET'S SMALLEST

CREATURES, LIKE IN THE AMAZON,

WHERE ONE OF THE SMALLEST

INSECTS DO WHAT THEY CAN TO STAY

ON DRY LAND.

- THEN, WE LOOK TO THE NIGHT SKY - TO FIND THE DANCE OF THE

FIREFLY.

PLUS, WE'LL TUNE IN TO THE WORD

OF ONE TEENY-TINY HUMMINGBIRD.

ALL THIS AND MORE ON TODAY'S

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]

- DYLAN: ALL OVER THE GLOBE, SOME - OF THE SMALLEST SPECIES ARE

OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

MOST PEOPLE KNOW THAT ANTS ARE

MUCH STRONGER THAN THEY LOOK,

ABLE TO LIFT UP TO 20 TIMES

THEIR WEIGHT, BUT THEIR STRENGTH

IN NUMBERS IS EQUALLY AS

IMPRESSIVE.

THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE

QUADRILLION ANTS ON EARTH.

ONE QUADRILLION, THAT'S A NUMBER

WITH 15 ZEROS.

SO, LET'S TRAVEL TO THE AMAZON

RIVER ISLANDS TO SEE HOW THE

TINIEST CREATURES USE THEIR

STRENGTHS TO RULE THE FOREST

FLOOR.

WELCOME TO THE AMAZON RIVER

ISLANDS, WHERE FLOODS CAN BRING

CHANGE TO THE SHAPE OF THE LAND.

THESE FLOODWATERS BRING ABOUT A

CHANGE IN EVERYONE'S LIVES, FROM

THE BIGGEST TO THE SMALLEST.

- A COLONY OF FIRE ANTS HAVE BEEN - FORCED OUT OF THEIR UNDERGROUND

HOME BY THE RISING WATER

LEVELS...

...PROVIDING AN EASY MEAL

DESPITE THEIR PAINFUL STING.

- THIS TREE WILL PROVIDE A SAFE - HAVEN UNTIL THE WATERS FALL AND

THEY CAN RETURN TO THE FOREST

FLOOR.

THE RESILIENT ANTS QUICKLY MOVE

IN TO A VACANT CRACK IN THE

BARK.

SOME ANIMALS DON'T JUST SURVIVE;

THEY THRIVE IN THE NEW

CONDITIONS.

- LEAF-CUTTER ANTS SWARM THROUGH - THE TREES.

ABLE TO CARRY PIECES OF LEAF

WEIGHING 20 TIMES THEIR BODY

WEIGHT, THEY ARE BORN TO WORK.

THESE ARE NO ORDINARY ANTS.

- IT'S BELIEVED THEY'RE A SEPARATE - SPECIES TO THE ONES WHO NEST

UNDERGROUND, AND THEY'VE

DEVELOPED A UNIQUE BEHAVIOR.

- THEY'VE SWAPPED THE FOREST FLOOR - FOR THE TREETOPS.

- BY BUILDING THEIR NESTS IN THE - CANOPY, THEY AVOID THE ANNUAL

FLOODS.

SO DESPITE THE RISING WATERS,

THEY CONTINUE UNDISTURBED.

- COLONIES CAN CONTAIN UP TO EIGHT - MILLION INDIVIDUALS, MAKING IT

ONE OF THE MOST DOMINANT

CREATURES IN SOUTH AMERICA AND

ONE OF THE RIVER ISLANDS' MOST

RESILIENT RESIDENTS.

WORKER ANTS ARE SENT OUT TO

COLLECT SUPPLIES.

FORAGING FAR AND WIDE, THEY'RE

ABLE TO FIND THEIR WAY HOME BY

LAYING DOWN A PHEROMONE TRAIL.

THE PHEROMONE IS SO POWERFUL,

ONE GRAM OF THE SCENT WOULD BE

ENOUGH TO LAY AN ANT TRAIL ALL

THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD.

ONLY THE FRESHEST AND JUICIEST

LEAVES ARE SELECTED.

POWERFUL JAWS SLICE THROUGH THE

CELLULOSE WITH EASE.

ONCE LOADED UP, THE ANTS THEN

BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY BACK TO THE

NEST.

LEAF-CUTTER ANTS CULTIVATE A

SPECIAL FUNGUS GARDEN DEEP

WITHIN THE NEST AND ARE ALMOST

ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON THE FUNGUS

FOR FOOD.

- MAINTAINING THE GARDEN IS - CRUCIAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE

COLONY.

ONLY THE QUEEN IS ABLE TO

PRODUCE OFFSPRING.

SHE'S CAPABLE OF LAYING

THOUSANDS OF EGGS PER DAY, MOST

- OF WHICH ARE DESTINED TO BECOME - WORKERS.

THE ANTS ARE TRUE FOREST

SPECIALISTS, AND OUT OF THE

- REACH OF THE FLOODWATERS, THEY - CONTINUE TO DOMINATE.

COMING UP, WHEN THE SUN GOES

DOWN, THESE LITTLE INSECTS LIGHT

UP.

PLUS, A WEIRD AND WILD LITTLE

MAMMAL IS JUMPING FROM LIMB TO

LIMB TO FIND ITS NEXT MEAL.

PLUS, WE'LL TRY TO KEEP AN EYE

ON THE TINY FLAPPING WINGS OF

ONE BUSY HUMMINGBIRD.

[BREAK]

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: WE'RE BACK TO FIND

EARTH'S SMALLEST CREATURES, AND

WE'RE TRAVELING TO THE COASTLINE

OF MALAYSIA, WHERE A TINY

CRUSTACEAN SEEMINGLY RULES.

- FIDDLER CRABS MAKE USE OF LOW - TIDE TO FEED.

MALES USE THEIR OVERSIZED CLAWS

TO ATTRACT FEMALES AND FIGHT OFF

RIVALS, BUT THEY'RE A BIT OF A

HINDERANCE WHEN IT COMES TO

EATING.

- THEY HAVE ONLY ONE HAND FREE TO - COLLECT FOOD.

SMALL-CLAWED FEMALES CAN FEED

TWICE AS FAST.

SIFTING THROUGH SEDIMENT, SHE

SWALLOWS ANYTHING EDIBLE AND

SPITS OUT THE DREGS.

CRABS AND MUDSKIPPERS COMPETE

FOR FOOD, BUT ARE NO REAL THREAT

TO EACH OTHER.

- HOWEVER, THERE ARE ANIMALS HERE - THAT WOULD HAPPILY MAKE A MEAL

OF EITHER.

AN OTTER'S WEBBED FEET AND SHARP

CLAWS ARE THE PERFECT WEAPONS

FOR SNARING SLIPPERY FISH.

- AND FLAT BACK TEETH ARE IDEAL - FOR BREAKING CRAB SHELLS.

- BUT BOTH POTENTIAL VICTIMS HAVE - EVOLVED EYES ON THE TOPS OF

THEIR HEADS, GIVING THEM A

PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE WORLD.

THEY SCOOT TO SAFETY AT THE

FIRST GLIMPSE OF DANGER.

MALAYSIA HAS LOTS OF COASTLINE

ALMOST THREE THOUSAND MILES

LONG.

SOME OF IT IS FRINGE WITH

MANGROVES, ONE OF THE ODDEST

ENVIRONMENTS ON EARTH.

MANGROVES ARE HALFWAY POINTS

BETWEEN LAND AND SEA...

- ...EXTREME TIDAL ZONES WHERE THE - WORLD CHANGES FROM A SALTWATER

SEASCAPE TO AN EXPOSED MUDFLAT

EVERY SIX HOURS.

- TO WITHSTAND THE CONSTANT PUSH - AND PULL OF AN EBBING AND

FLOWING TIDE, TREES IN THE

MANGROVE FOREST DEVELOP A

SCAFFOLD OF ROOTS THAT BRACE

AGAINST THE MOVING WATER.

AS THE TIDE GOES OUT, A

TOPSY-TURVY WORLD IS REVEALED.

ROOTS GROW UPWARDS, POKING OUT

OF THE WATER-LOGGED SOIL INSTEAD

OF STRETCHING DOWN INTO IT, THE

TREES' ONLY CHANCE TO ABSORB

OXYGEN.

- AND FISH THINK NOTHING OF - WALKING ON LAND.

A MUDSKIPPER IS PERFECTLY AT

HOME OUT OF WATER.

- IT BREATHES THROUGH ITS SKIN AND - CARRIES A BUBBLE OF AIR IN ITS

GILL CHAMBERS LIKE A SCUBA

DIVER'S TANK.

THE RECEDING TIDE TRIGGERS A

FRENZY OF ACTIVITY.

MUDSKIPPERS EAT MICROSCOPIC

ORGANISMS THAT THEY FILTER OUT

OF THE MUD.

THEY CAN ONLY FEED WHEN THE MUD

IS EXPOSED.

AT HIGH TIDE, THEY RETREAT INTO

BURROWS TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY

OF PREDATORY FISH.

- AND WITH JUST A FEW HOURS BEFORE - THE SEA FLOODS BACK AGAIN, IT'S

EVERY MUDSKIPPER FOR HIMSELF.

- DISAGREEMENTS OVER GRAZING - RIGHTS CAN LEAD TO DISPUTES WITH

NEIGHBORS.

- MUDSKIPPERS SEEM TO HAVE PULLED - OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE.

WALKING IS SURELY THE ULTIMATE

ACHIEVEMENT FOR A FISH, BUT

THERE ARE SOME DEFINITE

DISADVANTAGES TO LIFE ON LAND.

THEY'RE PERHAPS THE ONLY FISH IN

THE WORLD TO BE BUGGED BY

MOSQUITOES.

COMING UP, WE'LL KICK IT WITH A

CRICKET UNTIL ONE OF THE

PHILIPPINES' ODDEST LITTLE

LOCALS SWINGS INTO THE PICTURE.

PLUS, WE'LL SEE HOW THIS BABY

HUMMINGBIRD EARNS ITS WINGS.

[BREAK]

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

- DYLAN: SOME OF THE MOST - SUCCESSFUL ORGANISMS IN EARTH'S

HISTORY ARE OFTEN THE SMALLEST.

TAKE INSECTS WHO MAKE UP

TWO-THIRDS OF ALL SPECIES ON THE

PLANET WITH THOUSANDS MORE

DISCOVERED EVERY YEAR, BUT ONE

LITTLE INSECT IS HARD TO MISS,

ESPECIALLY IF YOU TAKE A TRIP TO

THE PHILIPPINES, WHERE THE

MAJESTIC BEAUTY OF FIREFLIES

LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT SKY.

WE'RE BACK IN THE FASCINATING

ISLAND CHAIN OF THE PHILIPPINES.

THESE SMALL INSECTS LOOK FAIRLY

UNREMARKABLE DURING THE DAY, BUT

AS THE SUN SETS, THEY SHOW A

VERY DIFFERENT SIDE.

- DARKNESS DESCENDS, AND GHOSTLY - LIGHTS FLASH.

THE INSECTS ARE FIREFLIES, AND

NIGHTTIME IS WHEN THEY SHINE.

- THE LIGHTS ARE A COURTSHIP - DISPLAY, A SIGN MALES WANT TO

MATE.

FLASHES ARE CAUSED BY A CHEMICAL

REACTION INSIDE THE FLY'S BODY.

IT'S THOUGHT THAT BY DISPLAYING

AT THE SAME TIME, MALES HAVE A

GREATER CHANCE OF ATTRACTING A

FEMALE.

- THEIR MASS EFFECT RIVALS THE - BRIGHTEST STARS IN THE NIGHTTIME

SKY.

THE SHIMMERING DISPLAY SLOWLY

DRAWS TO A CLOSE.

- NOW IS THE TIME WHEN THE - PHILIPPINES' MOST CELEBRATED AND

- SECRETIVE PREDATOR COMES OUT OF - HIDING...

...THE PHILIPPINE TARSIER.

IT'S SO TINY, IT WOULD FIT

INSIDE A HUMAN HAND, AND IT ONLY

STIRS AFTER DARK.

THE TARSIER IS ONE OF THE

WORLD'S SMALLEST PRIMATES, BUT

IT HAS THE BIGGEST EYES RELATIVE

TO BODY SIZE OF ANY MAMMAL.

UNSURPRISINGLY, IT HAS SUPERB

SIGHT.

A CRICKET IS WELL-CAMOUFLAGED,

BUT NOT WELL ENOUGH.

- THE TARSIER'S HEARING IS SUPERB, - TOO.

IT PINPOINTS THE CRICKET'S

POSITION...

...AND STRIKES.

THE CRICKET DOESN'T SENSE DANGER

UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.

THE NAME TARSIER COMES FROM ITS

UNUSUALLY LONG TARSUS, OR ANKLE

BONES, WHICH WORK LIKE SHOCK

ABSORBERS.

THEY HELP IT TO JUMP QUICKLY AND

LAND QUIETLY.

AS IT HOLDS THE CRICKET, IT'S

CLEAR HOW TINY THE TARSIER IS

AND HOW HUNGRY.

SPECIAL ADHESIVE DISCS ON ITS

FEET HELP IT STICK TO BRANCHES

WHILE IT EATS AND KEEPS WATCH.

ITS EYES ARE BIGGER THAN ITS

BRAIN AND ITS STOMACH.

THEY'RE FIXED IN ITS SKULL AND

CAN'T MOVE, BUT IT CAN SPIN ITS

HEAD THROUGH 180 DEGREES LIKE AN

OWL, AND THAT HELPS IT SPOT MANY

MORE FEEDING OPPORTUNITIES.

A CRICKET PROVIDES A BIG MEAL,

BUT IT'S MERELY AN APPETIZER.

- THE TARSIER LAUNCHES A FEEDING - FRENZY TO RIVAL THE MOST

FEROCIOUS PREDATOR.

- ONE OF THE ISLAND'S TINIEST - PREDATORS IS AMONG ITS

DEADLIEST.

A LONG NIGHT'S HUNTING HAS ONLY

JUST BEGUN.

- THE PHILIPPINES ARE HOME TO SOME - OF THE RAREST ANIMALS ON EARTH

AND SOME OF THE MOST UNUSUAL.

MANY OF THESE ANCIENT ISLANDS

ARE ISOLATED AND UNDISTURBED.

AS A RESULT, UNIQUE SPECIES HAVE

FLOURISHED UNINTERRUPTED BY THE

MODERN WORLD.

COMING UP, HOW DOES ONE OF THE

CARIBBEAN'S SMALLEST BIRDIE KEEP

THE LITTLE BODY STURDY?

[BREAK]

.

- NARRATOR: WE NOW RETURN TO THE - MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

- DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO "EARTH - ODYSSEY".

THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS ARE

NESTLED BETWEEN THE NORTH AND

SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENTS.

ALL TOLD, THERE ARE MORE THAN

SEVEN THOUSAND ISLANDS.

SOME ISLANDS ARE AS SMALL AS

SAILBOATS.

OTHERS OFFER SANDY BEACHES THAT

STRETCH FOR MILES.

LARGE OR SMALL, THEY HAVE ONE

THING IN COMMON.

THEY ALL HAD A VIOLENT

BEGINNING.

[VOLCANO ERUPTING]

VOLCANOES ROCKED THIS AREA WITH

LAVA SPEWING FROM DEEP CREVICES

IN THE EARTH AND EVEN

UNDERWATER.

THE FERTILE VOLCANIC SOIL

CREATED LUSH TROPICAL FORESTS

FULL OF WILDLIFE.

- THE WINDWARD AND LEEWARD ISLANDS - ARE AT THE CROSSROADS OF

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY IN THE

CARIBBEAN.

THE ISLAND OF DOMINICA BOASTS

NINE VOLCANOES, MORE THAN ANY

OTHER ISLAND IN THE WORLD.

THE UPSIDE OF ALL THESE

VOLCANOES IS EVIDENT BY LOOKING

AROUND AT THE LUSH GREEN FORESTS

OF DOMINICA.

- VOLCANIC SOIL IS EXTREMELY - FERTILE.

ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WILL

GROW.

THE ISLAND'S WET WEATHER HELPS

THE PLANTS ALONG.

THE ABUNDANT FLOWERS ATTRACT

PLENTY OF WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY

THESE LITTLE SPEED-EATERS.

HUMMINGBIRDS LOVE THE

CARIBBEAN'S VIBRANT COLORS.

THEY CAN'T SMELL AT ALL, SO THEY

CHOOSE WHAT THEY EAT BY WHAT

LOOKS THE TASTIEST.

- HUMMINGBIRDS ARE FOUND ALL OVER - THE CARIBBEAN.

THESE BIRDS CAN MOVE FASTER THAN

THE EYE CAN FOLLOW.

LIKE AN ENGINE, THEIR HEARTS

BEAT FIVE HUNDRED TIMES EVERY

MINUTE.

TO KEEP THEIR ENERGY UP, THEY

NEED TO FEED CONSTANTLY.

- ALWAYS ON THE MOVE, THEY'LL EAT - ALMOST THREE TIMES THEIR

BODYWEIGHT EVERY DAY.

TINY, ONLY THREE-AND-A-HALF

INCHES LONG, THE ANTILLEAN

CRESTED HUMMINGBIRD IS ONE OF

THE SMALLEST.

THE MALE HAS A MOHAWK OF

COLORFUL GREEN PLUMAGE.

THE FEMALE WEARS LESS FLASHY

FEATHERS.

FOR HER OWN SAFETY, IT'S BETTER

TO GO INCOGNITO WHEN PROTECTING

HER NEW BABIES.

THE HUMMINGBIRD'S NEST IS MADE

ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM SPIDER

SILK.

- THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A FLEXIBLE - MATERIAL.

AS THE BABIES GROW, THE NEST

WILL KEEP EXPANDING, AND THESE

CHICKS GROW VERY QUICKLY WITH

ALL OF THE ATTENTION.

THEY'RE READY TO FLY AWAY IN TWO

WEEKS, BUT IT'S NOT JUST MOM AND

DAD WHO DO THEIR PART.

EVOLUTION PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN

THE SURVIVAL OF THESE FAST

FLYERS.

HUMMINGBIRDS AND HELICONIA

PLANTS ARE LIKE TWO PIECES OF

THE SAME JIGSAW PUZZLE.

HELICONIA ARE FOUND ALL OVER THE

CARIBBEAN.

- THEY NEED THE HUMMINGBIRDS TO - SPREAD THEIR POLLEN AND

FERTILIZE NEW PLANTS.

HUMMINGBIRDS DEPEND ON THE

HELICONIA'S NECTAR AND VISITING

INSECTS FOR PROTEIN.

TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH TO

GO AROUND, HUMMINGBIRDS HAVE

VERY DIFFERENT SIZE BEAKS.

EACH BEAK HAS A HELICONIA

PARTNER.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FIGURING

OUT WHICH PLANT VARIETY OFFERS

THE PERFECT FIT FOR EACH

HUMMINGBIRD.

- THAT WAY, THE HUMMINGBIRDS DON'T - NEED TO FIGHT OVER THE SAME

PLANT.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TYPE TO

ENJOY.

THESE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS ARE

CONSTANTLY EVOLVING, A PARADISE

OF COLOR AND CREATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AS WE

DISCOVERED SOME OF THE SMALLEST

SPECIES IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

WHETHER BIG OR SMALL, ALL

CREATURES CAN MAKE A HUGE IMPACT

ON THE WILDEST PLACES IN THE

WORLD.

JOIN US NEXT TIME ON ANOTHER

"EARTH ODYSSEY".

[MUSIC]