Original subtitles

♪♪

Narrator: ANIMALS... DO THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS.

[ GOAT BLEATS ]

LIKE THIS...

AND THIS.

I BET YOU'RE WONDERING, "HOW DO THEY DO THAT?"

WE'RE REVEALING ANIMALS' BIGGEST SECRETS, LIKE...

HOW DO BEES FIND NECTAR?

WHY DO CATS HAVE WHISKERS?

AND HOW CAN A JELLYFISH LIVE FOREVER?

THESE WONDERS AND MORE ON...

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

HONEYBEES. ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE INSECT WORLD.

THEY RELY ON SWEET SUGARY NECTAR AS THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF FOOD,

AND THEY'RE ON A MAMMOTH MISSION --

TO FIND ENOUGH TO FEED THEIR ENTIRE COLONY.

IN ONE DAY, A BEE CAN COVER AN AREA OF AROUND 6 MILES

AND VISIT UP TO 2,000 FLOWERS.

IT'S A MONUMENTAL TASK, MADE EVEN HARDER

BECAUSE NOT ALL FLOWERS CONTAIN NECTAR.

SO HOW DO BEES FIND NECTAR?

A HIVE IN A COUNTRY GARDEN.

INSIDE, 60,000 BEES.

THE QUEEN IS TENDED BY MALES,

WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO MATE WITH HER MAJESTY.

IT'S THE FEMALES THAT DO ALL THE WORK AND BRING BACK THE FOOD.

THEY ARE EXPERT NECTAR HUNTERS.

AN ALL-GIRL SCOUT PARTY

PREPS FOR A RECON PATROL OF THE BIG FLOWERY WORLD.

THEIR MISSION, SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT,

TO FIND A SOURCE OF JUICY NECTAR AND REPORT BACK.

♪♪

TO FIND THE NECTAR, THESE LADIES HAVE SOME AMAZING SUPER-SENSES.

♪♪

TWO TINY ANTENNAE CAN TRACE THE SCENT OF FLOWERS

FROM A MILE AWAY.

THEY HAVE A WHOPPING 170 ODOR RECEPTORS,

100 TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN A HUMAN'S SENSE OF SMELL,

HELPING THE BEE TO FOLLOW THE FAINTEST WHIFF OF A NECTAR TRAIL

ALL THE WAY TO THE SOURCE.

TO TELL A FLOWER WITH NECTAR FROM ONE WITHOUT,

ANOTHER INSTRUMENT FROM THE BEE'S SUPER-SENSE TOOLBOX

KICKS IN -- THEIR EYES.

BEES HAVE FIVE EYES,

WHICH GIVE THEM A 300-DEGREE, WIDE-ANGLE VIEW.

THEY CAN ALSO SEE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIGHT,

INCLUDING ULTRAVIOLET, WHICH WE CAN'T SEE.

THIS IS A FLOWER AS WE SEE IT.

NOW, THIS IS WHAT THE BEE SEES.

THE U.V. LIGHT REVEALS A HIDDEN PATTERN

WITHIN THE FLOWER,

IDENTIFYING WHERE NECTAR CAN BE FOUND.

IT'S LIKE LIGHTS ON A RUNWAY GUIDING THE BEE IN TO LAND.

[ TIRES SCREECH ]

TOUCHDOWN. RIGHT ON THE NECTAR.

BUT THERE'S AN EVEN MORE UN-BEE-LIEVABLE METHOD BEES USE

TO FIND THE SWEET STUFF.

THEY CAN SENSE AN INVISIBLE FORCE

FOUND IN ALL LIVING THINGS -- ELECTRICITY.

♪♪

BEE EXPERT PROFESSOR DANIEL ROBERTS

DEMONSTRATES THIS AMAZING BEE POWER WITH A MACHINE.

THIS FLOWER HAS A SMALL ELECTRIC FIELD SURROUNDING ITSELF.

WE CAN SEE IT. WE CAN FEEL IT.

THIS ELECTRODE HERE WILL BASICALLY DETECT THAT.

AND THIS DEVICE WILL CONVERT THAT INTO A SOUND.

[ HIGH-PITCHED BUZZ ]

Narrator: INCREDIBLY, THIS SOUND IS MADE

BY THE FLOWER'S NATURAL ELECTRICAL CHARGE.

THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'RE LISTENING TO FLOWER POWER.

BEES CAN SENSE THIS ELECTRIC CHARGE

AND ARE DRAWN TOWARDS THE FLOWER.

AS THE BEE MOVES IN,

THE SOUND OF PROFESSOR ROBERTS' MACHINE CHANGES.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE WHEN ONE RUBS A BALLOON OVER HEADS.

THE BALLOON STICKS TO THE WALL

WHILST OUR HAIR TENDS TO BRUSH UP LIKE THIS.

Narrator: BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.

BY FLAPPING THEIR TINY WINGS AT 230 BEATS A SECOND,

BEES CREATE SO MUCH FRICTION,

THEY GIVE THEMSELVES AN ELECTRICAL CHARGE.

SO, WHEN A BEE TAKES NECTAR FROM THE FLOWER,

THE CHARGES INTERACT.

AND AMAZINGLY, THE BEE'S OWN ELECTRICAL CHARGE

CANCELS OUT THE FLOWER'S.

SO, WHEN ANOTHER BEE FLIES OVER, IT SENSES THIS CHANGE

AND KNOWS THERE IS NO NECTAR TO BE FOUND.

IT'S LIKE A NEON SIGN TO A BEE SAYING...

"NO NECTAR HERE! COME BACK LATER."

ONCE THEY'VE FOUND THE SOURCE OF JUICY, SWEET NECTAR,

THEY HEAD HOME TO TELL ALL THE OTHER BEES

AND DISH OUT DIRECTIONS.

THE PROBLEM IS, THEY'RE NOT GREAT TALKERS.

INSTEAD, THEY LIKE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES

THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF DANCE.

♪♪

THIS IS NO TANGO.

INCREDIBLE AS IT MAY SEEM,

THIS WAGGLE DANCE IS GIVING PRECISE DIRECTIONS.

IT'S A SECRET CODE

THAT REVEALS THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE NECTAR,

AND SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND A WAY TO DECIPHER IT.

IT'S ALWAYS A FIGURE EIGHT,

AND THE WIDTH OF THE WAGGLE

SHOWS HOW FAR THE NECTAR IS FROM THE HIVE --

THE WIDER, THE FARTHER.

THE ANGLE OF THE DANCE REVEALS THE DIRECTION,

AND IT'S INCREDIBLY ACCURATE.

IT'S LIKE GOING BACK TO THE OFFICE

AND TELLING YOUR FRIENDS,

"HEY, THEY ARE HANDING OUT FREE PIZZAS ON THIRD STREET."

Narrator: ARMED WITH A BEE VERSION OF GPS,

THIS SINGLE COLONY WILL VISIT

AROUND 500 MILLION FLOWERS IN JUST ONE YEAR.

GIVEN HOW CLEVER THESE BRILLIANT BEES ARE,

I'M SURE IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THEY WORK OUT

HOW TO ORDER NECTAR ONLINE.

CATS. THEY'RE CUTE. SOMETIMES VERY CUTE.

AND LAZY. SOMETIMES VERY LAZY.

[ CAT PURRING ]

THEY LOVE TO PLAY.

HELLO!

THEY HAVE FABULOUS FUR TO STAY WARM. YES.

KILLER CLAWS TO CATCH PREY.

AND WHISKERS TO...

HMM. WHAT AREWHISKERS FOR?

IS THIS FABULOUS FELINE MUSTACHE JUST FOR SHOW?

WHY DO CATS HAVE WHISKERS?

THIS IS TIGER...

AND HIS BEST FRIEND, CLARK.

TWO BEAUTIFUL CATS WITH TWO INCREDIBLE SETS OF WHISKERS.

AND THEIR HUMAN SERVANT IS DAN.

Dan: OKAY, GUYS. HERE YOU GO.

Narrator: SURE, DAN HAS SOME GREAT FACIAL HAIR,

BUT NO THICK WHISKERS LIKE TIGER AND CLARK.

HE DOES KNOW ABOUT CATS, THOUGH.

HE'S A CAT CONSULTANT.

Dan: MY JOB IS BASICALLY TO HELP PEOPLE

INTERPRET THEIR CATS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

I THINK PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES DON'T UNDERSTAND

WHAT THEIR CATS ARE TELLING THEM,

AND I HELP THEM BE BETTER SERVANTS TO THEIR CATS.

Narrator: DAN KNOWS TIGER'S FACIAL HAIRS

AREN'T JUST THERE TO LOOK GOOD.

ALONG WITH HIS SIGHT, SMELL, AND HEARING,

TIGER'S WHISKERS ARE A CRUCIAL PART

OF HIS PREY-DETECTION SYSTEM,

AND DAN IS GOING TO DEMONSTRATE HOW.

WITH THIS TOY, WE'LL SEE WHAT TIGER'S WHISKERS ARE USED FOR.

Narrator: SPOTTING HIS PREY, TIGER'S CLAWS ENGAGE.

♪♪

IN SLOW MOTION, YOU CAN SEE TIGER'S WHISKERS ALSO ENGAGE.

FIRST, THEY'RE FLAT BY HIS FACE,

BUT THEN HE ENTERS ATTACK MODE,

THROWING THE WHISKERS FORWARD TO FEEL HIS PREY.

IT'S LIKE A HAIRY TARGETING SYSTEM LOCKING ON.

AND THAT'S WHEN TIGER STRIKES.

HE'S GOT THAT MOUSE SQUASHED.

Narrator: BUT WHY ARE THEY FEELING FOR PREY WITH THEIR WHISKERS

WHEN THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST SEE IT?

WELL, IT TURNS OUT CAT VISION ISN'T PERFECT.

THEY CAN OFTENTIMES LOSE TRACK OF SOMETHING

WHEN IT GETS CLOSER TO THEM.

Narrator: CATS' EYES ACTUALLY LOSE FOCUS

ON ANYTHING LESS THAN 10 INCHES AWAY.

BUT INSTEAD OF GETTING PRESCRIPTION CAT GLASSES,

THEY USE THEIR WHISKER-DETECTION SYSTEM.

CATS' WHISKERS ARE SENSITIVE TO VIBRATIONS IN THE AIR.

AS THE AIR MOVES, THE WHISKERS VIBRATE,

ALLOWING CATS TO SENSE THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF NEARBY OBJECTS

TO GO IN FOR THE KILL.

THE WHISKERS CAN HELP THEM FEEL TEXTURE, VIBRATION.

THEY CAN EVEN HELP THEM FEEL LITTLE DIFFERENCES IN THE AIR

SOMETIMES SO THEY CAN SENSE PREY UP REALLY CLOSE.

Narrator: BUT THESE WHISKERS HAVE ANOTHER FUNCTION.

BECAUSE THEY'RE THE SAME WIDTH AS THE CAT'S BODY,

WHISKERS HELP THEM FEEL

WHETHER THEY CAN MAKE THAT TIGHT SQUEEZE...

MAKING CATS THE PERFECT PURRING PREDATORS.

[ CATS PURRING ]

COMING UP, SUPER-FAST HIPPOS, MIRACLE LIZARDS,

AND A JELLYFISH THAT LIVES FOREVER.

Narrator: A PEACEFUL DAY ON THE CHOBE RIVER IN BOTSWANA, AFRICA.

♪♪

MAJESTIC BEASTS ARE DRAWN TO THE RIVER'S BOUNTY.

♪♪

BUT IN THE DISTANCE, THE WATER BEGINS TO CHURN.

SOMETHING IS SPEEDING TOWARDS A BOAT FULL OF PEOPLE.

WHAT IS IT? IS IT A CROCODILE? A WHALE?

HANG ON.[ TAPE REWINDING ]

HOW DOES A DOUGHBOY HIPPO TORPEDO THROUGH THE WATER?

HIPPOS ARE ABOUT AS STREAMLINED AS A SEMI.

BUT LOOK AT THAT DOUGHNUT DYNAMO GO.

SO HOW DO HIPPOS SWIM SO FAST?

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF HIPPOPOTAMUS IN AFRICA --

THE PYGMY HIPPO...

AND ITS MUCH LARGER COUSIN, THE COMMON HIPPO.

THESE MAGNIFICENT BEASTS

SPEND TWO-THIRDS OF THEIR DAY WALLOWING IN WATER.

BUT IF YOU EVER GO HIPPO SPOTTING, BE CAREFUL.

THEY'RE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

IN FACT, HIPPOS KILL MORE HUMANS EACH YEAR

THAN GREAT WHITE SHARKS AND LIONS COMBINED.

THESE GUYS ARE LETHAL.

SO WE'RE KEEPING OUR DISTANCE.

TO FIND OUT HOW HIPPOS SWIM SO FAST,

WE'RE SAFELY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF A 3.5-INCH-THICK GLASS

AT CINCINNATI ZOO TO STUDY FIONA.

NO, NOT HER.

HER -- AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS HIPPO.

FIONA WAS BORN SIX WEEKS PREMATURE

BUT BEAT THE ODDS AND BECAME AN INTERNET SENSATION.

Woman: WE LOVED WATCHING HER GROW UP FROM A PREMIE

INTO THE HIPPO SHE IS NOW.

SHE'S ONE OF THE GREATEST ANIMALS AT THE ZOO.

I THINK SHE'S ADORABLE. I'M COMPLETELY OBSESSED.

Narrator: FIONA NOW LIVES HAPPILY IN THE TANK WITH MUM BIBI.

AND WATCHING OVER BOTH IS ZOOKEEPER JENNA WINGATE.

COME HERE, FI!

Wingate: FIONA TAKES A LOT AFTER HER MOM IN THE FACT

THAT SHE'S SASSY AND KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS,

AND SHE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT BOSSY.

WE LIKE TO USE THE WORD "DIVA" FOR BOTH OF THEM.

♪♪

Narrator: GIVEN THEY EAT LETTUCE ALL DAY,

YOU'D THINK FIONA AND BIBI WOULD LOOK LIKE SKINNY SUPERMODELS,

BUT THEY'RE BUILT MORE LIKE HEAVYWEIGHT BOXERS.

BELOW THEIR TWO-INCH-THICK WATERPROOF SKIN,

THERE'S NOT MUCH FAT.

IT'S JUST DENSE MUSCLE.

THAT'S RIGHT. HIPPOS ARE RIPPED.

THE RESULT IS HIPPOS WEIGH A LOT.

ONE EVEN TOPPED THE SCALES AT A WHOPPING 9,000 POUNDS --

THE SAME AS NOT ONE, BUT TWO SUVs.

SO THEY SINK LIKE A STONE.

MOST MAMMALS, INCLUDING HUMANS, FLOAT IN THE WATER,

BUT HIPPOS ACTUALLY SINK BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DENSE.

Narrator: SINKING'S TERRIBLE FOR SWIMMING FAST.

SO DO HIPPOS HAVE A SUPER-SECRET TECHNIQUE?

WEBBED FEET? FLIPPERS?

A HIPPO PROPELLER MAYBE?

NO. THESE HIPPOS AREN'T SWIMMING AT ALL.

LOOK. THEY'RE WALKING.

Wingate: HIPPOS SPEND ABOUT 16 HOURS OR SO A DAY IN THE WATER,

BUT HIPPOS CAN'T ACTUALLY SWIM.

Narrator: YES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HIPPOS CAN'T SWIM.

BUT THEY CAN RUN REALLY, REALLY FAST,

HITTING SPEEDS OF UP TO 20 MILES AN HOUR ON LAND.

WHEN THEY HIT THE WATER, THEY SINK TO THE RIVERBED

STILL CHARGING AS FAST AS THE FASTEST OLYMPIANS.

BACK AT THE ZOO,

WATCHING FIONA AND BIBI REVEALS ANOTHER SECRET

TO HIPPOS' AMAZING AQUATIC SPEED.

THE WATER SUPPORTS PART OF THEIR IMMENSE WEIGHT.

HIPPOS ARE EFFECTIVELY LIVING IN AN MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENT.

ONE PUSH, AND THEY BOUNCE LIKE AQUATIC ASTRONAUTS,

COVERING A HUGE DISTANCE WITH EACH STRIDE.

YOU'VE HEARD OF THE MOONWALK. THIS IS THE HIPPO HOP.

IT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR HIPPOS,

BUT ONE GIANT LEAP FOR HIPPO-KIND.

IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF THEIR STRENGTH

TO PUSH OFF THE BOTTOM,

AND THEY CAN SOAR THROUGH THE WATER.

Narrator: THEY LOOK LIKE GENTLE GIANTS IN THE TANK,

BUT IN THE WILD, SUPPORTED BY THE WATER,

THEY USE THEIR IMMENSE MUSCLE POWER TO GALLOP

AND TURN THEMSELVES INTO TERRIFYING KILLER TORPEDOS,

A FEARSOME SIGHT

FROM NATURE'S MOST UNEXPECTED AQUATIC SPEEDSTER.

COMING UP, A GRAVITY-DEFYING REPTILE...

AND A DEATH-DEFYING JELLYFISH.

Narrator: SOMEWHERE IN THESE MASSIVE RAINFORESTS IN SOUTH AMERICA,

THERE'S A HEAVENLY CREATURE THAT'S PERFORMING MIRACLES.

♪♪

THE BASILISK. BETTER KNOWN AS "THE JESUS LIZARD."

WHY IS IT CALLED THE JESUS LIZARD?

BECAUSE THESE LITTLE GUYS CAN WALK ON WATER.

♪♪

♪♪

THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF JESUS LIZARD,

AND THESE "HOLY" REMARKABLE REPTILES

CAN SCURRY ACROSS SURFACES OF PONDS AND STREAMS

FOR UP TO 15 FEET WITHOUT SINKING.

IS THIS DIVINE INTERVENTION OR IS SCIENCE AT PLAY?

HOW DO JESUS LIZARDS WALK ON WATER?

♪♪

JESUS LIZARDS SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN THE TREES

BUT ARE NEVER FAR FROM WATER.

WHEN PREDATORS GET CLOSE,

THEY'VE COME UP WITH AN ALMIGHTY METHOD

TO MAKE A WEIRD BUT MIRACULOUS GETAWAY.

♪♪

JESUS LIZARDS ARE TOO HEAVY

TO SKIM ON THE SURFACE LIKE INSECTS.

INSTEAD, THEY CHURN THEIR LEGS LIKE WINDMILLS

AT 5 FEET PER SECOND.

AS THE FOOT STRIKES THE WATER, THEIR LONG TOES SPREAD OUT,

CREATING POCKETS OF AIR.

GATHERING ENOUGH SPEED, THEY USE THE TEMPORARY AIR POCKETS

LIKE STEPPING STONES,

PUSHING THEMSELVES FORWARD ACROSS THE WATER.

♪♪

STRONG HIND LEGS ALSO HELP THE BASILISK

TO NOT ONLY RUN UPRIGHT,

BUT TO LIFT THEIR FEET BEFORE THE WATER PULLS THEM DOWN.

[ STARTER PISTOL FIRES ]

A HUMAN WOULD HAVE TO RUN AT 65 MILES AN HOUR

TO ACHIEVE THIS ALMIGHTY FEAT.

♪♪

SO, UNLESS WE START RUNNING THE 100 METERS IN 3.4 SECONDS,

WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE THE MIRACLES TO THIS LITTLE GUY.

♪♪

WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY FELLOW.

COMING UP, A JELLYFISH WITH THE SECRET TO EVERLASTING LIFE.

Narrator: THE QUEST FOR ETERNAL LIFE

HAS CAPTURED OUR IMAGINATIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

AND IT TURNS OUT YOU DON'T NEED TO BE DOCTOR WHO

OR A BLOODSUCKING VAMPIRE TO LIVE FOREVER --

JUST A JELLYFISH.

THESE GLIMMERING CREATURES BURST ON THE SCENE

250 MILLION YEARS BEFORE THE DINOSAURS.

AND WHILE MOST JELLYFISH LIVE AND DIE,

ONE PARTICULAR SPECIES CAN SKIP THE WHOLE DYING PART.

THIS IS THE APTLY NAMED IMMORTAL JELLYFISH.

NOT ONLY DOES IT NOT DIE, IT CAN ACTUALLY AGE BACKWARDS.

AND WHEN IT GETS TOO YOUNG, IT GETS OLD AGAIN.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A WHOLE SPECIES OF BENJAMIN BUTTONS

HOPPING BETWEEN BABY AND ADULT, ADULT TO BABY,

THEN BACK TO ADULT AGAIN.

THE IMMORTAL JELLYFISH JUST KEEPS ON NOT DYING.

SO HOW DO JELLYFISH LIVE FOREVER?

THE IMMORTAL JELLYFISH IS FOUND

IN NEARLY ALL THE WORLD'S OCEANS.

THEY START LIFE THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY --

A CLOUD OF SPERM RANDOMLY COLLIDES WITH AN EGG FRONT.

MOST WILL BE EATEN, BUT IF THE FEW

THAT MAKE IT TO ADULTHOOD FACE INJURY OR STARVATION,

THEY CAN BECOME YOUNG AGAIN IN AN AMAZING WAY.

THE IMMORTAL JELLYFISH

TRANSFORMS INTO A BLOB-LIKE CYST.

THIS THEN SETTLES ON THE SEAFLOOR

WHERE IT DEVELOPS INTO A POLYP COLONY,

THE FIRST STAGE IN JELLYFISH LIFE.

IT'S LIKE A BUTTERFLY CRAWLING BACK INSIDE THE COCOON

TO BECOME A CATERPILLAR AGAIN.

THIS POLYP COLONY CAN THEN SPAWN

HUNDREDS OF GENETICALLY IDENTICAL BABY JELLYFISH --

PERFECT COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL ADULT.

IN JUST 30 DAYS, THE REJUVENATED JELLYFISH

ARE READY TO START THE WHOLE THING OVER AGAIN.

IN THEORY, THIS PROCESS CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON

AND ON AND ON AND ON FOREVER.

NAMES VANISH, CIVILIZATIONS FALL,

BUT THIS JELLYFISH KEEPS ROLLIN'

FOR THOUSANDS, MAYBE MILLIONS OF YEARS.

♪♪

SCIENTISTS ARE NOW TRYING

TO UNLOCK ITS SECRETS TO IMMORTALITY.

THEY HOPE IT WILL ALLOW US

TO RENEW OUR DAMAGED OR DEAD TISSUE...

♪♪

...SO PERHAPS ONE DAY WE, TOO, WILL LIVE FOREVER.

BUT BE WARNED --

YOU MAY HAVE TO GO THROUGH DIAPERS ALL OVER AGAIN.

♪♪