All language subtitles for Secrets.of.the.Underground.S01E06.Californias.Hidden.Doomsday.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

NEAR SAN FRANCISCO,

SEISMOLOGISTS ARE BRACING
FOR THE NEXT BIG QUAKE,

AND NEW EVIDENCE
DEEP UNDERGROUND SUGGESTS

IT COULD BE BIGGER
THAN ANYONE IMAGINED.

COULD CALIFORNIA'S FAULT LINES
SOON COMBINE FORCES

TO UNLEASH A HISTORIC MEGAQUAKE?

WE'LL SET OFF A SERIES OF
SEISMIC EXPLOSIONS TO FIND OUT.

EXPECT A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE
ON THIS FAULT.

- REALLY?
- THIS IS DEADLY SERIOUS.

AND FURTHER UP
THE PACIFIC COAST,

A HOLE SEEMS TO BE
DRAINING THE OCEAN.

IS THOR'S WELL A PORTAL
TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH?

I'LL SEND AN R.O.V.
INTO THE BELLY OF THE BEAST.

WHOA!

HIDDEN JUST BELOW
THE EARTH'S SURFACE,

THERE ARE COUNTLESS
UNSOLVED MYSTERIES.

AND, TODAY, WE FINALLY HAVE
THE TOOLS TO UNLOCK THEM.

LOOK AT THAT!WHOA.

I THINK THIS IS IT.

I'M ROB NELSON,

A SCIENTIST USING
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

TO PEEL THE LID OFF
OUR PLANET'S HIDDEN DEPTHS.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
RIGHT HERE.

HOLY MOLY!

THESE ARE THE SECRETS
OF THE UNDERGROUND.

Captions by VITAC--
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

JUST NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO,
DEEP BENEATH THE SAN PABLO BAY,

LIES ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S
MOST MISUNDERSTOOD DANGERS,

AN INTERCONNECTED NETWORK
OF ACTIVE FAULTS.

FOR DECADES, SCIENTISTS BELIEVED

EACH OF THESE FAULT LINES
ACTED INDEPENDENTLY,

BUT NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS

THEY COULD ALL TRIGGER
AT THE SAME TIME.

IF THIS IS TRUE,

THE NEXT BIG ONE
IN THE BAY AREA

COULD BE MUCH BIGGER
THAN ANTICIPATED.

FAULT LINES ARE FRACTURES
IN THE EARTH'S CRUST

WHERE TWO TECTONIC PLATES MEET.

AND THE MOVEMENT
OF THOSE PLATES IN RELATION

TO EACH OTHER IS
WHAT CAUSES EARTHQUAKES.

IT SO HAPPENS THAT THE PACIFIC
AND NORTH AMERICAN PLATES

INTERSECT ALONG THE ENTIRE
WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES,

MAKING ONE OF AMERICA'S
MOST CROWDED REGIONS

ONE OF ITS MOST
SEISMICALLY UNSTABLE.

FORTUNATELY,
A LEGION OF SEISMOLOGISTS

ARE NOW ON THE CASE,

AND I'M HEADED
OUT THERE TO JOIN THEM--

IN THE HEART
OF THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE
OF SAN PABLO BAY.

WE'RE KIND OF ON THE NORTH END
OF THE BAY AREA.

THIS SEEMINGLY PLACID SPOT
MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ONE

OF THE MOST SEISMICALLY
DANGEROUS PLACES IN AMERICA.

MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR
WITH THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT,

BUT SOME SEISMOLOGISTS BELIEVE

THAT TWO OTHER FAULTS
IN THIS AREA,

THE HAYWARD AND RODGERS CREEK,

ARE POTENTIALLY
MORE DANGEROUS.

AND BOTH OF THEM RUN DIRECTLY
UNDER SAN PABLO BAY.

WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THAT

THE HAYWARD FAULT ZONE RUNS
RIGHT LIKE THIS.

AND YOU'VE GOT THE RODGERS CREEK
FAULT ZONE, WHICH RUNS UP HERE.

UNTIL RECENTLY,
IT WAS THOUGHT

THE TWO FAULTS
ENDED THREE MILES APART.

BUT A RECENT SEISMIC ANALYSIS IS

CHALLENGING THIS ASSUMPTION
BY SUGGESTING

THAT FAR BELOW
THE SAN PABLO BAY,

THESE TWO FAULTS ARE CONNECTED.

AND IF THAT'S THE CASE,
COULD ONE TRIGGER THE OTHER

AND MAGNIFY THE POWER
OF THE NEXT BIG QUAKE?

EXPERTS ARE RACING TO FIND OUT.

IT'S ACTUALLY
A LITTLE BIT HARD TO BELIEVE

THAT WE COULD HAVE
MISSED SOMETHING THIS BIG.

AND IT MAKES ME WONDER,
IF WE MISSED THIS,

WHAT ELSE HAVE WE BEEN MISSING?

COULD THE WHOLE WEST COAST BE

A GIANT INTERCONNECTED
FAULT SYSTEM?

I'M HERE TO FIND OUT.

TO GET A CLEAR VISUAL
OF THESE INTERCONNECTED FAULTS,

I'M MEETING UP WITH BRAD AAGAARD

FROM THE UNITED STATES
GEOLOGIC SURVEY, OR USGS.

HIS COMPUTER MODELS CREATE
PRECISE EARTHQUAKE SIMULATIONS

WHERE BOTH FAULTS
TRIGGER AT ONCE.

SO HERE
YOU CAN SEE THE RUPTURE

UNDERNEATH SAN PABLO BAY

PROPAGATING HERE ALONG
THE RODGERS CREEK FAULT

AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HERE
ALONG THE HAYWARD FAULT.

THE COOLER BLUE COLORS
INDICATE LESS INTENSE SHAKING,

WHILE THE WARMER RED COLORS
INDICATE MORE INTENSE SHAKING.

WELL, THIS LOOKS REALLY BAD

BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY HITS
THIS WHOLE AREA,

IT ALSO HITS THAT
WHOLE AREA REALLY BAD.

RIGHT, SO WE WOULD HAVE
SEVERE DESTRUCTION

OF ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, POWER,
GAS PIPELINES, AND SO FORTH.

THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST CASES
FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

BECAUSE IT REALLY AFFECTS

SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT
OF OUR POPULATION.

BUT THIS MIGHT NOT
EVEN BE THE WORST NEWS.

IF MULTIPLE OTHER FAULT LINES
ARE CONNECTED,

WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD
OF A BIG EARTHQUAKE

IN THIS REGION
IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS?

IT'S ABOUT 72%.

HOLY MOLY!

IF THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
CALIFORNIA'S FAULT LINES

EXTEND BEYOND JUST THE HAYWARD
AND RODGERS CREEK FAULTS,

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE WEST COAST
IS IN FOR A HEAP OF TROUBLE.

CHECK THIS OUT.

YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE CITY
FROM UP HERE.

WHOA!

FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT,

YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK OUT
ACROSS THE WHOLE BAY AREA.

AND IF YOU LOOK RIGHT DOWN HERE,
YOU SEE THAT LITTLE DIP?

THAT'S THE HAYWARD FAULT.

SO A RUPTURE ALONG THIS FAULT

WOULD AFFECT THE HOUSES
AND INFRASTRUCTURE UP HERE

AS WELL AS ALONG
THE RODGERS CREEK FAULT.

AND IT MULTIPLE FAULTS
ARE CONNECTED,

IT COULD MEAN EVEN
MORE DEVASTATION.

BUT JUST HOW PLAUSIBLE
IS THIS THEORY

ABOUT MULTIPLE
CONNECTED FAULTS?

TO FIND OUT, I'M MEETING UP
WITH TWO OF THE SEISMOLOGISTS

WHO DISCOVERED THE CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE HAYWARD
AND RODGERS CREEK FAULTS,

JANET WATT AND TOM PARSONS.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
WE KIND OF TAKE A STEP BACK,

AND WE LOOK AT
THE WHOLE WEST COAST?

ALL FAULTS
MAY BE CONNECTED.

THIS IS A MAP OF THE GEOLOGY
OF CALIFORNIA.

YOU CAN SEE
THE FAULTS VERY CLEARLY.

IF ALL THESE FAULTS
ARE REALLY CONNECTED,

THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY CREATE
AN 800-MILE SUPERFAULT

STRETCHING THE LENGTH
AND BREADTH OF CALIFORNIA.

WE THINK A RUPTURE
PROPAGATING ALONG HERE

ACTIVELY CAN JUMP AROUND
AT LEAST FIVE KILOMETERS

FROM FAULT TO FAULT
AS IT'S RUPTURING.

REALLY?

IN THEORY,
THE WHOLE WEST COAST

IS AN INTERCONNECTED
FAULT SYSTEM,

AND EARTHQUAKES COULD JUMP
ACROSS THE WHOLE THING.

WE PAY A PRICE
FOR THE TOPOGRAPHY

AND THE BEAUTY OF THE COASTLINE,
THAT'S FOR SURE.

THERE ARE EXISTING
STUDIES THAT ATTEMPT TO PREDICT

WHAT THE BIG ONE
MIGHT LOOK LIKE,

AND EVEN WITHOUT FACTORING
IN MULTIPLE FAULTS,

THE PROGNOSIS IS PETRIFYING.

EXPERTS PREDICT
THAT A MAGNITUDE-8 EARTHQUAKE

ALONG THE SOUTHERN
SAN ANDREAS FAULT ALONE

WOULD RATTLE MOST
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

CONTINUOUSLY FOR MORE
THAN 75 SECONDS.

IT WOULD EASILY ECLIPSE

THE NATION'S DEADLIEST TREMOR
ON RECORD,

SAN FRANCISCO'S INFAMOUS
1906 EARTHQUAKE,

WHICH CAUSED
AN ESTIMATED 3,000 DEATHS.

TODAY, THE BAY AREA'S POPULATION

IS OVER EIGHT TIMES
WHAT IT WAS THEN.

WHICH IS WHY IT'S
SO CRUCIAL TO FIGURE OUT

HOW THESE FAULTS
MAY BE CONNECTED

AND WHAT AREAS ARE MOST
LIKELY TO BE OBLITERATED

IF THEY ALL TRIGGER AT ONCE.

SO WHAT IS THIS?

AS IT HAPPENS,
A USGS FIELD TEAM

IS ACTIVELY WORKING
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

SO I'M JOINING THEM
HIGH IN THE HILLS

- NEAR THE HAYWARD FAULT...
- IT'S IN THESE TREES.

...SOUTHEAST OF OAKLAND
TO TRY SOMETHING

THAT MIGHT SOUND
A LITTLE INSANE.

WE'RE GOING TO TRIGGER
OUR OWN SET OF MINI EARTHQUAKES

WITH A SERIES
OF UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS.

WILL WE UNCOVER
HIDDEN CONNECTIONS

BETWEEN SOME OF THE WEST COAST'S
MOST DANGEROUS FAULTS?

AND LATER, I'LL HEAD TO OREGON

WHERE A STRANGE HOLE
CALLED THOR'S WELL

SEEMS TO BE
DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE--

DRAINING THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
QUITE LIKE THIS!

WHERE IS ALL THAT
WATER GOING?

WHOA!

SHOCKING NEW EVIDENCE

HAS REVEALED
THAT TWO OF CALIFORNIA'S

MOST DANGEROUS FAULT LINES

ARE CONNECTED AND COULD
TRIGGER SIMULTANEOUSLY.

BUT COULD OTHERS
ALSO BE CONNECTED?

TO FIND OUT, I'M TEAMING UP
WITH MEMBERS OF THE USGS

TO PLANT SENSORS IN THE GROUND

AS PART OF A SEISMIC
IMAGING SURVEY.

ALL RIGHT.
LET'S DO IT.

COOL.

WE SET OFF IN THE HILLS
OUTSIDE OF OAKLAND

WITH EIGHT SENSORS
IN OUR PACKS

AND ONLY A FEW HOURS
TO GET THEM ALL BURIED

- BEFORE NIGHTFALL.
- THEY'RE OVER HERE.

THE SENSORS WILL
MEASURE VIBRATIONS

FROM CONTROLLED DETONATIONS,

WHICH WE'LL SET
OFF LATER TONIGHT.

THIS WILL GIVE US
A CLEARER PICTURE

OF WHAT'S HAPPENING UNDERGROUND

AND WHETHER THE FAULTS
IN THIS AREA ARE INTERCONNECTED.

IT SOUNDS SIMPLE ENOUGH,

BUT THE ROUGH TERRAIN
AND THE TRICKY NATURE

OF PINPOINTING
WHERE EACH SENSOR

SHOULD BE BURIED
LEAVES NO MARGIN FOR ERROR.

SO THESE ARE
ALL THE SENSORS.

YEAH.

THERE ARE THREE PRONGS.

EACH OF THE PRONGS IS DETECTING
A DIFFERENT VIBRATION.

THESE HAVE VERY ACCURATE CLOCKS
INSIDE OF THEM

SO THAT WHEN THEY SET OFF
THOSE CHARGES,

THEY KNOW HOW LONG
IT TAKES THOSE WAVES

TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE SUBSURFACE
AND BACK TO THESE INSTRUMENTS.

SO THEY CAN
ACTUALLY DETERMINE

WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE MILES
BENEATH THE SURFACE.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

SO BY TAKING THE DATA
FROM ALL OF THESE,

WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIGURE
HOW CONNECTED THESE FAULTS ARE.

SHOWED UP TO THE SCENE
THIS MORNING

AND PRETTY MUCH
EVERYBODY FELT LIKE THERE

WAS A SENSE OF URGENCY
GOING ON.

HOPEFULLY, THE MORE WE KNOW
ABOUT IT, THE BETTER WE'LL KNOW

WHERE TO SEND FIRST RESPONDERS
TO THE AREAS

THAT ARE GOING
TO BE HIT WORST.

RIGHT.

WHOA.
WE'RE GOING DOWN THROUGH HERE?

THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE.

IT'S IMPORTANT, YEAH,
THAT WE MOSTLY COVER THESE UP.

WE'VE GOT THE FIRST
SENSOR BURIED.

NOW WE NEED TO REPEAT
THE PROCESS SEVEN MORE TIMES.

AND WE'RE QUICKLY
RUNNING OUT OF DAYLIGHT.

IT'S GOT TO BE GOOD
AND STUCK IN THE GROUND.

IT CAN'T BE MOVING AROUND.
A SECURE CONNECTION.

- OH, HERE WE GO.
- OH, YEAH.

IT FEELS LIKE
WE'RE PUTTING BOMBS IN

BECAUSE WE'RE BEING SO CAREFUL
WITH THESE INSTRUMENTS.

THEY'RE NOT BOMBS.
THAT'S LATER.

YES.

A TOTAL OF 14 DETONATIONS
ARE SCHEDULED

TO TAKE PLACE
FROM MIDNIGHT TO 5:00 A.M.

BECAUSE IT'S THE QUIETEST

AND SAFEST TIME
TO SET OFF EXPLOSIVES.

THERE WE GO.
THERE WE GO.

WE DID IT.

BY DUSK, ALL THE SENSORS
ARE IN PLACE.

NOW, I MET WITH THE TEAM LEADERS

TO PREP FOR OUR DETONATIONS.

OKAY, GUYS, THE EXPLOSIVE

IS AN AMMONIA NITRATE
DIESEL FUEL BASE.

THIS IS DEADLY SERIOUS.

YOU SET IT OFF
IN A CONFINED SPACE,

YOU GUYS GO, SO DO WE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE
A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW,

INSISTENT ON THINGS

BECAUSE IT'S FOR YOUR SAFETY
AS WELL AS OURS.

IF YOU HAVE KIDS, YOU WANT
TO GO HOME TO YOUR KIDS.

ALL RIGHT?
WE WANT TO GO HOME TO OUR KIDS.

SURE.

SO THAT'S THE MAIN
THING RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S GREAT.

LET'S ROLL.

- ALL RIGHT.
- OKAY.

THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

IF THIS EXPERIMENT
REVEALS MORE FAULT LINES

UNDER THE BAY AREA
ARE CONNECTED,

THAT COULD MEAN THE SEISMIC
DANGER IN CALIFORNIA

IS BIGGER THAN
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

WE HAVE ABOUT 500 SENSORS
SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE AREA.

THOSE THINGS WILL PICK UP
THE VIBRATIONS,

ALLOW US TO SEE WHAT
THESE FAULTS ARE LIKE

AND IF THEY'RE INTERCONNECTED.

SO WE ARE ON TOP OF A BIG HILL
OVERLOOKING THE CITY.

RIGHT DOWN THERE
IS ONE OF THE CHARGES.

THEY MARK THEM
WITH A ROCK.

AND HOW FAR IS IT
BURIED DOWN THERE?

MAYBE 20 FEET DOWN
TO MAYBE 30 FEET.

FIRST, THE CHARGE CABLE
THAT'S BEEN CONNECTED

TO THE EXPLOSIVES
IS LAID OUT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE CONNECTED
TO AN ELECTRICAL CABLE.

YEAH.

THIS BURNS AT
15,000 FEET PER SECOND.

THREE MILES IN A SECOND.

WHOA.

IF YOU HAVE A WHOLE SERIES
OF FAULTS THAT ARE CONNECTED,

THE AREA
THAT COULD RUPTURE

DURING A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE
IS MUCH WIDER.

- I SEE.
- I THINK OF THIS ZONE

AS BEING A SERIES OF FAULTS.

AND THEY ALL LIKELY MERGED
TO A THICK ZONE AT DEPTH.

AND IF WE HAVE
A BIG EARTHQUAKE, SAY,

ON THE HAYWARD FAULT HERE,
THIS ENERGY,

JUST LIKE A TREE,
IF IT COMES DOWN ONE BRANCH,

IT'S GOING TO GO
BACK UP THE NEXT.

SO IF YOU HAVE
AN EARTHQUAKE HERE,

AND YOU THINK THIS FAULT
HERE IS DORMANT,

YOU HAVE YOUR HOSPITAL,
DAM AND UNIVERSITY

ON TOP OF IT,

IT MAY GET SEVERELY SHAKEN

BECAUSE THAT ENERGY
WILL GO DOWN,

IT RADIATES THIS WAY, DOWN,

AND THEN BACK UP AGAIN
AND BACK UP AGAIN

- AND BACK UP AGAIN.
- WHOA.

WE WANT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND
HOW THEY CONNECT.

OKAY,
WE'LL GO THREE MINUTES!

AS SOON AS THEY GET
THESE THINGS COVERED UP

AND THE SANDBAGS ON THEM,

WE'RE GOING TO SET OFF
THE CHARGE.

IT'S GO TIME.

OKAY, LET'S DO IT.

HOLY MOLY!
THAT WAS AWESOME!

THAT WAS A GOOD SHOT.

- RADIAL CRACKS.
- GOODNESS, LOOK AT THIS.

IT BLEW ALL THESE
CRACK LINES.

THAT LOOKS LIKE
A SPIDER WEB.

THE PYROTECHNICS ARE FUN,

BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD
TO TAKE OUR EYES OFF THE BALL.

WE HAVE LESS
THAN FIVE HOURS

TO SET OFF ALL SEVEN EXPLOSIONS

ACROSS A 10-MILE SURVEY AREA.

SO WITH THE CLOCK TICKING,
WE RACE TO OUR NEXT LOCATION.

FIVE SECONDS!

IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS
TO CRUNCH THE DATA WE COLLECTED,

AND I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE
WHAT IT REVEALS

BECAUSE IT COULD COMPLETELY
CHANGE OUR PERCEPTION

OF THE DANGER LURKING
BENEATH CALIFORNIA.

IS ANYONE SAFE
FROM THE NEXT MEGAQUAKE?

I'M WITH A TEAM
OF GEOLOGISTS

HIGH ABOVE THE BAY AREA

SETTING OFF A SERIES
OF EXPLOSIONS

FOR A SEISMIC IMAGING SURVEY.

THAT WAS AWESOME.

SOME SEISMOLOGISTS BELIEVE
THE NEXT BIG ONE IS COMING SOON,

AND IT COULD BE FAR BIGGER
THAN ANYONE ANTICIPATED.

HOW BIG?

I'M HOPING THE RESULTS
OF THIS SURVEY WILL TELL US.

LET'S GO, GUYS.

BUT WHILE THE DATA ROLLS IN
ALMOST INSTANTLY,

IT WILL TAKES DAYS TO INTERPRET,

SO I'LL HAVE TO CHECK BACK IN
WITH THE TEAM LATER.

NO MATTER WHAT
THE RESULTS ARE,

FAULT LINES AND MAGNITUDE
ARE ONLY PART OF THE STORY.

NEW TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO REVEALING

WHICH AREAS AROUND
THOSE FAULTS

WILL SUFFER
THE WORST DAMAGE.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT EARTHQUAKES
AND DENSELY POPULATED AREAS

ARE A DEADLY COMBINATION,

AS ANYONE AROUND
ON OCTOBER 17, 1989 CAN ATTEST.

A 6.9-MAGNITUDE QUAKE
STRUCK A PORTION

OF THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT
JUST SOUTH OF SILICON VALLEY.

IT CONTINUED FOR A FULL
15 SECONDS,

CLAIMING 63 LIVES,

INJURING OVER 3,000

AND CAUSING OVER
$5 BILLION IN DAMAGE.

THE QUAKE WAS FELT
FOR 400 MILES,

FROM LOS ANGELES TO SACRAMENTO.

INTRIGUINGLY, THAT EARTHQUAKE
WAS MUCH TOUGHER

ON SOME PARTS
OF THE BAY AREA THAN OTHERS.

NEIGHBORHOODS IN WATSONVILLE
AND LOS GATOS

WERE VIRTUALLY DESTROYED,

WHILE OTHERS IN NEARBY
SAN JOSE EMERGED

RELATIVELY UNSCATHED.

BUT WHY?

AND CAN WE FIGURE OUT WHAT AREAS
ARE IN THE MOST DANGER

BEFORE THE NEXT BIG ONE STRIKES?

WHILE I WAIT FOR THE RESULTS
OF THE DETONATION TEST,

I'M HEADING TO OAKLAND TO MEET

WITH GEOLOGIST
GRETCHEN SCHMAUDER.

SHE HAS A WAY TO TEST
THE TOUGHNESS

OF THE GROUND BENEATH OUR FEET.

SOIL MAKES HUGE CONTRIBUTIONS

TO WHAT WE SEE
WHEN WE HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE.

MY FIRST THOUGHT IS
IF YOU'RE ON HARD GROUND,

AND YOU HAVE THE GROUND SHAKING,
YOU'RE GOING TO SHAKE MORE,

WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE
SOME SORT OF LOOSE SOIL,

THEN MAYBE
IT WOULD BE A BUFFER.

IT'S THE OPPOSITE.
THINK OF A BOWL OF JELL-O.

IF YOU SHAKE IT AND YOU WATCH
THE TOP OF THE JELL-O,

IT JUST JIGGLES LIKE THIS.

SO IN EARTHQUAKES,
IT'S THE SAME THING.

IF YOU HAVE SOFT SEDIMENTS,

LIKE YOU WOULD
IN A BOWL OF JELL-O,

YOU'RE GOING TO GET SHAKING
THAT'S MUCH WORSE

THAN IF YOU HAD
A MORE FIRM FOUNDATION.

SO IN THE EVENT OF A MEGAQUAKE,
HOW SAFE IS OAKLAND?

TO FIND OUT IF THE SOIL HERE

IS MORE BEDROCK OR JELL-O,

WE'RE USING A SEISMOGRAPH,

ALONG WITH SEVERAL
GEOPHONES PLACES ON THE GROUND.

NOW, EXPLAIN TO ME
HOW A SHEAR WAVE TEST LOOKS.

THE SHEAR WAVES
REALLY INDICATE

HOW DAMAGING AN EARTHQUAKE
IS GOING TO BE.

IN GRANITE, A WAVE WILL
MOVE THROUGH REALLY QUICKLY,

MAYBE 2,000 METERS
PER SECOND.

OKAY.

BUT IN SAND
OR SOFTER MATERIAL,

IT MAY ONLY GO 400
OR 500 METERS A SECOND.

BUT WHAT YOU'RE
LOSING IN SPEED,

YOU'RE MAKING UP
FOR IN AMPLITUDE,

AND IT'S CREATING MORE SHAKING
AND MORE DAMAGE.

EACH OF THE GEOPHONES
CAN PICK UP

NOISE TRAVELING
THROUGH THE GROUND,

WHICH GRETCHEN CAN ANALYZE

AND TURN INTO A DIAGRAM
OF THE SUBSURFACE.

TO CREATE THAT NOISE
FOR THE SENSORS,

I'M ABOUT TO SET OFF
MY OWN MINIATURE EARTHQUAKE--

WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER.

YOU DO IT THREE
TIMES IN A ROW.

SHOULD I SWING IT HARD,
OR SHOULD I BE KIND?

I WOULD SWING IT HARD.
HAVE FUN.

THE HARDER I GO,
THE BETTER.

I THINK SO.

OKAY, HERE GOES.

WHOO!

THAT'S FUN.

- I GOT SOME GOOD NOISE.
- YEAH?

- ONE MORE.
- ALL RIGHT.

NOW THAT I'VE GOTTEN
MY EXERCISE FOR THE DAY,

IT'S TIME TO INTERPRET THE DATA,

AND IT'S NOT GOOD NEWS
FOR THIS PART OF OAKLAND.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SOIL HERE
IS TERRIBLE.

YEAH.
IT'S PRETTY BAD.

BECAUSE THE WAVES ARE NOT
MOVING THROUGH IT FAST AT ALL.

NO, THEY'RE NOT.

IT LOOKS LIKE
IT'S BOTH SANDY

AND JUST, LIKE,
LOOSE SOIL.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS WILL TAKE
YOUR AVERAGE EARTHQUAKE

AND MAKE IT
MUCH MORE POWERFUL.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

IT AMPLIFIES THE SHAKING

AND CAN REALLY
DESTROY STRUCTURES.

A LOT OF THE BAY HERE IS ON
THESE LOOSE, SATURATED SOILS,

AND SO IF AN EARTHQUAKE
CAME THROUGH,

IT COULD SPELL DISASTER.

THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT THESE 2-D SOUND WAVES
DON'T FULLY CAPTURE

THE MAGNITUDE
OF THE DANGER HERE.

SO I'M CREATING A SIMPLE 3-
D MODEL TO ILLUSTRATE

HOW A MEGAQUAKE
ALONG MULTIPLE FAULTS

WOULD AFFECT THE HOUSES BUILT
ON TOP OF THIS LOOSE SOIL.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A CONTAINER
THAT REPRESENTS THE BAY AREA.

WE HAVE A SKATEBOARD,
WHICH CAN DEMONSTRATE

WHAT CAN EARTHQUAKE IS.

WE HAVE WATER, REPRESENTING
THE GROUNDWATER IN THE AREA

AND THE SOFT
SEDIMENTS OF THE BAY.

THERE'S A LOT OF GROUNDWATER
IN THE BAY AREA.

SO AS I'M FILLING THIS UP,

THE WATER IS FILLING IN

IN BETWEEN
THE PARTICLES OF SAND.

OKAY.
NOW FOR THE HOUSES.

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE BAY AREA

BUILD THEIR HOMES
ON SOIL JUST LIKE THIS.

BUT ALL OF THOSE HOMES ARE VERY
CLOSE TO THE HAYWARD FAULT,

AND IT'S GOING TO BE
A HUGE PROBLEM

WHEN THAT FAULT GOES OFF

IN PART BECAUSE SEMISATURATED
SOIL LOSES STRENGTH

AND STIFFNESS
DURING AN EARTHQUAKE.

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS
TO THE HOUSES.

HERE WE GO.
EARTHQUAKE'S GOING.

LOOK AT THIS.

THE SOIL THAT WAS ONCE DRY
IS TURNING INTO LIQUID.

WHEW, IT IS HARD
TO SIMULATE AN EARTHQUAKE.

AS I WAS SHAKING IT,

THE SEDIMENT STARTED MOVING
TO THE BOTTOM,

THE HOUSES STARTED SINKING
IN THIS LIQUID, AND THEN,

BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE,

THE WATER STARTED
COMING TO THE TOP.

SO THE IDEA OF THESE
INTERCONNECTED FAULT LINES

COMBINED WITH THIS PROCESS
OF LIQUEFACTION

COULD SPELL DISASTER
FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

IN THE BAY AREA
WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE COMES.

SO HOW BAD WILL IT BE?

ARE ALL THESE FAULT LINES
REALLY CONNECTED?

THE RESULTS FROM OUR
DETONATION TEST ARE IN,

AND A LOT IS RIDING ON THEM.

IF WE FIND THAT EVEN MORE FAULTS
ARE CONNECTED AT DEPTH,

THAT MEANS THE NEXT BIG ONE
COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.

IS THERE A MEGAQUAKE BREWING
BENEATH CALIFORNIA?

I'M INVESTIGATING
HOW INTERCONNECTED FAULT LINES

AND LOOSE SOIL COULD
IMPACT THE MILLIONS

WHO LIVE IN THE BAY AREA

WHEN THE NEXT BIG
EARTHQUAKE STRIKES,

AND THE RESULTS FROM OUR SEISMIC
IMAGING SURVEY ARE IN.

WILL IT BE GOOD NEWS OR BAD?

I'M NO LONGER ON LOCATION
IN CALIFORNIA,

SO I SET UP A VIDEO CALL
WITH THE TEAM LEADERS

TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS.

- HEY.
- HEY, LUTHER, RUFUS.

- HOW YOU DOING?
- IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.

YEAH, IT'S GOOD
TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

SO WHAT DID WE FIND OUT?

WE'RE ONLY PARTWAY
THROUGH THE STUDY,

BUT WE'VE FOUND
SOME INTERESTING THINGS.

OKAY, YEAH.
I'M CURIOUS.

VIRTUALLY ALL THE FAULTS
IN THIS ZONE

THAT WE'RE LOOKING IN APPEAR
TO MERGE AT DEPTH DOWN BELOW

WHERE THE CURRENT TRACE
OF THE HAYWARD FAULT IS.

REALLY?

THAT'S KIND OF
THE BIG NEWS HERE.

SO YOU'RE SAYING
THAT IT ACTUALLY

IS MAYBE MORE CONNECTED.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW
AT THIS POINT

WHETHER THOSE FAULTS
ARE ACTIVE OR NOT.

IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR AREA

THAT YOU FOUND MIGHT
BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE?

ONCE WE GET FARTHER
INTO THE DATA,

WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TELL

WHICH AREAS WOULD BE
MOST INTENSELY SHAKEN

AND WHICH AREAS
WOULD BE STRONGLY SHAKEN,

BUT LESS SO.

BUT VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING
OUT TO THE WEST OF THE HILLS

HERE HAS FAULTS UNDER IT.

AND SO WE'RE PRETTY SURE

THAT THIS THING
IS A BIG, WIDE ZONE

THAT SPLAYS AT THE SURFACE,

AND A BIG EVENT IS GOING
TO SEND ENERGY UP IT.

YOU NEVER
WANT TO SCARE PEOPLE,

BUT A POTENTIAL FOR MORE DAMAGE
IS BIGGER THAN YOU HAD THOUGHT.

YES.

YIKES.

WELL, ANY WEST COAST RESIDENTS

LOOKING FOR A GLIMMER
OF HOPE IN OUR FINDINGS

IS BOUND TO BE DISAPPOINTED.

BUT HERE IS THE SILVER LINING--
AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE

A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF WHICH AREAS

WILL BE MOST VULNERABLE
WHEN THE BIG ONE STRIKES.

TAKE SAN FRANCISCO,
FOR EXAMPLE.

FOREST HILL AND GLEN PARK,
YOU'RE ON SOLID GROUND,

SO YOU MIGHT STAND A CHANCE.

MISSION BAY, SOMA,
AND THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT,

YOU'RE LIVING ON SOFT,
SOUPY SOIL,

SO YOU'D BETTER
BRACE YOURSELVES.

THE ONGOING WORK
OF THE WORLD-CLASS

SEISMOLOGISTS IN THE REGION

IS HELPING RESIDENTS
AND FIRST RESPONDERS

IN THE BAY AREA
TO BE BETTER PREPARED,

SO THE NEXT NATURAL DISASTER

DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
A COMPLETE CATASTROPHE.

WE CAN'T PREVENT A MEGAQUAKE,

BUT WE CAN AT LEAST
BE READY FOR ONE.

AND NOW, I'LL TRAVEL
600 MILES NORTH TO INVESTIGATE

A PERPLEXING NATURAL PHENOMENON

THAT'S BAFFLED LOCALS
AND SCIENTISTS FOR YEARS.

IN CENTRAL OREGON,
NEAR THE RUGGED

CAPE PERPETUA COAST
IS A MYSTIFYING SIGHT--

A GIANT GAPING HOLE
THAT ACCORDING TO LEGEND

IS DRAINING THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

BIG ENOUGH
TO SWALLOW A BOAT,

THIS SEEMINGLY BOTTOMLESS ABYSS

IS SOMETIMES
CALLED THE GATE TO HELL.

MORE COMMONLY,
IT'S KNOWN AS THOR'S WELL,

AND THE NAME IS FITTING.

IT CERTAINLY LOOKS
AS IF THE NORSE GOD

OF THUNDER SLAMMED
DOWN HIS ICONIC HAMMER

IN A FIT OF FURY

AND CREATED THIS RAGING HOLE
IN THE BASALT ROCK.

BUT WHAT EXACTLY
IS THOR'S WELL?

SOME CLAIM IT'S AN ENDLESS PIT

THAT DROPS TO THE CENTER
OF THE EARTH.

OTHERS BELIEVE IT LEADS
TO AN ELABORATE

NETWORK OF SUBTERRANEAN CAVES.

THOSE MAY SEEM LIKE
OUTLANDISH THEORIES,

BUT AS A MARINE SCIENTIST,
I CAN'T HELP BUT BE CURIOUS.

SURPRISINGLY, I COULDN'T FIND

ANY EXISTING RESEARCH
ABOUT THOR'S WELL.

IT'S VIRTUALLY UNCHARTED
SCIENTIFIC TERRITORY.

SO TODAY, I'M HEADING
TO THE OREGON COAST

TO SEE IT FOR MYSELF.

NOW, ACCORDING
TO LOCAL LEGEND,

THE WATER CONTINUALLY DRAINS.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN
OPTICAL ILLUSION OR WHAT,

BUT FROM WHAT I CAN TELL,
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS

WHERE THE WATER GOES.

AND THAT'S WHAT
I WANT TO FIND OUT.

THOR'S WELL IS LOCATED
JUST SOUTH

OF THE SMALL
COASTAL COMMUNITY OF YACHATS.

THE TOWN'S NAME
CAN BE TRACED BACK

TO A LOCAL NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE

THAT ONCE HUNTED
AND GATHERED ON THESE LANDS.

OH-HO!

SO I'M YACHATS, OREGON,
RIGHT NOW WHICH,

IN THE SILETZ LANGUAGE,

MEANS "DARK WATER
AT THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAIN."

I CAN TOTALLY SEE
WHY THEY CALL IT THAT.

RIGHT DOWN THERE IS THOR'S WELL,

A HUGE MYSTERIOUS HOLE
IN THE EARTH.

I'M GUESSING ONE OF THE REASONS

THERE HASN'T BEEN A WHOLE LOT
OF RESEARCH DONE

ON THIS IS THAT THIS COAST
IS REALLY INTENSE.

LOOK AT HOW JAGGED THOSE ROCKS
ARE AND THOSE HUGE WAVES,

NOT AN EASY PLACE TO GET TO.

SO I'M GONNA GET A FEEL
FOR WHAT'S DRAINING THIS WATER.

I'M WONDERING IF THOR'S WELL

COULD BE SIMILAR TO OTHER
UNDERWATER HOLES

I'VE HEARD ABOUT,

LIKE THOSE FOUND
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC

NEAR AUSTRALIA AND THE STUNNING

GREAT BLUE HOLE OFF
THE COAST OF BELIZE.

THIS CAVERNOUS, PERFECTLY
ROUNDED CHASM MEASURES

ALMOST 1,000 FEET WIDE
AND 500 FEET DEEP.

JUST AS IMPRESSIVE
IS THE DRAGON HOLE

IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

IT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE WORLD'S
DEEPEST OCEANIC HOLE,

PLUNGING DOWN ALMOST 1,000 FEET.

BUT THESE ARE ALL SINKHOLES,

DEEP DEPRESSIONS FOUND
IN WARMER WATERS

THAT FORM WHEN LAYERS
OF CARBONATE ROCK COLLAPSE.

THOR'S WELL DOESN'T
SEEM TO SOUND,

LOOK, OR ACT LIKE A SINKHOLE.

THE ROCKS AND TOPOGRAPHY
HERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

AND WHILE WATER CONTINUOUSLY
GUSHES INTO THIS HOLE,

IT NEVER SEEMS TO FILL UP.

I'VE BEEN ON THE COAST A LOT,

LOOKED AT A LOT
OF ROCKY FORMATIONS.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
QUITE LIKE THIS.

THIS IS AN IMPRESSIVE HOLE.
PROBABLY 15, 20 FEET WIDE.

AROUND THE RIM OF THIS THING,

YOU'VE GOT REALLY RAZOR-SHARP
BARNACLES AND MUSSELS.

YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN INTO A PIT

THAT REALLY WOULD SPELL DEATH
IF YOU FELL INTO IT.

STARING STRAIGHT DOWN
INTO THIS RAGING CAULDRON,

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHY IT DOESN'T FILL UP.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT
FROM THE OTHER SIDE,

SEE IF I CAN FIGURE OUT
WHERE THE WATER'S GOING.

AT ANY MOMENT A WAVE COULD COME,
TAKE YOU OFF THESE ROCKS.

THAT ONE CAME UP.

PBHT.

I CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND

WHY PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THAT
IT'S DRAINING THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

BUT WHERE DOES THE WATER GO?
THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.

TO FIND OUT, I NEED TO GET
A CLOSE-UP VIEW

OF WHAT LIES BENEATH THE WAVES.

SO THIS CABLE'S GOING TO RUN
ON THE LAND TO THE COMPUTER.

AND THEN YOU GUYS
HAVE GOT ROPES

YOU'RE GOING TO HOOK
ONTO EITHER SIDE.

YEP.

SO I BRING
IN GEOPHYSICIST TIM BECHTEL

AND TECH ADVISOR
GRIFFIN ALBERTI.

THEY'LL HELP ME
SEND AN R.O.V.-MOUNTED CAMERA

DIRECTLY INTO THE BELLY
OF THOR'S WELL.

I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S
UNDERNEATH THE WATER SURFACE.

THE ONLY WAY, REALLY,

TO DO THAT SAFELY
IS TO TAKE AN R.O.V. IN.

HOPEFULLY, IT'LL GIVE US
A VIEW BACK IN,

SEE IF THERE'S ANY CRACKS,
ANY FISSURES,

SOMETHING THAT WE COULDN'T
SEE FROM THE SURFACE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
THREE LINES,

SO WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE
TO CONTROL IT,

KEEP IT FROM GETTING
PUSHED INTO THE ROCKS.

MANEUVERING THIS
CONTRAPTION INTO THE ROUGH SURF

WILL BE FAR FROM EASY.

THIS COAST IS NOTORIOUS
FOR ITS STRONG CURRENTS

AND SUDDEN SWELLS.

WE GOT TO LOWER
THIS WHOLE THING DOWN A HOLE,

WHICH IS RISING
AND FALLING ABOUT 15 FEET.

I'LL GET BEHIND YOU.

WE'LL PULL IT REAL TIGHT
TO LIFT IT AND THEN LOWER IT IN.

WE GOT TO BE REAL CAREFUL.

WE GOT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY
IS HOLDING THESE WIRES

JUST PERFECTLY SO IT DOESN'T
SLAM INTO THE SIDE.

READY? PULL.

OKAY.

LET'S TAKE IT
ALL THE WAY DOWN.

OH, THERE WE GO.
THERE WE GO.

WE WANT TO LOWER THE R.O.V. AS
FAR DOWN AS POSSIBLE TO GATHER

AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN.

BUT THE MACHINE
COULD GET BATTERED

WHEN IT'S SUBMERGED
AGAINST THE SURF.

COME ON, DRAIN.

THERE IT GOES!
LET'S GO DOWN!

SO WHEN THE WATER LEVEL FALLS,
WE SEIZE OUR CHANCE

- KEEP GOING!
- YEAH, KEEP GOING.

SHOULD WE TRY
TO SPIN IT AROUND?

YES. THAT'S IT.

NICE.

WHOO-HOO-HOO

- YEAH!
- BEAUTIFUL.

I THINK WE GOT IT, GUYS.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S WALK IT
THIS WAY, GRIFFIN.

ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE GOT
TO PROCESS THIS FOOTAGE,

HOPEFULLY GET SOME
INSIGHT FROM IT,

FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING
ON IN THOR'S WELL.

ARE WE ON THE VERGE
OF FINALLY

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS
INSIDE THIS MYSTERIOUS CHASM?

OH, MY GOSH.
RIGHT THERE, YOU CAN SEE IT.

I'M IN OREGON,
INVESTIGATING THOR'S WELL,

THE LEGENDARY ABYSS

THAT SUPPOSEDLY DRAINS
THE PACIFIC OCEAN

INTO AN UNKNOWN
NETHERWORLD BELOW.

WE'VE JUST LOWERED
AN R.O.V.-MOUNTED CAMERA

INTO THE RAGING VOID

IN THE HOPES OF UNCOVERING
WHY IT DOESN'T FILL UP

AND WHERE ALL THAT
WATER IS GOING.

BUT WHEN WE TRY
TO REVIEW THE FOOTAGE,

WE REALIZE THERE'S A PROBLEM.

IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT
TO TELL WHAT'S GOING ON.

BECAUSE OF THE THRASHING WAVES,

IT'S BASICALLY
AN INDECIPHERABLE BLUR.

SO, UNFORTUNATELY,

WE'RE NO CLOSER
TO UNDERSTANDING

THE INNER WORKINGS
OF THOR'S WELL.

I CAN SEE THAT SOLVING
THIS PUZZLE WON'T BE EASY.

I'M ALSO STARTING TO UNDERSTAND
WHY EVERY LOCAL...

- HOW YOU DOING?
- GOOD. YOURSELF?

...SEEMS TO HAVE A THEORY
ABOUT THIS CURIOUS CHASM.

- WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?
- IT COULD BE A METEOR.

IT COULD BE A SINKHOLE.

NOBODY HAS EVER HAD
AN EXPLANATION.

BUT IT REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE
IT'S SWALLOWING UP THE OCEAN.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHERE THE WATER GOES,

SO IT'S JUST, LIKE,
THIS GIANT HOLE IN THE ROCK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S
ANOTHER PLACE LIKE IT ON EARTH.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

AS FOR ME,

I'M DETERMINED TO UNLOCK
THE MYSTERY.

SO, NEXT, I WANT TO GET
A DRONE'S-EYE VIEW

OF THE WELL
FROM STRAIGHT OVERHEAD.

IF WE CAN'T SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING
INSIDE THE WELL,

MAYBE THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN

COULD OFFER A CLUE
AS TO WHERE IT LEADS.

JOINING ME AGAIN
IS GEOPHYSICIST TIM BECHTEL,

AN EXPERT IN USING
3-D PHOTOGRAMMETRY

TO SURVEY LAND FORMATIONS.

YOU WANT TO GET
A LOT OF SHOTS

SO THE COMPUTER CAN SPOT
A COMMON OBJECT

FROM PHOTO TO PHOTO,
CAN STITCH IT TOGETHER.

FROM 100 FEET ABOVE,
A CAMERA MOUNTED ON THE DRONE

IS SNAPPING HUNDREDS OF
OVERLAPPING PICTURES

OF THOR'S WELL
AND ITS SURROUNDING TERRAIN.

WE WANT TO GET FULL
360-DEGREE COVERAGE

AT SEVERAL
DIFFERENT ALTITUDES

WITH A GOOD BIT OF OVERLAP
BETWEEN ADJACENT PHOTOS.

SO THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH
YOU CAN SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE,

SO WHAT I LIKE ABOUT
FLYING THE DRONE UP

IS THAT IT OPENS YOUR EYES

TO SOMETHING THAT YOU
HADN'T SEEN BEFORE.

IT'S BEEN SAID THAT THOR'S
WELL LEADS DIRECTLY

TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH,

CHANNELING THE PACIFIC
INTO ITS CORE.

BUT TO PUT THAT THEORY
IN PERSPECTIVE,

LET'S CONSIDER THE DEEPEST KNOWN
CAVE ON THE PLANET,

THE KRUBERA CAVE
IN THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA.

IT PLUNGES DOWN
A TWISTING ROUTE

ALMOST 1 1/2 MILES
BENEATH THE SURFACE,

NEARLY AS DEEP AS FIVE
EMPIRE STATE BUILDINGS

STACKED TOP TO BOTTOM.

BUT A FAR CRY
FROM THE NEARLY

4,000-MILE
DEPTH OF EARTH'S CORE.

MAYBE MORE LIKELY IS THE IDEA

THAT THOR'S WELL LEADS
TO A NETWORK

OF SUBTERRANEAN LAVA TUBES,

THE NATURAL TUNNELS THAT FORM

WHEN THE OUTER CRUST
OF A LAVA FLOW SOLIDIFIES.

MANY OF THESE CAVES,
WHICH CAN EXTEND FOR MILES,

ARE FOUND IN THE WESTERN
UNITED STATES.

IN FACT, CAPE PERPETUA,

WHICH LIES RIGHT NEXT
TO THOR'S WELL,

IS A REMNANT OF A MASSIVE

50-MILLION-YEAR-OLD VOLCANO.

SO COULD THOR'S WELL
BE FUNNELING THE PACIFIC

INTO SOME KIND OF INTRICATE
UNDERGROUND MAZE?

DO YOU THINK THIS THING
ACTUALLY DOES LEAD

INTO SOMETHING
A LITTLE BIT BIGGER?

IT'S HARD TO TELL.

THERE'S NO REASON
IT WOULDN'T EXTEND FARTHER

BACK UNDER LAND
INTO A LARGER TUNNEL.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND LAND THIS
AND PROCESS THE DATA.

LET'S DO IT.

WITH THE CAPTURED IMAGES,

WE CAN NOW CREATE
A DETAILED MAP

OF THE HOLE'S
GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE.

WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW
IS TIM IS LOADING UP THE PHOTOS

THAT WE SHOT WITH THE DRONE
SO WE CAN CREATE THIS 3-D MAP.

BASICALLY, IT'S STITCHING
THEM ALL TOGETHER.

WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO FIND
IS WHERE THE WATER GOES,

MAYBE EVEN SOME
FISSURES OR CRACKS

THAT WE COULDN'T SEE
WITH OUR NAKED EYE.

SO THAT OVER THERE,
THAT WOULD BE THE OCEAN.

YEAH, THIS IS THE OCEAN.

WITHIN MINUTES,
THE DIGITAL MAP OF THOR'S WELL

AND THE SURROUNDING COAST
APPEARS BEFORE US.

WHAT WE CAN SEE RIGHT NOW
ON THE SCREEN

IS A 3-D REPRESENTATION OF
THE GEOLOGY OF THOR'S WELL.

THE OCEAN IS GOING
TO BE THE LOWEST POINT,

SO THAT'S INDICATED
IN AN ORANGE COLOR.

AND THEN AS YOU GO UP
IN ELEVATION, IT TURNS BLUE.

CAN YOU ZOOM IN ON THAT?

YES, WE CAN.

AT FIRST, THE MODEL FAILS
TO REVEAL ANY CLUES.

WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE
TO ROTATE THIS

AND SEE
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

LET'S SPIN THAT AROUND.

BUT THEN, SOMETHING
CATCHES OUR EYE.

OH, WOW.

THERE'S A DARK SPOT
RIGHT THERE.

ALONG THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF

THAT FACES OUT
TOWARDS THE OCEAN,

WE SPOT A CURIOUS ANOMALY.

THAT LOOKS
LIKE AN OPENING.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
SPIN THIS AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

LET ME GET A PERSPECTIVE
FOR WHERE WE'RE AT.

STANDING ON LAND,
WE CAN'T BE SURE

WHETHER WHAT WE'RE SEEING
IS ACTUALLY AN OPENING

SINCE THE CLIFF'S PROTRUDING
EDGES BLOCK OUR VIEW.

BUT YOU STILL
CAN'T REALLY SEE

WHEN THE WATER LEVEL
IS COVERING IT UP.

BUT IF IT IS A HOLE,
WHERE EXACTLY DOES IT LEAD?

COULD THIS BE A GATEWAY

THAT LEADS DEEP INTO
THE EARTH'S CRUST?

LOWER IT IN!

WITH THE R.O.V., WE'LL HEAD
OUT TO SEA IN ONE LAST ATTEMPT

TO FIND OUT.

WHOA!

COULD THIS DISCOVERY
BE THE KEY

TO UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY
OF THIS ENIGMATIC ABYSS?

THAT'S IT!
THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE!

HOLY MOLY.

I'M INVESTIGATING
THE MYSTERIOUS VOID KNOWN

AS THOR'S WELL ALONG
THE COAST OF CENTRAL OREGON.

SOME BELIEVE THE GIANT
HOLE DRAINS THE PACIFIC OCEAN,

LEADING INTO A NETWORK
OF VOLCANIC TUNNELS UNDERGROUND.

OR MAYBE, EVEN ALL THE WAY
TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.

USING 3-D PHOTOGRAMMETRY,

GEOPHYSICIST TIM BECHTEL
AND I HAVE UNCOVERED

WHAT COULD BE
SOME KIND OF OPENING

ON THE SIDE OF THE WELL.

IF SO, WHERE DOES IT GO?

- HEY, THERE.
- HEY.

- IS IT DAVE?
- THAT'S ME.

- ROB.
- NICE TO MEET YOU, ROB.

THE POTENTIAL HOLE
APPEARS TO BE LOCATED

ON THE WALL OF THE WELL
THAT FACES OUT TOWARDS THE SEA.

SO WE'LL HEAD OUT INTO
THE WATER TO GET A CLOSER LOOK.

IT'S LATE AFTERNOON WHEN
WE SET OUT FROM A NEARBY DOCK.

THE PLAN--
USE THE R.O.V.-MOUNTED CAMERA

TO EXPLORE THOR'S WELL
FROM THE OCEANSIDE.

I THINK WE COULD SWIM THE R.O.V.
RIGHT UP TO IT.

GREAT.

SO WE'RE ABOUT 30 YARDS
OFFSHORE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE RUNNING PARALLEL
WITH THE SHORELINE.

WE'VE GOT THOR'S
WELL RIGHT THERE.

WE KNOW THIS AREA
IS FULL OF VOLCANIC ROCK,

AND I JUST WANT TO SEE
IF THERE'S ANYTHING UNUSUAL

IN THE TOPOGRAPHY

OF THE UNDERWATER LANDSCAPE
RIGHT DOWN HERE,

ANY CHASMS OR TUNNELS
THAT LIE BENEATH.

OKAY, YOU LOWER IT IN.
I'LL GET THE CONTROLS.

OKAY, POWER IT ON!

LOWER IT IN!

THERE IT GOES.

I'VE GOT TO GET DOWN LOWER.

WITH THE CAMERA NOW SUBMERGED,

I MONITOR THE VIDEO FEED

AND STEER THE MACHINE
TOWARD THOR'S WELL.

SO RIGHT NOW,
I'M DRIVING THE R.O.V.

IT'S JUST LIKE PLAYING
A VIDEO GAME.

FROM THE SIDE DECK,

THE CAPTAIN WATCHES THE CAMERA
LIGHT ON THE R.O.V...

...USING IT TO HELP GUIDE ME

TOWARD THE ROCKY EDGE
OF THE WELL.

WHOA!

TWO FEET FROM THE ROCK.

JUST INCH IT IN,
INCH IT IN.

OH, RIGHT ON THE ROCK.

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING YET.

WHOA!

OKAY, BACK UP,
BACK UP, BACK UP.

THERE WE GO!
OH, WE FOUND IT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT APPEARS
TO BE ONE OF THE JAGGED WALLS

OF THOR'S WELL.

RIGHT NOW, I DON'T
SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL.

SOME MARINE LIFE
COMES INTO VIEW.

ANEMONES.

OH, WE ARE RIGHT
ON THE ANEMONES.

BIG WAVE.

HOLD ON!

OH, MY GOSH.
I'M GETTING PULLED AROUND.

BUT WITH THE ROUGH SURF,
I'M STRUGGLING TO KEEP

THE R.O.V. STEADY ENOUGH
TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE.

WE ARE BATTLING A LOT
OF CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW.

THE WAVES ARE JUST
THRASHING THIS THING AROUND

AND I CAN'T SEE
WHAT'S IN THERE.

WE'RE BATTLING THE LIGHT
AT THE MOMENT, AS WELL.

THAT'S THE GROUND.

BUT THEN SOMETHING
CATCHES OUR EYE.

THAT'S IT!
THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE!

- THERE IT IS.
- HOLY MOLY.

I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE FOUND
THE ENTRANCE TO THOR'S WELL.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVEN'T
JUST LOCATED OUR TARGET.

ARE WE IN IT?

ARE WE GETTING
SUCKED INTO THE WELL?

IT ALL HAPPENED TO QUICKLY,
BUT I REALIZED

WE SOMEHOW MANAGED
TO MANEUVER THE R.O.V.

THROUGH THE OPENING...

I THINK WE'RE LITERALLY
IN THE HOLE RIGHT NOW.

...AND RIGHT INTO THOR'S WELL.

OH, MY GOSH.
LOOK AT THAT.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.

BUT I QUICKLY REALIZE

IF OUR R.O.V. COULD GET
IN THROUGH THIS HOLE,

THAT MEANS OCEAN WATER
COULD GET OUT THROUGH IT, TOO.

AND JUST LIKE THAT, IT APPEARS
WE'VE UNLOCKED THE MYSTERY

BEHIND THIS BIZARRE
GEOLOGIC WONDER.

THOR'S WELL DOES NOT
DRAIN THE PACIFIC

INTO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH,

NOR DOES IT SEEM TO FEED INTO

AN ELABORATE MAZE OF
HIDDEN SUBTERRANEAN CAVES.

RATHER, IT'S A CASE
OF OCCAM'S RAZOR,

THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLE
THAT THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION

IS SOMETIMES THE BEST.

THOR'S WELL NEVER OVERFLOWS

BECAUSE IT HAS
A HOLE UNDERWATER

THAT EMPTIES RIGHT
BACK OUT INTO THE SEA.

BUT THAT STILL
LEAVES THE QUESTION

OF WHAT EXACTLY IS THOR'S WELL?

NOT FAR FROM HERE ARE
SOME GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES

THAT OFFER A KEY CLUE--

BLOWHOLES,
THE OPENING IN SEA CAVES

THROUGH WHICH COLUMNS
OF WATER SPEW OUT.

THESE HOLES ARE FORMED
WHEN WAVES FLOOD A CAVE

AND CONTINUE TO POUND ITS ROOF.

THE BATTERED AREA
THEN ERODES OVER TIME,

CREATING A VERTICAL SHAFT

AND EVENTUALLY A SMALL OPENING
AT THE SURFACE.

NOW, WHILE THOR'S WELL LOOKS
A LOT LIKE THESE SEA CAVES,

THE HYDROLOGY OF THE TWO
BASICALLY BEHAVE

IN OPPOSITE WAYS.

IT DRAINS THE WATER DOWNWARD,

WHILE BLOWHOLES SHOOT
IT OUT THE TOP.

THAT'S BECAUSE,
UNLIKE IN BLOWHOLES,

THE LARGER OPENING
IN THOR'S WELL IS THE TOP ONE.

SO WHEN WAVES SURGE
INTO IT AT HIGH TIDE,

THE WATER FLOWS OUT THE BOTTOM
BACK INTO THE SEA,

CREATING THE OPTICAL ILLUSION

OF A VOID THAT ENDLESSLY
FILLS AND DRAINS.

SO THIS SALTWATER ABYSS
ALSO APPEARS TO BE A SEA CAVE,

BUT ONE WITH A ROOF THAT
COLLAPSED IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY.

OKAY, I'M GOING
TO BACK IT OUT!

I THINK ONE THING PEOPLE
DON'T REALIZE IS THERE

IS A LOT THAT SCIENTISTS
HAVE NOT DISCOVERED YET,

AND THAT'S WHAT I FIND SO FUN

ABOUT COMING OUT
TO PLACES LIKE THIS.

WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE
OUR TECHNOLOGY

AND FIGURE OUT
WHAT LIES BENEATH.

THOR'S WELL MAY NOT BE A PORTAL
TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH,

BUT IT'S STILL A UNIQUE

AND FASCINATING WONDER
IN A WORLD

FULL OF NATURAL SURPRISES.