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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:02,203 --> 00:00:03,202 Narrator: What if... 2 00:00:03,304 --> 00:00:04,937 Woman: That is enormous. 3 00:00:05,039 --> 00:00:08,407 ...Elusive deep-sea fish could help us predict earthquakes? 4 00:00:08,509 --> 00:00:11,176 [ screaming, gasping ] 5 00:00:11,278 --> 00:00:13,912 What exactly are they detecting? 6 00:00:14,015 --> 00:00:16,782 Narrator: And what is the point of this pointy egg? 7 00:00:16,884 --> 00:00:19,852 Okay, that's a big question. 8 00:00:19,954 --> 00:00:23,122 Narrator: Nature is awe-inspiring, 9 00:00:23,224 --> 00:00:25,357 But sometimes it just doesn't make sense. 10 00:00:25,459 --> 00:00:28,394 Man: I have never, ever seen anything like this. 11 00:00:28,496 --> 00:00:32,031 Our team of experts investigate the weirdest animal behavior. 12 00:00:32,133 --> 00:00:34,199 That's amazing. 13 00:00:34,301 --> 00:00:35,334 And the most unexpected events... 14 00:00:35,436 --> 00:00:36,468 What is causing that? 15 00:00:36,570 --> 00:00:37,770 ...Ever caight on camera. 16 00:00:37,872 --> 00:00:39,171 Woman: My god. 17 00:00:39,273 --> 00:00:42,274 These are nature's strangest mysteries... 18 00:00:42,376 --> 00:00:43,876 "solved." 19 00:00:43,978 --> 00:00:44,877 -- Captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com 20 00:00:44,979 --> 00:00:46,111 Captions paid for by discovery communications 21 00:00:46,213 --> 00:00:51,717 Narrator: Planet earth -- 300 million years b.C. 22 00:00:51,819 --> 00:00:55,521 The dinosaurs are already using an incredible delivery system 23 00:00:55,623 --> 00:00:58,891 For bringing their young into the world. 24 00:00:58,993 --> 00:01:00,959 Perfect for incubation, 25 00:01:01,062 --> 00:01:06,265 Eggs are strong on the outside and safe within. 26 00:01:06,367 --> 00:01:10,636 And now 300 million and some 2,000 years later, 27 00:01:10,738 --> 00:01:15,441 The dinosaurs' descendants, birds, are still laying them. 28 00:01:15,543 --> 00:01:16,909 But there is one question 29 00:01:17,011 --> 00:01:20,546 Scientists haven't quite unscrambled -- 30 00:01:20,648 --> 00:01:24,550 Why are birds' eggs such different shapes? 31 00:01:24,652 --> 00:01:26,785 The shape of eggs has excited speculation 32 00:01:26,887 --> 00:01:28,387 For hundreds of years. 33 00:01:28,489 --> 00:01:29,688 ♪ 34 00:01:29,790 --> 00:01:32,291 We tend to think of eggs as being egg shaped, 35 00:01:32,393 --> 00:01:35,227 But the variation that we get across different species 36 00:01:35,329 --> 00:01:36,829 Is remarkable. 37 00:01:36,931 --> 00:01:38,397 [ birds chirping ] 38 00:01:38,499 --> 00:01:42,434 Hummingbirds have these little tiny bullet-shaped eggs. 39 00:01:42,536 --> 00:01:45,671 Birkhead: Others like waders produce rather pointed eggs. 40 00:01:45,773 --> 00:01:48,607 Of course, the most extreme end, you have the kiwi, 41 00:01:48,709 --> 00:01:51,810 Which gives birth to a very large oval egg. 42 00:01:51,912 --> 00:01:55,514 The human equivalent of giving birth to a 4-year-old. 43 00:01:55,616 --> 00:01:58,951 Narrator: There are around 18,000 species of bird, 44 00:01:59,053 --> 00:02:03,655 And amazingly, almost as many varieties of egg. 45 00:02:03,757 --> 00:02:07,025 And that really throws up a question of, "why?" 46 00:02:07,128 --> 00:02:08,794 It's a mystery. 47 00:02:08,896 --> 00:02:11,997 Narrator: Some eggs are round, some are long, 48 00:02:12,099 --> 00:02:14,500 And others are in between, 49 00:02:14,602 --> 00:02:18,170 But why is each kind of egg a different shape, 50 00:02:18,272 --> 00:02:21,306 And what exactly determines the shape of an egg? 51 00:02:21,408 --> 00:02:25,010 It was a puzzle no one could solve until 2017, 52 00:02:25,112 --> 00:02:28,614 When scientists thought they'd finally cracked it. 53 00:02:28,716 --> 00:02:32,618 Researchers found a correlation between the shape of an egg 54 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,387 And the flight performance of a bird. 55 00:02:35,489 --> 00:02:36,955 Narrator: The scientists examined photos 56 00:02:37,057 --> 00:02:39,224 Of nearly 50,000 eggs, 57 00:02:39,326 --> 00:02:42,594 And compared them with the birds' lifestyles. 58 00:02:42,696 --> 00:02:44,096 Birkhead: The main conclusions were, 59 00:02:44,198 --> 00:02:46,498 Birds that spent a lot of time in the air 60 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,134 Tended to produce rather elongated eggs, 61 00:02:49,236 --> 00:02:51,136 And birds that didn't spend a lot of time in the air 62 00:02:51,238 --> 00:02:54,106 Produced rather squatted, dumpy eggs. 63 00:02:54,208 --> 00:02:55,574 When I first heard this, 64 00:02:55,676 --> 00:02:58,443 It sounded a little bit bizarre to me, 65 00:02:58,546 --> 00:03:01,079 A little bit like the ancient study of phrenology, 66 00:03:01,182 --> 00:03:02,614 When the shape of one's head 67 00:03:02,716 --> 00:03:05,484 Indicated your likelihood of criminal behavior. 68 00:03:05,586 --> 00:03:07,052 It was all a bit weird. 69 00:03:07,154 --> 00:03:09,154 Narrator: It might sound weird, 70 00:03:09,256 --> 00:03:12,357 But there was method to the madness. 71 00:03:12,493 --> 00:03:15,460 If a bird is going to fly well, it needs to be, 72 00:03:15,563 --> 00:03:17,563 Well, aerodynamic. 73 00:03:17,665 --> 00:03:20,999 And that means having a thin and streamlined body. 74 00:03:21,101 --> 00:03:24,937 So any eggs growing inside them must expand lengthways 75 00:03:25,039 --> 00:03:29,041 So the eggs end up narrower, or pointy at one end. 76 00:03:29,143 --> 00:03:30,242 Got it? 77 00:03:30,344 --> 00:03:33,178 Good flyers, thinner birds, thinner eggs. 78 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,413 Easy. 79 00:03:34,515 --> 00:03:35,981 But did the theory stand up? 80 00:03:36,083 --> 00:03:38,283 ♪ 81 00:03:38,385 --> 00:03:40,285 Greive: So swifts, as the name implies, 82 00:03:40,387 --> 00:03:42,721 Are very gifted flyers. 83 00:03:42,856 --> 00:03:45,290 Their eggs are incredibly elongated, 84 00:03:45,392 --> 00:03:47,993 Consistent with the researchers' theory. 85 00:03:48,095 --> 00:03:50,329 On the other hand, you have birds like owls 86 00:03:50,431 --> 00:03:53,332 Who only fly very short distances occasionally, 87 00:03:53,467 --> 00:03:56,101 And their eggs are almost perfectly spherical -- 88 00:03:56,203 --> 00:03:58,170 Again, consistent with the theory. 89 00:03:58,272 --> 00:04:00,505 ♪ 90 00:04:00,608 --> 00:04:02,241 Narrator: So one of the biggest mysteries 91 00:04:02,343 --> 00:04:04,710 In the avian world had been solved. 92 00:04:04,812 --> 00:04:09,147 Well, maybe, because one egg defied the theory completely. 93 00:04:09,250 --> 00:04:11,183 There's an exception to the rule, as always. 94 00:04:11,285 --> 00:04:14,653 And this is the egg of a bird called the guillemot. 95 00:04:14,755 --> 00:04:18,357 ♪ 96 00:04:18,459 --> 00:04:20,759 Narrator: Known as guillemots, or mirrors, 97 00:04:20,861 --> 00:04:22,294 In the breeding season, 98 00:04:22,396 --> 00:04:24,296 These sea birds congregate on cliffs 99 00:04:24,398 --> 00:04:27,466 In groups of as many as 5,000 100 00:04:27,568 --> 00:04:30,636 Because they need to be stimulated by a noisy crowd 101 00:04:30,738 --> 00:04:33,338 If they're to mate successfully. 102 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,908 The guillemot belongs to a family of birds, the auk family. 103 00:04:37,011 --> 00:04:38,677 Actually, I'm getting off on a tangent now. 104 00:04:38,779 --> 00:04:40,412 I'll come back again. [ laughs ] 105 00:04:40,514 --> 00:04:42,481 It has a very elongated egg. 106 00:04:42,616 --> 00:04:43,949 One end is very pointy, 107 00:04:44,051 --> 00:04:46,585 And the other end is very rounded. 108 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:48,987 Narrator: Scientists found that the pointiest eggs -- 109 00:04:49,089 --> 00:04:51,623 Call them asymmetric if you want to be fancy -- 110 00:04:51,725 --> 00:04:54,159 Tended to come from the top flyers, 111 00:04:54,261 --> 00:04:56,895 But the guillemot was going against the grain. 112 00:04:56,997 --> 00:04:59,031 Greive: The egg itself is asymmetric, 113 00:04:59,133 --> 00:05:01,033 Indicating that the guillemot 114 00:05:01,135 --> 00:05:03,468 Must be an exceptionally gifted flyer, 115 00:05:03,570 --> 00:05:05,737 But in fact, they're absolutely rubbish. 116 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,341 [ chirping ] 117 00:05:09,443 --> 00:05:12,544 They spend almost their entire lives bobbing about 118 00:05:12,646 --> 00:05:14,379 Like a feathered cork on the ocean 119 00:05:14,481 --> 00:05:15,747 And seldom fly at all. 120 00:05:15,849 --> 00:05:17,949 And when they do, they don't do it very well. 121 00:05:18,052 --> 00:05:22,321 [ birds chirping ] 122 00:05:22,423 --> 00:05:24,790 Birkhead: Guillemots are pretty awful flyers. 123 00:05:24,892 --> 00:05:27,759 You know, they flap like crazy just to stay up. 124 00:05:27,861 --> 00:05:30,028 Narrator: They're no soaring eagle. 125 00:05:30,130 --> 00:05:32,297 ♪ 126 00:05:32,399 --> 00:05:35,967 In fact, the sea bird's wings are more adapted for diving. 127 00:05:36,070 --> 00:05:38,236 They reach depths of 600 feet, 128 00:05:38,339 --> 00:05:41,540 Where those stubby wings make perfect flippers. 129 00:05:41,642 --> 00:05:43,542 It's a great way to catch fish. 130 00:05:43,644 --> 00:05:45,777 And they only need to move off the sea 131 00:05:45,879 --> 00:05:49,247 And up the cliffs when it's time to raise their young. 132 00:05:49,350 --> 00:05:51,750 But the chicks don't hang around for long. 133 00:05:51,852 --> 00:05:56,388 Burke: The chicks will stay on that cliff ledge for a few weeks, 134 00:05:56,523 --> 00:05:58,957 But as soon as they're strong enough and big enough, 135 00:05:59,059 --> 00:06:02,327 They take this incredible leap off the cliff. 136 00:06:02,429 --> 00:06:06,164 ♪ 137 00:06:06,266 --> 00:06:10,335 Narrator: These chicks are even worse flyers than their parents. 138 00:06:10,437 --> 00:06:11,803 At just three weeks old, 139 00:06:11,905 --> 00:06:15,207 They hurl themselves off the cliff and hope for the best. 140 00:06:15,309 --> 00:06:17,509 ♪ 141 00:06:17,611 --> 00:06:20,112 They go into a phase where we call them jumplings, 142 00:06:20,214 --> 00:06:22,280 And as a paratrooper, I especially appreciate 143 00:06:22,383 --> 00:06:24,816 This suicidal urge to leap from the cliff 144 00:06:24,918 --> 00:06:26,718 Into the void, where they land 145 00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:29,654 Hopefully in the sea, and not the rocks. 146 00:06:29,757 --> 00:06:31,790 Narrator: Some jumplings 147 00:06:31,892 --> 00:06:34,659 Need a little parental encouragement. 148 00:06:34,762 --> 00:06:36,828 ♪ 149 00:06:36,930 --> 00:06:38,930 [ squawking ] 150 00:06:39,032 --> 00:06:41,767 So it seems safe to say guillemot's pointy, 151 00:06:41,869 --> 00:06:43,535 Or asymmetric, eggs 152 00:06:43,637 --> 00:06:46,838 Aren't related to their strong flying technique. 153 00:06:46,940 --> 00:06:50,475 With that in mind, why on earth would the guillemot 154 00:06:50,577 --> 00:06:52,911 Have such an exceptionally asymmetric egg? 155 00:06:53,013 --> 00:06:54,913 Pfft. [ laughs ] 156 00:06:55,015 --> 00:06:57,282 Okay, that's a big question. 157 00:06:57,384 --> 00:06:59,785 Burke: One explanation is 158 00:06:59,887 --> 00:07:01,787 That the shape of the egg prevents them 159 00:07:01,922 --> 00:07:03,922 From rolling off the cliff edge. 160 00:07:04,024 --> 00:07:06,425 They balance their eggs in a small space, 161 00:07:06,527 --> 00:07:10,529 And obviously an egg rolling off is a very real risk. 162 00:07:10,631 --> 00:07:14,232 Narrator: Guillemot parents take turns to incubate their eggs, 163 00:07:14,334 --> 00:07:16,902 And changeover is a risky time. 164 00:07:17,004 --> 00:07:20,972 They're just one clumsy move and one cracked egg away from 165 00:07:21,074 --> 00:07:22,908 "worst parent of the year" award. 166 00:07:23,010 --> 00:07:25,744 [ squawking ] emperor penguins also have 167 00:07:25,846 --> 00:07:28,380 A precarious nesting arrangement. 168 00:07:28,482 --> 00:07:32,384 They have pointy eggs, too, and for a very good reason. 169 00:07:32,486 --> 00:07:35,787 Greive: The eggs are perfect for being balanced on the feet 170 00:07:35,889 --> 00:07:39,224 To be kept above the frozen ice and snow. 171 00:07:39,326 --> 00:07:43,128 Narrator: So with that in mind, could guillemots lay pointy eggs 172 00:07:43,230 --> 00:07:47,098 To stop them rolling off the cliff edge? 173 00:07:47,201 --> 00:07:50,402 Tim has been studying these birds for 46 years 174 00:07:50,504 --> 00:07:52,771 And wanted to find out. 175 00:07:52,873 --> 00:07:57,008 If you take a guillemot egg and roll it on a smooth surface, 176 00:07:57,110 --> 00:07:59,110 It will indeed roll in an arc. 177 00:07:59,246 --> 00:08:01,346 But that arc is quite big 178 00:08:01,448 --> 00:08:03,882 Relative to the width of the bank 179 00:08:03,984 --> 00:08:06,351 On which these birds breed. 180 00:08:06,453 --> 00:08:09,254 Narrator: Which means the egg would roll right off the edge. 181 00:08:09,356 --> 00:08:12,257 So that pointy shape should be a disadvantage. 182 00:08:12,359 --> 00:08:14,426 Clearly, stopping them from rolling off the cliffs 183 00:08:14,528 --> 00:08:15,961 Is not the answer. 184 00:08:16,063 --> 00:08:18,997 So, they're not stopping them rolling off cliffs. 185 00:08:19,099 --> 00:08:20,866 They're not helping them fly. 186 00:08:20,968 --> 00:08:23,068 Why are their eggs pointy? 187 00:08:23,170 --> 00:08:24,202 [ insects chirping ] 188 00:08:32,079 --> 00:08:33,778 [ insects chirping ] 189 00:08:33,881 --> 00:08:36,481 Narrator: For centuries, scientists have wondered 190 00:08:36,617 --> 00:08:39,851 Why the guillemot egg is such a pointy shape. 191 00:08:39,953 --> 00:08:43,421 Most birds that lay pointy eggs are excellent flyers, 192 00:08:43,524 --> 00:08:45,857 But not guillemots, so how come? 193 00:08:45,959 --> 00:08:47,559 ♪ 194 00:08:47,661 --> 00:08:50,896 Greive: Is the shape inherently stronger? 195 00:08:50,998 --> 00:08:53,465 One of the things that guillemot eggs face 196 00:08:53,567 --> 00:08:57,369 Is the risk of being broken by a clumsy guillemot 197 00:08:57,471 --> 00:09:00,972 Coming in and crash landing on an incubating bird, 198 00:09:01,074 --> 00:09:03,808 So I wondered whether this particular shape 199 00:09:03,911 --> 00:09:06,378 Would minimize the risk of the egg being broken 200 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,914 If another bird landed on top of it. 201 00:09:09,016 --> 00:09:10,882 Narrator: But it turns out, this pointy egg 202 00:09:10,984 --> 00:09:13,685 Isn't actually the strongest shape. 203 00:09:13,787 --> 00:09:16,488 A perfect sphere, a perfect round object 204 00:09:16,623 --> 00:09:19,357 Is the strongest structure in nature. 205 00:09:19,459 --> 00:09:23,361 It's why we've designed deep-sea submersibles the way they are. 206 00:09:23,463 --> 00:09:25,030 It evenly distributes the pressure 207 00:09:25,132 --> 00:09:27,132 Across the entire surface. 208 00:09:27,234 --> 00:09:29,734 The largest egg we know of, the ostrich egg, 209 00:09:29,869 --> 00:09:32,504 Is almost perfectly round and is strong enough 210 00:09:32,606 --> 00:09:35,640 To support the weight of a human being standing on it. 211 00:09:35,742 --> 00:09:37,909 But in the case of the guillemot, 212 00:09:38,045 --> 00:09:40,712 The eggs are the opposite of spherical. 213 00:09:40,814 --> 00:09:42,781 Therefore, we have to imagine 214 00:09:42,883 --> 00:09:46,284 There's some other virtue to this unique design. 215 00:09:46,386 --> 00:09:47,852 ♪ 216 00:09:47,955 --> 00:09:50,055 Narrator: Sometimes, solving a science problem 217 00:09:50,157 --> 00:09:52,524 Must feel like scaling a cliff. 218 00:09:52,626 --> 00:09:55,393 But then, after hundreds of hours on the rocks, 219 00:09:55,495 --> 00:09:57,929 Tim finally had a breakthrough. 220 00:09:58,031 --> 00:09:59,998 Doing field work, I had the opportunity 221 00:10:00,100 --> 00:10:04,636 To simply place the guillemot egg on a sloping bit of ledge. 222 00:10:04,738 --> 00:10:08,373 I was staggered to see that a guillemot egg just stayed put. 223 00:10:09,943 --> 00:10:11,309 Narrator: Tim had discovered 224 00:10:11,411 --> 00:10:13,311 That only the most asymmetrical eggs 225 00:10:13,413 --> 00:10:16,815 Could stick to the most extreme cliff faces. 226 00:10:16,917 --> 00:10:18,683 Birkhead: We tested this very rigorously, 227 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:22,087 And it's true -- the more pointed the egg shape, 228 00:10:22,189 --> 00:10:25,323 The steeper the slope that it can sit on. 229 00:10:25,425 --> 00:10:29,427 It made me realize that stability was the explanation 230 00:10:29,529 --> 00:10:32,664 For why the guillemot egg is this shape. 231 00:10:32,766 --> 00:10:34,332 Narrator: So the reason the guillemot egg 232 00:10:34,434 --> 00:10:36,434 Breaks all the rules -- 233 00:10:36,536 --> 00:10:39,971 It helps them cling to their precarious nests. 234 00:10:40,073 --> 00:10:44,075 It's a perfect example of natural selection in action. 235 00:10:44,177 --> 00:10:46,745 Less pointed eggs rolled off the cliff, 236 00:10:46,847 --> 00:10:49,781 So the birds that laid them lost all their chicks. 237 00:10:49,883 --> 00:10:52,984 Birds that laid pointy eggs saw their chicks survive, 238 00:10:53,086 --> 00:10:57,122 So their genes are still going strong today. 239 00:10:57,224 --> 00:11:02,160 [ insects chirping ] 240 00:11:02,262 --> 00:11:03,828 ♪ 241 00:11:03,930 --> 00:11:08,033 Narrator: Mexico -- April 2014. 242 00:11:08,168 --> 00:11:09,834 Kayakers looking for adventure 243 00:11:09,936 --> 00:11:12,570 Get a bit more than they bargain for. 244 00:11:12,673 --> 00:11:14,773 -Uh-oh. -Oh, my gosh. 245 00:11:14,875 --> 00:11:17,776 Woman: My god, look at the size of the thing. 246 00:11:17,878 --> 00:11:20,545 -It's going under your boat. -Oh, my gosh. 247 00:11:20,647 --> 00:11:22,847 And I'm taking a movie of it. 248 00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:24,849 Narrator: And this little movie went viral, 249 00:11:24,951 --> 00:11:27,952 With over 6 million views online. 250 00:11:28,055 --> 00:11:29,888 Oh, boy. Oh, boy. 251 00:11:30,023 --> 00:11:33,958 It was quite a shock for the woman with the camera. 252 00:11:34,061 --> 00:11:37,062 Woman: That is enormous. 253 00:11:39,032 --> 00:11:41,566 ♪ 254 00:11:41,668 --> 00:11:44,903 Narrator: The kayakers had stumbled across an oarfish, 255 00:11:45,038 --> 00:11:47,172 An animal rarely seen by humans 256 00:11:47,274 --> 00:11:50,575 Despite the fact it lives in all warm oceans. 257 00:11:50,677 --> 00:11:52,377 ♪ 258 00:11:52,479 --> 00:11:54,813 It is normally hidden away in the deep, 259 00:11:54,915 --> 00:11:57,615 3,000 feet below the surface. 260 00:11:57,718 --> 00:11:59,384 Conley: Normally when we find these guys, 261 00:11:59,486 --> 00:12:01,786 You're gonna find them in a vertical position in the water, 262 00:12:01,888 --> 00:12:03,054 Their head toward the surface of the water 263 00:12:03,156 --> 00:12:04,556 And their tail towards the deep. 264 00:12:04,658 --> 00:12:06,958 And they sort of undulate and sort of swim 265 00:12:07,060 --> 00:12:09,327 In a vertical manner. 266 00:12:09,429 --> 00:12:11,763 Narrator: Oarfish are huge. 267 00:12:11,865 --> 00:12:16,634 In fact, the giant variety is the longest bony fish alive. 268 00:12:16,737 --> 00:12:18,603 Conley: They're so long, they can get up to 269 00:12:18,705 --> 00:12:20,605 56 feet long, 600 pounds. 270 00:12:20,707 --> 00:12:23,675 They're very large fish. 271 00:12:23,777 --> 00:12:25,643 Narrator: Only a few videos exist 272 00:12:25,746 --> 00:12:29,681 Of an oarfish in its natural deep-sea habitat. 273 00:12:29,783 --> 00:12:32,217 More people have seen earth from space 274 00:12:32,319 --> 00:12:36,755 Than witnessed this rare aquatic species in the wild. 275 00:12:36,857 --> 00:12:39,257 Just hear how excited this deep-sea diver is 276 00:12:39,359 --> 00:12:41,826 To finally see one. 277 00:12:41,928 --> 00:12:43,294 Man: There it is. There it is. 278 00:12:43,396 --> 00:12:46,164 ♪ 279 00:12:46,266 --> 00:12:47,832 This is incredible. 280 00:12:47,934 --> 00:12:50,201 This is absolutely incredible. 281 00:12:50,303 --> 00:12:51,770 ♪ 282 00:12:51,872 --> 00:12:54,239 Narrator: Yet, in the last few decades, 283 00:12:54,341 --> 00:12:58,109 Dozens of oarfish have washed up on beaches all around the world. 284 00:12:58,211 --> 00:13:00,011 This one was found 285 00:13:00,113 --> 00:13:01,613 By u.S. Navy seals 286 00:13:01,715 --> 00:13:03,381 On a san diego beach, 287 00:13:03,483 --> 00:13:05,683 And measured 23 feet long. 288 00:13:07,187 --> 00:13:08,853 So what are these rarely seen 289 00:13:08,955 --> 00:13:12,390 Denizens of the deep doing in the shallows? 290 00:13:12,492 --> 00:13:15,760 Well, there are some surprising possibilities. 291 00:13:15,862 --> 00:13:17,629 Some of the sightings have coincided 292 00:13:17,731 --> 00:13:20,732 With looming natural disasters. 293 00:13:20,834 --> 00:13:23,768 Nosal: What's interesting is that sometimes a string 294 00:13:23,870 --> 00:13:28,473 Of these oarfish will wash up right before an earthquake hits. 295 00:13:28,575 --> 00:13:31,976 [ gasping, screaming ] 296 00:13:32,078 --> 00:13:34,512 Some people think that they are sensing 297 00:13:34,614 --> 00:13:37,081 These impending large events. 298 00:13:37,184 --> 00:13:41,719 Woman: Baby, the water's coming to an end! 299 00:13:41,822 --> 00:13:45,423 Narrator: In 2010, dozens of oarfish beached themselves 300 00:13:45,525 --> 00:13:49,694 Before earthquakes in both chile and haiti. 301 00:13:49,796 --> 00:13:52,664 At least a dozen more were found on the shores of japan 302 00:13:52,766 --> 00:13:55,400 In the months before the devastating tohoku earthquake 303 00:13:55,502 --> 00:13:57,101 In 2011. 304 00:13:57,204 --> 00:13:59,504 ♪ 305 00:13:59,606 --> 00:14:03,908 In which case, could our oarfish have swum up to a mexican beach 306 00:14:04,010 --> 00:14:07,478 Because it senses an impending earthquake? 307 00:14:07,581 --> 00:14:09,280 Moser: Earthquake scientists have 308 00:14:09,382 --> 00:14:11,916 Amazing types of instruments 309 00:14:12,018 --> 00:14:13,451 That are doing everything they can 310 00:14:13,553 --> 00:14:17,055 To detect very minute ground shakings. 311 00:14:17,157 --> 00:14:21,359 And you know, we as human beings still can't predict earthquakes, 312 00:14:21,461 --> 00:14:23,595 And so it would be really incredible to think 313 00:14:23,697 --> 00:14:28,032 That these fish seemingly have learned this trick. 314 00:14:28,134 --> 00:14:31,236 Narrator: These recent beachings aren't the first time oarfish 315 00:14:31,338 --> 00:14:33,204 Have caught our imagination. 316 00:14:33,306 --> 00:14:37,542 ♪ 317 00:14:37,644 --> 00:14:41,679 There are a lot of stories from ancient history of mariners 318 00:14:41,781 --> 00:14:43,848 Finding strange mythical creatures, 319 00:14:43,950 --> 00:14:47,118 And one of those turns out to be the oarfish. 320 00:14:47,220 --> 00:14:49,120 When you go back into ancient japanese folklore, 321 00:14:49,222 --> 00:14:51,823 These oarfish were known to let the people know 322 00:14:51,925 --> 00:14:53,658 That an earthquake might be coming. 323 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,327 Narrator: So could this ancient myth be right? 324 00:14:56,429 --> 00:14:57,896 ♪ 325 00:14:57,998 --> 00:14:59,831 Do these deep-sea dwellers 326 00:14:59,933 --> 00:15:03,001 Hold seismic-sensing powers? 327 00:15:03,103 --> 00:15:05,536 Nosal: If oarfish were somehow detecting earthquakes, 328 00:15:05,639 --> 00:15:07,205 How would that work mechanistically? 329 00:15:07,307 --> 00:15:09,340 What exactly are they detecting? 330 00:15:09,442 --> 00:15:10,875 [ insects chirping ] 331 00:15:18,351 --> 00:15:19,984 [ insects chirping ] 332 00:15:20,086 --> 00:15:22,353 Narrator: In April 2014, 333 00:15:22,455 --> 00:15:24,722 Kayakers stumbled across an oarfish 334 00:15:24,824 --> 00:15:26,591 By a beach in mexico. 335 00:15:26,693 --> 00:15:28,927 Throughout history, these deep-sea fish 336 00:15:29,029 --> 00:15:31,796 Have often washed ashore before earthquakes. 337 00:15:31,898 --> 00:15:35,566 So, could it be detecting an imminent quake? 338 00:15:35,669 --> 00:15:39,103 Moser: There are actually multiple different types of waves 339 00:15:39,239 --> 00:15:41,039 That propagate from an earthquake, 340 00:15:41,141 --> 00:15:45,343 And some of those waves actually propagate through liquid. 341 00:15:45,445 --> 00:15:48,446 Nosal: The oarfish might be able to hear certain sounds 342 00:15:48,548 --> 00:15:50,214 Or to feel certain vibrations 343 00:15:50,317 --> 00:15:52,483 That certainly would be transmitted through the water. 344 00:15:52,585 --> 00:15:55,486 ♪ 345 00:15:55,622 --> 00:15:58,389 Narrator: If so, they wouldn't be the first animals to be found 346 00:15:58,491 --> 00:16:01,225 To have a seismic sixth sense. 347 00:16:01,328 --> 00:16:04,629 Some animals can detect earthquakes 348 00:16:04,731 --> 00:16:06,998 Right before they're about to happen. 349 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:10,268 Some birds are known to do this. 350 00:16:10,370 --> 00:16:11,636 Dogs are known to do this. 351 00:16:11,738 --> 00:16:13,638 Narrator: Eureka, california -- 352 00:16:13,740 --> 00:16:16,641 January 2010. 353 00:16:16,743 --> 00:16:18,810 This dog has sensed something. 354 00:16:18,912 --> 00:16:20,745 It's out the door. 355 00:16:20,847 --> 00:16:23,681 [ rumbling ] 356 00:16:23,783 --> 00:16:26,384 And sure enough, the earth starts to move. 357 00:16:26,486 --> 00:16:28,987 [ clattering ] 358 00:16:31,157 --> 00:16:33,491 So if an oarfish washes ashore, 359 00:16:33,593 --> 00:16:36,027 Would you be right to run for the hills? 360 00:16:36,129 --> 00:16:39,063 [ rumbling, clattering ] 361 00:16:39,165 --> 00:16:40,865 These animals are probably detecting 362 00:16:40,967 --> 00:16:42,834 The very minute vibrations 363 00:16:42,936 --> 00:16:45,470 Right before the major shaking starts, 364 00:16:45,572 --> 00:16:47,338 So we're talking about predicting earthquakes 365 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,842 On the order of seconds, not hours or days. 366 00:16:50,944 --> 00:16:53,544 Certainly I don't think that oarfish would be able 367 00:16:53,646 --> 00:16:58,349 To predict an earthquake days before one occurs. 368 00:16:58,451 --> 00:17:00,852 Narrator: Even if, like many other animals, 369 00:17:00,954 --> 00:17:03,187 Oarfish can detect earthquakes, 370 00:17:03,289 --> 00:17:06,057 It seems unlikely they could do it far enough in advance 371 00:17:06,159 --> 00:17:10,028 To swim all the way up from the depths to reach the shore. 372 00:17:10,130 --> 00:17:12,864 So why are they swimming in the shallows? 373 00:17:12,966 --> 00:17:14,565 Could there be something in their biology 374 00:17:14,667 --> 00:17:16,267 That might explain it? 375 00:17:16,369 --> 00:17:20,371 Narrator: October 13, 2013. 376 00:17:20,473 --> 00:17:21,939 One oarfish that entered 377 00:17:22,042 --> 00:17:23,841 The shallow waters off catalina island 378 00:17:23,943 --> 00:17:25,476 In southern california 379 00:17:25,578 --> 00:17:29,180 Was found to be a female full of thousands of eggs. 380 00:17:29,282 --> 00:17:32,884 In which case, could she have come here to reproduce? 381 00:17:32,986 --> 00:17:37,188 Most of the oarfish that have washed ashore are females. 382 00:17:37,323 --> 00:17:40,625 When we open them up, we find that they're full of eggs, 383 00:17:40,727 --> 00:17:42,693 But the eggs are at different developmental stages. 384 00:17:42,796 --> 00:17:46,898 So could there be some behavior associated with spawning? 385 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,735 Narrator: Spawning, a.K.A. Fish sex. 386 00:17:52,138 --> 00:17:53,504 ♪ 387 00:17:53,606 --> 00:17:56,040 Spawning near the shore is actually quite common 388 00:17:56,142 --> 00:17:58,709 For many species of fish. 389 00:17:58,812 --> 00:18:01,879 Every summer, capelin throw themselves out of the water 390 00:18:01,981 --> 00:18:04,048 And onto the beaches of the north atlantic 391 00:18:04,150 --> 00:18:08,019 And north pacific coasts in their millions. 392 00:18:08,121 --> 00:18:10,288 The females lay their eggs in the sand, 393 00:18:10,423 --> 00:18:14,559 Where the males fertilize them before returning to the sea. 394 00:18:14,661 --> 00:18:17,161 It's a capelin beach party. 395 00:18:17,263 --> 00:18:19,797 Might oarfish be doing something similar? 396 00:18:19,899 --> 00:18:21,466 ♪ 397 00:18:21,568 --> 00:18:22,934 Oarfish have been observed 398 00:18:23,069 --> 00:18:25,670 Spawning off the coast of mexico. 399 00:18:25,772 --> 00:18:28,372 And in fact, our amazing footage of the oarfish 400 00:18:28,475 --> 00:18:33,044 That startled the kayakers was shot in mexico, too. 401 00:18:33,146 --> 00:18:36,314 It's thought the fertilized eggs stay at the surface of the ocean 402 00:18:36,416 --> 00:18:38,216 Until the baby fish hatch 403 00:18:38,318 --> 00:18:42,887 Before eventually swimming down to their deep-sea home. 404 00:18:42,989 --> 00:18:44,755 So it's possible, since these guys 405 00:18:44,858 --> 00:18:47,024 Are sometimes found in pairs, 406 00:18:47,127 --> 00:18:48,960 But the problem is they're very elusive, 407 00:18:49,062 --> 00:18:50,561 We don't really know much about 408 00:18:50,663 --> 00:18:53,965 The reproductive history of this fish. 409 00:18:54,067 --> 00:18:56,334 Narrator: So if they're not coming ashore to spawn, 410 00:18:56,436 --> 00:18:58,936 And they're not detecting impending earthquakes, 411 00:18:59,038 --> 00:19:02,607 Just what is driving these fish out of the deep? 412 00:19:02,709 --> 00:19:05,910 The answer might lie in the motion of the ocean. 413 00:19:06,012 --> 00:19:07,545 [ insects chirping ] 414 00:19:14,921 --> 00:19:16,621 [ insects chirping ] 415 00:19:16,723 --> 00:19:18,089 ♪ 416 00:19:18,191 --> 00:19:21,225 Narrator: Kayakers in mexico got a startling sight, 417 00:19:21,327 --> 00:19:23,661 An oarfish in shallow water, 418 00:19:23,763 --> 00:19:25,396 And there have been other reported cases 419 00:19:25,498 --> 00:19:26,864 Of these deep-sea fish 420 00:19:26,966 --> 00:19:30,168 Washing ashore all around the world. 421 00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:32,069 They're not predicting earthquakes 422 00:19:32,172 --> 00:19:36,374 Or coming up to spawn, so what else could be going on? 423 00:19:36,476 --> 00:19:40,545 The answer may well lie with the very waters they're swimming in. 424 00:19:40,647 --> 00:19:43,714 Warming of the waters often changes the currents, 425 00:19:43,816 --> 00:19:45,650 It changes the direction of the currents, 426 00:19:45,752 --> 00:19:48,352 It changes the swiftness of the current, 427 00:19:48,454 --> 00:19:52,290 So it's very likely that the currents changed 428 00:19:52,392 --> 00:19:53,691 And ended up washing 429 00:19:53,793 --> 00:19:55,893 Some of those oarfish too close to shore, 430 00:19:55,995 --> 00:19:57,328 And they were unable to swim back 431 00:19:57,430 --> 00:19:59,130 Because they are such weak swimmers. 432 00:19:59,232 --> 00:20:05,002 ♪ 433 00:20:05,104 --> 00:20:07,438 Narrator: It may seem weird for a fish to be a bad swimmer, 434 00:20:07,540 --> 00:20:10,541 But in the ocean depths where oarfish live, 435 00:20:10,643 --> 00:20:13,611 There are hardly any currents. 436 00:20:13,713 --> 00:20:16,280 That means they don't build up much muscle mass, 437 00:20:16,382 --> 00:20:19,717 And so lack the strength to cope in turbulent waters. 438 00:20:19,819 --> 00:20:20,885 ♪ 439 00:20:20,987 --> 00:20:22,186 And oarfish are not 440 00:20:22,288 --> 00:20:25,022 The only ones to be swept away. 441 00:20:25,124 --> 00:20:28,259 Ocean currents can be so strong that even whales 442 00:20:28,361 --> 00:20:31,462 And turtles can be pushed off course. 443 00:20:31,564 --> 00:20:34,732 So, is this what happened to our oarfish? 444 00:20:34,834 --> 00:20:37,001 Kind of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, 445 00:20:37,103 --> 00:20:39,203 They end up washing ashore. 446 00:20:39,305 --> 00:20:41,939 Narrator: So the solution is as simple as ocean currents 447 00:20:42,041 --> 00:20:44,008 Driving oarfish to shore. 448 00:20:44,110 --> 00:20:46,677 Perhaps this one's hoping the tide will change 449 00:20:46,779 --> 00:20:48,179 And whisk it back to the deep 450 00:20:48,281 --> 00:20:51,115 And away from the curious crowds. 451 00:20:51,217 --> 00:20:54,318 [ insects chirping ] 39300

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