All language subtitles for NASAs.Unexplained.Files.S05E03.The.Suns.Evil.Twin.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-BATMAN_track3_[eng]

Narrator: NASA'S MISSION
IS TO EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN.

Teitel:
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE UNIVERSE

IS A TINY FRACTION
OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY OUT THERE.

Narrator:
IN THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS,

IT LAUNCHES ITS SCIENTISTS
INTO SPACE,

ITS CRAFT BEYOND THE LIMITS
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

Lee: WE HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT'S OUT THERE.

HEY, WHAT IS THAT?

THERE MIGHT BE DANGERS
LURKING IN THE DARKNESS.

WE RUN ACROSS MORE MYSTERIES
THAN DISCOVERIES.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S
GONNA THROW AT US NEXT.

Narrator: A MYSTERIOUS EVENT
PARALYZES ORBITING SPACECRAFT

AND BLACKS OUT MILLIONS OF HOMES
IN NORTH AMERICA...

MANY PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT
A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST HAS BEGUN.

...A NASA PROBE DISCOVERS

STRANGE MAGNETIC PATTERNS
ON THE MOON...

Aguilar: THEY CREATE A SHIELD,

JUST LIKE THE SHIELDS
ON THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.

...AND A BIZARRE PHOTOGRAPH
TRIGGERS FEARS

OF AN ANCIENT FORCE

THAT COULD ANNIHILATE LIFE
ON OUR PLANET.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE
A SOLAR-SYSTEM TIME BOMB.

Narrator: THESE ARE NASA'S
UNEXPLAINED FILES.

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

DISASTER STRIKES
A LONE COSMONAUT

ON A LANDMARK SOVIET MISSION.

VOLYNOV'S DESCENT CAPSULE FAILS
TO SEPARATE ON REENTRY.

IT'S ENGULFED
IN A 5,000-DEGREE FIREBALL.

IT'S ABOUT TO BURN
THROUGH AND KILL HIM.

Narrator:
THE RECOVERY TEAM IS PREPARED

TO FIND A CHARRED
UNRECOGNIZABLE CORPSE.

THE RUSSIANS AREN'T EXPECTING
TO RECOVER HIM ALIVE,

BUT THERE'S NO TRACE
OF HIM, NOTHING.

HOW CAN HE HAVE
SIMPLY VANISHED?

[ EERIE MUSIC PLAYS ]

Narrator: JANUARY 1969,
THE UNITED STATES

IS PULLING AHEAD
OF THE SOVIETS IN THE RACE

TO PUT THE FIRST MAN
ONTO ANOTHER WORLD.

IT'S A FEW MONTHS
BEFORE THE APOLLO 11 MISSION

LEAVES FOR THE MOON.

THE SOVIETS ARE NOT GOING
TO MAKE A MOON LANDING IN TIME.

THEY KNOW THAT, BUT THEY HAVE
OTHER TRICKS UP THEIR SLEEVE.

Narrator: THE SOVIETS ANNOUNCE
A RECORD-BREAKING MISSION

OF THEIR OWN --

THE FIRST-EVER DOCKING OF TWO
MANNED CRAFT IN SPACE.

Zak: IT'S A HISTORIC EVENT,
AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT

FOR THE FUTURE
OF THE SPACE PROGRAM

IN THE SOVIET UNION,
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

[ SPACECRAFT BEEPING ]

Narrator:
AT 11:20 A.M. ON JANUARY 15,

SOYUZ 5,PILOTED BY COMMANDER
BORIS VOLYNOV,

DOCKS WITH THE ORBITING

SOYUZ 4CAPSULE 135 MILES
ABOVE THE EARTH.

90 MINUTES LATER,

VOLYNOV'S TWO CREWMATES
SPACEWALK ACROSS TO SOYUZ 4,

THE FIRST SUCH TRANSFER
IN HISTORY.

THE SOYUZ4 CREW PREPARES
TO HEAD HOME,

LEAVING VOLYNOV
AND SOYUZ 5ALONE

IN THE VAST EMPTINESS OF SPACE.

THE TWO COSMONAUTS
RETURNED TO EARTH

WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS
IN SOYUZ 4.

A DAY LATER, VOLYNOV PREPARES
TO RETURN IN SOYUZ 5.

THAT'S WHEN THINGS
START TO GO WRONG.

Narrator: TO SAFELY REENTER
THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE,

VOLYNOV MUST UNCOUPLE
THE DESCENT MODULE

FROM THE SERVICE MODULE

HE'S BEEN LIVING IN
FOR THE PAST 3 DAYS.

BUT WHEN HE FIRES
THE EXPLOSIVE BOLTS

THAT SHOULD SEPARATE
THE MODULES, NOTHING HAPPENS.

THE SERVICE MODULE
DOESN'T DISATTACH

WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO,

WHICH MEANS THAT VOLYNOV'S SHIP
IS ENTERING THE EARTH BACKWARDS.

Narrator:
VOLYNOV PLUNGES TOWARDS EARTH

AT OVER 15,000 MILES PER HOUR
WITH NO HEAT SHIELD.

REENTERING NOSE-FIRST
IS CERTAIN DEATH.

THE FRONT END IS NOT SHIELDED
AGAINST THE HEAT OF THE REENTRY.

IT WILL BURN THROUGH.

HE'LL BURN TO DEATH.

HE'LL DIE IN A VACUUM,

ALL OF WHICH WILL KILL HIM
WITHIN THE NEXT MINUTE OR 2.

Narrator: SOYUZ 5SLAMS
INTO THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

[ ALARM BEEPS ]

FEAR GRIPS THE GROUND STAFF
IN MOSCOW.

Ferreira:
MISSION CONTROL IS HELPLESS.

THEY CAN'T TURN THE SOYUZ
THE RIGHT WAY AROUND.

THEY HAVE TO JUST WAIT
AND WATCH.

Narrator: AS SOYUZ 5DIVES
TOWARDS THE GROUND,

FRICTION HEATS THE EXTERIOR UP

TO 5,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

[ BEEPING CONTINUES ]

A SUPERHEATED SHROUD OF PLASMA

BEGINS TO EAT THROUGH
THE WEAK NOSE OF THE CRAFT.

Orwoll:
THE HATCH SEALS ARE BURNING

HE HASN'T GOT A SPACESUIT ON,

SO HE CAN FEEL THE HEAT.

[ BEEPING CONTINUES ]

Narrator: SMOKE FILLS
THE STRICKEN CAPSULE.

HE'S NOW UTTERLY CONVINCED

HE'S ABOUT TO DIE
WITHIN SECONDS.

Orwoll:
VOLYNOV WRITES WHAT HE THINKS

ARE HIS LAST WORDS
IN HIS LOGBOOK,

AND THEN HE TAKES THAT
AND HE STUFFS IT

BEHIND HIS BACK
TO TRY AND PROTECT IT,

Oberg: HOPING THAT IF ANY PART
OF THE CAPSULE

REACHED THE GROUND INTACT,

THAT LOGBOOK WILL BE PROTECTED

BY HIS CHARRED CORPSE.

[ BEEPING CONTINUES ]

Narrator: THE BALL OF PLASMA
SURROUNDING SOYUZ 5BLOCKS

RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
WITH MISSION CONTROL.

[ INDISTINCT CHATTER ]

[ BEEPING CONTINUES ]

GROUND STAFF TRACKS
VOLYNOV'S CAPSULE

AS IT TRAVELS OVER RUSSIA.

BUT JUST BEFORE 11 A.M.

ON JANUARY 18, THE CRAFT
DISAPPEARS FROM RADAR.

THE CAPSULE IS
1,500 MILES OFF-COURSE

AND GOING AT ALMOST FULL SPEED.

IT CRASHES INTO
THE URAL MOUNTAINS,

ONE OF THE MOST BLEAK
AND REMOTE PARTS OF RUSSIA.

Narrator: VOLYNOV'S COLLEAGUES
SIT IN SILENCE

AS THEY CONTEMPLATE THEIR FRIEND
ENDURING A GRISLY DEATH.

ONE OF THEM TAKES OFF A CAP

AND BEGINS PASSING IT
DOWN THE ROW

TO COLLECT FUNDS
FOR A FUNERAL.

[ HELICOPTER BLADES WHIR ]

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL
SCRAMBLES A TEAM

TO RECOVER VOLYNOV'S BODY.

ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL
SOVIET RECORDS,

SEVERAL HOURS LATER,

THEY FIND HIS CHARRED CAPSULE
ON A SNOWY MOUNTAINSIDE

IN MINUS-40-DEGREE
TEMPERATURES.

WHAT THEY DISCOVER

WHEN THEY OPEN
THE HATCH SHOCKS THEM.

Orwoll: WHEN THEY GO TO
RETRIEVE HIS BODY,

THEY FIND THE CAPSULE
COMPLETELY INTACT BUT EMPTY.

THERE'S NO TRACE
OF HIM, NOTHING.

WHAT'S HAPPENED
TO VOLYNOV ON REENTRY?

HOW CAN HE HAVE SIMPLY VANISHED?

Narrator: WHEN THE RESCUE TEAM
EXPLORES THE REMOTE CRAFT SITE,

IT SPOTS TRACES OF BLOOD
IN THE SNOW NEARBY.

THEY BEGIN TO WONDER
IF THEY'VE BEEN BEATEN

TO THE CRAFT
BY WOLVES OR BEARS.

Narrator: THE TEAM SCOURS THE
AREA FOR HUMAN REMAINS

BUT INSTEAD REPORTS FINDING

ONLY A TRAIL
OF HUMAN FOOTPRINTS.

THE TRACKS LEAD THEM
TO A PEASANT SHACK,

AND INSIDE,
THEY ARE STUNNED

TO DISCOVER
THE DOOMED COSMONAUT ALIVE

AND ONLY SUFFERING FROM
A FEW BROKEN FRONT TEETH.

AGAINST GARGANTUAN ODDS,
NOT ONLY DID VOLYNOV

SURVIVE THE CALAMITOUS
REENTRY OF THE CRAFT

WITHOUT SPACESUIT PROTECTION
OR A FUNCTIONING HEAT SHIELD,

HE SURVIVED EXPOSURE
TO EXTREME G-FORCES

AND A NEAR FULL-SPEED IMPACT
WITH THE GROUND.

Narrator: DURING
THE POST-MISSION INVESTIGATION,

VOLYNOV REVEALS THE IMPROBABLY
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

THAT SAVED HIM FROM WHAT SEEMED
LIKE CERTAIN DEATH

AS HE FELL TO EARTH.

IN HIS FINAL SECONDS
BEFORE THE NOSE

OF THE SHIP BURNS THROUGH,
A MIRACLE HAPPENS.

Oberg: A JAMMED LATCH OF THE
TRAILING MODULE BREAKS FREE.

THE CAPSULE RIGHTS ITSELF,

AND VOLYNOV REALIZES
THAT HE MAY LIVE

TO SEE THE NEXT MINUTE.

Narrator: THE LAST-MINUTE FLIP
ENABLED VOLYNOV TO DEPLOY

THE BREAKING PARACHUTE.

BUT HIS TROUBLES WEREN'T OVER.

WHEN HIS PARACHUTE
IS RELEASED,

IT TANGLES ITSELF UP.

HE ROTATES, TWISTING
THE PARACHUTE AND SHROUD LINES

TOGETHER
AND THEN UNTWISTING.

IT CAUSES THE PARACHUTE
TO PARTIALLY COLLAPSE,

STILL BREAKS HIM,
STILL SLOWS HIM DOWN

BUT NOT ENOUGH.

Narrator:
ON A REGULAR DESCENT,

VOLYNOV WOULD TURN
TO HIS BRAKING ROCKETS

TO SLOW HIS APPROACH
TO 5 FEET PER SECOND.

BUT WHEN HE TRIED TO FIRE THEM,
THEY FAILED TO IGNITE.

INSTEAD, PROVIDENCE
SAVED HIS LIFE.

AND AT THE LAST MINUTE,
THE NEXT MIRACLE SHOWS UP.

HE LANDS IN DEEP SNOW,

AND THAT SNOW PROVIDES
THE MARGIN OF SURVIVAL

THAT HE IS NOT CRUSHED
AND KILLED

ON HIS FIRST
MICROSECOND BACK ON EARTH.

Narrator: VOLYNOV'S CATASTROPHIC
REENTRY LEAVES HIM TRAUMATIZED

BUT WITHOUT SERIOUS INJURIES.

TODAY,
HIS MISSION IS REMEMBERED

AS A TALE
OF EXTRAORDINARY BRAVERY

AND SHEER DUMB LUCK.

I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT

HE IS THE LUCKIEST COSMONAUT

OR ASTRONAUT IN THE HISTORY
OF SPACE EXPLORATION.

Narrator: COMING UP...

A PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES
AN IMPOSSIBLE IMAGE

OF THE SKIES ABOVE INDONESIA.

IT DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE THERE

ARE TWO DIFFERENT SUNS
ON THE HORIZON.

HOW COULD THAT BE POSSIBLE?

Narrator: A PHOTOGRAPHER
CAPTURES A STARTLING IMAGE

OF AN INDONESIAN SUNSET.

Ballard: IS THAT TWO SUNS
IN THAT PICTURE?

HOW COULD THAT BE POSSIBLE?

Narrator: THE WEIRD PHENOMENON
AROUSES FEARS

OF AN ANCIENT DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

THAT COULD THREATEN
OUR PLANET.

COULD THIS BE THE THING

THAT IS CAUSING
THE EXTINCTION EVENTS,

LIKE THE DESTRUCTION
OF THE DINOSAURS?

IT'S SORT OF LIKE
A SOLAR-SYSTEM TIME BOMB.

Narrator: DECEMBER 4, 2015,

AS THE WINTER SUN SETS OVER

THE TOWN OF TARAKAN
NORTHERN INDONESIA,

A PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES
AN ASTONISHING IMAGE.

WHEN YOU SEE THIS IMAGE,

IT DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE THERE
ARE TWO DIFFERENT SUNS

ON THE HORIZON.

IS THAT TWO SUNS
IN THAT PICTURE?

HOW COULD THAT BE POSSIBLE?

Narrator: WHEN IT APPEARS
ONLINE, THE IMAGE GOES VIRAL,

REMINDING MANY OBSERVERS
OF SOMETHING CREATED

BY A HOLLYWOOD
SPECIAL-EFFECTS STUDIO.

THE IMAGE OF A DOUBLE SUN

ON THE HORIZON AT SUNSET
IS SO ROMANTIC,

AND, OF COURSE, IT'S A STAPLE
IN SCIENCE-FICTION.

Narrator:
THIS ISN'T THE ONLY TIME

A SECOND SUN
HAS BEEN CAPTURED ON CAMERA.

THE BIZARRE PHENOMENON
HAS ALSO BEEN DOCUMENTED

IN RUSSIA AND CANADA.

IT CAN'T BE REAL.

EVERYONE KNOWS
THERE'S ONLY ONE SUN,

AND SURELY, WE WOULD'VE NOTICED
IF THERE WAS ANOTHER.

Narrator: ONE THEORY FOR THE
APPEARANCE OF THE SECOND SUN

IS THAT IT'S JUST LIGHT
REFRACTING THROUGH THE CLOUDS.

THE FIRST THING
THAT JUMPS IN MYMIND

IS THAT IT'S SOME TYPE
OF AN OPTICAL ILLUSION

OR A REFLECTION.

HEY, IT'S AT SUNSET.

ENJOY IT.

WEIRD STUFF HAPPENS.

Narrator: THE IDEA OF A SECOND
SUN IN OUR SKY SOUNDS BIZARRE,

BUT IN GALACTIC TERMS,

IT'S STRANGER
THAT OUR SUN IS ALONE.

ASTRONOMERS ESTIMATE THAT OVER
50 PERCENT OF THE STARS

IN THE UNIVERSE
HAVE COMPANION STARS.

WE'RE UNUSUAL IN THAT WE CAN SEE
ONLY ONE SUN IN THE SKY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NIGHT SKY,
ROUGHLY HALF THE STARS

YOU SEE ARE ACTUALLY
WHAT WE CALL BINARY STARS,

AND THESE ARE TWO STARS

THAT ARE IN ORBIT
ABOUT EACH OTHER.

Narrator:
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS,

MANKIND HAS BELIEVED
THAT THE SUN

IS THE ONLY STAR
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,

BUT RECENT RESEARCH SUGGESTS
A STARTLING POSSIBILITY.

WE'VE HAD TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS
PRESENT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BIG
LURKING

AT THE EDGE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

D'Antonio: THERE ARE SOME
SERIOUS SCIENTISTS

THAT BELIEVE THERE
REALLY ARE TWO SUNS.

Narrator: THE FIRST CLUE
TO THE EXISTENCE

OF THIS MYSTERIOUS SECOND SUN

COMES FROM STUDIES
OF MASSIVE EXTINCTION EVENTS

THROUGHOUT OUR PLANET'S HISTORY.

IT APPEARED THAT THERE

IS A PERIODICITY
IN THE EXTINCTION RECORD.

IT LOOKED LIKE EVERY
26 MILLION YEARS,

THERE IS A MAJOR
EXTINCTION-LEVEL EVENT ON EARTH.

IF WE'RE GETTING EXTINCTIONS
ON EARTH IN A CYCLE,

THAT SUGGESTS
AN ASTRONOMICAL CAUSE.

Narrator: SOME SCIENTISTS
BELIEVE THAT A SECOND STAR

COULD BE THE ORIGIN

OF THESE CATASTROPHIC
EXTINCTION EVENTS.

THEORETICALLY, A SECOND STAR'S
ORBIT COULD TAKE IT THROUGH

THE BAND OF COMETS
AND ASTEROIDS AT THE EDGE

OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
CALLED THE OORT CLOUD.

THE SECOND STAR'S
MASSIVE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE

THEN SLINGS OBJECTS
FROM THE OORT CLOUD

THROUGHOUT THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

Oluseyi: THEY'LL GET SENT OUT
IN ALL DIRECTIONS,

AND IF THEY IMPACT THE EARTH,

THEN YOU CAN HAVE
COMETARY IMPACTS

THAT COULD CAUSE THE EXTINCTIONS
LIKE WE'VE SEEN.

Brin:
COULD THIS BE THE THING

THAT IS CAUSING
THE EXTINCTION EVENTS,

LIKE THE DESTRUCTION
OF THE DINOSAURS?

Narrator: OUR OWN SUN NURTURES
AND SUSTAINS

ALMOST ALL LIFE ON EARTH,

BUT THIS SECOND STAR DEALS
ONLY IN DEATH.

SCIENTISTS HAVE EVEN GIVEN
THIS OTHER STAR A NAME.

IT'S CALLED NEMESIS,
SORT OF THE DARK,

EVIL TWIN OF THE SUN.

WHY DO THEY CALL IT NEMESIS?

BECAUSE IT'S DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
OF UNIMAGINABLE POWER.

Narrator: IF NEMESIS EXISTS,

THEN WHY HAS NO ONE
CONFIRMED ITS EXISTENCE?

IT COULD BE BECAUSE
OF THE WAVELENGTH

OF THE LIGHT IT PRODUCES.

IF THERE IS A SECOND STAR
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,

THE REASON WHY
WE CAN'T SEE IT IS

BECAUSE IT EMITS LIGHT
DIFFERENTLY FROM OUR OWN SUN.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS
SPECULATE THAT NEMESIS

ONLY EMITS INFRARED LIGHT.

THIS MAKES THIS DEADLY STAR
INVISIBLE TO US.

HUMAN BEINGS EVOLVED TO SEE
THE LIGHT FROM OUR OWN SUN,

AND THIS PARTICULAR
SMALL STAR, IF IT IS THERE,

EMITS ALMOST ALL OF
ITS LIGHT IN THE INFRARED LIGHT

WHERE HUMAN EYES CAN'T SEE.

SO EVEN IF YOU WERE
LOOKING AT IT IN THE SKY,

YOUR EYES AREN'T DESIGNED
TO SEE THAT LIGHT.

Narrator:
THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IF NEMESIS
ONLY EMITS INFRARED LIGHT,

IT ISN'T JUST IMPOSSIBLE
TO SEE WITH OUR EYES.

IT'S ALSO INCREDIBLY HARD
TO DETECT WITH TELESCOPES.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOOKING
WITH SPECIAL TELESCOPES

FROM SPACE
THAT ARE INFRARED-SENSITIVE.

WE'VE LOOKED
AND HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SIGNAL,

WHICH DEEPENS THE MYSTERY OF

WHERE THIS POSSIBLE
SECOND STAR COULD BE.

Narrator: IF THE NEMESIS THEORY
IS CORRECT,

THERE IS AN INVISIBLE
DEATH STAR LURKING

AT THE VERY EDGES
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,

AND UNLIKE THE SECOND SUN
PHOTOGRAPHED IN INDONESIA,

ITS APPEARANCE WOULD HAVE

A VERY REAL AFFECT
ON OUR PLANET.

THIS SECOND SUN,
IF IT IS THERE,

IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
WORRY US QUITE A BIT.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE
A SOLAR-SYSTEM TIME BOMB.

Narrator: COMING UP...
AN INVISIBLE FORCE CRIPPLES

SATELLITES AND THREATENS
THE SHUTTLE.

Jurek: SATELLITES ARE TUMBLING
OUT OF THEIR ORBITS.

THERE'S SOMETHING
SERIOUSLY GOING WRONG.

Narrator: AN INVISIBLE FORCE
SIMULTANEOUSLY PLUNGES

AN ENTIRE CITY INTO DARKNESS

AND DAMAGES ORBITING SPACECRAFT.

SOMETHING BIG HAS
JUST HAPPENED.

THE CITY'S IN MELTDOWN.
NOTHING WORKS.

THE QUESTION
ON EVERYONE'S MIND IS,

"WHAT'S GOING ON?"

Narrator:
THE TERRIFYING INCIDENT TRIGGERS
FEARS OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

THE AMERICANS REALIZE
THAT THEIR DEFENSE

AGAINST NUCLEAR ATTACK
ARE ALL JAMMED.

MANY PEOPLE ARE THINKING

THAT A NUCLEAR
HOLOCAUST HAS BEGUN.

Narrator: MARCH 13, 1989,

ON A CLEAR SPRING AFTERNOON,

SPACE SHUTTLE
DISCOVERYBLASTS OFF

FROM LAUNCH COMPLEX 39

AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.

[ INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER ]

Narrator: BUT JUST HOURS
INTO ITS MISSION,

THE CRAFT
MYSTERIOUSLY MALFUNCTIONS.

SHUTTLE ROLL MANEUVER
IS COMPLETE.

Jurek:
THE SHUTTLE IS EXPERIENCING

EXCESSIVELY HIGH PRESSURE
READINGS.

IT'S SO WORRISOME,
THEY'RE FORCED TO SHUT OFF

SOME KEY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.

ENGINES THROTTLING DOWN
AS THE SHUTTLE...

Narrator:
THE MALFUNCTION THREATENS
THE SAFETY OF THE MISSION.

IN THE CONTROL CENTER,
THEY'RE SCRAMBLING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT'S GOING.

[ COMMAND CENTER RADIO CHATTER ]

THIS IS ONLY THE THIRD MISSION
SINCE THE CHALLENGER DISASTER.

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
NOT TO THINK OF IT.

Narrator: AS GROUND CONTROLLERS
RUSH TO RESTORE

DISCOVERY'S SYSTEMS,

REPORTS EMERGE

THAT OTHER SPACECRAFT
ARE ALSO GOING HAYWIRE.

Jurek: SATELLITES
ARE LOSING CONNECTION,

LOSING COMMUNICATION,

SOME OF THEM EVEN
TUMBLING OUT OF THEIR ORBITS.

THERE'S SOMETHING
SERIOUSLY GOING WRONG.

Narrator: MINUTES LATER,
A MASSIVE POWERCUT

HITS QUEBEC IN CANADA.

NO ONE HAS ELECTRICITY.

PEOPLE ARE STUCK
IN ELEVATORS.

THEY'RE STUCK IN TRAINS.

THE CITY OF QUEBEC
IS IN TOTAL MELTDOWN.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT
CAUSED THIS POWER OUTAGE.

THE QUESTION ON EVERYONE'S MIND
IS, "WHAT'S GOING ON?"

Narrator:
THE MYSTERY EVENT PLUNGES
MILLIONS OF HOMES INTO DARKNESS

AND CUTS COMMUNICATION LINKS

IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

Friedman:
MANY PEOPLE ARE THINKING

THAT THE NUCLEAR
HOLOCAUST HAS BEGUN.

THESE DISRUPTIONS,
THE LOSS OF ELECTRICITY,

THE LACK
OF RADIO COMMUNICATION --

THESE ARE THE HALLMARKS
OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

Narrator:
OVER THE FOLLOWING HOURS,

THE AUTHORITIES RECEIVE
NO REPORTS

OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
ON THE GROUND,

BUT THE EVENTS ALSO BEAR
THE CHARACTERISTICS

OF SOMETHING
EQUALLY DISTURBING --

AN AERIAL WEAPON,

CALLED A NUCLEAR
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE, OR EMP.

A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION IS DETONATED
HIGH IN THE ATMOSPHERE,

AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT DESTROYS
ALL THE ELECTRONICS,

CAUSES A BIG VOLTAGE,
BASICALLY SHORTS OUT

ALL OF THE CONNECTIONS
IN COMPUTERS

AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

Narrator: A HIGH-ALTITUDE EMP
WEAPON IS CAPABLE

OF SIMULTANEOUSLY FRYING
ELECTRICAL DEVICES

ON THE GROUND AND IN ORBIT.

Nichols:
THE POINT OF AN EMP ATTACK

IS TO BLIND THE ENEMY COMPLETELY

SO THAT THEY CAN'T USE
THEIR ELECTRONICS.

THEY CAN'T USE
THEIR COMMUNICATIONS,

AND THEY CERTAINLY
CAN'T LAUNCH A COUNTERATTACK.

Narrator: THE IDEA OF
DELIBERATELY EXPLODING

A NUCLEAR BOMB HIGH IN EARTH'S

ATMOSPHERE SOUNDS INCREDIBLE,

BUT IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.

Guarino: FIFTY YEARS AGO,

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
DID AN EXPERIMENT

THEY CALLED STARFISH PRIME,

WHICH WAS THE LAUNCH
OF A THERMONUCLEAR WARHEAD

INTO THE UPPER
REALMS OF THE ATMOSPHERE,

AND IT CREATED A MASSIVE
ALMOST SPHERICAL EXPLOSION.

Narrator: THE 1962
STARFISH PRIME EXPLOSION

ABOVE THE PACIFIC OCEAN
DAMAGED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

AND CAUSED POWER
SURGES IN HAWAII,

ALMOST 900 MILES AWAY,

BUT EXPERTS DOUBT
A SIMILAR WEAPON ACCOUNTS

FOR THE STRANGE EVENTS IN 1989.

FOR ONE THING,
PEOPLES' CARS WORKED.

AN EMP WILL DESTROY
ALL THE ELECTRONICS

IN A MODERN AUTOMOBILE.

IF YOUR CAR STILL WORKS,

AND YOUR PHONE DOESN'T,
IT'S NOT AN EMP ATTACK.

Narrator: THE MASSIVE BLACKOUT
LASTS FOR 9 HOURS.

SHORTLY AFTER IT ENDS,

NASA SOLAR PHYSICISTS
MAKE A DISCOVERY

THAT COULD EXPLAIN
THE WEIRD EVENTS.

Hathaway:
PRIOR TO THIS EVENT HAPPENING,

THERE HAD BEEN A HUGE FLARE
ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUN

OBSERVED BY
GROUND-BASED INSTRUMENTS

AT KITT PEAK
AND TUCSON, ARIZONA.

Narrator: THE ARIZONA TELESCOPES
DETECTED A GIANT ERUPTION

ON THE SUN'S SURFACE KNOWN
AS AN X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE.

X CLASS IS THE MOST
POWERFUL CATEGORY

OF SOLAR FLARE

AND CAN PRODUCE AS MUCH ENERGY

AS A BILLION HYDROGEN BOMBS.

THIS WAS CAUSED BY OUR SUN,
WHAT NORMALLY WE THINK OF

AS THAT NICE YELLOW BALL
IN THE SKY,

BUT, IN FACT,
IT'S A VERY VIOLENT STAR.

Narrator:
THE GIANT FLARE BLASTED A FIELD
OF SOLAR RADIATION

TOWARDS OUR PLANET

AT OVER
ONE MILLION MILES PER HOUR,

FRYING ELECTRICAL
COMPONENTS IN ITS PATH.

WHEN THAT STUFF HITS EARTH,

IT CAUSES PROBLEMS
WITH OUR SATELLITES.

IT CAN LITERALLY SHAKE
THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD

AND SET A SURGE OF
CURRENT THROUGH POWERLINES

THAT TAKES OUT TRANSFORMERS

AND LEAVES US IN DARKNESS.

IF YOU NEEDED A REMINDER
OF HOW DEVASTATING AND POWERFUL

THE SUN CAN BE,
THERE IT IS.

Narrator: COMING UP...
ARCTIC EXPLORERS DISCOVER

AN OMEN
OF MANKIND'S DESTRUCTION.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SNOW
IS COVERED WITH BLOOD.

IT'S LIKE
THE GROUND IS BLEEDING.

PEOPLE WHO SAW THIS
THOUGHT OF THE APOCALYPSE.

MAYBE THEY WERE RIGHT.

Narrator: ARCTIC EXPLORERS MAKE
A DISTURBING DISCOVERY.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SNOW
IS COVERED WITH BLOOD.

IT'S LIKE
THE GROUND IS BLEEDING.

Lee:
THERE'S SOMETHING GRUESOME.

IT'S REALLY A HAUNTING VIEW.

Narrator: THE GRIM ENCOUNTER
GOES UNEXPLAINED

FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

THEY HAVE NO EXPLANATION

FOR WHAT THIS RED LIQUID IS.

Narrator: NOW, NEW NASA RESEARCH
SUGGESTS THE PHENOMENON

COULD SPELL MANKIND'S DOOM.

THE OUTLET FOR HUMAN LIFE
COULD BE DISASTROUS.

THE FIRST PEOPLE WHO SAW THIS
AND THOUGHT OF THE APOCALYPSE,

MAYBE THEY WERE RIGHT.

Narrator: AUGUST 1818,

EXPLORER CAPTAIN JOHN ROSS

AND HIS CREW ARE THREE MONTHS
INTO A PERILOUS VOYAGE

THROUGH THE ICY WATERS
OF THE ARCTIC.

CAPTAIN JOHN ROSS
IS LEADING FOUR SHIPS

THROUGH THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
NORTH OF GREENLAND,

AND THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND
A PASSAGE TO THE PACIFIC.

Narrator:
AS ROSS ROUNDS CAPE YORK
IN NORTHWEST GREENLAND,

HE AND HIS CREW SPOTS

SOMETHING STRANGE
ON THE FROZEN COAST.

Guarino: THEY'RE LOOKING OUT
OVER THE ARCTIC,

AND THERE ARE THESE
BLOOD-RED STREAMS

GOING THROUGH THE SNOW
AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SNOW
IS COVERED WITH BLOOD.

IT'S LIKE
THE GROUND IS BLEEDING.

Narrator: THE EERIE
BLOOD-COLORED LIQUID APPEARS

TO BE FLOWING DOWN
THE CLIFFS LINING THE SHORE.

Lee: THESE RIVERS OF BLOOD ON
THE ICE WOULD GIVE YOU A SENSE

THAT SOME GRUESOME MASSACRE
HAS TAKEN PLACE.

IT'S REALLY A HAUNTING VIEW.

Narrator: ROSS ORDERS HIS CREW
TO DISEMBARK

TO INVESTIGATE
THE WEIRD PHENOMENON,

BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY

THE CAUSE OF THE SINISTER
RED SNOW.

CAPTAIN ROSS ORDERED SAMPLES
TO BE COLLECTED,

TO BE BROUGHT BACK
TO LONDON TO BE ANALYZED.

NOW, OF COURSE, BY THE TIME
THEY GET BACK TO LONDON,

THE SNOW HAS MELTED,

LEAVING ONLY THIS
DARK RED LIQUID

THAT LOOKS LIKE RED WINE.

Narrator:
ROSS SUBMITS THE SAMPLES

TO SCIENTISTS
FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS.

THE MYSTERY OF THE BLOOD-RED

SNOW MAKES NATIONAL HEADLINES.

EVEN THE NEWSPAPERS
PICKED UP THE STORY

OF THIS STRANGE
BLOOD-COLORED SNOW

AND THE ANALYSES THAT WERE
TRYING TO BE DONE TO EXPLAIN IT.

Narrator: SOME SCIENTISTS
SUGGEST THAT THE RED PIGMENT

COULD BE FROM
IRON-RICH METEORITES

BURIED IN THE ARCTIC SNOW.

WHEN YOU PUT THE METEORITES
DOWN IN AN ENVIRONMENT

LIKE THE POLAR ENVIRONMENT
OF THE EARTH,

WHERE THERE'S SNOW AND WATER
MELTING OUT OF THAT SNOW,

AND IT'S GOING TO RUST
THAT IRON, RIGHT,

AND CREATE THESE
REDDISH MINERAL DEPOSITS.

Narrator: THE DISCOVERY OF
SEVERAL METEORITES IN THE AREA

DURING THE 19TH CENTURY
SEEMS TO BACK UP THIS IDEA,

BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS
CROSS-REFERENCE

THEIR LOCATIONS

WITH WHERE THEY FOUND
THE RED SNOW,

THE THEORY DOESN'T STACK UP.

THE METEORITE IDEA MIGHT BE GOOD

FOR ONE PARTICULAR PLACE,

BUT THESE REDDISH
DEPOSITS OF SNOW,

THEY'RE FOUND IN MULTIPLE PLACES

AND IN PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO
EVIDENCE OF METEORITES AT ALL.

SO WE HAVE TO COME UP
WITH ANOTHER HYPOTHESIS.

Narrator: ANOTHER POSSIBLE CLUE
TO THE MYSTERY COMES FROM A BOOK

THAT ROSS PUBLISHES ABOUT
HIS EXPEDITION IN THE ARCTIC.

IN THE APPENDIX, A BOTANIST
SUGGESTS THE SINISTER SNOW

COULD BE CREATED
BY LIVING CREATURES.

Guarino: THE BOTANIST'S NAME
WAS ROBERT BROWN,

AND HE PROPOSED THAT THERE WAS
SOME SORT OF BIOLOGICAL CAUSE

THAT COULD TURN THE SNOW RED.

Narrator:
DECADES LATER, EVIDENCE EMERGES
TO SUPPORT BROWN'S THEORY.

SCIENTISTS REEXAMINE
ROSS' SAMPLES

AND DISCOVER TRACES
OF TINY LIFE-FORMS.

Lee: SURE ENOUGH, WHEN EXAMINING
SOME SAMPLES WITH A MICROSCOPE,

SCIENTISTS WERE ABLE
TO CONFIRM THAT, INDEED,

WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT WAS
CAUSING THIS RED COLOR,

WAS REDDISH-COLORED
MICROBIAL ALGAE.

Narrator: THE LIFE-FORMS ARE
CALLED CHLAMYDOMONAS NIVALIS.

TESTS INDICATE THAT
SUNLIGHT TRANSFORMS THEIR COLOR

FROM GREEN TO RED.

THE ALGAE HAVE A RED PIGMENT
CALLED A CAROTENOID,

AND IT TAKES
IN ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT

AND STARTS TO TURN A RED COLOR.

IT'S A BIG DISCOVERY
FOR THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY

BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME,

WE'RE SEEING A LIFE-FORM

THAT IS LITERALLY
LIVING OFF OF ICE.

Narrator: THE DISCOVERY THAT
CAPTAIN ROSS' RED ARCTIC SNOW

WAS CREATED BY
LIVING CREATURES STUNS

THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD,

AND FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALS
THESE LIFE-FORMS

COULD BE THE DOOM OF MANKIND.

THE REASON THAT TINY,
LITTLE ALGAE COULD POSE

SUCH A HAZARD TO THE EARTH

IS THEY MAKE THE SNOW DARKER,

AND THE DARKER THE SNOW,

THE MORE SUNLIGHT IT ABSORBS,

AND THE HOTTER IT GETS,
AND THE MORE IT MELTS.

YOU CAN THINK OF IT
SORT OF LIKE PUTTING ON

A DARKER TEE SHIRT VERSUS
A LIGHTER ONE.

YOU FEEL A LOT WARMER,

AND THAT'S WHAT'S
GOING ON WITH THE SNOW.

Narrator:
SCIENTISTS FEAR THIS PROCESS

WILL LEAD TO A DEADLY
CHAIN REACTION --

THE MORE MELTWATER
THE LIFE-FORMS CREATE,

THE MORE THEY WILL THRIVE,

AND THE MORE THEY THRIVE,

THE FASTER SEA LEVELS
WILL RISE.

THERE'S AN INTERESTING TALE
HERE OF DAVID AGAINST GOLIATH.

A TINY, LITTLE ALGAE,

JUST MERELY MICRONS IN SIZE,

ULTIMATELY COULD CAUSE
AN ENTIRE

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
ON THE PLANET.

Narrator: RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST
THAT THE RED ALGAE

HAVE SPREAD TO AROUND HALF
OF THE ARCTIC'S GLACIERS.

TO DATE, SCIENTISTS
HAVE NOT DISCOVERED

ANY WAY TO STOP THEM.

SO THIS ALGAL BLOOM
IS WORSENING WITH TIME,

AND IN FACT,
FROM NASA ORBITAL DATA,

YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S EXPANDING.

SO IN AN IRONIC TWIST,
WHEN THE FIRST PEOPLE

WHO SAW THIS AND THOUGHT
OF THE APOCALYPSE,

MAYBE THEY WERE RIGHT.

Narrator: COMING UP...
AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER SPOTS

SOMETHING STRANGE
ON A LIVE NASA FEED.

IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING
WITH AN ENGINE.

IT HAD, LIKE,
THESE BLUE EXHAUSTERS.

WE STILL DON'T HAVE
CERTAIN EXPLANATION

FOR WHAT THIS WAS.

Narrator:
AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER MONITORING

A LIVE VIDEO FEED FROM THE ISS

SEES SOMETHING
THAT DEFIES EXPLANATION.

I JUST SAY THIS OBJECT
APPEAR FROM NOWHERE.

SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE STALKING
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

Narrator: BUT AS HE ATTEMPTS TO
ID THE MYSTERY OBJECT,

THE VIDEO LINK CUTS OUT.

WHEN THE LIVE FEED CUTS OUT

RIGHT AFTER SOMETHING
MYSTERIOUS HAPPENS,

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START
ASKING QUESTIONS.

Narrator: APRIL 5, 2016,

KIDDERMINSTER, ENGLAND,

SPACE ENTHUSIAST JADON BEESON

IS WATCHING A LIVE VIDEO FEED

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.

JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT,

HE NOTICES
A STRANGE OBJECT APPEAR

BETWEEN THE ISS

AND THE DISTANT GLOW
OF THE EARTH'S HORIZON.

I JUST SAW THIS OBJECT APPEAR
FROM NOWHERE, AND IT LOOKED

LIKE IT WAS TRACKING
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

I MEAN, I COULDN'T BELIEVE
WHAT I WAS SEEING.

Narrator:
WHATEVER THE MYSTERY OBJECT IS,

IT APPEARS TO BE OPERATING
UNDER ITS OWN POWER.

Beeson:
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS BLUE GLARE
CAME FROM THE BACK OF IT,

AND IT JUST SORT OF,
LIKE, SLOWLY

WENT THE OPPOSITE WAY TO ME.

Narrator: STUNNED BY WHAT
HE'S WITNESSING,

BEESON TAKES A SCREENGRAB
OF THE VIDEO

FOR A CLOSER ANALYSIS.

SOME PEOPLE SAID, "IT COULD BE A
FLARE ON THE WINDOW,"

BUT THIS THING LOOKED METAL.

IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANY LIGHT
REFLECTING OFF THE SUN.

Narrator: THE OBJECT SEEMS
TO STALK THE ISS

FOR OVER 3 MINUTES.

THEN THE LIVE FEED DIES.

Pope:
WHEN THE LIVE FEED CUTS OUT

RIGHT AFTER SOMETHING
MYSTERIOUS HAPPENED,

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
START ASKING QUESTIONS.

Narrator:
WHEN BEESON PUBLISHES THE IMAGE
OF THE MYSTERIOUS ENTITY ONLINE,

IT GOES VIRAL.

Scott: THAT IMAGE IS VERY,
VERY INTERESTING.

IT'S CIRCULAR,
ALMOST LIKE A DOUGHNUT.

SO THIS OBJECT HAS
A REAL SLEEK APPEARANCE.

IT LOOKS RATHER OMINOUS.

ONLINE COMMENTATORS ASK

IF THIS IS SOME KIND
OF AN ALIEN CRAFT,

AND WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE VIDEO,

YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHY.

Narrator:
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME

ISS CAMERAS HAVE CAPTURED
UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENA

IN THE EARTH'S ORBIT.

THERE WAS A LONG HISTORY

OF SIGHTINGS
OF STRANGE OBJECTS

CIRCLING THE SPACE STATION.

SO THE QUESTION IS,
ARE WE, OURSELVES,

BEING SURVEILLED BY OBJECTS
FROM OUTER SPACE?

Narrator:
INCREDIBLY, JUST 2 WEEKS LATER,

THE ISS VIDEO
FEED IS INTERRUPTED

BY ANOTHER UNEXPLAINED ENTITY.

IT'S THIS OBJECT HERE,

SORT OF LOOKS LIKE A DIAMOND
OR A JELLYFISH IN SPACE,

BUT JUST AS WE'RE GETTING
TO LOOK AT IT,

SOMETHING HAPPENS.

WE LOSE THE FEED.

Narrator: COULD THERE BE A
SINGLE RATIONAL EXPLANATION

FOR BOTH SIGHTINGS?

SOME PEOPLE SAID, "IT COULD
ACTUALLY BE A CARGO SHIP

THAT DELIVERED FOOD UP TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,

JUST ACTUALLY GOING
BACK TO THE EARTH."

Narrator: UNMANNED
SPACECRAFT REGULARLY VISIT

THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,

CARRYING SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
TO THE ONBOARD CREW,

BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS
CROSS-REFERENCE

THE DATES OF KNOWN
RESUPPLY MISSIONS,

THE THEORY FALLS DOWN.

THE PROBLEM IS
THERE'S NO CORRELATION

BETWEEN WHEN A SPACECRAFT DOCKS

AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION

AND WHEN THE STRANGE
OBJECT APPEARS.

Narrator: SOME ANALYSTS SUGGEST
THAT IF THE OBJECT

ISN'T A SUPPLY SHIP
TRAVELING TO THE ISS,

THEN PERHAPS IT IS ATTACHED
TO THE SPACE STATION ITSELF.

THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

HAS ALL SORTS OF ANTENNAE,

ARMS, STRUTS, SOLAR PANELS.

WHEN THE SUN HITS THESE THINGS
IN THE RIGHT ANGLE,

THEY CAN LOOK REALLY WEIRD.

THEY CAN LOOK AS IF THEY ARE
A SEPARATE OBJECT

NOT ATTACHED TO THE ISS.

Narrator:
BEESON'S OWN OBSERVATIONS
SUGGEST THE MYSTERY OBJECT

IS UNLIKELY TO BE
A PIECE OF THE SPACE STATION.

Beeson:
WHATEVER IT WAS, IT HAD POWER.

IT WAS GOING FAST,
AND THEN IT JUST DISAPPEARED.

IT WAS DEFINITELY
AN OBJECT IN SPACE.

Narrator: IMAGE ANALYST
MARK D'ANTONIO SUGGESTS

THAT THE OBJECT
COULD BE A SPACECRAFT,

JUST NOT ONE UNDER
EXTRATERRESTRIAL CONTROL.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT
THE MILLENNIUM FALCON

FROM "STAR WARS."

HOWEVER, IT COULD BE
THE CHINESE SPACE STATION,

THE TIANGONG-1,

AND IF THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE SEEING HERE,

THAT'S A REMARKABLE SIGHTING.

Narrator:
TIANGONG-1 WAS THE CHINESE

SPACE AGENCY'S PROTOTYPE
SPACE STATION.

IN MARCH 2016,

IT WAS PUT INTO SLEEP MODE

AND LEFT TO DECAY IN ORBIT.

...PREHEAT MODE IS COMPLETE.

STANDING BY FOR THE ACS UPDATE.
DOGGIO, GO.

Narrator:
BUT ASTRONAUT WINSTON SCOTT
DOUBTS IT COULD ACCOUNT

FOR THE OBJECT
IN THE VIDEO FEED.

YOU TYPICALLY DON'T SEE
ANY OTHER ORBITING VEHICLES

EXCEPT THE ONES THAT
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SEE,

AN APPROACHING SOYUZ

OR AN APPROACHING
SPACE SHUTTLE OR WHATEVER.

BUT, NO, YOU WON'T SEE
THE CHINESE SPACE STATION.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
YOU'RE WAY TOO CLOSE.

Narrator: THE MYSTERY OBJECT
DOES NOT APPEAR AGAIN.

THE STRANGE SIGHTING
REMAINS UNEXPLAINED.

Pope: THE JURY'S STILL OUT.

THE BOTTOM LINE
IS WE STILL DON'T HAVE

A 100-PERCENT
CERTAIN EXPLANATION

OF WHAT THIS WAS.

Narrator: COMING UP,
AN APOLLO PROBE DISCOVERS

WEIRD MAGNETIC PATTERNS
ON THE LUNAR SURFACE.

Aguilar: THEY CREATE A SHIELD,

JUST LIKE THE SHIELDS
ON THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

Narrator: A NASA PROBE DISCOVERS
STRANGE WHITE SWIRLS

ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

IT'S AS IF SOMEBODY HAS JUST
LAID DOWN A PIECE OF ART.

THEY LOOK KIND
OF LIKE TATTOOS.

Narrator:
READINGS FROM A SECOND PROBE

SHOW POWERFUL MAGNETIC FIELDS

COVERING THE BIZARRE MARKINGS.

Aguilar: THEY CREATE A SHIELD,

JUST LIKE THE SHIELDS
ON THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

Narrator: NOVEMBER 1966,
NASA'S LUNAR ORBITER 2

SCOUTS THE MOON'S SURFACE
FOR POTENTIAL LANDING SITES

FOR THE UPCOMING
APOLLO MISSIONS.

AS THE ORBITER SCANS
A VOLCANIC PLANE

CALLED THE OCEAN OF STORMS,

GROUND CONTROLLERS SPOT

SOMETHING STRANGE
IN THE LUNAR DIRT.

IT APPEARS TO BE THIS
LIGHT-COLORED MATERIAL,

AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY,
THEY ALMOST LOOK LIKE TATTOOS.

Narrator: THE GHOSTLY WHITE
SWIRLS BAFFLE LUNAR GEOLOGISTS.

THEY'RE JUST SITTING OUT THERE
WITH NO REASON TO BE THERE.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

Man:
THESE MARKINGS ARE WEIRD.

WE DON'T SEE THEM
ON ANY OF THE OTHER MOONS

IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.

THREE, TWO, ONE, LAUNCH.

A VERY PRETTY SATTELITE
OUT THERE.

Narrator: IN 1971, THE MYSTERY
OF THE LUNAR TATTOOS DEEPENS.

THE CREW OF APOLLO
15 DEPLOYS

A REMOTE MICROSATELLITE
BEFORE RETURNING TO EARTH.

OKAY.
I COPY THAT.

Narrator: AS THE SATELLITE
PASSES OVER THE WHITE PATTERNS,

IT DETECTS STRANGE MAGNETIC
FIELDS SURROUNDING THEM.

Aguilar:
THERE ARE AREAS OF THE MOON

WHERE THERE ARE
MAGNETIC FIELDS,

AND THEY ARE LOCATED WHERE
WE FIND THE LUNAR TATTOOS.

Narrator: THE ORIGIN OF THE
MAGNETIC FIELDS IS A MYSTERY,

A BIZARRE RELIC OF THE MOON'S
DISTANT GEOLOGICAL PAST,

AND IT SEEMS THESE FIELDS

ARE SOMEHOW CREATING
THE LUNAR SWIRLS.

Bamford:
THERE ARE NO LUNAR SWIRLS THAT
DON'T HAVE MAGNETIC FIELD.

SO THEREFORE,
THE MAGNETIC FIELD

HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO

WITH WHY THEY'RE WHITE

AND WHY THEY'RE THERE
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Narrator:
HOW THE FIELDS CREATE

THE GHOSTLY WHITE SWIRLS
REMAINS UNKNOWN

FOR OVER FOUR DECADES.

THEN IN 2012,
BRITISH SCIENTISTS

STUDYING SATELLITE DATA

DISCOVER THAT RADIOACTIVE
PARTICLES BOMBARDING THE MOON

ARE SUPERCHARGING
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS.

WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT
THE INCOMING RADIATION

FROM THE SUN
ACTUALLY TURBOCHARGES

THE EXISTING MAGNETIC
FIELDS ON THE MOON,

SO THE RADIATION ITSELF
CREATES CONDITIONS

THAT CAUSES THE MAGNETIC
FIELDS TO STRENGTHEN.

Narrator:
THIS SUPERCHARGING TRANSFORMS

THE WEAK MAGNETIC FIELD

INTO A KIND OF DEFLECTOR SHIELD,

PROTECTING THE LUNAR SWIRLS
FROM COSMIC RADIATION.

THEY CREATE A SHIELD,

JUST LIKE THE SHIELDS
ON THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE,

AND SO THESE ELECTRONS
FROM THE SUN,

BLASTING IN ON THE MOON,
ARE BEING BOUNCED OFF.

Narrator:
THE DEFLECTOR SHIELDS EXPLAIN

HOW THE LUNAR SWIRLS ARE FORMED.

THE LUNAR DIRT
IS NATURALLY WHITE,

BUT MILLIONS OF YEARS
OF SOLAR RADIATION DARKEN IT.

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS

SIMPLY PRESERVE
THE ORIGINAL BRIGHTNESS.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE
JUST WRITING SOMETHING

ON YOURSELF WITH SUNSCREEN

AND THEN TANNING ALL DAY.

IT'S GOING TO LEAVE A MARK.

Narrator: THE DISCOVERY
OF THE MOON'S DEFLECTOR SHIELDS

HAS PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS

FOR THE FUTURE
OF DEEP-SPACE TRAVEL.

THE MINI MAGNETOSPHERES

OF THE MOON
HAVE GIVEN US AN IDEA

THAT WE CAN MAKE
A DEFLECTOR SHIELD OF OUR OWN.

Narrator:
IN SPACE, RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES

CONSTANTLY TEAR THROUGH
ASTRONAUTS' BODIES,

DAMAGING THEIR DNA.

THIS CAN LEAD TO CANCERS,
MUTATIONS AND DEATH.

THEY'RE ENERGETIC ENOUGH
THAT THEY CAN PENETRATE

THE HULL OF THE SPACECRAFT.

THEY CAN PENETRATE THE BODY.

THEY CAN DAMAGE CELLS.

THEY'RE NASTY THINGS.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS HOPE
THAT BY REPLICATING

THE DEFLECTOR SHIELDS
FOUND ON THE MOON,

THEY WILL BE ABLE
TO PROTECT SPACECRAFT

FROM THIS DEADLY
RADIOACTIVE ASSAULT.

IN THE LONG-TERM,
IT MAY BE POSSIBLE

TO HAVE MAGNETIC SHIELDING,

A LA "STAR TREK."

Narrator:
INCREDIBLY, THE FIRST STEPS

TOWARD BUILDING
OUR VERY OWN STARSHIP

ENTERPRISE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.

ONE WAY WE MIGHT BE ABLE
TO MAKE AN ARTIFICIAL

MAGNETOSPHERE

IS USING A PARTICULAR
TYPE OF MAGNETS,

CALLED SUPERCONDUCTORS.
THERE IS, IN FACT,

A SUPERCONDUCTOR ALREADY
ON THE SPACE STATION.

SO WE KNOW WE CAN BUILD ONE,

AND WE KNOW WE CAN GET
ONE UP INTO SPACE.

Narrator: THE FINAL FRONTIER
IS WITHIN OUR REACH,

THANKS TO SOME
UNLIKELY INSPIRATION

FROM GHOSTLY PATTERNS

ON OUR CLOSEST COSMIC NEIGHBOR.