All language subtitles for How Do Animals Do That S02 E14_track3_[eng]

♪♪

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 DROWNED ANTS NOT DROWN?

WHY DON'T WOODPECKERS
GET HEADACHES?

AND HOW DOES A 15-FOOT OCTOPUS
ESCAPE THROUGH A 3-INCH HOLE?

THESE WONDERS AND MORE ON...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

A FAMILY PICNIC IN THE PARK --

DELIGHTFUL SCENERY,
DELICIOUS FOOD...

[ RECORD SCRATCH]

BUT THERE'S ONE PESKY PEST
THAT SPOILS THE PARTY.

NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY,
THE FLY ALMOST ALWAYS GETS AWAY.

[ FLIES BUZZING ]

INFURIATING YET FASCINATING,

THE BUG-EYED FLY HAS BEEN
BUZZING ACROSS THE PLANET

FOR OVER 214 MILLION YEARS.

THAT MEANS THEY EVEN ANNOYED
THE DINOSAURS.

[ DINOSAUR ROARS ]

THEIR LONG-TERM SURVIVAL

IS A RESULT
OF THEIR BRILLIANT ABILITY

TO EVADE CAPTURE AND SQUISHING.

WHEN IT COMES TO
LANDING A DIRECT HIT,

THE FLY IS ALWAYS
ONE STEP AHEAD OF US.

BUT HOW?

WELL, TRYING TO STUDY
THESE GUYS IN THE WILD

IS AS TRICKY AS SWATTING THEM,

SO WE'VE COME
TO CALTECH IN PASADENA.

HERE, FLY GUY
DR. MICHAEL DICKINSON

HAS A FUTURISTIC WAY
TO STUDY THESE ANCIENT BUGS.

HE'S PUTTING THEM
IN A SCI-FI-STYLE MACHINE

THAT ALLOWS HIM TO CAPTURE
THE BEHAVIOR OF FLIES

IN AMAZING DETAIL.

WELCOME TO THE FLYING ARENA.

Dickinson: THIS IS
A CUSTOM-DESIGNED DEVICE --

BASICALLY A WAY THAT WE CAN LET
FLIES PLAY A LITTLE VIDEO GAME.

Narrator: A FLY IS TEMPORARILY
TIED TO A TETHER.

FLY LOVERS, FEAR NOT.

IT WILL ESCAPE UNHARMED.

TO STIMULATE THE FLY,
COMPUTER-CONTROLLED LIGHTS

SIMULATE INCOMING OBJECTS,

LIKE A FLYSWATTER
COMING IN FOR THE KILL.

SUPER-FAST CAMERAS ALLOW MICHAEL
TO MONITOR HOW THE FLY REACTS.

Dickinson: SO WE HAVE A CAMERA
THAT MEASURES THE MOTION,

AND WITH THE CAMERA,
WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER THE FLIES

ARE TRYING TO TURN TO THE LEFT
OR TURN TO THE RIGHT.

Narrator: OKAY.
TIME TO PLAY.

MICHAEL FIRES UP THE ENGINE,
AND THE FLY STARTS TO REACT.

NO MATTER WHERE
THE STIMULUS COMES FROM,

IT EVOKES A REACTION IN THE FLY.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF
FLY DEFENSE NUMBER ONE --

ITS EYES.

THOUSANDS OF
FIXED INDIVIDUAL LENSES

POINTING IN ALL DIRECTIONS

GIVE IT CLOSE
TO 360-DEGREE VISION,

SO THERE'S NO
SNEAKING UP ON A FLY.

Dickinson:
OH, DID YOU SEE THAT?

ITS LEGS JUST FLICKED OUT
IN RESPONSE

TO THE EXPANDING SPOT.

Narrator: ITS NEXT DEFENSE
IS SPEED OF REACTION.

IN THIS CASE, MOVING ITS LEGS,

A FLY CAN SHIFT
THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT.

Dickinson: THERE IS A NICE TURN
TO THE RIGHT.

THIS FLY IS RESPONDING
VERY, VERY QUICKLY

TO THE OBJECT
THAT'S COMING TOWARDS IT.

Narrator: MICHAEL'S TEST REVEALS
THAT FLIES HAVE

AN ALMOST SUPERNATURAL REACTION
SPEED OF 100 MILLISECONDS,

A QUARTER OF THE TIME
IT TAKES A HUMAN TO BLINK.

Dickinson: FLIES LIKE THIS HAVE
VERY, VERY TINY BRAINS,

ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SALT GRAIN,

BUT THEY CAN PROCESS INFORMATION
VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

Narrator:
SO NOT CLEVER, BUT SUPER-FAST.

A HUMAN BRAIN CAN TAKE IN,
AT MOST, 60 IMAGES A SECOND.

A FLY CAN HANDLE 250,

MORE THAN ANY ANIMAL ON EARTH,

WHICH MEANS FLIES SEE THE WORLD
IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

IT WOULD BE ALMOST LIKE
SEEING THE WORLD IN SLOW MOTION.

Narrator: SO AN ATTEMPTED SWAT
THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS TO US

LOOKS LIKE THIS TO A FLY.

MICHAEL'S TEST
ALSO REVEALS THAT,

AS WELL AS SUPER VISION
AND SUPER-FAST BRAINS,

FLIES ALSO HAVE
SUPER-FAST WINGS.

THEY BEAT 200 TIMES A SECOND,

MAKING FLIES ONE OF
THE FASTEST FLAPPERS IN NATURE.

DISPLACING AIR AT THAT SPEED
IS WHAT MAKES THE ANNOYING BUZZ,

BUT THESE WINGS CAN ALSO
TURN A FLY 120 DEGREES

IN A TENTH OF A SECOND.

Dickinson:
OOP. THERE'S ANOTHER RAPID TURN.

THAT TIME IT'S TO THE RIGHT.

Narrator: SO NO MATTER HOW FAST
YOU TRY TO SWAT A FLY,

THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU.

MICHAEL, FOR ONE,
IS OKAY WITH THAT.

LIKE FLYING FRIENDS, HE'S RATHER
PLEASED THEY GET AWAY.

THINK BEFORE YOU SWAT

BECAUSE THEY'RE WONDERFUL
LITTLE CREATURES

CAPABLE OF FANTASTIC BEHAVIORS.

[ FROG CROAKING ]

[ ELEPHANT TRUMPETS ]

Narrator:
THROUGHOUT THE ANIMAL KINGDOM,

THERE'S ONE PART OF THE BODY

EVERY CREATURE NEEDS
TO KEEP SAFE --

ITS HEAD.

SAFETY FIRST.

SO WHEN WE SEE A BIRD'S
HEAD-BANGING HAS GONE HAYWIRE,

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

FOR ANY OTHER ANIMAL,
THIS MUCH HEAD-BANGING

WOULD BE A RECIPE
FOR A VERY SORE HEAD, SO...

♪♪

ACROSS AFRICA, ASIA, AND EUROPE,
WHERE THERE'S WOOD,

THERE'S LIKELY TO BE
A WOODPECKER PECKING ON IT.

WHY DO THEY DO IT?

WOODPECKERS DRILL HOLES
TO MAKE A LITTLE WOODEN NEST,

TO MAKE LITTLE WOODEN
STOREHOUSES TO KEEP FOOD,

AND THEY ALSO DRILL
FOR DELICIOUS INSECTS

UNDER TREE BARK.

BUT TO GET THROUGH THE WOOD,

EACH PECK FROM
THESE TINY JACKHAMMERS

DELIVERS A MASSIVE AMOUNT
OF FORCE.

IN FACT, ONE PECK DELIVERS
OVER SIX TIMES THE FORCE

OF A HUMAN HEAD HITTING
A CAR WINDSHIELD

IN A 30-MILE-AN-HOUR CAR CRASH.

OUR BRAIN MIGHT NOT
SURVIVE THE IMPACT,

BUT WOODPECKERS
SMASH THEIR HEADS THAT HARD

22 TIMES A SECOND
AS MANY AS 12,000 TIMES A DAY,

SO HOW DO THEY SURVIVE?

CREDIT GOES TO
THE WOODPECKER'S TONGUE.

THAT'S RIGHT -- THEIR TONGUE.

A WOODPECKER HAS A LONG BEAK,

BUT ITS TOUGH LITTLE TONGUE
IS THREE TIMES LONGER,

AND IT STRETCHES
RIGHT BACK INTO THE SKULL.

A WOODPECKER'S TONGUE IS
SUPPORTED BY A SPECIAL BONE,

WHICH WRAPS COMPLETELY AROUND
THE WOODPECKER'S SKULL

AND ACTS LIKE A SAFETY BELT,

KEEPING THE SKULL SECURE
DURING IMPACTS.

THE SKULL ITSELF IS MADE OF
SPONGE-LIKE BONE

UNIQUE TO WOODPECKERS

THAT ABSORBS IMPACT
AROUND THE BRAIN.

WOODPECKERS' AMAZING ANATOMY

MEANS THEY CAN KEEP HEAD-BANGING
ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.

WHEN IT COMES TO
USING THEIR HEADS,

WOODPECKERS ARE
TOP OF THE PECKING ORDER.

COMING UP...
-THERE HE GOES.

Narrator:
...THE GREAT SLITHERY ESCAPE,

MORE TONGUE TWISTERS,

AND INSECT MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.

♪♪

Narrator:
OFF THE COAST OF ALASKA,

A FISHING BOAT IS PULLING IN
ITS LATEST HAUL,

BUT AMONG THE FISH,
AN UNEXPECTED CATCH --

A GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS.

Man: WOW!

HE'S SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: THE DECK IS SEALED
EXCEPT FOR A FEW SMALL HOLES

WHICH DRAIN WATER
BACK INTO THE SEA.

THE HOLE IS THE SIZE
OF A SODA CAN,

BUT THIS OCTOPUS
IS MORE LIKE A 24-PACK.

AND THIS CEPHALOPOD
IS LIKE HARRY HOUDINI.

INCREDIBLY, THE OCTOPUS
SQUEEZES THROUGH THE GAP

AND MAKES ITS ESCAPE.

DANNY ALEXANDER HAS BEEN
CARING FOR MARINE ANIMALS

AT TENNESSEE AQUARIUM
FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.

AMONG HIS CHARGES IS A MEMBER
OF THE VERY SAME SPECIES

THAT ESCAPED
FROM THE FISHING BOAT.

WE HAVE A GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS.

THIS IS LINDA.

Narrator:
THE GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS

IS THE LARGEST SPECIES
IN THE WORLD.

THEY CAN HAVE AN ARM SPAN
OF MORE THAN 16 FEET,

AND DANNY KNOWS ONLY TOO WELL
HOW GOOD THEY ARE AT ESCAPING.

OCTOPUSES ARE DEFINITELY
MASTERS OF ESCAPE.

HOUDINI WOULD'VE BEEN PROUD
OF THE METHODS OCTOPUSES HAVE,

SO THEY'RE TOO SMART
FOR THEIR OWN GOOD.

Narrator: THE FIRST THING
YOU NEED TO BE AN ESCAPOLOGIST

IS BRAINS.

Man: WOW!

Narrator: AND LUCKILY,
AN OCTOPUS HAS NINE OF THEM.

AS WELL AS A LARGE
CENTRAL BRAIN,

THE OCTOPUS' EIGHT ARMS ARE ALSO
PACKED WITH MILLIONS OF NEURONS,

WHICH MEANS EACH ONE
IS LIKE ANOTHER BRAIN IN ITSELF.

IT'S LIKE EACH TENTACLE
HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN,

SEARCHING
THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN

FOR A POSSIBLE ESCAPE ROUTE.

Man:
HE'S SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: THE NINE-BRAIN
SMARTY-PUSS SEA CREATURE

WANTS TO FIND A WAY OUT,

BUT ITS FIRST CHALLENGE
IS TO MOVE AROUND THE BOAT.

IN THE SEA,
THE OCTOPUS GETS AROUND

BY BLOWING WATER
THROUGH A JET-LIKE VALVE.

ON DECK, THAT DOESN'T WORK.

SO INSTEAD, IT MAKES USE OF
ITS SUPER-SPECIALIZED SUCKERS.

GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS HAVE
MORE THAN 2,000 OF THEM,

WHICH MAKES LINDA A BIT CLINGY.

EACH SUCTION CUP CAN HOLD
ABOUT 35 POUNDS.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE WRESTLING
WITH LIVE SPAGHETTI --

SPAGHETTI THAT STICKS TO YOU
LIKE GLUE.

Narrator: THIS LITTLE SUCKER
WITH MORE BRAINS THAN EINSTEIN

HAS MANAGED TO FIND A GAP,

BUT DOES THIS GAP
LEAD TO SEA AND FREEDOM?

LUCKILY, THOSE SUCKERS
AREN'T JUST GOOD FOR SUCKING.

THEY CAN SMELL LIKE A NOSE
AND TASTE LIKE A TONGUE.

THEY CAN TASTE
WITH THEIR SUCTION CUPS,

SO MAYBE I TASTE GOOD.

I DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: THE SUCKER ON
AN OCTOPUS HAS A SENSE OF TASTE

1,000 TIMES
MORE SENSITIVE THAN OURS,

SO EVEN IF IT CAN'T SEE
THE WATER,

IT CAN SENSE IT --

IN THIS CASE, LYING ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF A TINY HOLE.

BUT HOW WILL IT GET THROUGH?

THE OCTOPUS' HEAD ALONE
IS AT LEAST 12 INCHES WIDE,

SO MUCH BIGGER
THAN THE 3-INCH HOLE.

YOU'VE HEARD OF ESCAPE ARTISTS
GETTING OUT OF TIGHT SPOTS

BY DISLOCATING BONES.

WELL, A CRAFTY OCTOPUS CAN
GET THROUGH TIGHT SPOTS

BY NOT HAVING ANY.

Alexander: SINCE THEY DON'T HAVE
BONES, THEY'RE INVERTEBRATES.

THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE JELL-O --

JELL-O WITH PURPOSE
AND MOVEMENT.

Narrator: THE ONLY PART OF
AN OCTOPUS THAT CAN'T BE SHRUNK

TO ALMOST NOTHING
IS ITS FOOD-CHOMPING BEAK,

AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S HARD.

THE BEAK'S MADE OF KERATIN,

WHICH IS LIKE THE SAME MATERIAL
YOUR FINGERNAILS ARE MADE OF,

SO AS LONG AS IT'S A LITTLE BIT
BIGGER THAN THEIR BEAK,

THEY CAN SLITHER INTO
THE SMALLEST OF OPENINGS.

Narrator:
WITH THE STRANGE ABILITY

TO SQUEEZE THROUGH
SUPER-SMALL GAPS,

THE STOWAWAY SLIDES TO FREEDOM.

Man:
THERE HE GOES.

WOW!

Narrator: SO OUR OCTOPUS HOUDINI
WAS ABLE TO USE

ITS JELL-O-LIKE BODY,
ITS BRAINY ARMS,

AND SENSITIVE SUCKERS,

AND THESE SUPER ESCAPE SKILLS
ARE USEFUL IN THE WILD, TOO.

WHEN A PREDATOR COMES ALONG,
THESE SLITHERY SHAPE-SHIFTERS

USE THEIR AMAZING SKILLS TO
HIDE AWAY AND STAY OUT OF REACH.

SO LONG, SUCKERS!

[ DUCK QUACKS ]

COMING UP --

HOW TINY ANTS SURVIVE
MONSTER FLOODS

AND WHY GIRAFFE TONGUES
HAVE GONE TO THE DARK SIDE.

♪♪

Narrator: EVERY YEAR,
ENOUGH RAIN FALLS IN THE U.S.

TO FILL LAKE ERIE 10 TIMES OVER.

THAT'S A LOT OF WATER,
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE AN ANT.

A DROP OF RAIN LANDING ON AN ANT

IS LIKE A CAR LANDING
ON YOU OR ME,

AND IF A DOWNPOUR BECOMES
A FLOOD,

ENTIRE COLONIES OF ANTS
COULD BE WIPED OUT,

BUT SOMEHOW THEY'RE NOT.

ANT COLONIES CAN BE MASSIVE.

THE BIGGEST ARE BURSTING
WITH MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS,

AND BECAUSE MANY SPECIES
LIVE IN SOGGY AREAS,

SOME, LIKE THE LEAFCUTTER,

HAVE DEVELOPED WAYS
TO OUTMANEUVER FLOODING RAIN.

THEY SCURRY UP TREES,

CARRYING THEIR BABY-ANT LARVAE
AWAY FROM THE WATER,

BUT ONE SPECIES, THE EXTREME
SURVIVALISTS OF THE ANT WORLD,

HAS TAKEN ITS WET-WEATHER
TACTICS TO AN EPIC LEVEL --

THE RED FIRE ANT.

THESE ANTS ARE NATIVE
TO SOUTH AMERICA

BUT HAVE INVADED PLACES
OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME RANGE.

THEY ARE NOW FOUND IN DOZENS
OF COUNTRIES ACROSS THE WORLD

AND HAVE SPREAD
TO THE SOUTHERN U.S.

PHILIP SHADEGG OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING
THESE INCREDIBLY TOUGH INSECTS

AND HOW THEY DEAL WITH WATER.

WHEN WORKING WITH FIRE ANTS,
GLOVES ARE RECOMMENDED.

THEY'RE CALLED FIRE ANTS
BECAUSE THEIR STING IS SAID

TO FEEL LIKE A LITTLE MATCH IS
BEING PRESSED INTO YOUR SKIN.

IT CERTAINLY IS UNPLEASANT.

SO ANT VENOM IS EFFECTIVELY
A CELL-KILLER.

I HAVE BEEN STUNG MANY TIMES.

WHEN I AM STUNG,
I ACTUALLY DEVELOP, LIKE,

A LARGE RASH OR A BRUISE.

Narrator: PHIL'S WHIPPING UP
A SMALL-SCALE ANT DISASTER.

HE PUTS THE FIRE ANTS
INTO EMERGENCY MODE.

JUST BY MOVING MY HAND,

I'M BASICALLY MAKING THEM THINK,
YOU KNOW,

"THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON.

WE HAVE TO BAND TOGETHER
AND PREP FOR SOMETHING."

Narrator: INSTEAD OF IT BEING
EVERY ANT FOR ITSELF,

THEY DO SOMETHING UNIQUE
IN THE ANT WORLD.

THEY LINK TOGETHER,
CREATING A STRANGE LIVING BALL,

AND WHEN PHIL PUTS IT
IN THE SIMULATED FLOOD,

SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENS.

Shadegg:
SO THEY'RE NOW IN THE WATER,

AND ANTS ARE FLOATING.

Narrator: THE PROTECTIVE
FIRE-ANT BALL BECOMES A RAFT.

DURING FLOODS IN AREAS
WHERE FIRE ANTS ARE FOUND,

YOU'LL SEE THIS --

RAFT AFTER RAFT
OF FLOATING COLONIES

MADE UP OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF FIRE ANTS.

BUT HOW DO THEY
TRANSFORM THEMSELVES

INTO FLOTATION DEVICES?

Shadegg:
EACH ANT HAS GRABBED ONTO
THE LEG OF ANOTHER ANT NEARBY,

AND THEY'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED

IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS STRUCTURE
THAT NOW FLOATS.

Narrator:
AND IT DOESN'T JUST FLOAT.

IT'S VIRTUALLY UNSINKABLE.

Shadegg:
YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'LL JUST
SORT OF SINK DOWN IN THE WATER,

AND THEN THEY'LL POP
RIGHT BACK UP

ONCE YOU STOP
PUTTING PRESSURE ON THEM.

Narrator:
IT'S LIKE A TEEMING LIFE RAFT

BUOYED BY AIR TRAPPED INSIDE IT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ANTS
BELOW THE WATERLINE?

SURELY, THEY CAN'T SURVIVE LONG
UNDERWATER.

WELL, ACTUALLY, THEY CAN.

INSTEAD OF LUNGS,
ANTS ABSORB OXYGEN

THROUGH A SERIES OF HOLES
ON THEIR BODIES

CALLED SPIRACLES.

THESE HOLES CAN CLOSE
WHEN SUBMERGED,

STOPPING WATER FROM GETTING IN.

IT'S BELIEVED THEY CAN SURVIVE
LIKE THIS,

EFFECTIVELY HOLDING
THEIR BREATH, FOR 24 HOURS.

AND THAT SHOULD BE LONG ENOUGH
FOR THE ANTS ON TOP

TO FIND DRY LAND
OR SOME FLOATING LOG.

Shadegg:
SOME ANTS WILL SEE AN OBJECT,

AND THEY'LL START
SWIMMING TOWARDS IT,

AND THEN OTHER ANTS THAT ARE
NEARBY SEE A BUNCH OF ANTS

STARTING TO, YOU KNOW --
ALL SWIMMING IN ONE DIRECTION,

AND SO THEY ALL WANT TO SWIM
IN THAT SAME DIRECTION.

Narrator:
AS SOON AS THE ANTS MAKE IT

TO FLOATING DEBRIS OR DRY LAND,

THE COLONY IS SAFE,

AND THE FLOOD HAS BEEN FOILED.

[ INSECTS BUZZING ]

COMING UP --
WHY ARE GIRAFFES' TONGUES BLACK?

Narrator:
ACROSS THE NATURAL WORLD,

TONGUES COME IN MANY SHAPES
AND SIZES...

[ TIGER GROWLS ]

...ALTHOUGH MAMMAL TONGUES
APPEAR

TO HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON --
THEY'RE PINK.

BUT THERE'S ONE ANIMAL
THAT SEEMS TO BREAK THE RULES.

LOOK AT THAT LICKER.

WHEN IT COMES TO ANATOMY,

GIRAFFE CLEARLY BELIEVE
IN MAKING IT BIG...

...AND NOT ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE.

A GIRAFFE'S TONGUE IS
A LOLLOPING 20 INCHES LONG,

AND IT'S SO AMAZINGLY DEXTEROUS,
IT WORKS LIKE A HAND,

WHICH IS, WELL, HANDY
WHEN IT NEEDS TO PLUCK LEAVES

FROM THE VERY TOP
OF AN ACACIA TREE.

THEIR TONGUES
ARE ALSO EXTRA STICKY.

THICK, ANTISEPTIC SALIVA

PREVENTS STABS
FROM ACACIA THORNS

FROM BECOMING INFECTED,

BUT NONE OF THAT EXPLAINS
WHY THEY ARE BLACK.

IN ALL MAMMALS, THE TONGUE IS
THE MOST FLEXIBLE MUSCLE

IN THE BODY,
AND LIKE OTHER MUSCLES,

THE BLOOD VESSELS
THAT RUN THROUGH THE TONGUE

USUALLY PROVIDE
THEIR REDDY-PINK COLOR.

SO YOU MIGHT BE FORGIVEN
FOR THINKING GIRAFFES

MUST HAVE BLACK INK FOR BLOOD,

BUT THIS CURIOUS COLOR
HELPS KEEP THE GIRAFFE'S TONGUE

FROM GETTING FRIED.

A GIRAFFE NEEDS 75 POUNDS
OF LEAVES A DAY

TO KEEP ITS GIANT FRAME
WELL-FED,

MEANING ITS TONGUE
IS OUT GRAZING

UNDER THE HOT AFRICAN SUN
20 HOURS A DAY.

THAT'S WHY A GIRAFFE'S
HARDWORKING TONGUE

IS LOADED
WITH DARK-COLORED MELANIN.

IT PROTECTS THE TONGUE
FROM SUNBURN.

THIS BIOLOGICAL PIGMENT IS
THE SAME STUFF

THAT MAKES HUMAN SKIN DARKER
AFTER EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT.

THE MELANIN ABSORBS UV LIGHT
AND PROTECTS THE DNA.

FOR THE GIRAFFE,
IT'S LIKE TONGUE SUNSCREEN,

AND THAT'S HOW THE GIRAFFE'S
POTENTIAL TONGUE BURN IS LICKED.