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We're used to seeing Britain
in a certain way.
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The big stuff.
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00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,560
But there's a much smaller Britain
right under our noses.
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00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,080
From a simple grain of sand
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00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:21,560
to some of the most complex designs
evolved by nature.
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00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:28,160
It's a fascinating, beautiful place
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00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,080
and is essential to all life
on our planet.
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00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:36,240
I'm George McGavin, a biologist,
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and I want to take you on a journey
round Britain,
10
00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,000
to show you this secret world.
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00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,360
To travel to the heart
of this tiny kingdom full of wonder
12
00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,560
and to take a close look
at its inhabitants.
13
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They're even living in our homes.
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It's time to get sucking.
15
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I want to show you
the animals and plants
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responsible for the air
we breathe...
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00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,000
for the land beneath our feet,
even for the food we eat.
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Oh, my hat's gone!
19
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That's what happens
when you're having fun
and you don't look what you're dong.
20
00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,960
You'll never look at your world
in the same way again.
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00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,240
Welcome to Miniature Britain.
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The British Isles.
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It has such a rich variety
of wildlife and landscapes.
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At just over 700 miles long
it's not a large country.
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But those 700 miles are packed
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with a surprising variety
of animals...
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great diversity of habitats...
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and rich communities of plants...
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00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,720
as well as some of the most stunning
coastline in the world.
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00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,320
And yet all of this
simply wouldn't exist
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if it wasn't for the miniature world
I'm going to show you.
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It holds the key to life and I'm
going to reveal some of its secrets.
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To do this I've got my hands on a
revolutionary new microscope camera
34
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that's seven thousand times
more powerful than the human eye.
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This is its first time
out on the road
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and I can't wait to see
the miniature wonders
it should open up.
37
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And this is Emilien,
who's going to operate it.
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We're going to start our journey
in Britain's countryside,
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and what wonderful countryside
it is.
40
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,280
You don't have to spend long
in a wild flower meadow
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00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,320
to see why they provide
such inspiration
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00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,840
to so many poets,
composers and artists.
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00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,920
Well, I'm in a flower-rich field
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and this is one of
the most quintessentially English
habitats you'll find.
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What makes this habitat
so special
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is it's actually rarer
than a tropical rainforest.
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Since the Second World War
construction and modern farming
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00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,520
have changed the face
of our countryside.
49
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We've lost over 90%
of our classic hay meadows
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and the diverse life they support.
51
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I mean, in the area I can reach
with my hands here
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there are probably dozens
if not a hundred species of flowers,
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of grasses.
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Buttercup.
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Bluebell. Plantain. Clovers.
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00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,720
And one of the things
that I've always thought
that people don't do enough
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00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,840
is to get down
in a habitat like this
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00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,680
and just simply look
at what's happening.
59
00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,960
Just look at this world
that our camera lets us see.
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00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,960
It's what this programme
is all about,
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00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,240
this fascinating miniature kingdom
that's so beautiful
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and there's so much more out there
I want to show you.
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The flowering part of a plant
is all to do with reproduction.
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The flowers need the bees'
and insects' help with this,
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00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,720
so the bright colours
of the petals attract them in.
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00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,400
Incredible - I've never seen a petal
close up like this before
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00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,880
and look, you can see
that the surface of the petals
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00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:49,840
are far from smooth.
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00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:53,320
They're covered
in tiny raised bumps.
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00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,000
It's these bumps that are thought
to reflect ultraviolet light
in a certain way,
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00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,720
directing the bees and other insects
down to the precious nectar.
72
00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,280
And if you keep absolutely still,
73
00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:07,520
you suddenly realise
that it's absolutely crawling,
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00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,160
it's alive with stuff.
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00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,240
And the more you look
the more interesting it becomes.
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00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,160
Thanks to this camera we can see
a whole world we usually miss
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and it's full of surprises.
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00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,280
When I was a boy I was told
that this was called cuckoo spit
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00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:34,360
and I thought, well,
it obviously hasn't got
anything to do with cuckoos
80
00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,760
and it's not spit either,
so what is it?
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00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:41,040
What it is,
is actually quite remarkable.
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I've got a nice spittle bug
for you, Emilien. Thank you.
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Let's see how that looks.
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Well, this is absolutely amazing.
85
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This is the frog hopper,
the tiny bug nymph
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that was in that pile of foam.
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All of this foam is made by the bug.
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It keeps it from drying out and
disguises it in a cloak of bubbles.
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00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,240
The foam itself
tastes pretty unpleasant
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so predators leave well alone.
91
00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,160
But what's really interesting is
what's happening at the rear end,
92
00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,880
because how it makes
this foam nest is
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00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:22,880
it basically blows air
through its backside as it feeds -
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00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:27,960
all the excess sap, all the waste
sap is being fired through the gut
95
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and every time it moves its bottom
it makes a little bit of foam
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and it builds up
until you get a big mass.
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It's just one of
the cleverest tricks.
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00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:44,160
So it's not cuckoos
and it's not spittle, it's bug poo.
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Which I think is
a lot more interesting, actually.
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HE LAUGHS
101
00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,640
Much of this rich countryside
simply wouldn't exist
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without the animal I want to have
a really close look at next.
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00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,040
They're responsible
for a third of the food we eat
104
00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:09,000
and yet they're no bigger
than your thumbnail.
105
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It's the hard-working honey bee.
106
00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,760
One of the great secrets
of bees' success
107
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is their ability
to defend themselves - their sting.
108
00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,480
And I want to take a closer look.
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Bee time!
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Bees are great.
111
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To bee... Or not to bee.
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That's...
That is the question.
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What?
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A bee sting has an ingenious way
of delivering its toxic venom...
115
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and I'm hoping our camera
will reveal all.
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It's time to suit up so we don't
get stung in the process.
117
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Now, there's a very good reason
why you should be careful
with honey bees.
118
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They're going to protect their
supplies of food and their brood.
119
00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,440
So when you enter a hive like this,
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00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,280
you really have got to have
protection on,
121
00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,120
otherwise you run the risk
of being stung.
122
00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,880
It's amazing to think
that without honey bees,
123
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in fact without bees in general,
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we wouldn't have any flowers,
we'd have no vegetables, no fruit.
125
00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,520
It would be a
very bad state of affairs.
126
00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,920
Now, that's honeycomb,
so there's lots of honey in there,
in the cells.
127
00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:51,360
Let's get a couple
of bees over to the microscope
128
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and see what they look like.
129
00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:56,960
Ah, Emilien, I got stung! Oh!
130
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Quick, quick, quick.
Get the camera in there.
131
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That's what happens
if you get a gap in your clothes.
132
00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,680
Ah! I should have had that
pulled down.
133
00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,760
Now she's trying to take
the sting out
134
00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,160
but because she's got a barb
in the end of the sting,
135
00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,520
she can't pull it out very easily.
136
00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,160
Ah! There! There's the sting.
137
00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:28,200
Now, you watch this. It continues
to pulse there on its own accord,
138
00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,200
so even after the bee has gone,
139
00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:37,080
the sting's sac has its...
almost has its own existence.
140
00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:42,160
It pulses away and that's forcing
the venom out of the venom sac
141
00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:45,240
into my skin.
142
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There, look at that.
That is incredible.
143
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The sting is right in my skin
and the sac is pulsing,
144
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it's forcing the venom
down this tube into the sting.
145
00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:05,920
That will continue to pulse for
probably eight minutes or something.
146
00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,160
Does it hurt now, George?
It's hurting now, yeah. Yeah.
147
00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,960
I'm gonna pull out the sting, OK?
Wait a sec.
148
00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:18,480
Trying to get the sting out.
149
00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,000
Ooh! There. Nice!
150
00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,640
Yeah, look at that hole. And
it's red. Look at that - it's red.
151
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Wow.
152
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There's the sting.
153
00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,960
OK, let's have a look
at the sting
154
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because the barbs are very small
but they're there
155
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and we should be able to see them.
156
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Look at this.
So there's the sting sac.
157
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Go in right on the tip.
Went in your skin really easily.
158
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Yeah. It's very sharp.
159
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Go right in, right in.
Wow, look at this.
160
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It's like a harpoon. Right.
161
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160 times, fill that screen.
Yeah.
162
00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:09,880
There you go.
163
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One, two, three, four, five barbs
on that
164
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and that's why it's so hard for the
bee to actually pull her sting out
165
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because it's anchored
166
00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:24,920
and that actually helps,
when she walks away or flies off,
it rips the sting out of the bee,
167
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so it continues to pulse
and pump the venom in.
168
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It's beautifully evolved.
169
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HE GASPS
170
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Shall we call 911? Huh?
Shall we call the police.
171
00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:40,400
911?
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00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,240
In this country, it's 999 actually.
173
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999. Yes, yes.
174
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"Hello, er, ambulance, please."
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No pain, no gain.
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That sting is a brilliant weapon
for defending their stores of honey.
177
00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,720
Now I want to show you what makes
these guys such perfect pollinators.
178
00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,280
Well, there is the head of a worker
bee and that is just beautiful.
179
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What a fantastic animal.
180
00:12:14,680 --> 00:12:19,160
And the whole of her is covered
in these long, branched hairs,
181
00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:20,920
which are unique to honey bees.
182
00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,880
These help trap
the grains of pollen.
183
00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:32,000
She will then use her front legs
and her middle legs to groom herself
184
00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,160
and she'll transfer the pollen
backwards to her hind legs
185
00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,440
where she will store it all
186
00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,680
and eventually she'll fly back
to the hive
187
00:12:39,680 --> 00:12:44,760
and that is a very rich supply
of food for the young bee larvae.
188
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The bees get their food
189
00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,280
and at the same time carry pollen
from flower to flower
190
00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,000
to ensure that the plants
get fertilised.
191
00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,920
Our countryside is full
of these intricate relationships
192
00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:01,640
between living things
193
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,480
and our camera helps to see them
in glorious detail.
194
00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:11,560
So now I want to use it
on a true English icon.
195
00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:19,080
It's a plant that's more important
to the wildlife of Britain
than any other.
196
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,000
It's the majestic oak.
197
00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,080
The oak is so important
for the simple reason
198
00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,640
that there are so many things
living on it and within it.
199
00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:35,200
It's home to around 350 different
species of insects.
200
00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:40,200
Its bark can have as many
as 30 different sorts of mosses
and lichens growing on it.
201
00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:45,440
And huge numbers of creatures seek
food and shelter
202
00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,560
in the crevices of the bark, amongst
the canopy of fresh green leaves,
203
00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:52,600
even in the rotting trunks
of old trees.
204
00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,640
One of the things I've always loved
doing ever since I was a little boy
205
00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:02,520
is climbing trees and this one's
just crying out to be climbed.
206
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,480
And this one,
it has got a fantastic big hole.
207
00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:27,960
It goes right down
into the interior of the tree.
208
00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,040
HE GRUNTS
209
00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,440
Whoa!
210
00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,400
Now we're talking.
211
00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,320
It is just the most amazing habitat.
212
00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:55,200
This wood's been completely
hollowed out by insects
213
00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:57,200
that have eaten their way
along here.
214
00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,640
This is a very useful device
for sucking up small insects
215
00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,160
because you can't really
handle them all that easily,
216
00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,360
so you can suck them up
with this tube device,
217
00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,040
which is called a pooter.
218
00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:14,600
And there's lots of beetles here
219
00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,520
but this one,
I've just found a ground beetle.
220
00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:20,520
There's a nice spider there.
221
00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:21,880
Centipede.
222
00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:26,320
There's a little nest of a mouse
in here or some small furry animal.
223
00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:31,240
And there's also one up here,
which is composed of sticks.
224
00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:36,000
This tree is crawling
with small things
225
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:37,840
but actually quite large animals
as well.
226
00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,880
Right. It's exit time.
227
00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,160
I've seen all I can
with the naked eye
228
00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,400
but I think with the camera's help
229
00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:52,240
I can reveal
even more intimate relationships
in the oak's web of life.
230
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,480
Look at those little legs.
231
00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:02,240
Oh, quick in on that! Ah,
it's minute - absolutely minute.
232
00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,160
This for me is just one
of the most amazing eye-openers
233
00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,000
of the machine here.
234
00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,920
Here is a millipede
just crawling through frame here,
235
00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:16,960
it's quite big and yet on its leg
here is a tiny mite just there
236
00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,120
and it's sucking its blood
through the skin.
237
00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,120
Millipedes under dead wood
I've seen before
238
00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:27,480
but I've never seen a mite sucking
their blood at this magnification.
239
00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,880
It's every other leg.
240
00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,560
Here's one leg
and it's got two on it.
241
00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,800
Even a creature like this, you know,
under the bark of an oak tree
242
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:45,280
is being absolutely hammered
by blood sucking bugs
243
00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,720
and yet it itself is tiny.
244
00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:49,160
Here's one here.
245
00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:50,560
Now, here's a pin.
246
00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,760
I want to see
just how small that is.
247
00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,240
That is amazing.
248
00:16:57,640 --> 00:16:59,360
Wow.
249
00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,080
It is, quite frankly, unbelievable.
250
00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,200
Next I want to turn my attention
to this oak's precious canopy...
251
00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,480
packed with juicy nutritious leaves
252
00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,280
and there is one resident
who is perfectly adapted
253
00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,040
to taking advantage
of this abundance.
254
00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,560
Caterpillars are masters
of the high life
255
00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,680
but that can make it hard work
to get one down.
256
00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:28,880
I want to show you them
in a new light.
257
00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,880
There's a whopper over here.
Look at the size of that one.
258
00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,280
In you go. Look at that.
259
00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:42,520
It's really only when you see
a caterpillar up close
260
00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,400
that you realise just what an
amazing piece of engineering it is.
261
00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,200
This caterpillar is just
investigating an oak leaf here.
262
00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,320
You can see the little tiny
eye spots here in the head
263
00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,680
and here down the side of the body
are the spiracles,
264
00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,120
the air holes
through which it breathes.
265
00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:11,520
Now, caterpillars have got
these amazing feet
266
00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,360
and if we go further down,
they have adhesive pads,
267
00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:18,520
plus a row of tiny sharp hooks
that anchor it on the leaf.
268
00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:24,680
There, look at that adhesive foot,
269
00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:29,680
armed with sharp spines,
a row of sharp hooks on either side,
270
00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,920
and that makes it able
to hang on to this plant.
271
00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,320
They cling on to the underneath
of leaves high up in the tree,
272
00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,880
where they spend their time
as eating machines.
273
00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,600
Eventually,
after all that leaf munching,
274
00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:55,000
they turn into one of Britain's
most beautiful creatures.
275
00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,640
To see them is going to require
some specialist equipment
276
00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,720
and a bit of luck.
277
00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,320
Well, I'm going to leave
this ultraviolet bulb on all night
278
00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:17,280
and we'll come back in the morning
and see what we get.
279
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,080
I can't wait to see
what I've caught.
280
00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,400
Moths, attracted by my UV light.
281
00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,360
They often seem to lose out
to butterflies in the beauty stakes
282
00:19:46,360 --> 00:19:51,120
but I think that's only because
you rarely see moths up close.
283
00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:55,680
Brindle beauty.
284
00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:58,160
Brimstone.
285
00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,000
They're incredibly evocative names.
286
00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,080
It's only when you really look
at a moth's wings close up
287
00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,160
that you realise
how intricate they are.
288
00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,120
The entire surface of the moth
and its wings are covered
289
00:20:11,120 --> 00:20:15,560
in a series of tiny scales
which overlap a bit like roof tiles.
290
00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,560
Just look at the incredible pattern
on its wing.
291
00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:26,880
It's like a work of art.
292
00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:35,080
These scales are as practical
as they're water resistant.
293
00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,480
They've evolved to fall off
if the moth scrapes its wings,
294
00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:42,120
so helps in protecting the delicate
wing membrane underneath.
295
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,960
And even their patterns are designed
to protect the moths.
296
00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:53,280
Birds like nothing better
than a juicy moth for their supper,
297
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,360
so the moths have become
masters of disguise to stay alive.
298
00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:00,800
This is the adult of the buff tip
299
00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,760
and it is one of the most perfectly
camouflaged moths you'll ever find.
300
00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,360
At rest it sits with its wings
folded together
301
00:21:10,360 --> 00:21:12,600
and the head end is
a sort of ochrey pale colour.
302
00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:14,760
It looks just like a broken twig.
303
00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,160
From moths to millipedes to mites,
304
00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,040
this oak tree provides a safe home
305
00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,840
to thousands
of individual creatures.
306
00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:47,520
And they in turn provide food
for such a variety of wildlife,
307
00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,200
including bats, frogs and birds.
308
00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:53,200
It's estimated that chicks alone eat
309
00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,680
a staggering 35 billion caterpillars
a year.
310
00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,120
Without them,
the food chain starts to collapse.
311
00:22:01,120 --> 00:22:02,960
The little stuff really matters.
312
00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,600
And it matters closer to home, too.
313
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,080
Time to hit the city streets.
314
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:21,560
Now, you might think
of our urban jungle as
an unlikely place to find wildlife
315
00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,680
but even here amongst the concrete
there is a hidden world.
316
00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,040
Now, I know this may sound
a little crazy
317
00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:32,680
but I'm actually on the hunt
for a bear.
318
00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,200
There are thousands of them
around me now
319
00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,200
but I just have to find one.
320
00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:41,400
This bear is like no other
321
00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:45,520
and has earned the reputation as
the toughest creature on the planet.
322
00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:50,920
They can survive in any environment,
323
00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,960
from the highest mountains
to the bottom of the deepest oceans.
324
00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,120
In order to see
just how tough they really are,
325
00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:07,440
they have been blasted into space...
326
00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,040
exposed to fatal levels
of radiation...
327
00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:16,680
and frozen solid.
328
00:23:20,360 --> 00:23:23,000
So surviving Edinburgh
will be no problem.
329
00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:30,720
They're fondly known as water bears
330
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,160
but their scientific name is
a tardigrade.
331
00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:37,200
And my first challenge
is finding one.
332
00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,120
This is Mark Blaxster
333
00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:44,120
and he has seen
thousands of them
334
00:23:44,120 --> 00:23:46,360
and me, well...
335
00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:49,800
I'm almost ashamed to own up
that I've never seen a tardigrade.
336
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:51,480
You've been walking on them
all your life
337
00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,200
because they're in the mosses,
in the grasses, in the soil.
338
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:55,920
So everywhere here? Everywhere.
339
00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,440
There are tardigrades all
around here? All around here.
340
00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:02,000
So here, where are they?
Where would you find a tardigrade?
341
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,640
You'll find the tardigrades
anywhere where there is moss.
342
00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:09,160
So if I collect this,
that piece of plant...?
343
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,480
Many, many hundreds.
I mean, it's crawling with them.
344
00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,800
Remember, they're very small
and very prolific.
345
00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,080
Right, I want to see one.
Yeah, let's go.
346
00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:24,320
Emilien, meet Mark, our tardigrade
expert. Nice to meet you. And you.
347
00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:28,000
Right. I can't wait to see this.
348
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,600
OK, so let's get going.
349
00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,120
Oh, my goodness!
A tardigrade.
350
00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:45,680
Looking at you...
Oh, that's fantastic!
..with its two little eyes.
351
00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,760
Look at its little feet.
It's got claws.
352
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,600
Yeah, they've got little claws
at the end of their feet.
Little claws on their feet.
353
00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,400
And that's why they're known
as water bears -
354
00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,880
they look like miniature bears,
claws and all.
355
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,120
I have to admit
they look pretty cute.
356
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,960
It has two little eyes
at the front end. I can see them.
357
00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,040
And the brown stuff you can see...
Is the gut.
358
00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,520
Is the food in the gut,
so it's been eating algae
359
00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:13,280
and that's the food in the gut.
360
00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:17,120
Right, here's a pin.
361
00:25:17,120 --> 00:25:18,760
I want to see how big
that tardigrade is
362
00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,120
in comparison
to the sharp end of a pin.
363
00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,960
Right, that,
that is the sharp end of a pin.
364
00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,440
So it's a very small animal.
365
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:36,240
That's incredible.
366
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,320
These animals have actually
been used in space, haven't they?
367
00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,160
Yes, because they can do
this cryptobiosis,
368
00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:45,440
this life without water.
369
00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:50,400
The European Space Agency exposed
them to the vacuum of outer space
370
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,720
and to solar radiation
which would kill us in seconds
371
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,600
and then took the tardigrades
back down to earth.
372
00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,400
And lo and behold...
Added some water
373
00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,240
and lo and behold
they came back to life.
374
00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,480
So they're being used to look at
how we might protect humans
375
00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,560
on long space journeys
376
00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,360
but also it's interesting,
just how resilient they are.
377
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:17,240
There we have probably one
of the earth's extreme survivors,
378
00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:20,400
animals that will certainly be here
long after we've gone.
379
00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,160
Oh, yeah.
380
00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:26,600
Tardigrades might be small but that
doesn't mean they're insignificant.
381
00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,280
There are billions of them
all around us,
382
00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,360
an army of miniature grazers
playing a vital role
383
00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:36,760
in maintaining
the balance of nature.
384
00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:53,200
Tiny urban ecosystems don't stop
at our front doors.
385
00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,440
Believe it or not
there's a miniature kingdom
inside your carpet.
386
00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,040
Now, in order to show you
what's lurking about your home...
387
00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,000
it's time to get sucking.
388
00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:09,600
The micro critter
I'm going to show you
389
00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:11,920
has infested our homes
by the million.
390
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:20,560
They breed in our beds. They forage
on our carpets and in our sofas.
391
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:24,920
Yet whilst we might
be horrified
392
00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:27,640
by the thought of them
sharing our homes
393
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,760
they're actually doing us a favour.
394
00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,320
The creature I'm looking for
is a dust mite
395
00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,840
and I'm hoping
my bit of spring cleaning
396
00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:40,360
should have hoovered up
one or two of them.
397
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,600
Got a fibre here.
There's a hair here.
398
00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,640
Look at this. This there.
That's amazing.
399
00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:51,280
The majority of these tiny flakes
are actually skin.
400
00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,120
It's absolutely incredible.
401
00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:58,000
Every human sheds about three and
a half kg of skin flakes every year,
402
00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,600
that's about eight pounds.
403
00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:01,960
And just to give you an idea,
404
00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:05,560
that works out
at around seven boxes of cornflakes.
405
00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,320
Anyone for breakfast?
406
00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,440
Which is great news
for our dust mites
407
00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,040
as they like nothing more
than munching on all that old skin.
408
00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,560
Now all we need to do is find one.
409
00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,440
That's skin, bits of grit.
410
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:27,040
Bits of plant debris.
411
00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:30,400
Look, here's one. Where?
412
00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,400
Ha! A mite. Look right there.
413
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:39,240
And it's actually eating
a tiny skin flake there.
414
00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:42,120
You can see the black jaws are
chomping away there.
415
00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:48,680
And that little tiny flake of skin
is its meal.
416
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:52,960
That is quite amazing.
417
00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,440
I mean, that is something
you don't see very often.
HE LAUGHS
418
00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,400
But it's happening all around you.
419
00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:05,040
I mean, this is a minute animal.
420
00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:09,080
A dust mite like this is about
the thickness of a human hair.
421
00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:13,000
What is this?
422
00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,280
Oh, that's a woodlouse,
that is a dead woodlouse,
423
00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,840
which has obviously been
hoovered up off the stairs.
424
00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,440
And what's that? Look there.
425
00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,040
A little, tiny mite,
426
00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:32,080
which is surviving by eating
the remains of a dead woodlouse.
427
00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,360
Fascinating, it's eating inside.
428
00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,840
It's like a hyena
on an elephant remains.
429
00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:44,360
It's exactly the same only smaller.
It's just much, much smaller.
430
00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:52,600
So even inside a dead woodlouse
431
00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,080
you'll find something alive
eating it,
432
00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,280
which is probably just as well
433
00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,080
because if we didn't have things
eating dead insects and skin flakes,
434
00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:04,760
we'd probably end up
up to our armpits in the stuff.
435
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,280
So the micro world is working hard
to keep things in order,
436
00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:11,680
even in our sofas and carpets.
437
00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,360
All of this essential work
carries on unnoticed
438
00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:21,560
and the same can be said
of creatures
lurking in our own back gardens.
439
00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:26,920
Now, these days we all like to think
we're doing our bit for recycling
440
00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,600
but there's an animal that lives
most of its life underground
441
00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,400
that could teach us a thing or two
about being green
442
00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:34,840
and it lives in a place
443
00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:37,880
where there's more muck
and free love than a pop festival.
444
00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,200
But danger lurks round every corner.
445
00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,320
And the place I'm talking about?
Your compost heap!
446
00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:51,840
Weevils that spend a lot
of their adult life having sex.
447
00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,120
Beetle larvae on the kill
with crushing jaws.
448
00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,280
Alien forms
about to break out of pupae.
449
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:08,160
Slugs with more teeth than a shark.
450
00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,240
And there's blood-sucking mites
crawling over everything.
451
00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:16,920
They're all here
452
00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,520
but the creature I've come
to take a microscopic look at
453
00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:23,040
plays a vital role
in the life of the whole planet.
454
00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,720
Earthworms are undoubtedly
one of the most important organisms
on earth.
455
00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,080
They are essential at recycling
456
00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:37,720
and they make soil - I mean,
essentially, soil is worm poo.
457
00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,280
In rich farmland where there are
perhaps animals grazing,
458
00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:45,920
you might have up to
two million earthworms per acre
459
00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:49,200
and the total weight
of those earthworms will be greater
460
00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,240
than all of the animals
on top of the land.
461
00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,520
Without earthworms
we simply wouldn't have soil.
462
00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:01,240
There's a secret
to the way worms move
463
00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:03,600
that I'm hoping
our camera can show us.
464
00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:07,880
Oh, look at that!
465
00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:26,160
Earthworms move by being able
to send a wave of contractions
along themselves
466
00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:29,200
but in order to pass
through the soil
467
00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:31,440
they need to anchor themselves
with little tiny hairs,
468
00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,240
There! There it is there.
469
00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:39,160
There's a little tiny set
of tough spiny hairs called setae.
470
00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:47,560
And as they contract, these come out
and anchor against the soil.
471
00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,000
They can then drag
the rest of the earthworm up.
472
00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:57,320
These are the key to how earthworms
actually move through the soil.
473
00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,240
And I have never seen this happening
actually live.
474
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:03,520
Amazing!
475
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:10,440
As they move,
they eat decaying food waste.
476
00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:15,160
It passes through their guts
and out as rich, fertile soil.
477
00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,520
This is the rear end, yeah?
Yeah, that's the rear end.
478
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:26,360
There is the earthworm heading off
into the soil where it wants to be.
479
00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,200
Oh! And a farewell poop there,
as it went.
480
00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,880
One of the most important substances
on the whole planet, worm poo.
481
00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:40,720
HE LAUGHS
And I'm seeing it
as I have never seen it before.
482
00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:47,080
So all those worms are busy
in Britain's compost heaps,
483
00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,360
recycling
all of that rotting fruit and veg.
484
00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:53,360
But the story doesn't end there.
485
00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,600
All that decaying organic material
also plays host
486
00:33:56,600 --> 00:34:00,520
to one of the most important
organisms in the natural world.
487
00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:08,080
This organism is neither
plant nor animal.
488
00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:11,400
It has over 100,000 species.
489
00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:14,840
It can both cure disease
and cause it.
490
00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,880
Some taste great,
while others can kill you.
491
00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:29,640
This may look like the surface
of some strange alien planet
492
00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:32,720
but it's actually much more at home
in a bowl
493
00:34:32,720 --> 00:34:34,720
with cream and sugar on it.
494
00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:40,240
What you're looking at is actually
a magnified old strawberry
495
00:34:40,240 --> 00:34:42,560
with fungus growing on it.
496
00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:49,560
But it's this fungus
that's so special
497
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,800
and I'm going to show you why.
498
00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:56,680
Look at that! That is,
that is absolutely gorgeous.
499
00:34:56,680 --> 00:35:01,760
Each of these threads bears at the
end, at the tip, a tiny little ball
500
00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:07,240
and they will be full of spores,
so when they become mature,
501
00:35:07,240 --> 00:35:12,240
they'll burst open and then billions
of spores will drift off elsewhere.
502
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:16,240
And fungi are
the world's decomposers.
503
00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:17,400
They really...
504
00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:22,040
Without fungi we'd be in a right
old state, wouldn't we, basically?
505
00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:27,600
They're probably the most important
group of organisms on earth.
506
00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:34,040
Wow. That is just phenomenal.
Amazing.
507
00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:38,320
On a fruit bowl that's gone off,
508
00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:43,200
you might have 20 or 30
separate sorts of fungi.
509
00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:45,760
Look at that.
510
00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:53,560
We use fungi in many ways.
511
00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:57,640
We eat them, we make pesticides
from them.
512
00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:02,680
Without one of them - yeast -
we would have no beer
or wine or even bread.
513
00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:07,960
They're also used to make life
saving drugs, such as penicillin.
514
00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:13,240
Shall we have a look at the raisins?
The grapes.
515
00:36:13,240 --> 00:36:14,880
Grapes. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely.
516
00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,000
Raisins! Sounds cool, raisins.
517
00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:18,600
They will be raisins eventually.
518
00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:21,800
Smells a bit like, like wine.
519
00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,640
Hm. Doesn't smell too bad, actually.
520
00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:26,680
No, no.
521
00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:32,360
Ooh. Now that's not something
you'd particularly want to eat.
522
00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:38,240
But our camera reveals
a beautiful miniature world.
523
00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,120
Looks like flowers, these.
They're like little flowers.
524
00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:46,720
It's very romantic.
525
00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:48,720
Really, you think?
526
00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:53,080
I think if I brought my wife
a bunch of those,
527
00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,440
I don't think I'd get
a very good reception.
528
00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,520
THEY LAUGH
529
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:03,240
Whether it's dust mites
in the carpet, worms in the garden
530
00:37:03,240 --> 00:37:05,640
or these surprisingly beautiful
fungi,
531
00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,560
these miniature recyclers play
a vital role
532
00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,360
in our urban world and beyond.
533
00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:18,720
Well, it's time to hit the trail
534
00:37:18,720 --> 00:37:20,520
and I want to take you to a place
535
00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:24,280
which I think is one of the most
beautiful locations in Britain
536
00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,360
and it simply wouldn't exist
without fungi.
537
00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,360
Are you OK to clear all this up?
Oh! Again?
538
00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:32,080
Thanks. Bye.
539
00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:34,760
He's such a "fun guy".
GEORGE CHUCKLES
540
00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:40,720
I'm heading north to the Blackwood
of Rannoch in Scotland.
541
00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:46,480
You couldn't imagine a greater
contrast with our cities and towns.
542
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:51,360
Yet these trees depend on fungi
even more than we do.
543
00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,680
This forest is only here
because of a giant fungus
544
00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:59,280
many miles across
and thousands of years old
545
00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:01,240
and that's what I want to show you.
546
00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,920
STAG ROARS
547
00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:10,600
There's a unique community
of wildlife here
548
00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:14,120
that all, ultimately, relies
on that fungus.
549
00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:19,200
It's a fungus which lives
underground, hidden beneath my feet.
550
00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:23,680
So I'm going to take a handful
of the soil that it lives in
551
00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:27,720
to show you this incredible
ancient organism up close.
552
00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:36,280
Fungi are among the oldest
and largest organisms on earth.
553
00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:42,560
All people usually ever see of fungi
are the toadstools etc,
554
00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,800
the things above ground
that are obvious.
555
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:52,520
But the real bulk of the fungus
is underground
556
00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:55,720
in the form of these threads
or hyphae
557
00:38:55,720 --> 00:38:58,800
and they have amazing interactions
with trees.
558
00:38:59,240 --> 00:39:04,160
The fungal threads that we see here
spread throughout this whole forest
559
00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,320
and they join this tree
with that tree, with that tree,
560
00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:08,960
with the trees over there.
561
00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:12,840
They're all connected. It's like
a giant hidden underground web.
562
00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,280
And it's an interaction
that goes both ways.
563
00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:21,360
The fungi get carbon and energy
from the tree
564
00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:26,440
and in return for that, the trees
extract lots of elements and food
565
00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:29,640
through the agency
of the fungi themselves.
566
00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:33,520
So, without the fungi
the trees just wouldn't survive.
567
00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,400
And without trees
there would be no insects, no birds,
568
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,640
no clean air to breathe.
569
00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:42,640
CROAKING
570
00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:45,920
I can't stress enough
how important fungi are
571
00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:47,800
to the life on this planet.
572
00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,120
Before I leave
this beautiful Scottish forest,
573
00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:56,840
there's one more surprising critter
I'd like to show you,
574
00:39:56,840 --> 00:40:01,560
a carnivore that keeps the whole
forest ecosystem in balance.
575
00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:04,920
Oh!
576
00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:07,680
Oh!
577
00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:09,280
Oh...
578
00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:11,680
Ow! Ooh, that was a bad one.
579
00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:13,000
Oh!
580
00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,160
HE GASPS
Ooh!
581
00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:19,160
This is a wood ant nest
582
00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:24,120
and it contains probably
several thousand, up to 100,000,
individual ants.
583
00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:27,800
Now, they don't have a sting
but they have got very sharp jaws
584
00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:30,280
and they're able to spray
formic acid.
585
00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,440
They're amazing creatures.
586
00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:36,720
I mean, one of the things that,
I think everyone's surprised about,
587
00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:41,680
if you say carnivore
to the majority of people
588
00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:45,560
they would think lions, tigers,
that sort of thing.
589
00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:48,680
But actually ants are
the major carnivore in the world.
590
00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:50,560
In fact, in any habitat,
591
00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:53,240
whether it's your back garden
or the African plains,
592
00:40:53,240 --> 00:40:58,240
ants are taking away
far more animal flesh than
all the big carnivores added up.
593
00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:03,720
And it's this carnivorous activity
that has a crucial part to play
594
00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,160
Trees provide the ants
with somewhere to live
595
00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:13,120
and a constant supply of food.
596
00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:17,120
The ants in turn take away all the
plant-eating caterpillars and bugs
597
00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:19,160
that would damage the tree.
598
00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:21,000
It's the perfect arrangement.
599
00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:24,640
But you can see how ferocious
they are.
600
00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:28,720
If I put my arm down
in the colony there...
601
00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:32,520
Look at that! Whoa!
602
00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,400
HE PANTS
603
00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:36,840
And they are biting and stinging.
604
00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:44,360
Wood ants are particularly fearsome
because they have such huge nests.
605
00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:52,560
Any animal or any object
which is alien will be attacked,
606
00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:56,960
so, I mean, they're superb
at clearing anything off
their home range.
607
00:41:56,960 --> 00:41:59,200
I now have several under my shirt
608
00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:01,000
and one is just going up
into my armpit.
609
00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:02,680
Oh! And got me!
610
00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:04,040
Ooh!
611
00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:08,560
Emilien, have you enough
of this film? I think...
612
00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:10,960
Well, we have a few nice images,
definitely.
613
00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:12,240
Ow.
614
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:17,680
Annoy them a bit. Yeah that would...
Why don't you do that, Emilien?
615
00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:19,280
That's a good idea.
616
00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:21,560
EMILIEN LAUGHS
617
00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:26,800
The way ants protect these trees
from pests is just another example
618
00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:30,480
of the enormous importance
of some of the smallest animals.
619
00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:43,240
The more I delve
into Britain's miniature world,
620
00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:46,800
the more I realise
how it shapes this wonderful island
621
00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:48,880
and keeps it ticking along.
622
00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:55,840
As an island nation this delicate
balance is never more significant
623
00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:58,920
than in the seas that lap
the length of its shoreline.
624
00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:03,360
This is where lots of things hide
when it's low tide.
625
00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:05,840
Oh, look at that!
626
00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:10,720
No one living in Britain is more
than 70 miles from the coast.
627
00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:15,160
We rely on the natural resources
it provides for food, our weather,
628
00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:17,800
the climate,
even the air we breathe,
629
00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:22,360
so this is the final world
I want to explore in miniature
630
00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:24,080
with our camera.
631
00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:27,640
Hi. Hello there.
632
00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:29,920
I wondered
what you were hunting for.
633
00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:34,960
Well, I got my nets down.
I just took the fish out of my nets.
634
00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:37,680
I'm George.
Oh, how do you do, George.
635
00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:39,120
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
636
00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:41,960
What have you got? Well, I've
got just dogfish in that one.
637
00:43:41,960 --> 00:43:46,440
Oh, wow. We got...
You've got loads in here.
638
00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,880
In here we've got dogfish,
bass, mullet.
639
00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:53,120
And so you collect these for...?
That's just for eating.
640
00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:56,200
For eating. Just for eating
for us and our friends, yeah.
641
00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:57,400
Wow.
642
00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:01,480
One of the things that's great
about sharks and dogfish
643
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:04,120
is that if you stroke the skin
that way it's nice and smooth,
644
00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:06,840
go that way it's incredibly rough.
RASPING NOISE
645
00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:09,200
You can hear it.
Of course, in the old days
646
00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,240
the carpenters used to use it for
sand paper. That's what they had.
647
00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:15,520
Now I've got a special instrument
on the beach.
648
00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:20,360
What I'd really like to do is
to examine the skin really up close.
649
00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:22,960
Would you be happy if I...?
Yeah, let's go and have a gander.
650
00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,400
That's fantastic.
I'll carry this one.
651
00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:28,880
You all right with that one? Yep.
Right. Oh! That's the light one.
652
00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:32,800
You must have a healthy appetite.
That's why I'm probably so fat!
653
00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:35,880
This is a great opportunity
654
00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:39,640
to see how well adapted animals
have to be to survive here.
655
00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:43,120
Dogfish are a part
of the shark family,
656
00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:47,760
fast aquatic predators
who really need speed.
657
00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:51,840
Derek, Emilien. I brought something.
Pleased to meet you. Hello.
658
00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:55,680
It's not small
but I brought you this. Looks nice.
659
00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:57,120
But there's a reason for it.
660
00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:59,600
If you look at the skin on that,
661
00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:02,600
I think you'll find
it's quite an amazing structure.
662
00:45:05,080 --> 00:45:06,760
This, I want to see.
663
00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:19,480
The skin of a dogfish or a shark is
very smooth
664
00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:21,880
if you stroke your hand
from the head to the tail.
665
00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:24,600
Now, do you know why it's that way?
666
00:45:24,600 --> 00:45:27,800
No, not really. Only because
of the roughness, I presume.
667
00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:32,840
It's smoother flow if you have
these minute little bits
that face backwards.
668
00:45:36,520 --> 00:45:38,280
If you had an entirely smooth fish
669
00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:43,120
it wouldn't be quite as streamlined,
in fact, as it would with this,
670
00:45:43,120 --> 00:45:45,880
so these little tiny bits
of the skin,
671
00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:47,760
which are sharp and point backwards,
672
00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:51,160
actually allow the fish
to swim more freely,
673
00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:53,680
more, more agilely
through the water.
674
00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:57,560
Perhaps I better reshape having my
hair cut so I can swim faster.
675
00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:00,720
Do you swim?
Not very well.
676
00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:03,160
No, well, but you see
if you had that on, Derek,
677
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:04,920
you could really move.
Move, yeah.
678
00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:11,120
As Derek heads out to catch his tea,
Emilien and I learn a vital lesson.
679
00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:14,240
Time and tide wait for no one,
680
00:46:14,240 --> 00:46:19,240
especially biologists
peering down the barrel
of their microscope cameras.
681
00:46:19,400 --> 00:46:22,080
Er, Emilien, this is getting very
wet here.
682
00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:24,520
Oh, the tide's coming in,
this is getting a bit dangerous.
683
00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:26,400
We need to switch that off quick.
684
00:46:28,360 --> 00:46:31,160
Emilien, we need...
Oh, my hat's gone!
THEY LAUGH
685
00:46:31,160 --> 00:46:34,480
Can we...? Ready? Yep.
686
00:46:36,120 --> 00:46:37,960
Hup! Ooh.
687
00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:45,160
That's what happens
when you're having fun
688
00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:47,400
and you don't look
what you're doing,
689
00:46:47,400 --> 00:46:49,120
at what's happening around you.
690
00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:51,120
Big one. Yeah.
691
00:46:51,120 --> 00:46:53,320
Whilst we wait
for the tide to recede,
692
00:46:53,320 --> 00:46:55,640
it's time for a spot of lunch.
693
00:46:55,640 --> 00:46:59,000
I'm really enjoying eating
here on the beach
694
00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:01,640
and this cheese is
absolutely delicious.
695
00:47:01,640 --> 00:47:05,720
I'm just wondering if I might be
eating more than I bargained for.
696
00:47:05,720 --> 00:47:07,720
A closer look at this cheese
697
00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:09,760
may reveal something
a little surprising.
698
00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:21,120
Well, one of these cheeses is
a rather nice French cheese
699
00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:23,080
called Beaufort de Montagne
700
00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:26,640
and the rind is very interesting.
701
00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:31,560
If I put the camera on it,
look at that -
702
00:47:32,720 --> 00:47:36,800
It's crawling with cheese mites,
little tiny mites
703
00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:39,480
that are just infesting
the whole of the rind
704
00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:42,480
and it's that infestation
that some people say
705
00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:45,080
gives the cheese
it's very special flavour.
706
00:47:49,600 --> 00:47:52,800
HE LAUGHS
They must love cheese, these guys.
707
00:47:57,160 --> 00:47:59,520
They live in the rind,
they eat their way through it
708
00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:01,960
and they give the rind
that sort of holey texture
709
00:48:01,960 --> 00:48:06,160
and when you eat it,
you're eating the cheese, the rind
710
00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:08,320
and you're also eating the mites
and their poo
711
00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:09,960
and it's just great.
712
00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:14,480
Tastes fantastic
and it's completely harmless.
713
00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:21,280
Who wants a piece? Surely?
Just a little tiny bit, come on.
714
00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:23,280
I think if you're
going to experience the cheese
715
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:25,320
you really need to eat
the whole thing.
716
00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:30,000
Just imagine - I'm now eating cheese
plus several thousand cheese mites.
717
00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:43,200
Now, as nice as a bit of cheese is,
718
00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:48,080
you can't beat having a bag
of chips when you're at the seaside,
719
00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:51,160
though it does attract the attention
of some unwanted guests.
720
00:48:52,360 --> 00:48:54,240
But watching these seagulls
flying around
721
00:48:54,240 --> 00:48:56,640
does give you food for thought.
722
00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:02,280
Britain is famous for its seabirds,
723
00:49:02,280 --> 00:49:06,800
long-distance travellers that fly
far out to sea in search of food
724
00:49:06,800 --> 00:49:09,880
and brave the most extreme
weather conditions.
725
00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:15,080
If you're flying over rough seas
there's no room for error.
726
00:49:17,040 --> 00:49:20,600
Those vital wings must stay
in tip-top condition.
727
00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:34,800
Birds' wings are actually one of
the most incredible adaptations
728
00:49:34,800 --> 00:49:37,040
of almost any animal group.
729
00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:40,480
Something as simple
as a feather is
730
00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:43,160
an evolutionary feat
of micro-engineering.
731
00:49:46,920 --> 00:49:50,280
Now, Emilien has set up our camera
in a beach hut
732
00:49:50,280 --> 00:49:52,960
and it's here that I'm hoping
we can reveal
733
00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:55,320
some of the secrets of flight.
734
00:50:00,600 --> 00:50:03,680
That seagull there,
that's your feather right here.
735
00:50:03,680 --> 00:50:06,080
That's your feather, mate,
right here.
736
00:50:06,080 --> 00:50:09,600
Yeah, so thanks for that.
737
00:50:09,600 --> 00:50:11,960
Now, that is one of
the most incredible things.
738
00:50:11,960 --> 00:50:14,400
It's evolved to be a flat surface
739
00:50:14,400 --> 00:50:19,480
but it's made up of hundreds
of tiny barbs with hooks on them.
740
00:50:19,720 --> 00:50:23,160
Let's have a look at that
and see what it looks like.
741
00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:31,680
Look at it - that's amazing,
look at it.
742
00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:41,200
So many small hairs.
743
00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:45,200
It's highly branched
744
00:50:45,200 --> 00:50:50,160
and each of the individual elements
of the feather on either side
745
00:50:50,160 --> 00:50:53,000
have hairs that come out
and interlock.
746
00:50:57,280 --> 00:51:02,360
So does this make it waterproof
as well? Wind proof. Wind proof.
747
00:51:02,560 --> 00:51:04,480
Yeah, I mean, if you're going to fly
748
00:51:04,480 --> 00:51:08,120
you have to have a flat surface
which is airtight,
749
00:51:08,120 --> 00:51:12,320
and that is the easiest way
of doing it.
750
00:51:19,240 --> 00:51:21,640
You know when you see a bird
having a preen? Yep.
751
00:51:21,640 --> 00:51:23,080
They're oiling the feathers
752
00:51:23,080 --> 00:51:26,520
but they're also trying
to get any breaks joined up again.
753
00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:30,080
Because you can break them
very easily.
754
00:51:30,080 --> 00:51:33,200
You see if you pull that apart,
it just goes pop
755
00:51:33,200 --> 00:51:37,120
but if you do that again
it re-engages
756
00:51:37,120 --> 00:51:39,160
and they hitch back
together again.
757
00:51:39,160 --> 00:51:42,720
I mean, that's one of
the most highly evolved structures
758
00:51:42,720 --> 00:51:47,480
and that's what makes birds
such successful animals.
759
00:51:47,480 --> 00:51:49,880
If they weren't able to do that
with their wings
760
00:51:49,880 --> 00:51:53,320
and if they didn't have
that structure, they wouldn't fly.
761
00:51:54,200 --> 00:51:56,600
And now we are at 350 times.
762
00:52:03,280 --> 00:52:05,360
That is millions of years
of evolution
763
00:52:05,360 --> 00:52:08,960
to produce
the perfect flying surface.
764
00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:20,960
To meet our final players
in this micro drama
765
00:52:20,960 --> 00:52:25,920
I'm returning to where we started -
Old Harry Rocks in Dorset.
766
00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:36,440
The life forms I'm looking for
are fundamental to life
767
00:52:36,440 --> 00:52:39,440
not only in Britain
but to the whole planet.
768
00:52:44,720 --> 00:52:48,360
They're crucial to the food we eat,
the air we breathe
769
00:52:48,360 --> 00:52:51,440
and even the land beneath our feet.
770
00:52:54,280 --> 00:52:57,560
In order to meet them,
I've got to take to the high seas.
771
00:53:03,280 --> 00:53:06,600
There's no better example
anywhere in the world
772
00:53:06,600 --> 00:53:11,200
of the power of minute organisms
than these chalk cliffs.
773
00:53:11,200 --> 00:53:15,240
These cliffs were formed
between 30 and 130 million years ago
774
00:53:15,240 --> 00:53:20,280
by the steady accumulation
of the remains of tiny marine algae.
775
00:53:21,720 --> 00:53:24,320
These algae are known as
phytoplankton
776
00:53:24,320 --> 00:53:27,040
and they're absolutely essential
to all life
777
00:53:27,040 --> 00:53:30,440
and it's Sarah Jane,
a marine biologist,
778
00:53:30,440 --> 00:53:32,640
who's going to help me find them.
779
00:53:32,640 --> 00:53:34,800
Well, I'm feeling decidedly queasy.
780
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:37,680
Yeah, it's a little bit windy today,
isn't it? And choppy.
781
00:53:37,680 --> 00:53:39,560
This shouldn't take too long.
782
00:53:39,560 --> 00:53:42,200
What I've just thrown in here
was the plankton net. Right.
783
00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:47,280
And we've got another one here.
It's got a micro filter at the end
784
00:53:47,560 --> 00:53:50,280
and we're going to drag it up
through the water column
785
00:53:50,280 --> 00:53:52,560
and hopefully collect
any little animals
786
00:53:52,560 --> 00:53:55,440
that might be living in the water
in here to look at later. Right.
787
00:53:55,440 --> 00:53:57,600
So if you want to...
Can I have a go?
788
00:53:57,600 --> 00:53:59,920
Yeah, if you take...
Make sure you keep hold of the end.
789
00:53:59,920 --> 00:54:03,520
Make sure I keep this end, yeah.
That's the important bit.
Just throw it over.
790
00:54:03,520 --> 00:54:06,560
Whee! And then what we're trying to
do is we want it to sink down,
791
00:54:06,560 --> 00:54:09,120
so if you try
and let the weight go out
792
00:54:09,120 --> 00:54:10,880
and then just feed the rope out.
793
00:54:10,880 --> 00:54:14,960
Yeah. Let's just pull them up so
we don't lose them under the boat.
794
00:54:14,960 --> 00:54:17,560
I think mine's caught on something.
Might have caught a crab.
795
00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:22,240
So essentially,
all the stuff gets washed down
796
00:54:22,240 --> 00:54:24,040
into this little bit
at the end here.
797
00:54:24,040 --> 00:54:25,280
Yeah, into the end here
798
00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:30,040
and then what we can do is we can
just wash that out into a cup
799
00:54:30,040 --> 00:54:32,560
and we can collect that to look at
under the microscope later.
800
00:54:32,560 --> 00:54:33,800
And that's it. Wow.
801
00:54:38,080 --> 00:54:43,040
To actually see them we're
going to have to push our microscope
camera to its very limits.
802
00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:58,600
Oh, what on earth is that?
Something's just swum past.
803
00:54:58,600 --> 00:55:01,440
Now, what I really want to see,
Emilien, is the phytoplankton.
804
00:55:01,440 --> 00:55:03,440
Maybe we can zoom in
on this one right here.
805
00:55:05,920 --> 00:55:08,360
Oh, that's nice.
Yeah, they look like some diatoms.
806
00:55:09,800 --> 00:55:12,960
There he is.
Oh, that is beautiful. Fantastic.
807
00:55:17,280 --> 00:55:20,720
GEORGE CHUCKLES
It's an absolute soup.
808
00:55:20,720 --> 00:55:23,760
Phytoplankton are
microscopic algae
809
00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:26,640
that live in the ocean
by the trillions,
810
00:55:26,640 --> 00:55:30,480
making them some of the most
numerous organisms on earth.
811
00:55:31,800 --> 00:55:35,400
Phytoplankton are essentially
the green plants of the ocean -
812
00:55:35,400 --> 00:55:37,400
that's what everything eats.
813
00:55:37,400 --> 00:55:39,400
They're the base of the food chain.
814
00:55:39,400 --> 00:55:41,880
Yeah, they really are
right at the bottom,
815
00:55:41,880 --> 00:55:45,080
so they are the bottom
of the food web
816
00:55:45,080 --> 00:55:47,560
and everything else is
completely dependent
817
00:55:47,560 --> 00:55:50,760
on the productivity
of these organisms.
818
00:55:50,760 --> 00:55:53,720
So without phytoplankton
at the base of the food chain
819
00:55:53,720 --> 00:55:55,880
we wouldn't have fish to eat
820
00:55:55,880 --> 00:56:00,760
and there wouldn't be whales,
dolphins, sharks or seabirds.
821
00:56:01,160 --> 00:56:03,160
The oceans would be barren.
822
00:56:06,240 --> 00:56:10,280
They're even responsible
for the very air we breathe.
823
00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:14,360
Now, I've heard that, of course,
it's the green plants on earth
824
00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:16,600
that are really important for oxygen
and so on.
825
00:56:16,600 --> 00:56:19,480
That isn't really quite true, is it?
No, not quite
826
00:56:19,480 --> 00:56:22,640
because actually most of the oxygen
produced on this planet
827
00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:24,840
is by these marine phytoplankton,
828
00:56:24,840 --> 00:56:28,320
It's actually about every second
breath that anything takes on earth,
829
00:56:28,320 --> 00:56:31,200
that oxygen is formed
by these phytoplankton.
830
00:56:34,440 --> 00:56:38,640
So if we didn't have minute
marine algae, we wouldn't be here.
831
00:56:41,280 --> 00:56:44,200
When they die, they sink
to the bottom of the ocean.
832
00:56:44,880 --> 00:56:49,640
In time, billions and trillions of
their calcified skeletons build up
833
00:56:49,640 --> 00:56:52,160
to form enormous rock formations,
834
00:56:52,160 --> 00:56:55,920
including Britain's
iconic white cliffs.
835
00:56:58,520 --> 00:57:03,480
So all because of trillions
and trillions of tiny algae,
836
00:57:03,480 --> 00:57:06,760
we've got oxygen to breathe,
we've got food to eat
837
00:57:06,760 --> 00:57:09,640
and we've got fantastic cliffs.
838
00:57:09,640 --> 00:57:13,280
Yep, basically, they're the root
of most life today.
839
00:57:27,280 --> 00:57:31,320
My journey into Britain's
micro kingdom has revealed
840
00:57:31,320 --> 00:57:34,040
some of the secrets
of this hidden world.
841
00:57:35,160 --> 00:57:38,640
I've spent my life examining
the miniature world around us
842
00:57:38,640 --> 00:57:41,080
but I've never seen it
like this before.
843
00:57:42,120 --> 00:57:44,280
Wow! That is amazing.
844
00:57:44,800 --> 00:57:49,040
It really is the small things
that shape our world
845
00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:52,240
and what a beautiful,
awe-inspiring place it is.
846
00:57:53,040 --> 00:57:56,560
From the pollen collecting
hairs unique to the honey bee,
847
00:57:56,560 --> 00:57:59,880
the essential life-giving qualities
of fungus,
848
00:57:59,880 --> 00:58:02,360
the evolutionary splendour
of a feather
849
00:58:02,360 --> 00:58:04,680
that holds the secret of flight,
850
00:58:04,680 --> 00:58:07,920
to the very organisms
that make the air we breathe,
851
00:58:07,920 --> 00:58:12,600
creating, nurturing,
constantly correcting the balance,
852
00:58:12,600 --> 00:58:16,840
the inhabitants of this
micro kingdom are the true guardians
853
00:58:16,840 --> 00:58:18,880
of the planet we call home.
854
00:58:19,520 --> 00:58:22,960
I hope it's made you think that
it's worthwhile taking a closer look
855
00:58:22,960 --> 00:58:26,600
at the magical world
that's right under your nose.
856
00:58:26,600 --> 00:58:29,240
You might be surprised
at what you'll find.
857
00:58:33,080 --> 00:58:34,720
Makes you think, huh?
72753
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