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 MAKE HONEY?

WHY DO COBRAS SPIT?

AND HOW CAN A BUG SURVIVE SPACE?

THESE WONDERS AND MORE...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

IT'S THE START OF FALL, TIME FOR ONE CREATURE TO GET BUSY --

THE SQUIRREL.

SQUIRRELS DON'T HIBERNATE, SO THEY NEED TO FIND,

THEN HIDE NUTS TO FEED THEMSELVES

THROUGH THE COLD WINTER.

INCREDIBLY, A SINGLE SQUIRREL

CAN BURY UP TO 10,000 NUTS EACH YEAR.

WITH NO SQUIRREL-GPS AND NO "X"s TO MARK THE SPOT,

LOCATING ALL THESE NUTS AGAIN MONTHS LATER

SEEMS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.

HOW DO SQUIRRELS FIND THEIR NUTS?

♪♪

SQUIRRELS CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE FROM DESSERTS,

TO TROPICAL RAINFORESTS, AND IN WOODS ACROSS AMERICA.

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY,

BIOLOGIST AND SQUIRREL EXPERT DR. AMANDA ROBIN

IS MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT SQUIRRELS DO

BEFORE HIDING THEIR FOOD.

SHE'S TAKING HER FANCY SQUIRREL TEST INTO THE CAMPUS FOREST

TO FIND OUT HOW THEY CHOOSE THEIR NUTS

AND HOW THEY HIDE THOUSANDS OF THEM IN A WAY

THEY CAN FIND MONTHS LATER.

HAZELNUTS AND PEANUTS WILL LURE THE SQUIRRELS

TOWARDS REMOTE CAMERAS, ALLOWING ROBIN AN UP-CLOSE VIEW

OF THEIR INCREDIBLE NUT-BURYING BEHAVIOR.

AND IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG FOR OUR NUT LURE

TO BE SNIFFED OUT BY OUR FIRST BUSHY-TAILED VISITOR.

BUT IT DOESN'T GRAB AND GO.

FIRST, THE NUT IS PUT THROUGH SQUIRREL QUALITY CONTROL.

A QUICK SNIFF CHECKS IF IT'S ROTTEN,

THEN A CLOSE UP INSPECTION.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO TURN IT IN THEIR PAWS,

AND THEY'RE CHECKING FOR HOLES AND CRACKS.

Narrator: A CRACKED SHELL MEANS IT WILL ROT IN THE GROUND,

NO GOOD FOR BURYING.

FINALLY, THE SHAKE TEST.

Robin: IT'S CONFIRMING THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY A SEED

IN THAT POD, AND GETTING A ROUGH ESTIMATED WEIGHT OF THAT ITEM.

Narrator: ONCE THEY FIND A PERFECT NUT,

HOW DO THEY CHOOSE A PERFECT HIDING PLACE?

MOST SQUIRRELS ARE SCATTER HOARDERS.

THEY HIDE THEIR NUTS OVER VAST AREAS, UP TO SEVEN-ACRES WIDE.

THAT'S BIGGER THAN FIVE FOOTBALL FIELDS.

IT'S A HUGE AREA TO FIND THOSE NUTS.

AND EVEN THOUGH THEIR SENSE OF SMELL IS AS GOOD AS DOG'S,

SURPRISINGLY THEY DON'T JUST SIMPLY SNIFF THE NUTS OUT.

SQUIRRELS ARE ACTUALLY USING A LOT MORE MEMORY THAN SMELL

WHEN FINDING THEIR OWN BURIED NUTS.

Narrator: REMEMBERING THE LOCATIONS OF UP TO 10,000 NUTS?

I COULDN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHERE MY CAR KEYS WERE THIS MORNING.

SO HOW DO THEY DO IT?

IT TURNS OUT, THEY USE A KIND OF MEMORY MAP.

IMAGINE YOU'RE TRYING TO COME UP

WITH A GREAT LUNCH SPOT IN MANHATTAN.

IT COULD BE THE BEST PIZZA IS BY TIMES SQUARE,

AND THE TASTIEST MEXICAN MIGHT BE A BLOCK PAST

THE GROCERY STORE ON THE RIGHT.

WE USE LANDMARKS TO HELP US FIND OUR WAY.

WELL, SQUIRRELS DO THE SAME.

Robin: THEY'RE ACTUALLY REMEMBERING WHERE THEY ARE

AND BUILDING SPACIAL MAPS THAT INCLUDE LANDMARKS

OF THINGS AROUND THEM.

Narrator: LIKE ON TOP OF THAT TREE STUMP, BESIDE THAT BUSH,

OR UNDER THAT PARK BENCH.

SO SQUIRRELS DO HAVE A KIND OF NUT-GPS,

IT'S JUST IN THEIR HEADS.

NEXT, THEY USE AN INGENIOUS ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY.

SQUIRRELS CHOOSE WHERE TO BURY THEIR NUTS

BY WHAT TYPE OF NUT IT IS.

Robin: THEY MIGHT PUT ALL OF THEIR HAZELNUTS IN ONE PLACE

AND ALL OF THEIR PEANUTS IN ANOTHER PLACE

AS A WAY TO HELP THEM REMEMBER WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE.

Narrator: IT'S A BIT LIKE NEW YORK HAS CHINATOWN.

GO THERE, AND YOU'LL KNOW THERE'S LO MEIN.

GO TO LITTLE ITALY, AND YOU'LL GET GREAT PASTA.

IN THE SQUIRREL WORLD,

IT'S HAZELNUTVILLE AND PEANUTBURG.

USING THEIR MEMORY AND MAPPING TECHNIQUES,

THESE FURRY MASTERMINDS HAVE A PHENOMENAL

90% SUCCESS RATE RECOVERING NUTS.

IT TURNS OUT, SQUIRRELS REALLY ARE NATURE'S NUTTY PROFESSORS.

SWEET GOLDEN HONEY.

IT'S NOT JUST DELICIOUS, IT INCREASES BRAIN POWER.

BUT HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW IT'S MADE?

HOW DO BEES MAKE HONEY?

[ BEES BUZZING ]

ACROSS THE PLANET,

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES BUZZ THROUGH FORESTS AND WOODS.

ALL FEAST ON POLLEN AND NECTAR FROM FLOWERS.

BUT ONLY A FEW SPECIES CAN TURN NECTAR INTO HONEY.

[ BEES BUZZING ]

EXAMINING THEIR HONEY MAKING PROCESS

REVEALS THEIR RECIPE IS GROSS.

DON'T GET ANGRY, GUYS.

YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING IT LIKE IT IS.

TURNS OUT, HONEY IS A SORT OF BEE BARF.

YES, AS IN BEE VOMIT.

EW.

TO MAKE HONEY, FIRST BEES SUCK NECTAR.

ENZYMES IN ITS BEE SALIVA BREAK DOWN THE NECTAR

INTO SIMPLE SUGARS.

THEN, THAT'S SUCKED INTO ONE OF THEIR TWO STOMACHS.

A SPECIALIZED HONEY STOMACH DOESN'T DIGEST THE LIQUID.

INSTEAD, IT ABSORBS WATER FROM IT,

CONCENTRATING IT INTO A SUPER-STRENGTH SUGARY JUICE.

AND THAT'S WHEN IT GETS REALLY GROSS.

BECAUSE THE BEE THEN REGURGITATES IT.

THAT CLEAR STUFF COMING OUT OF ITS MOUTH,

THAT'S REGURGITATED SUGAR JUICE.

THEN, ANOTHER BEE SUCKS UP THAT SUGARY SICK -- UGH!

EACH TIME IT DOES THIS, IT TAKES WATER FROM THE JUICE.

THEN, MORE BARFING, MORE SUCKING, AND MORE BARFING

UNTIL THE WATER CONTENT DROPS FROM 80% TO A GLOOPY 20%.

AND...

[ CHOIR SINGING ]

...IT'S HONEY.

YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

YOUR SWEET TOOTH CRAVES BEE BARF.

FINALLY, THAT INCREDIBLE HONEY THEN MAKES IT

ALL THE WAY TO YOUR BREAKFAST TABLE.

UH, NOT SURE ABOUT THE NEW MARKETING, GUYS.

♪♪

[ BUZZING ]

COMING UP, EXCITABLE REPTILES, FIRING FANGS,

AND SPACE-TRAVELING BUGS.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: THERE ARE AROUND 600 SPECIES OF VENOMOUS SNAKES

ACROSS THE PLANET DISHING OUT MORE THAN

FIVE MILLION BITES A YEAR.

THEY CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE ON EARTH, SAVE THE POLES.

YOU DON'T WANT TO WIND THEM UP OR GET THEM RATTLED.

IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY ALTOGETHER.

BUT THERE'S ONE SNAKE THAT CAN DELIVER ITS DEADLY VENOM

FROM A DISTANCE, THE APTLY NAMED SPITTING COBRA.

GET TOO CLOSE, AND YOU COULD BE IN THE FIRING LINE.

BUT WHY DO COBRAS SPIT?

THERE ARE 19 SPECIES OF COBRA THAT CAN SPIT VENOM.

AND ONE OF THE MOST TOXIC IS THE MOZAMBIQUE SPITTING COBRA.

UP TO FIVE-FEET LONG, THEY'RE CONSIDERED

ONE OF THE DEADLIEST SNAKES IN AFRICA.

WITH A BITE THAT CAN KILL ITS PREY IN MINUTES.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ITS SPITTING SKILLS,

SNAKE EXPERT DONALD STRYDOM...

-GET MY GOGGLES HERE. -...IS PUTTING THIS COILED COBRA

TO THE TEST.

[ DRAMATIC CHORD STRIKES ]

AND THIS TOXIC SUPER-SOAKER HAS A PARTICULAR VENOM

IT CAN SPIT UP TO SIX FEET.

THE MOZAMBIQUE SPITTING COBRA IS BEING PROVIDED

WITH A CYTOTOXIN, CELL-DESTROYING VENOM.

NOW, THIS VENOM IS HARMLESS ON YOUR SKIN,

DANGEROUS ON YOUR EYES.

IT IS EXTREMELY PAINFUL, IMMEDIATELY BLINDS YOU.

Narrator: TO DEMONSTRATE HOW ACCURATELY IT SPITS,

DONALD HAS BROUGHT A FRIEND ALONG.

THIS IS JEFF, AND HE'S GOING TO MEET

THIS MOZAMBIQUE SPITTING COBRA FACE TO FACE.

I'VE GOT A PICTURE HERE THAT I'M GOING TO BE USING

AS A TARGET JUST TO TRY AND ESTABLISH

WHAT DOES THE SPITTING COBRA SPIT AT?

Narrator: AND THIS IS JEFF'S BIG CHANCE TO PROVE

HE WON'T FOLD UNDER THE PRESSURE.

♪♪

THE COBRA'S EYES ARE FIRMLY FIXED ON JEFF'S PAPERY FACE.

AND WHEN THE COBRA SEES THAT JEFF IS NOT BACKING DOWN...

...IT LETS HIM HAVE IT

WITH BOTH BARRELS.

Strydom: THE VENOM IS DIRECTED IN A CONTINUAL SPINNING MOTION,

WHICH SPLATTERS THE VENOM

STRAIGHT INTO THE FACE OF THAT IMAGE.

THAT WOULD HAVE MOST CERTAINLY BLINDED THIS PERSON.

Narrator: AND SCIENTISTS RECENTLY DISCOVERED

THAT THESE SPITTING COBRAS DON'T JUST HIT THE FACE,

THEY CAN HIT THE EYES EVERY TIME --

EVEN WITH A MOVING TARGET.

BUT HOW ARE THEY SO ACCURATE?

DONALD IS ABOUT TO PUT JEFF BACK IN THE FIRING LINE.

IN THE REAL WORLD, OUT THERE IN THE BUSH,

SOME PREDATOR ATTACKING THIS COBRA

WOULD BE BOUNCING ALL OVER THE PLACE,

LEFT AND RIGHT, FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS

AND TRYING TO DODGE THE STRIKE OF THE SNAKE.

THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE A VERY DIFFICULT TARGET TO AIM ON.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND SIMULATE THE MOVEMENT OF AN ENEMY

AND SEE IF WE CAN NOTICE ANY PREDICTIVE MOVEMENT.

Narrator: NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE COBRA WILL STUDY ITS TARGET,

ANALYZING THE DISTANCE, SPEED, AND PATH OF THEIR MOVEMENT

SO IT CAN ANTICIPATE ITS NEXT MOVE AND DELIVER VENOM

WITH ALL THE ACCURACY OF A TRAINED SNIPER.

BULLS EYE.

I MEAN, JEFF'S EYE.

YOU CAN SEE ITS HEAD FOLLOWING THE TARGET.

Narrator: WHETHER HIGH OR LOW, GREEN OR BROWN,

THE SNAKE WILL FIND THE EYES.

AND, INCREDIBLY, THEY CAN MAKE THESE CALCULATIONS

IN JUST 200 MILLISECONDS.

THAT'S JUST HALF A BLINK.

LOTS OF ANIMALS WILL TRY TO EAT THE MOZAMBIQUE SPITTING COBRA.

AND THAT'S WHEN IT USES THE VENOM TO BLIND THEM

AND TO MAKE AN ESCAPE.

Narrator: SO IF YOU'RE SMART, YOU'LL NEVER COME WITHIN

SIX FEET OF A MOZAMBIQUE SPITTING COBRA.

AND IF YOU EVER DO, REMEMBER, ALWAYS CLOSE YOUR EYES.

ISN'T THAT RIGHT, JEFF?

COMING UP, MASSIVE REPTILES DO A DELICATE DANCE.

AND BUGS BLAST OFF INTO SPACE.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: 1944, NEW YORK CITY.

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

IS HOSTING A FUNDRAISING ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE

NEAR ITS HANDFUL OF LIVE ANIMAL EXHIBITS.

BUT AS THE BIG BRASS SECTION HITS A LOW B-FLAT,

OSCAR, THE RESIDENT ALLIGATOR, GETS VERY EXCITED

AS IF TUBAS ARE HIS FAVORITE INSTRUMENT

AND B-FLAT, HIS FAVORITE NOTE.

WAS THIS A ONE-OFF THING, OR DO ALL ALLIGATORS REACT TO MUSIC?

WEIGHING UP TO 1,000 POUNDS AND ARMED WITH 80 TEETH,

THE BIGGEST AND MOST DANGEROUS REPTILE

IN THE U.S. IS THE AMERICAN ALLIGATOR.

5 MILLION SWIM THROUGH SWAMPS AND LAKES

ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN STATES.

AND AT ST. AUGUSTINE ALLIGATOR FARM IN FLORIDA,

REPTILE EXPERT JIM DARLINGTON HAS BEEN GETTING UP CLOSE.

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLING ]

SOMETIMES TOO CLOSE.

Darlington: BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED AMERICAN ALLIGATORS

HERE AT OUR ZOO.

THIS AREA THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IS SOME OF OUR LARGEST.

THEY GET OVER 13 FEET IN HERE.

Narrator: JIM'S HEARD THE 1944 STORY OF THE TUBA-LOVING GATOR

AND WANTS TO KNOW IF OTHER GATORS

ARE MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS, TOO.

SO HE'S INVITED ALONG AN ORCHESTRAL MUSICIAN,

JAMES JENKINS.

Darlington: WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY IS PLAY WHAT WE HOPE

IS THE PERFECT NOTE ON A TUBA, THE B-FLAT.

Narrator: THE PLAN IS TO SEE IF THE GATORS REACT TO THE SOUND.

RIGHT.

GO FOR IT, JAMES.

[ TUBA PLAYS ]

[ TUBA PLAYS ]

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

[ TUBA PLAYS ]

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

WOW!

NOW THAT'S SOME RESPONSE.

[ TUBA PLAYS ]

THEY'RE COMMUNICATING AUDIBLY AND VISUALLY

BY STICKING THEIR SELVES UP OUT OF THE WATER.

AND THEY ELEVATE THEIR HEAD AND TAIL OUT OF THE WATER

AND TAKE A BIG, DEEP BREATH.

AND THERE'S A RUMBLING, BREATHY, EVEN A VOCAL ROARING SOUND.

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

Narrator: AND THE TUBA TRIGGERS ANOTHER INCREDIBLE REACTION.

VIBRATING AT A PRECISE FREQUENCY SENDS THE WATER ON THEIR BACK

FLYING INTO THE AIR AS TINY FOUNTAINS,

RESULTING IN A MESMERIZING SHOW.

Jenkins: IT'S FASCINATING. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT.

IT SOUNDED TO ME AS THOUGH THEY WERE PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC.

REALLY FANTASTIC.

[ TUBA PLAYS ]

Narrator: AND AS JAMES RESUMES PLAYING, MORE GATORS JOIN IN.

[ ALLIGATORS GROWLING ]

ONCE ONE ALLIGATOR STARTS BELLOWING,

THEN THAT REALLY KIND OF GETS THEM IN GEAR.

Narrator: SO WHAT IS IT ABOUT A TUBA THAT MAKES THEM

BELLOW AND DANCE?

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

WELL, FOR THE ALLIGATORS,

IT SOUNDS LIKE ANOTHER GATOR'S ROAR.

IT TURNS OUT THAT A B-FLAT ON A TUBA

MATCHES PERFECTLY TO AN ALLIGATOR.

Narrator: IT'S THE GATOR'S ONE-NOTE SONG.

BELLOWING IS A TERRITORIAL DISPLAY.

SO MALE ALLIGATORS AND OTHER CROCODILIA WILL DO THIS

TO ESTABLISH THEIR LITTLE PERSONAL BUBBLES.

Narrator: BUT JIM BELIEVES THIS ROARING AND DANCING

CAN HAVE ANOTHER, MORE ROMANTIC PURPOSE...

AS A MATING CALL.

BY BELLOWING, THAT'S THEIR, YOU KNOW, YELLING,

"HEY, I'M OVER HERE."

SO FOR ALLIGATORS THAT CAN'T BE SEEN IN THE SWAMPS

BY OTHER ALLIGATORS, THEY CAN BE HEARD.

AND THE FEMALES WILL MOVE INTO THAT AREA.

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

Narrator: YES, THIS SOUND MEANS LOVE IS IN THE AIR.

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

AND THE ROAR AND DANCE ROUTINE

IS THE BEST WAY FOR A MALE TO IMPRESS THE LADIES.

BECAUSE IT SHOWS OFF THEIR STRENGTH AND SIZE.

THE LOUDER THE ROAR AND GREATER THE WATER DANCE,

THE BIGGER AND STRONGER THE GATOR.

IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF FLEXING THEIR MUSCLES.

AND JAMES' TUBA IS REPLICATING THE SOUND

OF THIS ALLIGATOR SEDUCTION.

SO, JAMES, HOW DOES IT FEEL FLIRTING WITH AN ALLIGATOR?

ANOTHER THING I CAN ADD TO MY REPERTOIRE, I GUESS.

[ TUBA PLAYS ]

BEST NOT GET TOO CLOSE, JAMES.

[ ALLIGATOR GROWLS ]

COMING UP...

[Echoing] BUGS IN SPACE!

Narrator: SPACE, THE FINAL FRONTIER.

AND THE DEADLIEST.

A HUMAN WOULD LAST ONLY A COUPLE OF MINUTES

WITHOUT A SPACE SUIT BEFORE SUFFOCATING

AND FREEZING TO DEATH.

IN FACT, NO EARTHLY ANIMAL CAN SURVIVE

THESE LETHAL CONDITIONS FOR LONG.

WELL, EXCEPT ONE CREATURE.

IT'S THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SAND,

AND IT'S CALLED THE TARDIGRADE.

HOW DOES A BUG SURVIVE IN SPACE?

Man: THREE, TWO, ONE.

Narrator: IN 2007, THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

FOTON M3 MISSION ROCKETED THOUSANDS

OF TINY TARDIGRADES INTO SPACE.

THESE EIGHT-LEGGED AND STRANGELY CUTE MICRO-ANIMALS

ARE NICKNAMED WATER BEARS

BECAUSE THEY USUALLY LIVE IN WATER,

AND IF YOU REALLY SQUINT,

THEY LOOK A BIT LIKE MINISCULE BEARS.

IN THEIR SPACESHIP, FAR, FAR AWAY FROM THEIR HOME,

THESE TINY ASTRONAUTS WERE EXPOSED TO THE VACUUM OF SPACE.

WHEN THEY RETURNED TO EARTH, TO EVERYONE'S SURPRISE,

NEARLY ALL OF THEM WERE STILL ALIVE.

BUT HOW?

TURNS OUT, THEY SURVIVED BY GOING INTO A UNIQUE FORM

OF SUSPENDED ANIMATION.

IN THE DRYNESS OF SPACE, THEIR BODY'S WATER EVAPORATES.

BUT THE TARDIGRADE REPLACES IT WITH A PROTEIN.

IT THEN SHUTS DOWN EVERYTHING EXCEPT VITAL PROCESSES

TO KEEP IT JUST ALIVE.

IN THIS STATE, IT DOESN'T MOVE OR BREATHE.

AND THAT MEANS IT DOESN'T NEED HEAT OR OXYGEN.

SO THE THINGS IN SPACE THAT ALMOST INSTANTLY KILL US

AND ALL OTHER ANIMALS DON'T HARM THEM.

THE ONLY THING THAT CAN HURT THE TARDIGRADES IN SPACE

IS SOLAR RADIATION THAT SLOWLY COOKS THEM.

AWAY FROM A STAR, IT'S POSSIBLE THEY COULD LIVE FOR DECADES.

SO, THIS TINY BUG'S INCREDIBLE SURVIVAL SKILLS

HAVE GOT SOME THINKING,

"WELL, IF THEY CAN SURVIVE SPACE,

MAYBE THEY ARE ALIENS FROMSPACE."

IT'S AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD THEORY,

BUT KNOWING WHAT THESE HARDY TARDIGRADES CAN LIVE THROUGH,

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER, LITTLE GUY.

♪♪