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...

WHY DO DOGS WAG THEIR TAILS

WHY ARE ZEBRAS BLACK AND WHITE?

AND WHAT'S THE HIDDEN SECRET BEHIND A CROC'S JAWS?

THESE WONDERS AND MORE ON...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THE TAIL HAS ALL KINDS OF USES.

RATS BALANCE WITH IT,

FOXES COZY UP WITH IT,

AND HIPPOS FLING THEIR...

THEIR, UM...

EW, YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT GO THERE.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

AND AS FOR DOGS,

WHEN THEY'RE NOT RUNNING AROUND CHASING IT,

[ DOG BARKS ]

...THEY'RE WAGGING IT.

UNTIL RECENTLY, PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND

WHAT THIS REMARKABLE APPENDAGE WAS FOR, SO....

WHY DO DOGS WAG THEIR TAILS?

[ DOG BARKING ]

♪♪

FINNEGAN IS A THREE-YEAR-OLD LAB MIX

AND AN EXPERT TAIL WAGGER.

♪♪

[ BARKS ]

TODAY, HE'S TAKING HIS OWNER FOR A WALK.

HER NAME IS ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ.

SHE'S A SCIENTIST, DOG EXPERT,

AND SHE'S BEEN TAKING A PROFESSIONAL INTEREST

IN FINNEGAN'S REAR EXTREMITY.

OKAY, FINN. SHOULD WE GO MEET SOME DOGS?

FINNEGAN'S TAIL IS EXTRAORDINARILY INTRICATE.

MADE UP OF AROUND 23 VERTEBRA

AND ENCASED IN A FINE WEB OF MUSCLES,

IT CAN MOVE IN ALMOST ANY DIRECTION.

ALTHOUGH IT HELPS HIM BALANCE,

ALEXANDRA BELIEVES ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS RATHER AMAZING.

♪♪

HER FIRST WHIFF OF ITS TRUE FUNCTION

CAME WHEN SHE BEGAN TO NOTICE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAGGING.

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF TAIL WAGS.

YOU KNOW, FINNEGAN ARRIVING AT THE PARK WITH EXCITEMENT

AND A LOOSE BROAD WAG IS ONE.

THAT'S CLEAR EXCITEMENT, PLEASURE, ANTICIPATION.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE

TO READ THE DIFFERENT MEANINGS OF THE DIFFERENT WAGS.

IF A DOG RECOGNIZES AND TRUSTS SOMEONE,

ITS TAIL WAGS TO HIS RIGHT,

TRIGGERED BY THE SIDE OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROLS SOCIABILITY.

[ BARKING ]

BUT IF THE TAIL WAGS TO THE DOG'S LEFT,

THE MUTT IS FEELING THREATENED.

THIS RESPONSE IS POWERED BY THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRAIN,

WHICH CONTROLS NEGATIVE EMOTIONS LIKE FEAR AND AGGRESSION.

THE DOG'S BRAIN/TAIL CONNECTION IS SO STRONG,

ALEXANDRA SAYS WE CAN TELL WHAT DOGS ARE THINKING

JUST BY LOOKING AT THE TAIL.

SOME LOW TAILS ARE ANXIOUS, ARE SUBMISSIVE,

ESPECIALLY A TAIL THAT'S ALL THE WAY DOWN BETWEEN THE LEGS.

Narrator: I GOT IT. THAT'S DOG FOR,

"DON'T HURT ME."

AND A HIGH, ALMOST PERFECTLY STILL TAIL

CAN SIGNAL A DOG IS READY FOR ACTION.

Horowitz: WHEN THAT HAPPENS, SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN,

SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING AGGRESSIVE.

THE DOG IS GOING TO JUMP ON ANOTHER DOG.

A DOG IS GOING TO RUN SUDDENLY REALLY FAST,

PURSUE SOMETHING REALLY FAST.

YOU CAN JUST SEE ALL THE ENERGY

BUILT UP IN THE TAIL, IN THAT BOLT-UPRIGHT TAIL.

Narrator: WHILE IT'S CLEAR THAT THE DOG'S EMOTIONS

ARE BEING EXPRESSED THROUGH ITS TAIL,

IT'S NOT SO CLEAR WHY.

ALEXANDRA BELIEVES THAT FOR PACK ANIMALS LIKE DOGS,

TALKING THROUGH THEIR TAIL IS IMPORTANT.

WITH EACH DOG KNOWING WHAT THE OTHER IS THINKING,

THEY CAN WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY AS A TEAM.

Horowitz: TAILS ESSENTIALLY ARE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN DOGS.

THEY HAVE THIS ONE REALLY VISIBLE WAY

OF SAYING HOW THEY'RE FEELING.

YOU SEE ALL THIS EXPRESSION OF EMOTION IN THEIR TAILS --

UNCERTAINTY, ANTICIPATION, APPREHENSION,

DELIGHT, EXCITEMENT.

Narrator: THE SAYING, "TALKING OUT OF YOUR BUTT,"

MIGHT BE A METAPHOR FOR HUMANS,

BUT FOR DOGS, ALEXANDRA BELIEVES IT'S TRUE,

AND THIS IDEA IS BACKED UP

BY SOME PRETTY AMAZING OBSERVATIONS.

JUST AS WE DON'T TALK TO WALLS WHEN WE'RE ALONE --

WELL, NOT USUALLY ANYWAY --

DOGS DON'T WAG THEIR TAILS

WHEN THERE'S NO ONE AROUND TO SEE THEM WAGGING.

HOWEVER, OUT IN THE PARK,

WAGGING APPEARS TO BE A LANGUAGE ALL BREEDS UNDERSTAND,

BUT, YES -- THERE'S A BUT --

DOGS WITH SHORT TAILS HAVE A PROBLEM

BECAUSE OTHER DOGS FIND IT HARDER

TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE FEELING,

AND AS A RESULT, SOME SHORT-TAILED DOGS

CAN HAVE A TOUGH TIME MAKING FRIENDS.

AW.[ WHINES ]

♪♪

NOT A PROBLEM FOR FINNEGAN, THOUGH.

HE JUST CAN'T STOP TALKING.

FINNEGAN IS EXPRESSING HIS EMOTION ALL THE TIME.

IT'S OUT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.

Narrator: JUST WATCH HIS BUTT, AND HE'LL TELL YOU A TALE.

♪♪

ON THE AFRICAN SAVANNA, THE BIG-GAME ANIMALS

ARE PLAYING A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK.

IN THIS HIGH-STAKES MATCH, BOTH HIDERS AND SEEKERS

TRY THEIR HARDEST TO BLEND IN AND NOT BE SPOTTED.

OH, EXCEPT THESE GUYS.

IT'S LIKE THEY'RE DRESSED FOR A PARTY,

SO, WHY ARE ZEBRAS BLACK AND WHITE?

♪♪

ZEBRAS, THE WILD AFRICAN HORSE WITH THE SENSATIONAL STRIPES.

BIOLOGISTS HAVE SPENT DECADES FIGURING OUT

WHY THESE GUYS HAVE SUCH STANDOUT MARKINGS.

LET'S SEE WHAT THEY'VE COME UP WITH.

OPTION ONE --

THE STRIPES ALLOW ZEBRAS TO TELL EACH OTHER APART

BECAUSE THEY'RE AS UNIQUE AS A FINGERPRINT.

OPTION TWO --

NATURE'S REVOLUTIONARY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT.

BLACK ABSORBS HEAT.

WHITE REFLECTS IT.

THIS DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERATURE COULD CREATE

COLLIDING AIR CURRENTS THAT SUCK HEAT AWAY.

OPTION THREE --

BIZARRE AS IT MAY SOUND,

PERHAPS THE STRIPES AREFOR CAMOUFLAGE.

OKAY, I KNOW FOR US, A HORSE DRESSED LIKE A REFEREE

STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB,

BUT LIONS, THEIR MAIN PREDATOR, ARE COLOR-BLIND.

FROM A DISTANCE, THE BIG CATS MIGHT MISTAKE

THE STRIPS FOR WAVY GRASS,

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THOSE THREE THEORIES?

WELL, AFTER YEARS OF TESTS CARRIED OUT IN THE FIELD,

I CAN REVEAL WHAT MOST SCIENTISTS NOW THINK.

EACH OF THESE THEORIES...

IS BALONEY.

[ ZEBRA WHINNIES ]

BIOLOGISTS FROM SWEDEN AND HUNGARY STEPPED BACK

AND LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE.

RATHER THAN CONCENTRATE ON THE BIG PREDATORS,

THEY FOCUSED ON TINY PARASITES

THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEADLY DISEASE

KNOWN AS SLEEPING SICKNESS.

PARASITES ARE CARRIED BY A BLOOD-SUCKING BUG

THAT HUNTS AROUND WATER HOLES.

IT'S CALLED THE TSETSE FLY.

INCREDIBLY, THE BLACK AND WHITE STRIPES

COULD CONFUSE THESE FLYING VAMPIRES,

SO INSTEAD OF LANDING ON ZEBRAS AND INFECTING THEM,

THEY HEAD FOR AN EASIER TARGET

LIKE AN ELEPHANT.

SO, IT TURNS OUT, THE ZEBRAS STRIPES,

WHICH HAVE BAMBOOZLED THE SCIENTISTS FOR YEARS,

MAY REALLY BE MEANT TO BAMBOOZLE THE TSETSE FLY.

GOOD. TIME TO BUZZ OFF.

COMING UP, THE SECRET TO THE WORLD'S STRONGEST BITE,

BRAINIAC COCKATOOS,

AND SOME LIZARD WIZARDRY.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: MILLENNIA AGO,

ONE OF OUR MOST INGENIOUS ANCESTORS MADE THE FIRST TOOL.

FROM THAT MOMENT,

HOMO SAPIENS NEVER LOOKED BACK.

-[ SCREAMS ] -TOOLS ARE WHAT SEPARATE US

FROM THE REST OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM,

OR SO WE THOUGHT.

♪♪

BECAUSE NOW THERE'S ANOTHER TOOLMAKER ON THE BLOCK,

AND HE'S GOT FEATHERS.

THIS COCKATOO COULD BE

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM'S ANSWER TO EINSTEIN.

HE CAN MAKE TOOLS, SOLVE PROBLEMS,

AND HE'S EVEN STARTED TEACHING HIS FRIENDS, SO...

HOW DO COCKATOOS MAKE AND USE TOOLS?

♪♪

COCKATOOS LIVE ACROSS INDONESIA AND AUSTRALASIA.

♪♪

WHEN THEY MATE, THEY MATE FOR LIFE,

WHICH CAN BE AS LONG AS 40 YEARS.

THEY'RE THOUGHT TO BE ABOUT AS CLEVER

AS A THREE-YEAR-OLD HUMAN,

AND THEY'VE BEEN OBSERVED TEACHING THEIR PEERS

HOW TO CRACK OPEN NUTS AND OTHER USEFUL JUNGLE SKILLS,

BUT NONE HAS BEEN SEEN MAKING TOOLS

UNTIL NOW.

THIS IS FIGARO, A ONE-IN-A-MILLION BIRD GENIUS

AND GRAND MASTER TOOLMAKER.

FROM A WORKSHOP LAIR IN AUSTRIA, HIS RESEARCHER, ALICE,

HAS BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY HIS SMARTS.

SHE'S BEEN BUSY BUILDING CONTRAPTIONS

TO TEST HIS TOOL-MAKING SKILLS.

UP UNTIL NOW, FIGARO HAS BEEN MOSTLY

MAKING TOOLS OUT OF TWIGS,

BUT TODAY, ALICE IS GIVING HIM A NEW CHALLENGE.

WE HAVE THIS FRONT PROBING HOLE,

AND WE HAVE A PLATFORM BEHIND IT

WHERE WE CAN PLACE A FOOD REWARD.

Narrator: FIGARO IS A SUCKER FOR PEANUTS,

BUT THIS ONE IS TRAPPED BEHIND A PANE OF PLASTIC

WITH AN OPENING THAT'S TOO SMALL FOR FIGARO'S CLAWS OR BEAK.

ALL HE HAS TO HELP HIM IS A LUMP OF WOOD

THAT DOESN'T LOOK USEFUL AT ALL.

MUCH TOO BIG TO FIT THROUGH THE OPENING.

WE'LL SEE HOW HE DO.

Narrator: FIGARO HAS NEVER SEEN THIS PUZZLE BEFORE.

THIS IS A REAL MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.

Auersperg: IN ORDER TO SOLVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, HERE,

FIGARO HAS TO BE INNOVATIVE IN THAT

HE HAS TO FIND A NEW SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM

THAT HE HAS NEVER ENCOUNTERED BEFORE.

Narrator: CAREFUL, ALICE.

YOU'RE GIVING HIM TOO MANY CLUES.

OKAY. FIRST, THE BIRD PRODIGY INSPECTS THE WOOD.

THEN HE EYES UP THE SIZE OF THE HOLE

AND THE DISTANCE TO THE PEANUT.

IT TAKES A FEW SECONDS TO CRAFT HIS MASTER PLAN,

AND THEN HE'S OFF!

♪♪

HE BREAKS APART THE WOOD WITH HIS BEAK.

MADE OUT OF KERATIN, THE SAME STUFF

AS OUR FINGERNAILS,

HIS BEAK IS SO SHARP,

HE CAN USE IT TO STRIP WOOD AND MAKE TOOLS.

♪♪

WHAT'S HE'S GOING TO DO WITH THAT?

♪♪

GENIUS.

♪♪

FIGARO HAS CREATED THE IDEAL TOOL FOR THE JOB,

THE RIGHT LENGTH AND WIDTH PIECE OF WOOD

TO FIT THROUGH THE HOLE, AND CHECK OUT THAT TECHNIQUE.

HE'S USING HIS TONGUE TO AIM HIS SPLINTER.

IN THE WILD, COCKATOOS USE THEIR TONGUES LIKE WE USE FINGERS,

HELPING TO FEEL, HOLD, AND MANIPULATE OBJECTS,

BUT HANG ON.[ RECORD SCRATCHES ]

ALICE, HAVE YOU BEEN HELPING FIGARO WITH THIS HANDIWORK?

I DIDN'T TEACH HIM THIS.

Narrator: AMAZING.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR THIS PLUCKY BIRD.

WITH HIS ABILITIES, HE COULD DO ANYTHING HE WANTS --

AN ARTIST, AN ASTRONAUT...

OR EVEN A DENTIST!

[ SCREAMS ]

COMING UP, THE SECRET OF THE STRONGEST SNAP ON THE PLANET...

AND HOW CHAMELEONS CHANGE COLOR.

Narrator: THE STRONGEST BITE FORCE EVER MEASURED

DOESN'T BELONG TO THE HYENA,

EVEN THOUGH THEY MUNCH THROUGH BONES FOR BREAKFAST.

NOR TO THE GREAT WHITE SHARK,

EVEN THOUGH THEY SLICE THROUGH SEALS FOR LUNCH.

THE RECORD ACTUALLY BELONGS TO THESE GUYS.

NO, NOT THE WILDEBEEST.

THE CROCODILES.

FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, THEIR INCREDIBLE SNAP

HAS KEPT THEM AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

SO WHAT IS THE HIDDEN SECRET BEHIND A CROC'S JAW?

♪♪

CROCODILES ARE ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PREDATORS

TO STALK THE EARTH.

80 MILLION YEARS AGO, THEY WERE CATCHING DINOSAURS.

TODAY, THEIR DESCENDANTS --

THE ALLIGATORS OF NORTH AMERICA AND CHINA,

CAYMAN OF SOUTH AMERICA,

AND CROCODILES OF AFRICA AND AUSTRALIA --

STILL USE THEIR LETHAL JAWS

TO DRAG AND DROWN PREY OF ALL SIZES.

THESE ANIMALS ARE POWERFUL. THEY'RE STEALTHY.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY QUITE INTELLIGENT.

THEY'RE SOME OF THE ULTIMATE KILLING MACHINES.

Narrator: IN A BID TO UNCOVER THE SECRET

BEHIND THE CROCODILE FAMILY'S SUPERCHARGED BITE,

CROCODILIAN EXPERT PROFESSOR GREG ERICKSON

HAS BEEN ALL AROUND THE WORLD TESTING THEIR BITE FORCE.

Dr. Erickson: ALL RIGHT. EVERYONE READY?

-YEP. -THIS IS THE FUN PART.

Narrator: TODAY, HE'S MEASURING THE BITE FORCE OF HUMPHREY,

A POTENTIALLY LETHAL 15-FOOT-LONG GATOR

FROM THE ST. AUGUSTINE ALLIGATOR FARM IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

I'D BE A LIAR IF I TOLD YOU I WASN'T A LITTLE NERVOUS.

ANYTIME YOU TEST A BIG CROCODILIAN,

YOU KNOW, IT'S A SCARY THING.

Narrator: COMPARING THE BITE OF THIS ALLIGATOR

WITH THAT OF THE CROCODILE'S

IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN VERIFYING HIS THEORY.

THE HARD PART IS I'VE GOT TO GET

ABOUT A 700-, 800-POUND ALLIGATOR FROM THERE TO HERE,

AND IT DOESN'T WANT TO COME HERE.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

Narrator: OKAY, COME ON, HUMPHREY. THAT'S A GOOD BOY.

Dr. Erickson: GO.

♪♪

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD RIGHT THERE, GUYS.

ALL RIGHT. COOL. UM...

WHO WANTS TO HOLD THE HEAD FOR ME?

Narrator: YEAH, WELL, UH, NOT ME, GREG.

I'M QUITE HAPPY HOLDING THE SCRIPT.

UH, WHAT ABOUT HIM?

YEAH, HE'LL DO IT, ONE OF THE ZOO'S STAFF. GOOD.

Dr. Erickson: JUST TRY TO KEEP THE HEAD STRAIGHT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.

OKAY, BIG BOY. YOU READY?

[ HISSING ]

THE HIGHEST BITE FORCES ARE AT THE BACK OF THE MOUTH,

AND IT'S JUST LIKE A PAIR OF SCISSORS.

IT CUTS BEST AT THE BACK, SO IT'S CLOSER TO THE FULCRUM.

ARE YOU SET?

OKAY, EVERYBODY READY?

HERE WE GO.

OH, YEAH.

Narrator: HUMPHREY IS NOT MESSING AROUND.

Dr. Erickson: 1,460 POUNDS.

Narrator: THAT'S ROUGHLY DOUBLE THE BITE FORCE OF A LION.

INCREDIBLE.

POUND FOR POUND, HUMPHREY'S BITE HAS THE SAME EXPLOSIVE POWER

AS THE GIANT CROCODILES GREG HAS ALREADY TESTED.

Dr. Erickson: THE BITE FORCES WE'VE MEASURED

FOR THE 17-FOOT SALT WATER CROCODILES IN AUSTRALIA,

THEY WERE DOING 3,700 POUNDS, AND...

[ ALLIGATOR HISSING ][CHUCKLES] THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THOSE WERE THE HIGHEST BITE FORCE

EVER MEASURED FOR A LIVING ANIMAL.

Narrator: GREG BELIEVES THAT BOTH CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS

SHARE THE SAME TRICK TO MAXIMIZE THEIR BITING POWER.

THE REAL SECRET TO THE BITE FORCE OF THESE ANIMALS

ARE RIGHT HERE -- THESE PTERYGOIDEUS VENTRALIS MUSCLES.

Narrator: ALL MEMBERS OF THE CROCODILE FAMILY

HAVE HUGE MUSCLES IN THEIR NECK,

WHICH ARE HIDDEN BELOW THE WATER LINE.

IN US, THESE HELP KEEP OUR TEETH BASICALLY ALIGNED FOR CHEWING.

IN THESE ANIMALS, THEY'VE BASICALLY BUILT UP THOSE MUSCLES.

THEIR MUSCLE IS KIND OF DOWN UNDER THE JAWS, AND IT GIVES THEM STEALTH.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY BUILD UP THESE MUSCLES,

YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE THE ALLIGATOR COMING.

IT ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE VERY POWERFUL BITES

BUT ALSO STILL BE STEALTHY.

THEY'RE LIKE SUBMARINES. AND HERE'S WHERE THEY BREATHE.

HERE'S THE EYES. HERE'S THE EARS.

AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL THAT'S ABOVE THE WATER

WHEN THEY'RE CRUISING UP ON A PREY ITEM.

♪♪

Narrator: THE MASSIVE JOWLS ARE ONLY HALF THE STORY.

GREG HAS SPOTTED AN INCREDIBLE DOUBLE-JAW JOINT

UNIQUE TO THE CROCODILE FAMILY.

THE HUGE NECK MUSCLES PULL DOWN WITH SUCH FORCE

THAT WITHOUT THIS SECOND JOINT,

THE CROCODILE WOULD DISLOCATE ITS JAW

EVERY TIME IT SNAPPED ITS MOUTH SHUT.

IF WE HAD THE SAME BITING APPARATUS,

WE'D BE ABLE TO BITE THROUGH SHEETS OF STEEL.

AND YET, MIGHTY AS THEY ARE,

THE JAWS DO HAVE AN ACHILLES' HEEL.

THE MUSCLES THAT OPEN THE CROC'S JAW ARE TINY.

Dr. Erickson: THEY'RE MADE TO CLOSE THE JAWS.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY MADE TO OPEN THEM WITH ANY FORCE WHATSOEVER.

THEIR JOB IS JUST TO POP IT BACK OPEN,

AND THE MUSCLES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT ARE RIGHT HERE.

THEY'RE RATHER SMALL.

Narrator: THE SMALL MUSCLES THAT OPEN THE JAW

MAY HELP THE CROC STAY STEALTHY,

BUT THEY ALSO MAKE THE CROC A WEAKLING

WHENEVER IT OPENS ITS MOUTH.

SO YOU EVER COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH A CROC OR A GATOR,

YOU COULD TRY HOLDING ITS JAWS SHUT

SO IT CAN'T BITE YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.

GOOD TO KNOW.

[ INSECTS BUZZING ]

NEXT, THE INCREDIBLE SECRET OF THE EVER-CHANGING CHAMELEON.

Narrator: CHAMELEONS POSSESS

ONE OF NATURE'S MOST ASTONISHING SUPERPOWERS.

THEY CAN CHANGE COLOR.

VERY USEFUL FOR HIDING FROM PREDATORS AND PREY.

[ CRUNCH ]

AND WHEN THE BOYS SPOT A LOVELY LADY CHAMELEON,

THEY CAN'T RESIST SHOWING OFF.

FOR YEARS, WE'VE ENVIED THEIR MAGICAL ABILITIES,

BUT ONLY RECENTLY HAVE WE BEEN ABLE

TO UNLOCK THEIR INCREDIBLE SECRET.

SO HOW DOCHAMELEONS CHANGE COLOR?

CARLOS, A PANTHER CHAMELEON,

LIVES IN THE RAINFORESTS OF MADAGASCAR.

WITHIN MINUTES, HE CAN BLEND

INTO ANY BACKGROUND IN THE RAINFOREST

AND SWAY TO MIMIC THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRANCHES.

WHEN IT COMES TO SURVIVAL,

HIS SUPER-STEALTH MODE GIVES HIM THE EDGE.

[ CRUNCHING ]

FOR YEARS, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE DOES IT,

AND NEW RESEARCH, USING A POWERFUL ELECTRON MICROSCOPE,

HAS FINALLY REVEALED THE SECRET

BEHIND HIS MIND-BOGGLING BIOLOGY.

LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE SURFACE OF THE CHAMELEON'S SKIN

REVEALS SMALL PATCHES OF BRIGHT COLOR.

THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS.

ZOOMING WAY INTO THESE PATCHES

REVEALS SOMETHING NO ONE COULD HAVE GUESSED -- SALT.

TINY, TINY NANOCRYSTALS OF THE STUFF,

EACH LESS THAN 1/100th THE WIDTH OF A HUMAN HAIR.

THE TINY SALT CRYSTALS WORK LIKE LITTLE MIRRORS

THAT REFLECT CERTAIN COLORS.

WHEN RELAXED, THE CRYSTALS REFLECT GREEN,

THE PERFECT COLOR FOR LEAFY CAMOUFLAGE.

BUT WHEN CHAMELEONS SPOT ANOTHER CHAMELEON,

IT WANTS TO STOP HIDING AND START SHOWING OFF.

MUSCLES MANIPULATE THE DISTANCE

BETWEEN THE CRYSTALS IN THEIR SKIN.

INCREASING THE DISTANCE MAKES THE CRYSTALS

REFLECT LONGER COLOR WAVELENGTHS,

TURNING THE CHAMELEON FROM GREEN TO RED.

DECREASING THE DISTANCE

REFLECTS SHORTER WAVELENGTHS LIKE BLUE OR PURPLE.

INCREDIBLY, THEIR SUPER SKIN

CAN CREATE EVERY COLOR OF THE RAINBOW AND BEYOND,

EVEN CREATING COLORS THE HUMAN EYE CAN'T SEE.

♪♪

SO NOT ONLY DO THE SALT CRYSTALS IN THE CHAMELEON'S SKIN

ALLOW IT TO HAVE THE ULTIMATE INVISIBILITY CLOAK,

THEY CAN USE THEIR SUPERPOWER TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, TOO,

TURNING VIVID TO SAY "GO AWAY" TO RIVALS

OR "COME ON OVER" TO A NEW MATE.

LOOKING GOOD, CARLOS. HOW CAN SHE POSSIBILITY RESIST?