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00:00:03,567 --> 00:00:08,367
Narrator: WE LIVE ON A VOLATILE
PLANET IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE...
2
00:00:08,367 --> 00:00:10,033
THE UNIVERSE CONSTANTLY
WANTS TO KILL US.
3
00:00:10,033 --> 00:00:12,900
Narrator:
...WHERE PLANETS COLLIDE.
4
00:00:12,900 --> 00:00:15,367
THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE EARTH
IS LIQUEFIED
5
00:00:15,367 --> 00:00:17,600
THAT WAS LITERALLY
A VISION OF HELL.
6
00:00:19,133 --> 00:00:23,167
Narrator: BLACK HOLES BLAST OUT
INVISIBLE DEATH RAYS.
7
00:00:23,167 --> 00:00:26,133
IT WOULD BE APOCALYPTIC
BEYOND APOCALYPTIC.
8
00:00:26,133 --> 00:00:29,467
Narrator: ASTEROIDS STRIKE
WITHOUT WARNING.
9
00:00:29,467 --> 00:00:31,267
IT IS A REAL POSSIBILITY
10
00:00:31,267 --> 00:00:33,033
THAT IT COULD HAPPEN
IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES.
11
00:00:33,033 --> 00:00:38,033
Narrator: THESE COSMIC KILLERS
HAVE STRUCK TIME AND TIME AGAIN,
12
00:00:38,033 --> 00:00:40,133
WIPING OUT ENTIRE SPECIES,
13
00:00:40,133 --> 00:00:43,667
AND PUSHING LIFE ON EARTH
TO THE EDGE OF OBLIVION.
14
00:00:43,667 --> 00:00:45,833
IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN.
15
00:00:45,833 --> 00:00:48,500
Narrator:
AND OUR SPECIES COULD BE NEXT.
16
00:00:48,500 --> 00:00:50,700
Krauss: THERE WILL BE DISASTERS
IN THE FUTURE,
17
00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:52,967
AND ONE OF THEM WILL DESTROY US.
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00:00:52,967 --> 00:00:55,967
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
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00:00:55,967 --> 00:00:59,000
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
20
00:01:09,067 --> 00:01:12,800
Narrator:
NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD...
21
00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,500
WITH WATER...
22
00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:18,467
OXYGEN....
23
00:01:18,467 --> 00:01:23,767
OUR PEACEFUL, PLENTIFUL PLANET
NURTURES AND PROTECTS US...
24
00:01:23,767 --> 00:01:27,667
BUT THIS LULL WON'T LAST
FOREVER.
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00:01:27,667 --> 00:01:32,267
THERE ARE DANGERS ALL AROUND
AND TROUBLE AHEAD.
26
00:01:32,267 --> 00:01:33,633
WHEN WE LOOK AROUND,
27
00:01:33,633 --> 00:01:35,600
WE THINK THAT THE UNIVERSE
IS RATHER GENTLE.
28
00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,667
WE HAVE WARM BREEZES
AND MILD SEASONS.
29
00:01:38,667 --> 00:01:42,633
ACTUALLY, THE UNIVERSE
IS VIOLENT. IT IS CHAOTIC.
30
00:01:44,467 --> 00:01:46,933
Plait: THE UNIVERSE
IS NOT A HAPPY, SAFE PLACE.
31
00:01:46,933 --> 00:01:48,433
THERE ARE ASTEROID IMPACTS,
32
00:01:48,433 --> 00:01:50,300
AND SOLAR FLARES,
AND SUPERNOVA, AND BLACK HOLES,
33
00:01:50,300 --> 00:01:51,767
AND COLLIDING GALAXIES,
34
00:01:51,767 --> 00:01:54,900
AND ALL THESE REALLY AMAZINGLY
DANGEROUS AND VIOLENT EVENTS.
35
00:01:54,900 --> 00:01:58,500
Narrator: AND THE EARTH
IS IN THE CROSS HAIRS.
36
00:02:05,133 --> 00:02:06,733
DURING THE PLANET'S
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00:02:06,733 --> 00:02:09,233
4 1/2-BILLION-YEAR EXISTENCE,
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00:02:09,233 --> 00:02:11,400
THESE VIOLENT PHENOMENA
39
00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,833
HAVE WIPED OUT
MILLIONS OF SPECIES
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00:02:13,833 --> 00:02:17,567
IN A SERIES OF CATASTROPHIC
MASS EXTINCTIONS.
41
00:02:17,567 --> 00:02:19,600
[ DINOSAUR ROARS ]
42
00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,200
MASS EXTINCTIONS DUE TO IMPACTS
AND OTHER GEOLOGIC
43
00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,333
NATURAL PROCESSES ON THE EARTH
HAVE ACTUALLY WIPED OUT
44
00:02:25,333 --> 00:02:28,100
MORE SPECIES OF PLANTS
AND ANIMALS ON THE PLANET
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00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:30,733
THAN EXIST TODAY.
46
00:02:30,733 --> 00:02:35,067
Oluseyi: MASS EXTINCTIONS
ARE WHAT HAPPENS,
47
00:02:35,067 --> 00:02:36,933
IT JUST HAPPENS PERIODICALLY,
48
00:02:36,933 --> 00:02:39,667
AND WE LIVING IN THE QUIET TIME
BETWEEN MASS EXTINCTIONS.
49
00:02:39,667 --> 00:02:42,967
IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN.
50
00:02:42,967 --> 00:02:45,600
Narrator:
THE CLOCK IS TICKING.
51
00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,067
WITH EVERY DAY THAT PASSES,
52
00:02:48,067 --> 00:02:52,233
THE NEXT MASS EXTINCTION GETS
A STEP CLOSER,
53
00:02:52,233 --> 00:02:55,100
AND WITH EVERY NEW DISCOVERY,
54
00:02:55,100 --> 00:02:58,367
THE UNIVERSE GETS
A LITTLE BIT MORE TERRIFYING.
55
00:03:00,733 --> 00:03:03,633
NOVEMBER 2012.
56
00:03:03,633 --> 00:03:06,400
ASTRONOMERS IDENTIFY
A NEW PLANET
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00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,567
100 LIGHT-YEARS FROM EARTH,
58
00:03:08,567 --> 00:03:12,733
AT LEAST FOUR TIMES
MORE MASSIVE THAN JUPITER,
59
00:03:12,733 --> 00:03:15,267
AND IT'S GONE ROGUE.
60
00:03:18,533 --> 00:03:21,667
UNLIKE EARTH AND ALL THE OTHER
OBJECTS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,
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00:03:21,667 --> 00:03:25,400
THIS PLANET DOESN'T ORBIT
A STAR.
62
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,267
IT REALLY IS LOST IN SPACE.
63
00:03:29,267 --> 00:03:31,300
WHEN I WAS A KID
WATCHING SCIENCE-FICTION MOVIES,
64
00:03:31,300 --> 00:03:33,367
EVERY NOW AND AGAIN
THERE WOULD BE A ROGUE PLANET,
65
00:03:33,367 --> 00:03:35,333
JUST SOME PLANET WONDERING SPACE
WITHOUT A STAR.
66
00:03:35,333 --> 00:03:36,900
AND I THOUGHT
THAT WAS PRETTY SILLY,
67
00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:40,900
BUT IT TURNS OUT
THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
68
00:03:40,900 --> 00:03:43,233
WHEN PLANETS ARE FORMING,
69
00:03:43,233 --> 00:03:45,467
THEY CAN INTERACT
WITH EACH OTHER GRAVITATIONALLY.
70
00:03:45,467 --> 00:03:46,933
AND IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
71
00:03:46,933 --> 00:03:48,500
THAT WHEN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM FORMED,
72
00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:53,100
PLANETS WERE KICKED OUT
INTO INTERSTELLAR SPACE.
73
00:03:53,100 --> 00:03:56,067
Narrator: THERE COULD BE AS MANY
AS 200 BILLION ROGUE PLANETS
74
00:03:56,067 --> 00:03:57,633
IN OUR GALAXY.
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00:03:57,633 --> 00:04:02,867
THAT'S AS MANY ROGUE PLANETS
AS THERE ARE STARS IN THE SKY.
76
00:04:02,867 --> 00:04:06,500
AND ONE OF THEM COULD BE
HEADING OUR WAY.
77
00:04:11,767 --> 00:04:15,867
A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER PLANET
SOUNDS FARFETCHED.
78
00:04:15,867 --> 00:04:18,400
COULD IT REALLY HAPPEN?
79
00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,667
AS A MATTER OF FACT,
IT ALREADY HAS.
80
00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:27,667
4 1/2 BILLION YEARS AGO,
81
00:04:27,667 --> 00:04:33,067
A YOUNG PLANET
VEERS INTO THE EARTH'S ORBIT.
82
00:04:33,067 --> 00:04:34,600
WE HAVE THE EARTH SITTING HERE,
83
00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,067
AND ANOTHER PLANET
ABOUT THE SIZE OF MARS CAME IN
84
00:04:37,067 --> 00:04:38,900
AND SMACKED US HARD.
85
00:04:41,233 --> 00:04:44,433
Narrator: THE TWO COLLIDED
OVER 25,000 MILES AN HOUR,
86
00:04:44,433 --> 00:04:47,467
12 TIMES FASTER THAN A BULLET.
87
00:04:49,867 --> 00:04:53,167
THE IMPACT DESTROYS
THE SMALLER PLANET.
88
00:04:53,167 --> 00:04:56,800
THE EARTH SURVIVES,
BUT ONLY JUST.
89
00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,167
THE VIOLENCE OF THIS IS
HARD TO IMAGINE.
90
00:04:59,167 --> 00:05:01,067
TWO PLANETS COMING TOGETHER
91
00:05:01,067 --> 00:05:03,467
SMASHING TOGETHER
INTO ONE MOLTEN MASS.
92
00:05:03,467 --> 00:05:05,600
AFTER AN IMPACT OF THAT SCALE,
93
00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,867
THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE EARTH
IS LITERALLY LIQUEFIED.
94
00:05:08,867 --> 00:05:10,933
IMAGINE THE FLOOR
OF AN ACTIVE VOLCANO
95
00:05:10,933 --> 00:05:12,333
WITH ISLANDS OF SOLID ROCK
96
00:05:12,333 --> 00:05:13,867
AND LAVA SPURTING
RIGHT AND LEFT.
97
00:05:13,867 --> 00:05:17,067
THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE PLANET
WOULD'VE LOOKED LIKE THAT.
98
00:05:17,067 --> 00:05:18,867
THE EARTH ITSELF
FOR A LITTLE WHILE
99
00:05:18,867 --> 00:05:21,500
WOULD'VE HAD
AN ATMOSPHERE OF MOLTEN ROCK.
100
00:05:21,500 --> 00:05:23,333
AND IT WAS A, YOU KNOW,
VISION OF HELL.
101
00:05:27,467 --> 00:05:31,333
Narrator: DEBRIS BLASTED OUT
AT 20,000 MILES AN HOUR
102
00:05:31,333 --> 00:05:33,567
ORBITS THE MOLTEN EARTH.
103
00:05:35,900 --> 00:05:37,967
GRAVITY BRINGS THE DEBRIS
TOGETHER.
104
00:05:42,767 --> 00:05:46,067
THE RESULT -- OUR MOON.
105
00:05:47,933 --> 00:05:50,200
OUR MOON EMERGED
FROM THE WRECKAGE
106
00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,833
OF THE MOST CATACLYSMIC EVENT
IN OUR PLANET'S HISTORY.
107
00:05:53,833 --> 00:05:57,400
FROM DESTRUCTION COMES CREATION,
108
00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,100
BECAUSE WITHOUT THIS LUMP
OF COSMIC SHRAPNEL,
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00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:04,633
LIFE ON EARTH MIGHT NEVER HAVE
GAINED A FOOTHOLD.
110
00:06:04,633 --> 00:06:09,233
THE MOON'S GRAVITY PULLS
ON THE INFANT EARTH'S OCEANS,
111
00:06:09,233 --> 00:06:13,800
SPREADING NUTRIENTS
FROM THE LAND INTO THE WATER.
112
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,067
AND IT SLOWS THE EARTH'S SPIN
113
00:06:16,067 --> 00:06:19,467
FROM A 6- TO A 24-HOUR DAY.
114
00:06:19,467 --> 00:06:22,600
IN THIS CALM,
FERTILE ENVIRONMENT,
115
00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,633
ONE BILLION YEARS
AFTER THE IMPACT,
116
00:06:25,633 --> 00:06:28,400
LIFE BEGINS.
117
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,100
IF WE HADN'T HAD THAT PLANETARY
COLLISION A LONG TIME AGO,
118
00:06:31,100 --> 00:06:32,967
WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE MOON
TODAY.
119
00:06:32,967 --> 00:06:34,467
SO, IN FACT,
120
00:06:34,467 --> 00:06:37,400
THIS MOST CATASTROPHIC EVENT
YOU CAN POSSIBLY THINK OF
121
00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,867
ACTUALLY MAY HAVE HELPED LIFE
ON EARTH FORM IN THE FIRST PLACE
122
00:06:41,867 --> 00:06:46,067
AND HELPED US EVOLVE OVER THE
NEXT COUPLE OF BILLION YEARS.
123
00:06:46,067 --> 00:06:49,333
Narrator: BUT WHAT WAS
A GOOD THING IN THE PAST
124
00:06:49,333 --> 00:06:53,367
WOULD BE A DISASTER
IF IT HAPPENED TODAY.
125
00:06:53,367 --> 00:06:55,833
NOW, YOU DON'T WANT
A PLANETARY COLLISION NOW
126
00:06:55,833 --> 00:06:57,833
BECAUSE THAT WOULD WIPE OUT
THE ENTIRE PLANET.
127
00:07:00,467 --> 00:07:02,833
YOU CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE IT
COMPARING IT TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
128
00:07:02,833 --> 00:07:05,067
IT WOULD BE BILLIONS
OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
129
00:07:05,067 --> 00:07:06,667
IT'S ENOUGH TO MELT
130
00:07:06,667 --> 00:07:10,733
SEVERAL MILES THICK CRUST
ON THE EARTH ALL THE WAY DOWN.
131
00:07:10,733 --> 00:07:12,133
IT WOULD WIPE OUT
ALL LIFE ON EARTH.
132
00:07:12,133 --> 00:07:13,500
THAT WOULD BE IT.
133
00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:16,800
IT WOULD BE LIKE A HARD RESTART
FOR THE PLANET ITSELF.
134
00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,333
Narrator: COULD THIS NIGHTMARE
BECOME A REALITY?
135
00:07:20,333 --> 00:07:24,233
RIGHT NOW EVEN THE CLOSEST ROGUE
PLANETS WE'VE DISCOVERED
136
00:07:24,233 --> 00:07:27,200
ARE STILL TRILLIONS OF MILES
FROM EARTH.
137
00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,467
AND OUR NEIGHBORING PLANETS
HAVE SETTLED
138
00:07:29,467 --> 00:07:32,800
INTO CALM, STABLE ORBITS.
139
00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:34,233
Plait: WE'RE NOT GONNA GET
A PLANETARY COLLISION
140
00:07:34,233 --> 00:07:35,467
ANY TIME SOON,
141
00:07:35,467 --> 00:07:37,333
BUT ALL THE GRAVITY
OF THE PLANETS
142
00:07:37,333 --> 00:07:39,533
PLAY WITH EACH OTHER
AND CHANGE EACH OTHER'S ORBITS.
143
00:07:39,533 --> 00:07:42,700
SO CLEARLY IF YOU RUN
THE CLOCK WORK OF TIME FORWARD
144
00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:44,333
BILLIONS OF YEARS,
145
00:07:44,333 --> 00:07:45,833
YES, IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
146
00:07:45,833 --> 00:07:47,967
THAT WE MIGHT HAVE
ANOTHER PLANETARY COLLISION.
147
00:07:47,967 --> 00:07:50,933
YOU JUST DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT IT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
148
00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:55,800
Narrator:
4 BILLION YEARS AGO,
149
00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:00,400
A DEVASTATING COLLISION
MADE LIFE ON EARTH POSSIBLE.
150
00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,500
2 BILLION YEARS LATER,
151
00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:06,600
THAT LIFE THREATENS
TO DESTROY ITSELF.
152
00:08:22,700 --> 00:08:24,733
Narrator:
OUR BLUE PLANET --
153
00:08:24,733 --> 00:08:28,733
IN A HOSTILE UNIVERSE,
IT SUSTAINS AND NURTURES LIFE.
154
00:08:31,667 --> 00:08:34,100
2.4 BILLION YEARS AGO,
155
00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:35,900
SIMPLE, SINGLE-CELLED ORGANISMS
156
00:08:35,900 --> 00:08:38,800
DRIFT THROUGH
THE NUTRIENT-RICH OCEANS.
157
00:08:40,867 --> 00:08:44,433
BUT THEIR WORLD
IS ABOUT TO BE DESTROYED.
158
00:08:44,433 --> 00:08:46,333
WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT MASS EXTINCTIONS,
159
00:08:46,333 --> 00:08:48,233
YOU HAVE AT LEAST TWO TYPES --
160
00:08:48,233 --> 00:08:50,400
ONE DANGER COMING
FROM OUTER SPACE,
161
00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,433
ANOTHER FROM OUR OWN VERY
BACKYARD ON THE PLANET EARTH.
162
00:08:58,967 --> 00:09:02,100
Narrator:
THE EARTH CIRCLES THE SUN,
163
00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:04,800
BUT THIS ORBIT IS UNSTABLE.
164
00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,367
OVER HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS,
165
00:09:07,367 --> 00:09:08,867
IT CHANGES,
166
00:09:08,867 --> 00:09:11,500
SWINGING THE PLANET
FURTHER OUT INTO SPACE
167
00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:13,867
AND PIVOTING ON ITS AXIS.
168
00:09:16,067 --> 00:09:21,933
TILTED AWAY FROM THE SUN,
THE EARTH COOLS.
169
00:09:21,933 --> 00:09:24,067
2.4 BILLION YEARS AGO,
170
00:09:24,067 --> 00:09:27,067
SOMETHING TURNS
THIS NATURAL COOLING
171
00:09:27,067 --> 00:09:30,067
INTO A GLOBAL CATASTROPHE.
172
00:09:30,067 --> 00:09:32,533
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS THINGS
173
00:09:32,533 --> 00:09:35,067
IN ALL THE UNIVERSE --
174
00:09:35,067 --> 00:09:37,300
LIFE.
175
00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:39,767
TINY ORGANISMS
POPULATE THE OCEANS.
176
00:09:42,367 --> 00:09:44,200
THERE'S NO OXYGEN AROUND
177
00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,267
AND THAT'S THE WAY
MOST OF THEM LIKE IT.
178
00:09:46,267 --> 00:09:50,333
BUT THEN A NEW KIND
OF BACTERIA EVOLVES --
179
00:09:50,333 --> 00:09:51,933
CYANOBACTERIA.
180
00:09:51,933 --> 00:09:57,367
AND THESE GUYS CREATE
A SERIOUS GAS PROBLEM.
181
00:09:57,367 --> 00:09:59,267
McKay: IMAGINE EARTH
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.
182
00:09:59,267 --> 00:10:01,300
THERE'S NO OXYGEN.
EVERYBODY'S HAPPY.
183
00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:05,567
THEN CYANOBACTERIA START MAKING
OXYGEN.
184
00:10:05,567 --> 00:10:07,833
IT'S A TOXIC POLLUTANT.
185
00:10:07,833 --> 00:10:09,900
IF THERE WAS A REGULATORY AGENCY
AT THE TIME,
186
00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:11,200
THEY WOULD'VE BEEN OUTLAWED.
187
00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,300
EVENTUALLY THEY POLLUTED
THE WHOLE WORLD.
188
00:10:14,300 --> 00:10:16,133
THEY HAD REALLY PRECIPITATED
189
00:10:16,133 --> 00:10:19,567
AN ECOLOGICAL CRISIS
OF GLOBAL PROPORTIONS.
190
00:10:19,567 --> 00:10:21,900
Narrator:
THE GREAT OXYGEN CRISIS
191
00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:25,100
UPSETS THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
THAT KEEPS THE PLANET WARM.
192
00:10:29,300 --> 00:10:32,067
GLOBAL TEMPERATURES PLUMMET.
193
00:10:32,067 --> 00:10:36,167
McKay:
THE ULTIMATE CULPRIT IS BIOLOGY.
194
00:10:36,167 --> 00:10:38,133
BIOLOGY MAKES A MESS
OF THE PLANET,
195
00:10:38,133 --> 00:10:39,833
PRODUCES OXYGEN.
196
00:10:39,833 --> 00:10:43,300
THE OXYGEN DESTROYS
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT OF METHANE
197
00:10:43,300 --> 00:10:44,900
AND THAT FREEZES UP THE EARTH.
198
00:10:44,900 --> 00:10:51,100
Narrator: 2.4 BILLION YEARS AGO,
ICE CREEPS OUT FROM THE POLES.
199
00:10:56,700 --> 00:10:58,500
INSTEAD OF WARMING THE PLANET,
200
00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:01,167
SUNLIGHT BOUNCES OFF THE ICE,
201
00:11:01,167 --> 00:11:02,667
TEMPERATURES FALL,
202
00:11:02,667 --> 00:11:07,167
CREATING MORE ICE WHICH BOUNCES
MORE SUNLIGHT BACK INTO SPACE,
203
00:11:07,167 --> 00:11:09,200
AND SO ON AND SO ON
204
00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,067
UNTIL THE COOLING BECOMES
UNSTOPPABLE.
205
00:11:13,067 --> 00:11:15,567
THE ICE MARCHES ON.
206
00:11:15,567 --> 00:11:18,367
TEMPERATURES PLUNGE.
207
00:11:21,967 --> 00:11:25,067
THE BLUE PLANET TURNS WHITE.
208
00:11:25,067 --> 00:11:28,500
IT'S A SNOWBALL EARTH.
209
00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:31,800
AND INCREDIBLY,
THIS MAY'VE HAPPENED NOT ONCE
210
00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:35,367
BUT AT LEAST THREE TIMES
OVER THE FOLLOWING BILLION YEARS
211
00:11:35,367 --> 00:11:39,700
AS THE PLANET
LURCHED AROUND THE SUN.
212
00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:42,633
BUT THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS
AND AGAINST ALL THE ODDS,
213
00:11:42,633 --> 00:11:45,867
A HANDFUL OF SPECIES
CLUNG TO LIFE,
214
00:11:45,867 --> 00:11:48,800
THANKS TO VOLCANOES.
215
00:11:51,300 --> 00:11:55,300
EVEN IN AN EARTH THAT WAS
COVERED ALMOST ENTIRELY BY ICE,
216
00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,767
VOLCANOES WOULD'VE BEEN PUNCHING
THROUGH THAT.
217
00:11:57,767 --> 00:12:01,067
SO YOU CERTAINLY HAVE
POCKETS OF WATER LYING ABOUT.
218
00:12:01,067 --> 00:12:03,200
AND LIFE WAS ABLE TO CARRY ON
219
00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,100
AND GET THROUGH
THESE COLD PERIODS.
220
00:12:13,300 --> 00:12:15,067
Narrator:
AND THE WHOLE TIME,
221
00:12:15,067 --> 00:12:17,367
THE VOLCANOES
THAT HELP SUSTAIN LIFE
222
00:12:17,367 --> 00:12:20,367
HAVE BEEN PUMPING OUT
CARBON DIOXIDE.
223
00:12:20,367 --> 00:12:23,067
AS THIS GREENHOUSE GAS
INCREASES,
224
00:12:23,067 --> 00:12:24,567
THE ATMOSPHERE WARMS.
225
00:12:24,567 --> 00:12:27,100
UNTIL 640 MILLION YEARS AGO,
226
00:12:27,100 --> 00:12:30,600
THE LAST, GREAT SNOWBALL EARTH
ENDS.
227
00:12:32,667 --> 00:12:37,567
AND THE SURVIVORS
EMERGE INTO A NEW WORLD.
228
00:12:37,567 --> 00:12:41,867
AFTER SNOWBALL EARTH GOES AWAY,
THINGS GET VERY INTERESTING.
229
00:12:41,867 --> 00:12:44,867
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN UP FOR LIFE,
230
00:12:44,867 --> 00:12:46,833
WATER'S FLOWING, ICE IS MELTING,
231
00:12:46,833 --> 00:12:49,967
ORGANIC MATERIAL BUILT UP
THAT HASN'T BEEN DECOMPOSING.
232
00:12:49,967 --> 00:12:53,733
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THERE
WILL BE A BURST OF DEVELOPMENT.
233
00:12:53,733 --> 00:12:56,533
Narrator: IN THE MEANTIME,
234
00:12:56,533 --> 00:13:01,367
CYANOBACTERIA HAVE BEEN
CHURNING OUT EVER MORE OXYGEN.
235
00:13:01,367 --> 00:13:06,967
OTHER ORGANISMS WILL EITHER
LEARN TO BREATHE IT OR DIE.
236
00:13:06,967 --> 00:13:09,167
McKay:
MANY ORGANISMS DECIDED
237
00:13:09,167 --> 00:13:11,467
THAT THIS POISON
COULD BE USEFUL,
238
00:13:11,467 --> 00:13:12,933
IT'S ENERGETIC,
239
00:13:12,933 --> 00:13:14,667
AND THAT ALLOWED THEM TO HAVE
AN ENERGY SOURCE
240
00:13:14,667 --> 00:13:16,267
THAT WAS SO POWERFUL
241
00:13:16,267 --> 00:13:18,533
THAT THEY COULD BUILD
HUGE, COMPLEX STRUCTURES --
242
00:13:18,533 --> 00:13:19,967
POOF, ANIMALS.
243
00:13:19,967 --> 00:13:23,967
Narrator: SNOWBALL EARTH
IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER
244
00:13:23,967 --> 00:13:27,067
AND AN EVOLUTIONARY TRIUMPH.
245
00:13:27,067 --> 00:13:30,900
COMPLEX LIFE FLOURISHES.
246
00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,967
BUT MOST OF THESE CREATURES WILL
NEVER EVOLVE BEYOND THIS POINT.
247
00:13:41,967 --> 00:13:44,600
SOMETHING STOPS THEM DEAD.
248
00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:48,100
IT IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON
IN THE UNIVERSE,
249
00:13:48,100 --> 00:13:51,300
AND IT STRIKES
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
250
00:14:03,167 --> 00:14:05,800
Narrator:
IN A VIOLENT UNIVERSE,
251
00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:08,933
AGAINST ALL THE ODDS,
LIFE SURVIVES.
252
00:14:08,933 --> 00:14:10,867
BUT CONSIDER THIS --
253
00:14:10,867 --> 00:14:14,100
AT ANY MOMENT, THE UNIVERSE
COULD PULL THE TRIGGER
254
00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:17,900
ON A SECRET,
DEEP-SPACE DEATH RAY,
255
00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:20,533
OBLITERATING ALL LIFE ON EARTH.
256
00:14:20,533 --> 00:14:25,767
AND UNTIL THE 1960s,
NOBODY EVEN KNEW IT EXISTED.
257
00:14:28,533 --> 00:14:33,100
1967 --
THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR.
258
00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:35,200
THE UNITED STATES
AND SOVIET UNION
259
00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,133
RACED TO OUTGUN EACH OTHER,
260
00:14:37,133 --> 00:14:40,500
STOCKPILING AND TESTING
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
261
00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:43,067
AMERICA WAS WORRIED
THAT THE SOVIET UNION
262
00:14:43,067 --> 00:14:46,067
WOULD BE ABLE TO TEST
NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN SPACE.
263
00:14:46,067 --> 00:14:48,300
SO WHAT AMERICA DID IS LAUNCH
THE SERIES OF SATELLITES
264
00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:50,767
TO GO OUT INTO SPACE
AND LOOK FOR THE TELL-TALE FLASH
265
00:14:50,767 --> 00:14:53,467
OF GAMMA RAYS
FROM NUCLEAR TESTS.
266
00:14:53,467 --> 00:14:55,733
Narrator: ON JULY 2, 1967,
267
00:14:55,733 --> 00:14:59,200
THE SATELLITES DETECT
A BURST OF GAMMA RAYS,
268
00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,867
THE MOST ENERGETIC
AND DESTRUCTIVE FORM
269
00:15:01,867 --> 00:15:05,067
OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION.
270
00:15:05,067 --> 00:15:07,467
IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS PANIC
IN THE PENTAGON.
271
00:15:07,467 --> 00:15:09,333
PERHAPS THE RUSSIANS ARE TESTING
272
00:15:09,333 --> 00:15:11,900
SUPER-GIGANTIC HYDROGEN BOMBS
IN OUTER SPACE.
273
00:15:11,900 --> 00:15:14,500
AND WE'RE JUST CAUGHT
FLAT-FOOTED.
274
00:15:14,500 --> 00:15:16,633
Narrator:
BUT IT'S NOT BOMBS.
275
00:15:16,633 --> 00:15:19,167
IT'S SOMETHING FAR DEADLIER.
276
00:15:19,167 --> 00:15:21,467
Kaku: AND THEN THE REALIZATION
SUNK IN.
277
00:15:21,467 --> 00:15:23,300
"OH, MY GOD.
278
00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:28,467
"THESE FLASHES ARE COMING FROM
OUTSIDE THE MILKY WAY GALAXY.
279
00:15:28,467 --> 00:15:31,733
THEY MUST BE
BILLIONS OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY."
280
00:15:31,733 --> 00:15:33,367
A NEW SOURCE OF ENERGY,
281
00:15:33,367 --> 00:15:36,700
SECOND ONLY TO THE BIG BANG
ITSELF HAD BEEN DISCOVERED.
282
00:15:36,700 --> 00:15:39,067
WHEN GAMMA RAY AT FIRST
WERE FIRST DISCOVERED,
283
00:15:39,067 --> 00:15:42,067
PEOPLE ASSUMED THAT
THEY MUST BE FAIRLY CLOSE BY.
284
00:15:42,067 --> 00:15:43,467
"OF COURSE
THEY HAVE TO BE CLOSE BY.
285
00:15:43,467 --> 00:15:46,167
THEY'RE THE BRIGHTEST THING
THAT WE SEE IN THE SKY."
286
00:15:46,167 --> 00:15:47,933
AND NOW WE KNOW
THAT GAMMA RAY BURST,
287
00:15:47,933 --> 00:15:49,367
NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOT NEARBY,
288
00:15:49,367 --> 00:15:51,867
THEY'RE NOT IN OUR GALAXY,
THEY'RE NOT IN NEARBY GALAXIES,
289
00:15:51,867 --> 00:15:53,833
BUT THEY'RE CLOSE TO THE EDGE
OF THE UNIVERSE.
290
00:15:53,833 --> 00:15:56,500
THEY'RE AS FAR AWAY AS
ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE OBSERVE,
291
00:15:56,500 --> 00:15:58,267
AND THAT'S
COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS.
292
00:15:58,267 --> 00:16:00,733
Narrator: OVER DISTANCE,
LIGHT GETS DIMMER.
293
00:16:00,733 --> 00:16:04,733
THE FURTHER LIGHT HAS TO TRAVEL,
THE DIMMER THE LIGHT SHOULD BE.
294
00:16:04,733 --> 00:16:07,167
IF LIGHT FROM A DISTANT GALAXY
COMES TO EARTH
295
00:16:07,167 --> 00:16:09,433
AND IT HAS GAMMA-RAY ENERGIES,
296
00:16:09,433 --> 00:16:11,933
THEN THAT EXPLOSION MUST'VE BEEN
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL,
297
00:16:11,933 --> 00:16:15,900
BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT
AS LIGHT TRAVELS THROUGH SPACE,
298
00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:18,100
THE WAVE LENGTH OF THE LIGHT
GETS STRETCHED OUT.
299
00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:20,733
AND THIS STRETCHING CAUSED
THE LIGHT TO LOSE ENERGY.
300
00:16:20,733 --> 00:16:24,633
AND SINCE THE LIGHT RAYS HAVE
TRAVELED A VERY GREAT DISTANCE
301
00:16:24,633 --> 00:16:26,300
THROUGH THE COSMOS TO REACH US,
302
00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:28,100
AND THEY'RE STILL GAMMA RAYS,
303
00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:31,333
THEY MUST'VE STARTED OUT
WITH A GREAT DEAL OF ENERGY.
304
00:16:31,333 --> 00:16:33,067
AND THE AMOUNT OF ENERGIES
ARE UNBELIEVABLE.
305
00:16:33,067 --> 00:16:36,067
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE
ENERGY BUDGET OF THE SUN
306
00:16:36,067 --> 00:16:37,433
OVER ITS WHOLE LIFETIME
307
00:16:37,433 --> 00:16:40,500
EMITTED OVER THE COURSE
OF JUST A FEW SECONDS.
308
00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:44,333
THESE ARE AMAZINGLY VIOLENT,
AMAZINGLY POWERFUL EVENTS.
309
00:16:44,333 --> 00:16:46,067
[ RADIO STATIC ]
310
00:16:46,067 --> 00:16:48,167
Narrator: IN JUNE 2008.
311
00:16:48,167 --> 00:16:51,233
NASA LAUNCHES
THE FERMI SPACE TELESCOPE.
312
00:16:53,067 --> 00:16:54,300
ITS MISSION --
313
00:16:54,300 --> 00:16:58,167
DISCOVER THE SOURCE
OF THESE HUGE BLASTS.
314
00:16:58,167 --> 00:16:59,767
McEnery: WHAT FERMI DOES
315
00:16:59,767 --> 00:17:02,200
IS OPEN OUR EYES
TO THE UNIVERSE THAT'S THERE
316
00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:03,967
BUT GIVES US
SUCH A DIFFERENT VIEW
317
00:17:03,967 --> 00:17:06,467
THAT WE REALLY GET A DEEPER
AND GREATER UNDERSTANDING
318
00:17:06,467 --> 00:17:07,767
OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
319
00:17:07,767 --> 00:17:09,533
IF YOU HAD GAMMA-RAY EYES,
320
00:17:09,533 --> 00:17:12,133
THE MILKY WAY WOULD BE
BLAZINGLY BRIGHT
321
00:17:12,133 --> 00:17:15,233
ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE SKY.
322
00:17:15,233 --> 00:17:17,367
YOUR VISION WOULD BE DOMINATED
323
00:17:17,367 --> 00:17:20,400
BY THESE VERY DENSE,
PULSING STARS
324
00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:21,867
AND SUPER-MASSIVE BLACK HOLES.
325
00:17:21,867 --> 00:17:25,067
Narrator:
AND IT'S BLACK HOLES
326
00:17:25,067 --> 00:17:28,533
THAT MAY SOLVE THE MYSTERY
OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS.
327
00:17:28,533 --> 00:17:31,500
WHEN A TRULY GIGANTIC STAR DIES,
328
00:17:31,500 --> 00:17:35,133
ONE AT LEAST 25 TIMES
MORE MASSIVE THAN OUR OWN SUN,
329
00:17:35,133 --> 00:17:39,200
IT COLLAPSES TO FORM
A BLACK HOLE.
330
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,167
SCIENTISTS BELIEVE BLACK HOLES
331
00:17:41,167 --> 00:17:43,267
ARE ONE OF THE FEW THINGS
IN THE UNIVERSE
332
00:17:43,267 --> 00:17:49,233
LARGE ENOUGH AND POWERFUL ENOUGH
TO GENERATE GAMMA-RAY BURSTS.
333
00:17:49,233 --> 00:17:52,867
Plait: GAMMA-RAY BURSTS ARE
THE BIRTH CRIES OF BLACK HOLES.
334
00:17:52,867 --> 00:17:56,633
WHEN A MASSIVE STAR EXPLODES
AND BECOMES A SUPERNOVA,
335
00:17:56,633 --> 00:17:59,200
THE CORE COLLAPSES
AND FORMS A BLACK HOLE.
336
00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,567
MATERIAL FALLS AROUND IT,
SWIRLS INTO A HUGE DISK,
337
00:18:02,567 --> 00:18:04,533
IT GETS INCREDIBLY HOT.
338
00:18:04,533 --> 00:18:06,067
AS IT'S FALLING
INTO THE BLACK HOLE
339
00:18:06,067 --> 00:18:08,933
IT FORMS A TREMENDOUS
MAGNETIC FIELD, AS WELL.
340
00:18:17,100 --> 00:18:18,867
Narrator:
THE REMAINS OF THE STAR
341
00:18:18,867 --> 00:18:22,233
SPIRAL TOWARDS THE BLACK HOLE.
342
00:18:22,233 --> 00:18:24,967
ENORMOUS ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCES
343
00:18:24,967 --> 00:18:28,533
FLING SOME OF THIS MATTER
OUTWARDS.
344
00:18:28,533 --> 00:18:31,733
HURTLING UP AND DOWN
345
00:18:31,733 --> 00:18:33,300
THE BLACK HOLE'S
HUGE MAGNETIC FIELDS,
346
00:18:33,300 --> 00:18:37,400
THE MATTER COLLIDES WITH DEBRIS
FROM THE INITIAL EXPLOSION,
347
00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,167
ACCELERATING
TO CLOSE TO THE SPEED OF LIGHT,
348
00:18:40,167 --> 00:18:43,467
HEATING TO MILLIONS OF DEGREES.
349
00:18:43,467 --> 00:18:45,500
THESE HIGH-SPEED COLLISIONS
350
00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:49,067
UNLEASH UNIMAGINABLE AMOUNTS
OF ENERGY.
351
00:18:49,067 --> 00:18:52,667
THIS IS THE GAMMA-RAY BURST.
352
00:18:52,667 --> 00:18:55,867
Gehrels: GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
ARE FASCINATING.
353
00:18:55,867 --> 00:18:57,567
YOU CAN STUDY THEM
THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE
354
00:18:57,567 --> 00:18:58,867
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BRIGHT.
355
00:18:58,867 --> 00:19:02,667
BUT IF YOU MOVE THEM IN
REALLY CLOSE TO THE EARTH,
356
00:19:02,667 --> 00:19:05,733
LET'S SAY WITHIN
6,000 LIGHT-YEARS OF THE EARTH,
357
00:19:05,733 --> 00:19:08,100
THEY BECOME
EXTREMELY DESTRUCTIVE.
358
00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:11,467
Narrator: THE BEAMS ARE SO HUGE
THAT IF A GAMMA-RAY BURST
359
00:19:11,467 --> 00:19:16,100
OCCURS, SAY,
100 LIGHT-YEARS FROM US,
360
00:19:16,100 --> 00:19:18,633
BY THE TIME IT REACHES
THE EARTH, THE BEAM WILL BE
361
00:19:18,633 --> 00:19:22,600
WIDE ENOUGH TO ENGULF
OUR ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM.
362
00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,133
BASICALLY, IF YOU WERE STANDING
ON THE EARTH AND YOU LOOKED UP,
363
00:19:25,133 --> 00:19:26,667
YOU WOULD SEE A FLASH OF LIGHT,
364
00:19:26,667 --> 00:19:29,133
AND BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN SAY,
"WHAT'S THAT?"
365
00:19:29,133 --> 00:19:30,533
YOU'D BE GONE.
366
00:19:30,533 --> 00:19:33,900
THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY IN THE BEAM
THAT TRAVELS ACROSS SPACE
367
00:19:33,900 --> 00:19:36,500
IS SO INTENSE IT WOULD BASICALLY
LIGHT THE EARTH ON FIRE
368
00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:38,267
FROM THAT DISTANCE.
369
00:19:38,267 --> 00:19:40,100
IT WOULD STRIP OFF
THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE,
370
00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:43,067
IT WOULD BOIL THE OCEANS,
IT WOULD MELT THE ROCK.
371
00:19:43,067 --> 00:19:46,067
IT WOULD BE APOCALYPTIC
BEYOND APOCALYPTIC.
372
00:19:48,467 --> 00:19:52,100
Narrator:
THIS IS THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
373
00:19:52,100 --> 00:19:56,233
BUT WHAT IF A GAMMA-RAY BURST
HIT THE EARTH FROM FURTHER OUT?
374
00:19:56,233 --> 00:19:58,733
WOULD WE SURVIVE?
375
00:19:58,733 --> 00:20:01,300
PEOPLE ASK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF THERE WAS A GAMMA-RAY BURST
376
00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:04,000
WITHIN 6,000 LIGHT-YEARS
OF THE EARTH.
377
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:05,867
IT'S ACTUALLY
NOT THE RIGHT QUESTION.
378
00:20:05,867 --> 00:20:08,767
THERE HAVE BEEN GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
THAT CLOSE TO THE EARTH,
379
00:20:08,767 --> 00:20:12,033
AND THERE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN
EXTINCTIONS OF LIFE ON EARTH
380
00:20:12,033 --> 00:20:14,100
DUE TO GAMMA-RAY BURSTS.
381
00:20:16,100 --> 00:20:19,533
Narrator: 200 MILLION YEARS
AFTER SNOWBALL EARTH,
382
00:20:19,533 --> 00:20:23,167
THE OCEANS ARE TEEMING
WITH COMPLEX LIFE.
383
00:20:23,167 --> 00:20:26,800
BUT 440 MILLION YEARS AGO,
384
00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,167
85% OF ALL THOSE CREATURES DIED.
385
00:20:32,933 --> 00:20:35,000
AND THE KILLER MAY HAVE BEEN
386
00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,633
A SINGLE DEVASTATING
GAMMA-RAY BURST.
387
00:20:38,633 --> 00:20:42,233
THE BLAST PENETRATES
THE OCEANS' UPPER LAYERS,
388
00:20:42,233 --> 00:20:45,100
KILLING THE CREATURES
THAT LIVE NEAR THE SURFACE.
389
00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:51,400
CREATURES LIVING FURTHER DOWN
SURVIVE THE INITIAL ONSLAUGHT,
390
00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,433
BUT NOT FOR LONG...
391
00:20:54,433 --> 00:20:58,667
BECAUSE THE BLAST ALSO DAMAGES
THE EARTH'S OZONE LAYER,
392
00:20:58,667 --> 00:21:02,933
EXPOSING THE PLANET TO THE SUN'S
DEADLY UV RADIATION,
393
00:21:02,933 --> 00:21:05,167
TRIGGERING ACID RAIN
394
00:21:05,167 --> 00:21:07,800
AND LOWERING
GLOBAL TEMPERATURES.
395
00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,467
OVER HALF A MILLION YEARS,
396
00:21:10,467 --> 00:21:13,333
THE CREATURES THAT SURVIVED
THE GAMMA-RAY BURST
397
00:21:13,333 --> 00:21:16,600
GET TAKEN OUT
BY ITS AFTER EFFECTS.
398
00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:21,067
IF A GAMMA-RAY BURST
HAS WIPED OUT LIFE IN THE PAST,
399
00:21:21,067 --> 00:21:22,900
IT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
400
00:21:26,467 --> 00:21:28,600
AND ASTRONOMERS
THINK THE NEXT BURST
401
00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:35,100
COULD COME FROM A DANGEROUSLY
UNSTABLE STAR, WR 104.
402
00:21:35,100 --> 00:21:38,400
Kaku:
WR 104 IS THE NIGHTMARE.
403
00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,067
WE NOW HAVE
A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE
404
00:21:41,067 --> 00:21:45,233
FOR WHAT MAY BECOME A GAMMA-RAY
BURSTER WITH OUR NAME ON IT.
405
00:21:45,233 --> 00:21:49,467
WE ARE LITERALLY STARING
DOWN THE GUN BARREL OF WR 104.
406
00:21:53,067 --> 00:21:54,500
Narrator: IT'S NOT ONE
407
00:21:54,500 --> 00:21:58,733
BUT TWO MASSIVE STARS
ORBITING EACH OTHER.
408
00:22:00,500 --> 00:22:04,467
THE STARS WILL DIE
IN A MASSIVE EXPLOSION,
409
00:22:04,467 --> 00:22:06,200
SPAWNING A BLACK HOLE,
410
00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,567
AND BLASTING OUT GAMMA RAYS.
411
00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:13,400
Kaku: THE OBJECT IS
ABOUT 8,000 LIGHT-YEARS AWAY,
412
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:17,500
SO WE ARE WITHIN THE KILL RADIUS
OF THIS OBJECT.
413
00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:19,800
SO YOU COULD BE
DOING YOUR LAUNDRY TOMORROW,
414
00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,867
LOOK UP IN THE SKY,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
415
00:22:21,867 --> 00:22:26,267
THERE'S THIS BURST OF RADIATION
RAINING DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS.
416
00:22:26,267 --> 00:22:29,467
Narrator: THE RADIATION RIPS OFF
THE EARTH'S OZONE LAYER,
417
00:22:29,467 --> 00:22:31,800
CREATING A TOXIC SMOG
418
00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,900
AND EXPOSING US
TO THE SUN'S DEADLY RAYS.
419
00:22:34,900 --> 00:22:38,267
Kaku: LIFE AS WE KNOW IT
COULD CEASE TO EXIST.
420
00:22:38,267 --> 00:22:40,067
PLANTS WOULD BE SCORCHED,
421
00:22:40,067 --> 00:22:42,300
ANIMALS,
WHICH DEPEND UPON PLANT LIFE,
422
00:22:42,300 --> 00:22:43,900
WILL THEN BEGIN TO DIE.
423
00:22:43,900 --> 00:22:47,700
HUMAN CIVILIZATION WOULD
HAVE TO GO UNDERGROUND.
424
00:22:47,700 --> 00:22:49,267
IT MAY SOUND LIKE THE DEATH STAR
425
00:22:49,267 --> 00:22:51,067
DESTROYING THE EARTH
IN "STAR WARS,"
426
00:22:51,067 --> 00:22:54,300
BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS THE DEATH
STAR ISN'T GONNA HAPPEN,
427
00:22:54,300 --> 00:22:56,733
A GAMMA-RAY BURST MIGHT.
428
00:23:02,867 --> 00:23:06,233
Narrator: OUR EXTINCTION
COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.
429
00:23:06,233 --> 00:23:10,867
AND THE FATAL BLOW
DOESN'T HAVE TO COME FROM SPACE.
430
00:23:10,867 --> 00:23:13,933
IT COULD COME
FROM THE VERY THING
431
00:23:13,933 --> 00:23:16,300
THAT MAKES LIFE POSSIBLE --
432
00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:19,067
THE EARTH ITSELF.
433
00:23:32,733 --> 00:23:37,067
Narrator: OUR PLANET CONCEALS
A WEAPON OF MASS EXTINCTION,
434
00:23:37,067 --> 00:23:40,333
PRIMED TO DETONATE
AT ANY MOMENT,
435
00:23:40,333 --> 00:23:43,167
HIDDEN DEEP BENEATH OUR FEET.
436
00:23:45,233 --> 00:23:48,633
UNLEASHED,
THE HEAT INSIDE OUR PLANET
437
00:23:48,633 --> 00:23:52,833
COULD WIPE OUT EVERYTHING
IN ITS PATH ON A MASSIVE SCALE.
438
00:23:55,700 --> 00:23:58,533
200 MILLION YEARS
AFTER A GAMMA-RAY BURST
439
00:23:58,533 --> 00:24:00,967
MAY HAVE DEVASTATED LIFE
IN THE OCEANS,
440
00:24:00,967 --> 00:24:03,433
THE SURVIVORS HAVE COLONIZED
THE LAND.
441
00:24:03,433 --> 00:24:04,767
[ CREATURES ROARING ]
442
00:24:04,767 --> 00:24:08,900
AMONG THEM, A MOTLEY CREW
OF MONSTER REPTILES --
443
00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:12,200
SCUTOSAURUS AND GORGONOPSIANS.
444
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:16,067
THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, STRONG,
AND DOOMED.
445
00:24:16,067 --> 00:24:17,867
[ CREATURE ROARS ]
446
00:24:17,867 --> 00:24:20,100
Jerram: AROUND ABOUT
250 MILLION YEARS AGO MARKS
447
00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:23,600
THE BIGGEST MASS EXTINCTION
THAT THE EARTH HAS EVER SEEN,
448
00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,300
THE END-PERMIAN EXTINCTION.
449
00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:28,267
JUST OVER 90% OF MARINE FAUNA
450
00:24:28,267 --> 00:24:31,133
AND AROUND ABOUT 70%
OF LAND FAUNA
451
00:24:31,133 --> 00:24:33,833
DISAPPEARED FROM THE PLANET.
452
00:24:33,833 --> 00:24:36,233
Narrator: THE KILLER IS
A VOLCANIC ERUPTION --
453
00:24:36,233 --> 00:24:38,400
THE BIGGEST
AND MOST CATASTROPHIC
454
00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,067
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
455
00:24:44,967 --> 00:24:47,333
250 MILLION YEARS AGO,
456
00:24:47,333 --> 00:24:49,367
IN WHAT IS NOW SIBERIA,
457
00:24:49,367 --> 00:24:52,433
THE EARTH'S CRUST RUPTURES,
458
00:24:52,433 --> 00:24:54,800
PUSHED BEYOND BREAKING POINT
459
00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,433
BY A VAST PLUME OF HOT MAGMA
460
00:24:57,433 --> 00:25:00,300
SURGING UP
FROM DEEP INSIDE THE PLANET.
461
00:25:04,767 --> 00:25:07,300
Durda: THE EARTH ITSELF CAN
INTERNALLY GENERATE
462
00:25:07,300 --> 00:25:10,067
SOME VERY DEVASTATING EVENTS,
MILLIONS-OF-YEARS-LONG EVENTS
463
00:25:10,067 --> 00:25:12,667
IN THE FORM OF
MAJOR VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
464
00:25:12,667 --> 00:25:15,767
AT THE CONTINENT-SCALE LEVEL.
465
00:25:15,767 --> 00:25:18,433
THESE ARE
BASALTIC-VOLCANISM EVENTS
466
00:25:18,433 --> 00:25:22,800
THAT FLOOD ENTIRE PORTIONS
OF THE PLANET WITH BASALT LAVA.
467
00:25:24,633 --> 00:25:29,200
Narrator: LAVA SPEWS
FOR TWO MILLION YEARS.
468
00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,633
THERE'S ENOUGH LAVA TO COVER
THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES
469
00:25:33,633 --> 00:25:36,400
BENEATH A THOUSAND FEET.
470
00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:40,200
AND THE DEATH TOLL
EXTENDS AROUND THE EARTH...
471
00:25:42,933 --> 00:25:45,833
...AND DEEP INTO THE OCEANS.
472
00:25:45,833 --> 00:25:48,533
THE QUESTION IS WHY.
473
00:25:51,367 --> 00:25:55,067
THE ANSWER LIES WITH THE MOST
VOLCANIC COUNTRY ON EARTH --
474
00:25:57,500 --> 00:25:58,800
ICELAND --
475
00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:04,300
WITH A SIMILAR, SMALLER ERUPTION
JUST 230 YEARS AGO.
476
00:26:06,433 --> 00:26:09,067
JUNE 1783.
477
00:26:09,067 --> 00:26:12,767
A TERRIBLE CHAIN OF EVENTS
UNFOLD
478
00:26:12,767 --> 00:26:15,133
THAT WILL DEVASTATE ICELAND
479
00:26:15,133 --> 00:26:18,733
AND KILL UP TO A MILLION PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD.
480
00:26:18,733 --> 00:26:21,767
NEAR THE VILLAGE OF LAKI,
481
00:26:21,767 --> 00:26:27,267
A 17-MILE-LONG TEAR
OPENS UP IN THE EARTH'S CRUST.
482
00:26:27,267 --> 00:26:30,267
Jerram: THESE HOLES AND CRACKS
IN THE GROUND THAT YOU CAN SEE,
483
00:26:30,267 --> 00:26:31,800
THEY WOULD'VE HAD JETS OF MAGMA,
484
00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,633
JETS OF LAVA
FLYING UP INTO THE SKY.
485
00:26:39,100 --> 00:26:40,600
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SCALE,
486
00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,067
THE OVERALL THE AMOUNT OF
MATERIAL THAT CAME OUT OF LAKI
487
00:26:43,067 --> 00:26:46,600
IS ABOUT 3 1/2 CUBIC MILES
OF VOLCANIC MATERIAL,
488
00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,733
AND THAT'S A LOT MATERIAL.
489
00:26:48,733 --> 00:26:52,133
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SIZE OF
LAKI THAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL,
490
00:26:52,133 --> 00:26:55,867
IT'S ACTUALLY WHAT'S INSIDE THIS
AND WHAT CAME OUT OF THIS
491
00:26:55,867 --> 00:26:57,367
THAT'S THE DANGEROUS THING.
492
00:26:57,367 --> 00:26:59,533
BECAUSE IT HAD
LOTS OF SULFUR GASES
493
00:26:59,533 --> 00:27:00,867
ASSOCIATED WITH THE ERUPTION
494
00:27:00,867 --> 00:27:04,200
AND ALSO LOTS OF FLUORINE,
QUITE POISONOUS GASES.
495
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:09,267
Narrator: SULFUR DIOXIDE SPREADS
OUT AROUND THE ATMOSPHERE.
496
00:27:09,267 --> 00:27:11,933
ITS DROPLETS FORM A GIANT MIRROR
497
00:27:11,933 --> 00:27:16,067
REFLECTING THE SUN'S WARMTH
AWAY FROM THE EARTH.
498
00:27:16,067 --> 00:27:17,700
IT'S CLEAR THAT EVEN
499
00:27:17,700 --> 00:27:20,533
A RELATIVELY SMALL ERUPTION
LIKE LAKI
500
00:27:20,533 --> 00:27:23,600
CAN CAUSE BIG, DRAMATIC EFFECTS
IN TERMS OF THE CLIMATE.
501
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,700
IN THE NORTHERN U.S.,
502
00:27:25,700 --> 00:27:27,567
THERE WAS ONE OF THE COLDEST
WINTERS EVER RECORDED.
503
00:27:27,567 --> 00:27:30,267
IN FACT, THE MISSISSIPPI IS
RECORDED TO HAVE FROZEN.
504
00:27:30,267 --> 00:27:33,933
IT'S BEEN IMPLICATED IN CAUSING
THE BIG FAMINE IN JAPAN.
505
00:27:33,933 --> 00:27:37,667
SO, THE EFFECTS,
POTENTIALLY, FOR VOLCANOES
506
00:27:37,667 --> 00:27:39,300
THAT SPEW THESE HORRIBLE GASES
507
00:27:39,300 --> 00:27:43,067
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE CAN BE
CATASTROPHIC ON A GLOBAL SCALE.
508
00:27:43,067 --> 00:27:46,767
Narrator: NOW PICTURE
THE SIBERIAN ERUPTIONS
509
00:27:46,767 --> 00:27:49,100
250 MILLION YEARS AGO.
510
00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:52,833
THEY'RE 200,000 TIMES LARGER
THAN LAKI
511
00:27:52,833 --> 00:27:56,067
AND LAST A MILLION TIMES LONGER.
512
00:27:56,067 --> 00:27:59,567
THEY RELEASE MASSIVE QUANTITIES
OF GAS
513
00:27:59,567 --> 00:28:02,133
TRIGGERING
EXTREME CLIMATE CHANGE --
514
00:28:02,133 --> 00:28:05,300
FIRST COOLING,
THEN HEATING THE ATMOSPHERE.
515
00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,833
70 % OF ALL
LAND-BASED CREATURES DIE,
516
00:28:10,833 --> 00:28:15,667
INCLUDING THE MIGHTY
GORGONOPSIANS AND SCUTOSAURUS.
517
00:28:15,667 --> 00:28:18,400
BUT WORSE IS TO COME.
518
00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:23,567
AS THE OCEANS WARM,
THEY LOSE OXYGEN AND STAGNATE.
519
00:28:23,567 --> 00:28:25,733
TOXIC ALGAE TAKES OVER,
520
00:28:25,733 --> 00:28:28,933
POISONING THE OCEANS
WITH HYDROGEN SULFIDE,
521
00:28:28,933 --> 00:28:32,067
KILLING 96% OF MARINE LIFE,
522
00:28:32,067 --> 00:28:35,433
AND LEAVING
PURPLE SULFUR BACTERIA
523
00:28:35,433 --> 00:28:37,500
TO OVERRUN THE OCEANS,
524
00:28:37,500 --> 00:28:40,200
TURNING THE WATER PINK.
525
00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,567
THIS IS THE CLOSEST
THE EARTH HAS EVER COME
526
00:28:43,567 --> 00:28:46,067
TO TOTAL EXTINCTION.
527
00:28:47,167 --> 00:28:51,600
BUT OVER 200 MILLION YEARS,
THE SURVIVORS ADAPT AND EVOLVE.
528
00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:54,600
A NEW GROUP OF ANIMALS EMERGE.
529
00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:57,700
THEY ARE THE LARGEST,
MOST SUCCESSFUL CREATURES
530
00:28:57,700 --> 00:28:59,533
THE EARTH HAS EVER SEEN --
531
00:28:59,533 --> 00:29:01,933
THE DINOSAURS.
532
00:29:01,933 --> 00:29:06,867
BUT THEY, TOO, WILL FACE
ANNIHILATION.
533
00:29:15,833 --> 00:29:18,700
Narrator: COSMIC KILLERS
PROWL THE UNIVERSE
534
00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:20,933
THREATENING TO WIPE OUT
LIFE ON EARTH.
535
00:29:23,533 --> 00:29:25,533
THEY'VE STRUCK BEFORE,
536
00:29:25,533 --> 00:29:29,100
PUSHING LIFE
TO THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION.
537
00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:32,100
THEY WILL STRIKE AGAIN,
538
00:29:32,100 --> 00:29:34,800
AND IT COULD HAPPEN BEFORE
YOU'VE FINISHED
539
00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:36,067
WATCHING THIS SHOW.
540
00:29:40,533 --> 00:29:44,300
FEBRUARY 15, 2013.
541
00:29:44,300 --> 00:29:46,600
9:42 a.m.
542
00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:48,633
IT'S ANOTHER COLD WINTER'S DAY
543
00:29:48,633 --> 00:29:51,267
IN THE SIBERIAN CITY
OF CHELYABINSK
544
00:29:51,267 --> 00:29:56,900
WHEN LITERALLY,
OUT OF THE BLUE...
545
00:29:56,900 --> 00:30:01,667
A 14,000-TON, 65-FOOT METEOR
546
00:30:01,667 --> 00:30:06,167
TEARS THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE
AT 42,000 MILES AN HOUR.
547
00:30:06,167 --> 00:30:09,800
IT EXPLODES IN THE AIR
18 MILES UP,
548
00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,833
UNLEASHING
A POWERFUL BLAST WAVE,
549
00:30:12,833 --> 00:30:15,333
SHATTERING WINDOWS,
550
00:30:15,333 --> 00:30:17,833
DAMAGING 7,000 BUILDINGS,
551
00:30:17,833 --> 00:30:20,333
AND INJURING 1,500 PEOPLE.
552
00:30:20,333 --> 00:30:23,867
NOW IMAGINE
WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED
553
00:30:23,867 --> 00:30:27,133
IF THE ASTEROID HAD HIT
THE EARTH IN ONE PIECE.
554
00:30:27,133 --> 00:30:29,933
AND WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED
OVER RUSSIA,
555
00:30:29,933 --> 00:30:31,400
OVER IN CHELYABINSK,
556
00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,100
WITH AN OBJECT
THAT COULD HAVE HIT THE EARTH --
557
00:30:34,100 --> 00:30:35,733
COULD'VE HIT THE EARTH
WITH A FORCE
558
00:30:35,733 --> 00:30:37,767
OF PERHAPS 20 HIROSHIMA BOMBS.
559
00:30:37,767 --> 00:30:42,200
IF YOU WATCH THOSE VIDEOS
OF THAT METEOR IN RUSSIA
560
00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,100
WITH THE INCREDIBLE SONIC BOOM,
561
00:30:45,100 --> 00:30:47,233
YOU COULD SEE
HOW EVEN A SMALL OBJECT --
562
00:30:47,233 --> 00:30:49,167
RELATIVELY SMALL
IN A COSMIC SENSE --
563
00:30:49,167 --> 00:30:51,133
COULD PRODUCE A DRAMATIC EVENT
FOR HUMANS.
564
00:30:51,133 --> 00:30:52,900
THE WAY IT WORKS IS
565
00:30:52,900 --> 00:30:54,833
SMALL OBJECTS ARE HITTING
THE EARTH EVERY DAY,
566
00:30:54,833 --> 00:30:57,233
LARGE OBJECTS, EVERY WEEK,
567
00:30:57,233 --> 00:30:59,500
LARGER OBJECTS STILL,
EVERY YEAR.
568
00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:03,667
Narrator: AND AN OBJECT THE SIZE
OF THE CHELYABINSK METEOR
569
00:31:03,667 --> 00:31:07,733
STRIKES, ON AVERAGE,
ONCE EVERY CENTURY.
570
00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:11,633
SO WHEN
THE NEXT BIG ONE STRIKES --
571
00:31:11,633 --> 00:31:13,300
NOT IF...
572
00:31:15,300 --> 00:31:16,467
...WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
573
00:31:16,467 --> 00:31:19,067
[ CREATURES ROARING,
SCREECHING ]
574
00:31:19,067 --> 00:31:21,267
THE CLUES LIE IN THE PAST
575
00:31:21,267 --> 00:31:23,633
IN THE EXTINCTION
OF THE DINOSAURS.
576
00:31:23,633 --> 00:31:25,733
Thaller:
ABOUT 65 MILLION YEARS AGO,
577
00:31:25,733 --> 00:31:27,367
THERE WAS A PERFECT MORNING
ON EARTH.
578
00:31:27,367 --> 00:31:28,900
I WOULD'VE LOVED
TO HAVE BEEN THERE
579
00:31:28,900 --> 00:31:31,267
TO SEE THE GIANT DINOSAURS,
YOU KNOW,
580
00:31:31,267 --> 00:31:34,067
THE PTERODACTYLS FLYING
THROUGH THE AIR, ALL OF THAT.
581
00:31:34,067 --> 00:31:35,600
AND THEN SOMETHING CHANGED,
582
00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,633
AND THE EARTH
WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME.
583
00:31:37,633 --> 00:31:39,367
IF YOU WOULD'VE LOOKED
INTO THE SKY,
584
00:31:39,367 --> 00:31:41,467
YOU WOULD'VE SEEN
A RELATIVELY DIM LIGHT AT FIRST
585
00:31:41,467 --> 00:31:43,700
COMING TOWARDS YOU,
GETTING BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER,
586
00:31:43,700 --> 00:31:45,767
AND HOTTER AND HOTTER.
587
00:31:45,767 --> 00:31:48,200
Narrator:
IT'S A SIX-MILE-WIDE ROCK
588
00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:50,233
THE SIZE OF MOUNT EVEREST
589
00:31:50,233 --> 00:31:55,067
RACING TOWARDS THE EARTH
AT 25,000 MILES AN HOUR.
590
00:31:55,067 --> 00:31:56,600
Thaller:
THE FIRST WAVE OF DESTRUCTION
591
00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:58,933
WOULD'VE STARTED
BEFORE THIS OBJECT EVEN HIT.
592
00:31:58,933 --> 00:32:01,300
THERE WOULD'VE BEEN
SHOCK WAVES, HEAT, AND WINDS
593
00:32:01,300 --> 00:32:03,067
GOING ACROSS THE ENTIRE PLANET.
594
00:32:03,067 --> 00:32:05,467
EVERYWHERE THAT WAS
UNDER THE PATH OF THIS ASTEROID
595
00:32:05,467 --> 00:32:07,600
WOULD'VE BEEN SEARED,
SET ON FIRE.
596
00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,333
THE OCEANS WOULD'VE BEEN BOILING
UNDERNEATH IT.
597
00:32:12,567 --> 00:32:15,067
Narrator: THE ASTEROID SMASHES
INTO THE OCEAN
598
00:32:15,067 --> 00:32:18,133
OFF OF WHAT IS NOW
MEXICO'S YUCATAN PENINSULA.
599
00:32:19,900 --> 00:32:23,433
IT STRIKES WITH A FORCE
TWO MILLION TIMES GREATER
600
00:32:23,433 --> 00:32:26,967
THAN THE BIGGEST
NUCLEAR BOMB EVER DETONATED,
601
00:32:26,967 --> 00:32:30,900
AND BLASTS OUT A CRATER
200 MILES ACROSS.
602
00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:36,900
A SUPER-HEATED SHOCK WAVE ROARS
OUT AT TWICE THE SPEED OF SOUND.
603
00:32:36,900 --> 00:32:43,333
500 BILLION TONS OF RED-HOT ROCK
SOAR TO THE EDGE OF SPACE.
604
00:32:46,067 --> 00:32:47,967
TWO HOURS AFTER IMPACT,
605
00:32:47,967 --> 00:32:51,233
A 300-FOOT TSUNAMI
SMASHES INTO THE COAST
606
00:32:51,233 --> 00:32:53,267
OF WHAT IS NOW THE U.S.A.
607
00:32:53,267 --> 00:32:56,100
REACHING AS FAR
AS NORTH CAROLINA.
608
00:33:01,133 --> 00:33:03,233
OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS
AND DAYS,
609
00:33:03,233 --> 00:33:07,600
THE DEBRIS RAINS DOWN,
SETTING THE PLANET ABLAZE.
610
00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:10,833
IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS
AND MONTHS,
611
00:33:10,833 --> 00:33:12,533
SMOKE FROM THE FIRES
612
00:33:12,533 --> 00:33:16,767
ADDS TO THE DUST
BLASTED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
613
00:33:16,767 --> 00:33:19,433
THERE WAS
SO MUCH PULVERIZED ROCK,
614
00:33:19,433 --> 00:33:22,167
ALL OF THE BURNING MATERIALS
UP INTO THE ATMOSPHERE,
615
00:33:22,167 --> 00:33:23,600
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO SEE THE SURFACE.
616
00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,067
AND ON THE SURFACE, YOU WOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE SUN,
617
00:33:26,067 --> 00:33:27,533
AND IT WAS LIKE THAT
FOR A LONG TIME.
618
00:33:27,533 --> 00:33:30,100
[ DINOSAUR ROARING ]
619
00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:33,167
Narrator:
THIS ANCIENT APOCALYPSE
620
00:33:33,167 --> 00:33:36,100
IS A DISASTER
FOR THE DINOSAURS...
621
00:33:36,100 --> 00:33:37,667
[ DINOSAURS GROANING ]
622
00:33:37,667 --> 00:33:41,067
...BUT WITHOUT IT,
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE.
623
00:33:41,067 --> 00:33:43,467
Kaku: BACK THEN, DURING THE TIME
OF THE DINOSAURS,
624
00:33:43,467 --> 00:33:47,233
OUR ANCESTORS WERE
PROBABLY LITTLE, FURRY MAMMALS
625
00:33:47,233 --> 00:33:49,800
THAT WERE AN EVENING SNACK
FOR A DINOSAUR.
626
00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:51,600
WHEN THE DINOSAURS
GOT WIPED OUT,
627
00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:52,933
THESE SMALL, LITTLE,
FURRY MAMMALS
628
00:33:52,933 --> 00:33:54,700
BEGAN TO EXPAND IN SIZE
629
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:58,067
TO TAKE OVER THE NICHE
LEFT OVER BY THE DINOSAURS.
630
00:33:58,067 --> 00:34:01,467
SO, ONE LIFE-FORM REPLACES
ANOTHER LIFE-FORM,
631
00:34:01,467 --> 00:34:05,833
IN THIS CONTINUAL PROCESS
CALLED SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.
632
00:34:05,833 --> 00:34:09,433
WE ARE HERE
BECAUSE OUR ANCESTORS
633
00:34:09,433 --> 00:34:10,800
SURVIVED THE EXTINCTION EVENT,
634
00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:12,867
AND, IN FACT,
FLOURISHED BECAUSE OF IT.
635
00:34:12,867 --> 00:34:15,600
FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW,
636
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,533
THAT EXTINCTION EVENT
WAS A GOOD THING,
637
00:34:18,533 --> 00:34:21,067
BUT WE'RE HERE
FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.
638
00:34:21,067 --> 00:34:24,200
AND THERE WILL BE DISASTERS
IN THE FUTURE,
639
00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:26,500
AND ONE OF THEM WILL DESTROY US.
640
00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:29,533
Narrator:
THERE IS A 1 IN 5,000 CHANCE
641
00:34:29,533 --> 00:34:33,500
THAT AN ASTEROID, THE SAME SIZE
AS THE DINOSAUR KILLER,
642
00:34:33,500 --> 00:34:37,067
WILL STRIKE
WITHIN THE NEXT 100 YEARS,
643
00:34:37,067 --> 00:34:40,533
AND IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.
644
00:34:40,533 --> 00:34:42,100
IT IS A REAL POSSIBILITY
645
00:34:42,100 --> 00:34:44,267
THAT IT COULD HAPPEN
IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES,
646
00:34:44,267 --> 00:34:46,567
BUT IS A TINY POSSIBILITY.
647
00:34:46,567 --> 00:34:48,700
SO, I ALWAYS SAY, "YOU DON'T
NEED TO PREPARE VERY MUCH
648
00:34:48,700 --> 00:34:50,167
"FOR WINNING THE LOTTERY,
YOU KNOW.
649
00:34:50,167 --> 00:34:52,167
"YOU MAY HAVE A SIMILAR CHANCE
TO GETTING TAKEN OUT
650
00:34:52,167 --> 00:34:53,800
BY AN ASTEROID
IN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES."
651
00:34:57,467 --> 00:34:59,633
Narrator: APRIL 2014.
652
00:34:59,633 --> 00:35:02,200
SCIENTISTS MAKE
A SHOCKING ANNOUNCEMENT --
653
00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:04,567
SINCE THE YEAR 2000,
654
00:35:04,567 --> 00:35:08,700
26 ASTEROIDS HAVE EXPLODED
IN THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE,
655
00:35:08,700 --> 00:35:11,967
EACH ONE WITH THE FORCE
OF A NUCLEAR BLAST,
656
00:35:11,967 --> 00:35:15,333
WITH SOME UP TO 40 TIMES
MORE POWERFUL
657
00:35:15,333 --> 00:35:17,633
THAN THE HIROSHIMA BOMB.
658
00:35:17,633 --> 00:35:21,367
AND WE DIDN'T SPOT A SINGLE ONE
OF THEM BEFORE THEY STRUCK.
659
00:35:21,367 --> 00:35:24,367
EVEN IF WE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY
660
00:35:24,367 --> 00:35:26,967
TO DETECT AN ASTEROID
BEFORE IT HIT US,
661
00:35:26,967 --> 00:35:29,900
COULD WE DESTROY IT IN TIME?
662
00:35:29,900 --> 00:35:31,700
THE HOLLYWOOD FAVORITE,
OF COURSE, IS TO GO OUT THERE
663
00:35:31,700 --> 00:35:33,800
AND NUKE IT,
BLOW IT TO SMITHEREENS, RIGHT?
664
00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,167
THAT COULD ACTUALLY WORK
IN THE CASE OF SOME PARTICULAR,
665
00:35:36,167 --> 00:35:37,900
YOU KNOW, LAST-DITCH EFFORT
666
00:35:37,900 --> 00:35:39,600
FOR ASTEROIDS
OF JUST THE RIGHT SIZE.
667
00:35:42,733 --> 00:35:44,433
Narrator:
BUT A NUCLEAR BOMB
668
00:35:44,433 --> 00:35:46,667
COULD JUST MAKE A BAD SITUATION
WORSE.
669
00:35:50,333 --> 00:35:52,233
TRANSFORMING AN ASTEROID
670
00:35:52,233 --> 00:35:55,067
INTO LARGE RADIOACTIVE CHUNKS
671
00:35:55,067 --> 00:35:57,833
THAT RAIN DOWN
ALL OVER THE PLANET.
672
00:36:04,467 --> 00:36:05,867
Durda:
BUT THERE ARE ALSO TECHNIQUES,
673
00:36:05,867 --> 00:36:08,800
LIKE SHINING A LASER
ON THE ASTEROID OR SUNLIGHT,
674
00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,067
WHICH WOULD CREATE
AN ARTIFICIAL COMETARY JET,
675
00:36:11,067 --> 00:36:13,333
IF YOU WILL, WOULD VAPORIZE
SOME OF THE WATER
676
00:36:13,333 --> 00:36:15,233
AND THE MINERALS
ON THE SURFACE OF THAT ASTEROID
677
00:36:15,233 --> 00:36:18,333
TO GENTLY PUSH IT OFF
TO THE SIDE.
678
00:36:18,333 --> 00:36:21,167
ANOTHER FANTASTIC TECHNIQUE,
A VERY ROBUST ONE,
679
00:36:21,167 --> 00:36:23,533
IS SOMETHING WE CALL
THE GRAVITY TRACTOR.
680
00:36:23,533 --> 00:36:25,167
YOU JUST PARK A SPACECRAFT,
681
00:36:25,167 --> 00:36:27,067
THE MASS
OF A COMMUNICATION SATELLITE,
682
00:36:27,067 --> 00:36:28,700
NEXT TO THAT SMALL ASTEROID
683
00:36:28,700 --> 00:36:31,400
AND USE THE THRUSTERS
ON THE SPACECRAFT
684
00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:34,800
TO KEEP IT HOVERING JUST
OFF THE SURFACE OF THE ASTEROID,
685
00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:38,067
AND THAT USES THEN GRAVITY
BETWEEN THE TWO AS A TOW LINE
686
00:36:38,067 --> 00:36:40,800
TO MOVE THE ASTEROID
EVER SO GENTLY OFF COURSE.
687
00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,933
Narrator: RIGHT NOW
688
00:36:42,933 --> 00:36:45,500
THESE TECHNOLOGIES
ARE STILL ON THE DRAWING BOARD.
689
00:36:45,500 --> 00:36:48,233
IF THEY DO BECOME A REALITY,
690
00:36:48,233 --> 00:36:51,367
WE'D STILL NEED MONTHS OR YEARS
TO PREPARE.
691
00:36:57,333 --> 00:37:00,300
ROGUE PLANETS, ICE AGES,
692
00:37:00,300 --> 00:37:02,333
GAMMA-RAY BURSTS,
693
00:37:02,333 --> 00:37:05,133
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS,
694
00:37:05,133 --> 00:37:07,567
AND ASTEROID STRIKES.
695
00:37:07,567 --> 00:37:11,067
WE'VE SURVIVED THE WORST
THE UNIVERSE CAN THROW AT US,
696
00:37:11,067 --> 00:37:15,333
BUT OUR SPECIES WILL STILL FACE
EXTINCTION.
697
00:37:15,333 --> 00:37:19,733
IT'S AS INEVITABLE
AS THE SUN RISING.
698
00:37:35,133 --> 00:37:38,500
Narrator: IN A COSMIC BATTLE
TO THE DEATH,
699
00:37:38,500 --> 00:37:40,567
WE ARE THE SURVIVORS,
700
00:37:40,567 --> 00:37:44,433
BUT EVENTUALLY
THE UNIVERSE WILL WIN
701
00:37:44,433 --> 00:37:47,833
AND WE WILL FACE EXTINCTION...
702
00:37:47,833 --> 00:37:51,300
THREATENED BY THE VERY THING
THAT GIVES US LIFE --
703
00:37:51,300 --> 00:37:54,733
OUR CREATOR, THE SUN.
704
00:37:58,067 --> 00:38:00,900
Oluseyi: WE ORBIT
A GIANT NUCLEAR BOMB, THE SUN,
705
00:38:00,900 --> 00:38:02,333
BUT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT GOING TO EXPLODE.
706
00:38:02,333 --> 00:38:04,067
IT'S TOO SMALL TO EXPLODE,
707
00:38:04,067 --> 00:38:06,567
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SUN
IS THAT EVERY DAY,
708
00:38:06,567 --> 00:38:08,267
IT'S A LITTLE BIGGER
THAN IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE.
709
00:38:08,267 --> 00:38:11,700
Narrator:
SINCE THE SUN'S BIRTH,
710
00:38:11,700 --> 00:38:16,267
HYDROGEN HAS BEEN FUSING
INTO HELIUM IN THE SUN'S CORE.
711
00:38:16,267 --> 00:38:20,900
AS THE HELIUM ACCUMULATES,
THE CORE GETS DENSER.
712
00:38:20,900 --> 00:38:24,200
WITH 150 MILLION TONS OF HELIUM
713
00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:27,267
SQUEEZING INTO THE CORE
EVERY SECOND,
714
00:38:27,267 --> 00:38:30,433
THE GAS COMPRESSES AND HEATS UP.
715
00:38:30,433 --> 00:38:33,867
RIGHT NOW THE TEMPERATURE
INSIDE THE SUN'S CORE
716
00:38:33,867 --> 00:38:37,067
IS 27 MILLION DEGREES,
717
00:38:37,067 --> 00:38:39,667
AND ITS GETTING HOTTER
ALL THE TIME.
718
00:38:41,333 --> 00:38:43,533
WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU HEAT UP A GAS?
719
00:38:43,533 --> 00:38:46,133
IT EXPANDS, AND SO THAT'S
WHAT THE SUN IS GOING TO DO.
720
00:38:46,133 --> 00:38:50,933
Narrator: AS THE SUN SWELLS,
IT WILL APPEAR BRIGHTER.
721
00:38:50,933 --> 00:38:53,067
Krauss:
IN 2 BILLION YEARS,
722
00:38:53,067 --> 00:38:55,733
THE SUN WILL BE
ABOUT 15% BRIGHTER
723
00:38:55,733 --> 00:38:57,167
AND THAT WILL LEAD --
724
00:38:57,167 --> 00:38:59,100
IF THE EARTH REMAINS
IN ITS PRESENT ORBIT --
725
00:38:59,100 --> 00:39:02,067
INEVITABLY
TO A RUNAWAY GREENHOUSE EFFECT.
726
00:39:02,067 --> 00:39:03,433
THE OCEANS WILL EVAPORATE,
727
00:39:03,433 --> 00:39:05,433
AND THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE
OF THE EARTH
728
00:39:05,433 --> 00:39:07,567
COULD EASILY BE A 1,000 DEGREES.
729
00:39:07,567 --> 00:39:09,067
SO, IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING,
730
00:39:09,067 --> 00:39:11,067
IN 2 BILLION YEARS,
WE'LL BE TOAST.
731
00:39:13,933 --> 00:39:18,100
Narrator: IF WE'RE STILL HERE
ON EARTH, WE'LL PERISH.
732
00:39:18,100 --> 00:39:22,533
OTHER TOUGHER SPECIES MAY FIND
A WAY TO ADAPT AND SURVIVE,
733
00:39:22,533 --> 00:39:25,533
BUT THEY'LL BE LIVING
ON BORROWED TIME.
734
00:39:27,667 --> 00:39:29,133
IT'S GONNA FILL UP THE SKY.
735
00:39:29,133 --> 00:39:31,067
FROM HORIZON TO HORIZON,
736
00:39:31,067 --> 00:39:33,767
THE SKY WILL LITERALLY BE
ON FIRE.
737
00:39:33,767 --> 00:39:36,233
Narrator:
5 BILLION YEARS FROM NOW
738
00:39:36,233 --> 00:39:38,400
THE SUN RUNS OUT OF HYDROGEN
739
00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:42,067
AND ENTERS THE FINAL
APOCALYPTIC STAGE OF ITS LIFE,
740
00:39:42,067 --> 00:39:45,900
BLOATING TO 100 TIMES
ITS CURRENT SIZE.
741
00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:51,067
OUR LIFE-GIVING SUN
IS NOW AN ANGRY, RED GIANT.
742
00:39:51,067 --> 00:39:54,067
Thaller:
THE RED GIANT STARS ARE SO BIG
743
00:39:54,067 --> 00:39:56,500
THEY WILL ACTUALLY EAT UP
THEIR OWN PLANETS.
744
00:39:56,500 --> 00:39:58,567
WE KNOW OF THE EXAMPLES
OF RED GIANTS THAT GO
745
00:39:58,567 --> 00:40:00,400
ALL THE WAY OUT TO WHERE
THE ORBIT OF JUPITER IS
746
00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:01,900
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
747
00:40:01,900 --> 00:40:03,567
THE SUN WILL NOT GET
QUITE THAT BIG,
748
00:40:03,567 --> 00:40:05,433
BUT IT'LL PROBABLY
GET ABOUT OUT TO MARS.
749
00:40:05,433 --> 00:40:07,933
AND EVENTUALLY, IN FACT,
THE SUN WILL BE SO LARGE
750
00:40:07,933 --> 00:40:10,800
THAT THE EARTH WILL BE LOCATED
INSIDE OF THE SUN,
751
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,733
WHICH CERTAINLY WON'T BE
A VERY PLEASANT PLACE TO BE.
752
00:40:13,733 --> 00:40:17,000
Narrator:
THE RED GIANT'S BLOATED BODY
753
00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,867
ABSORBS THE EARTH,
INCINERATING OUR PLANET
754
00:40:20,867 --> 00:40:25,900
UNTIL ITS NOTHING MORE THAN GAS
AND DUST INSIDE A DYING STAR.
755
00:40:31,133 --> 00:40:32,600
THE DEATH OF THE SUN
756
00:40:32,600 --> 00:40:36,167
IS THE ULTIMATE
MASS-EXTINCTION EVENT.
757
00:40:36,167 --> 00:40:40,433
THERE'S 100% CHANCE
IT WILL HAPPEN.
758
00:40:40,433 --> 00:40:45,000
A 100% CHANCE
IT WILL DESTROY OUR PLANET
759
00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:47,067
AND ANY LIFE LEFT ON IT.
760
00:40:50,267 --> 00:40:51,833
BUT LIFE ON EARTH MAY NOT BE
761
00:40:51,833 --> 00:40:54,267
THE ONLY LIFE
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
762
00:40:56,633 --> 00:40:58,333
AS THE SUN BRIGHTENS,
763
00:40:58,333 --> 00:41:01,267
YOU CAN IMAGINE A WAVE
OF HABITABILITY GOING OUT.
764
00:41:01,267 --> 00:41:04,533
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S ON EARTH,
IT'LL GO TO MARS,
765
00:41:04,533 --> 00:41:07,233
AND IT'LL GO TO JUPITER,
AND ITS MOONS.
766
00:41:07,233 --> 00:41:10,067
Narrator: SCIENTISTS THINK
JUPITER'S MOON EUROPA
767
00:41:10,067 --> 00:41:12,200
MAY ALREADY HARBOR ALIEN LIFE
768
00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:16,200
IN A DEEP, LIQUID OCEAN
BENEATH ITS FROZEN CRUST.
769
00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:18,533
BUT OUT AT JUPITER,
IT'LL BE MUCH WARMER
770
00:41:18,533 --> 00:41:22,200
BUT NOT SO WARM THAT
IT WOULD DESTROY EVERYTHING.
771
00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:25,267
SO EVEN WHEN THE EARTH IS GONE,
IF THERE'S LIFE ON EUROPA,
772
00:41:25,267 --> 00:41:28,233
IT MAY BE ABLE TO ENDURE THAT.
773
00:41:28,233 --> 00:41:30,800
Narrator:
BUT WILL OUR SPECIES GO ON?
774
00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:34,833
CAN WE SURVIVE THE LOSS
OF OUR HOME PLANET?
775
00:41:34,833 --> 00:41:36,333
Oluseyi: THE UNIVERSE IS
LIKE AN ECOSYSTEM --
776
00:41:36,333 --> 00:41:38,900
LIVING THINGS
ARE GONNA SURVIVE
777
00:41:38,900 --> 00:41:40,800
BASED ON THE LAW
OF SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.
778
00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:42,433
[ MACHINE WHIRRING ]
779
00:41:42,433 --> 00:41:45,200
WHAT DECIDES IF YOU'RE FIT
IN THIS UNIVERSE
780
00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:46,800
IS IF YOU'RE ABLE
TO LEAVE YOUR PLANET
781
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:48,800
AND GO OUT AND POPULATE
OTHER PLANETS.
782
00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:52,067
SO THE ONLY SPECIES THAT
ARE GONNA LIVE ON FOREVER
783
00:41:52,067 --> 00:41:53,467
ARE THE ONES
THAT LEAVE THEIR PLANET.
784
00:41:56,633 --> 00:41:58,900
Narrator:
WE CAN'T CONTROL THE UNIVERSE,
785
00:41:58,900 --> 00:42:02,100
BUT WE MAY BE ABLE
TO CONTROL OUR FATE.
786
00:42:02,100 --> 00:42:03,733
Krauss:
INEVITABLY, IN THE LONG TERM,
787
00:42:03,733 --> 00:42:05,900
THE EARTH IS GONNA BECOME
UNINHABITABLE.
788
00:42:05,900 --> 00:42:07,500
IT'S JUST THE WAY
THE UNIVERSE WORKS.
789
00:42:07,500 --> 00:42:10,800
IT WASN'T MADE FOR US,
IT DOESN'T CARE THAT WE EXIST,
790
00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:13,333
AND IT WON'T CARE
WHEN WE GO AWAY.
791
00:42:13,333 --> 00:42:15,833
THE ONLY PEOPLE
WHO CARE ABOUT THAT ARE US,
792
00:42:15,833 --> 00:42:17,600
AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
793
00:42:17,600 --> 00:42:21,233
IN THAT SENSE,
WE HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE.
794
00:42:21,233 --> 00:42:24,700
Narrator: OUR INTELLIGENCE
IS OUR GREATEST ASSET.
795
00:42:24,700 --> 00:42:27,200
IT'S THE END RESULT
OF FOUR BILLION YEARS
796
00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:29,533
OF EXTINCTION AND EVOLUTION.
797
00:42:29,533 --> 00:42:32,067
AND IT MAY GIVE US A CHANCE
TO DO SOMETHING
798
00:42:32,067 --> 00:42:35,433
THAT NO OTHER SPECIES
HAS EVER DONE BEFORE --
799
00:42:35,433 --> 00:42:38,800
BREAK THE CYCLE
OF CREATION AND DESTRUCTION
800
00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:40,867
AND LIVE ON.
801
00:42:40,867 --> 00:42:42,433
Thaller:
EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND I ARE
802
00:42:42,433 --> 00:42:44,700
IS A CONSEQUENCE
OF THE WAY THE UNIVERSE WORKS.
803
00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:47,333
THE UNIVERSE IS VIOLENT,
THE UNIVERSE IS DYNAMIC,
804
00:42:47,333 --> 00:42:49,267
IT'S CONSTANTLY
PUSHING US TO CHANGE.
805
00:42:49,267 --> 00:42:50,467
AND HERE WE ARE,
806
00:42:50,467 --> 00:42:52,867
THESE INCREDIBLY EVOLVED,
INTERESTING CREATURES.
807
00:42:52,867 --> 00:42:55,567
WE'RE A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE
OF THE VIOLENCE,
808
00:42:55,567 --> 00:42:57,433
WHICH, IN TURN,
WAS OUR CREATION.
63540
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