- Tucked away in the black expanse of our universe, a blue oasis known as Earth. As far as we know, our planet is one of a kind ` just the right mix of air, land and water. These ingredients have created an unbelievable variety of life... within our oceans, on our continents and in the atmosphere. Land covers just one third of our planet's surface. Billions of animals count on these precious parcels as a refuge and as a resource. The way they adapt to life on land represents the pinnacle of evolution so far. Captions by Julie Taylor. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2021 Deep in our earth beats a fiery heart ` real fiery ` beating with enough heat and pressure to liquefy rock and keep it churning. With all that burning passion, sometimes the planet just needs to vent. Hotspots in the earth's mantle force magma upward... until, eventually, the layers reach the water's surface. When the magma cools and solidifies, new land is born. In Hawaii, destruction and creation still happen side by side. Beneath the island chain's most active volcano, Kilauea, lies a restless hot spot, churning out magma and changing the face of the island. Unlikely as it seems, this hot and hostile process creates lively new possibilities. It takes just a breeze and a few seeds for life to take hold. (INTRIGUING PERCUSSIVE MUSIC) In the blink of a geological eye, bare rocks become a busy paradise. Animals hitch a ride on the breeze as well. Baby spiders cast silken sails into the sky. Several million might colonise small islands each day. (INTRIGUING MUSIC CONTINUES) They're followed by day trippers with actual wings. Fruit bats stop for a bite and leave their seed-filled droppings to green up the island. Others take the ocean route. Coconuts can sprout even after six months at sea. Once they land, the liquid inside kick-starts their growth. (GENTLE, PEACEFUL MUSIC) Coconuts aren't the only castaways. Millennia ago, iguanas found themselves stranded on the Galapagos Islands and had to figure out how to make a living. These black volcanic cliffs don't offer much, and yet the iguanas found a way to thrive. With no vegetation on the island, the land-lover herbivores had to think of something quick. There was only one solution ` to perfect their swimming and plunder the seas. (SPLASH!) Algae grows like crazy in the nutrient-rich waters surrounding the Galapagos Islands. Marine iguanas can spend around 30 minutes underwater, but submerged in the waves, their body temperature sinks fast. It's time to warm up again on the black lava rocks. The iguanas only seem to move when they need to defend their patch of rock. Head-nodding is not a friendly gesture here; someone's itching for a fight. The winner will gain a sunny patch of land and the admiration of the females. (PLODDING PERCUSSIVE MUSIC) (PERCUSSIVE MUSIC CONTINUES) The iguanas are not bloodthirsty, but a fight could bring on bites and scratches. And the winner takes it all. On the other side of the world from the Galapagos, the planet's internal pressure punches a hole in the middle of an existing landmass. The volcanic fields of Wudalianchi in northern China. Beneath them, pressurised molten rock wells up through rifts and faults in the continental crust. Once it's cooled down and pressed into shape, life settles in. In the 300 years since the last eruption, moss, lichen and flowering plants have taken over. (GRAND MUSIC) The very undemanding Manchurian pikas thrive in these lava fields. They find shelter in the niches and crevices created by the brittle rock. During the short summer, they collect plants to help them get through the harsh winter. wind is one way, insects are another, and plants sweeten the deal for them. Some plants have found clever tricks to maximise the efforts of their pollinators. The yellow lady's slipper orchid grows from Europe throughout Asia. Its bright colour and alluring smell attract pollinators aplenty. But these slippers are a tight fit. After feasting, the bee needs to find the exit, squeezing past the sticky pollen... and getting covered. That's the point ` the plant relies on the bee to carry pollen to the next orchid and help it thrive. Bees are the most famous pollinators, but not the only ones. Consider the tiny fig wasps in Southeast Asia, for example. Their life is closely entwined with the strangler figs. This tree fig doesn't spore visible flowers. Instead, the wasp has to tunnel its way inside the developing fruits. In the process, it sheds its wings. The wasp won't need them again. The fig immediately closes the entrance, capturing the wasp. The insect has brought the pollen the plant needs and in turn has found a safe spot to lay her eggs. Her deed is done. Not long after her death, it's hatching day. The males hatch first. They immediately mate with all the females they can find,... then they instantly head for the fresh air. They dig their way through the fig, preparing an exit for the females,... who leave... covered in pollen. They now have two days to find another plant, lay their eggs and pollinate the next fig tree. The circle of life repeats itself. Each tall fig tree starts from a tiny seed. In the dense jungle, plants fight for sunlight, so the taller the better. And figs have a head start. Thanks to animals dropping the sticky seeds in the branches of tall trees, they've evolved to sprout high in the air,... stretching way down with the vine-like roots. Once the roots reach the earth and get water and nutrients, there's no stopping the strangler fig. And here's how the tree gets its name ` more and more roots make their way down, take hold and grow strong. They eventually choke out the host tree's ability to suck up enough water and nutrients. Over the years, the fig ensnares the host in a net of fig roots and kills it. Rotting wooden splinters are what's left of a once impressive 50m-tall tree. In its place, the strangler fig stands proud and tall. When the first flowers evolved over 60 million years ago, insects were their main winged pollinators, but insects are only fair weather friends. Rain and mist keep them grounded, leaving an opportunity for other pollinators. (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) In South America's humid rainforests, hummingbirds fit the bill. Come rain or shine, they report for duty. Today, more than 8000 kinds of plants depend on the little birds. Some birds and flowers evolved to fit together like a lock and key. Getting the nectar out of the heliconia's curvaceous flowers ` no problem for the sicklebill. Its beak curls almost 90 degrees, fitting perfectly into the heliconia's flowers. Special circumstances demand exclusive personnel. Eastern Africa, where Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo meet, the mighty Rwenzori mountains ` crowned with glaciers towering beyond 5000m. (WONDROUS MUSIC) Below, a paradise of an ecosystem, where birds are one of the main acts. Dense evergreen forests as far as the eye can see. Among them, the jungle's loudest voice and the loudest colours ` turacos. Shy and elusive, they hide in the canopies. (TURACOS CHIRP) The turacos sport two bright shades made from pigments not found anywhere else in the animal kingdom ` the red, turacin, and the green, turacoverdin. Different species of turaco inhabit the slopes of the Rwenzori mountains. By spreading fruit seeds, the birds help keep this evergreen rainforest alive. Colourful birds painting the mountains green. Sometimes it takes an earthquake to release it. Some of these plates meet just beneath Italy. (LOUD RUMBLING) No one can predict an earthquake's size or timing, but scientists are working on it. At Italy's National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology, the NGV scientists record seismological data. Because the plates never rest, they check the feed round the clock. - So, this is the whole central Mediterranean region that we are mapping. The whole region is active with earthquakes in Sicily, in the Sicily channel, in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the all the regions. We have about 100 earthquakes every day in this area that are located by the national network. - Italy is peppered with seismometers. A powerful satellite network transfers the data to Rome. Additional measuring devices aren't directly connected to the network. Their data must be downloaded manually. Understanding our restless planet takes a multidisciplinary approach. - Of course, we seismologists want to predict earthquakes, and we put all our efforts to understand the physics which is behind an earthquake, a fault rupture. But how difficult it is to deal with this science, which is a very young science, it's a very` science with high uncertainties in all the models and all the estimates we made. - Written in stone, an earthquake's impact endures for centuries after the actual event. The Italian landscape also bears the wounds of more recent quakes,... as do the vulnerable streets and villages. The rubble reminds us that the planet is indifferent to us and ultimately in control,... which makes scientists ever more determined to understand our planet better, to learn the secrets of predicting the next big strike and keeping everyone safe. Near Milan, Italy, lies ELSA, the European Laboratory for Structural Assessment. It is part of the European Union's Joint Research Centre. Here, engineers test structures at a nearly 20m-high reaction wall to help create new building guidelines. The high-speed footage shows when and where stress occurs. The aim is to concentrate the stress on one small, replaceable part of the building. With engineering innovations happening around the globe, perhaps one day earthquake fatalities will be a thing of the past. While earthquakes change the landscape in an instant, in South Dakota, change comes much slower. The Badlands rock formations have accumulated over 75 million years. Layer by layer, baked clay, volcanic ash and gravel rose hundreds of metres high. Wind, weather and rivers have cut deep canyons into the formations, which have been decaying for 500,000 years. None of this matters to the herds of bison who graze at the base of the Badlands. Beneath the bison's hooves, thousands of black-tailed prairie dogs make their living in the sandy ground. There's plenty of land to spread out. Countless burrows. Each family has its own system of connected tunnels. (INSECT BUZZES) Naturally, the little ones like to play outdoors. And they know when it's time to go in, like now. As soon as the prairie dog spots a predator, she sounds the alarm. - (CHITTERS) (CHITTERS) - Stripped of the element of surprise, the coyote has to skip lunch today. (INSECT BUZZES) These prairie dogs are dogged by predators. Now comes a rattlesnake. (PENSIVE MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) But mama prairie dog has pups to protect. She stands her ground. Her sharp claws and teeth stop the snake in his tracks at first. But today, he won't be deterred. (RATTLING) (PRAIRIE DOGS CHITTER) (RATTLING CONTINUES) To avoid home invasions in the first place, prairie dogs keep the grass around their burrows short so enemies can't sneak up. Their landscaping keeps the grass growing, which provides a nutritious meal for the prairie dogs and the bison. (BISON GRUNT) - (CHITTERS) - The Badlands is one of the last frontiers where herds of wild bison roam. The giant rock formations dwarf the colossal bison, at least for now. Over the next half million years or so, erosion will turn the colourful hills of the Badlands into flatlands. (SOLEMN, INTRIGUING MUSIC) The locals have gotten used to it. When they can't find fresh water, they seek the last juicy leaves. (UPBEAT PERCUSSIVE MUSIC) Giraffes can go for days, even weeks without a sip, but, eventually, they reach a crucial point when they must drink. It can turn out to be a long walk. (ELEPHANT TRUMPETS) At the water hole, elephants have already set up camp. They can smell water from kilometres away. Animals keep coming and going. Everyone wants a drink, but some would prefer a little less hustle. Finally, the chance for a peaceful sip. And it's not a stretch to say that every animal and plant on the planet needs water, not just for drinking. (THUNDER RUMBLES) Rain has the power to transform dry earth... into the perfect building material. Time to get started. Red ovenbirds of South America are artistic sculptors of mud and clay. (UKULELE MUSIC) This pair, eager to start a family, restores the ruins of an old dome nest. (UKULELE MUSIC CONTINUES) - (CALLS SHRILLY) (SHEEP BLEAT) - Even though the elements will continue to batter it, the nest will provide a dry and safe environment for the old and the young. The neighbours can only stare with envy. (UPBEAT UKULELE MUSIC CONTINUES) Look, but don't touch. The ovenbirds have to defend their home from invaders. (UKULELE MUSIC CONTINUES) Finally, they've finished months of hard work. - (CALLS SHRILLY) - The sun does the rest, hardening this durable structure of mud and grass. When the new generation of red ovenbirds hatches, they'll learn a solid trade from their parents. Taking a lesson from nature, humans have been building with mud and grass for some 10,000 years. It's not easy to build a home in the dry high plains of Mexico. There's no shortage of clay, but where's the water? Lack of rain means this crucial ingredient needs to be brought in so that the dry earth can be moulded into bricks. (GENTLE ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) The bricks need weeks in the hot sun to dry. (GUITAR MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC CONTINUES) In the end, the hard work pays off. The house will last for generations. Families will enjoy the protection and the shade it offers while the sun burns hot in the Mexican sky. On the other side of the planet, residents must contend with the heat as well. A little off the coast of Australia ` Tasmania. Once physically connected with the mainland, the island was cut off by rising water about 10,000 years ago. Tasmania is home to jack jumper ants. They live up to their name. These ants can jump up to 10cm ` about 10 times their own size. It may look silly, but these ants are efficient, solitary hunters, unlike most other ants that hunt in packs. They're a force to be reckoned with. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) Any insect should tread lightly around the jack jumpers' nest. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) The ants raise generations of lavae in their small mounded dens, which sport a particular look. The ants cover their nest with little dark stones that help to absorb the warmth in the cooler southern climate. In midsummer, when temperatures sore, the nest risks overheating. (TENSE MUSIC) The worker ants know what to do. They exchange the black stones with white ones. The white reflects the sunlight and keeps the mound cooler. An easy and resourceful use of local materials. - You are an amazing role model for your babies. - BOTH: Hey, Toots! - Hey, sis. - Hey, Mum. Oh, man, I'm so proud of you. - You're off the ciggies. - I don't think we ever thought you'd be able to do this. - One year smoke-free. Six grand saved. Cha-ching! - We're happy that you don't smell. (ALL LAUGH) - You are an amazing role model for your babies. - They're not sick when we're not smoking ciggies. Have you noticed that? - You got this, girl. You can do it. - You're off the smokes. Let's get you on the waka. - We're all behind you. - Want to give up the smokes for good? The Great Sandy Desert can saw to nearly 50 degrees Celsius in the afternoon and plunge below freezing at night. Cold-blooded lizards, like the great desert skink, respond with teamwork. Lizards are normally solitary creatures. But these skinks form extended family groups. Together, they dig deep, extensive burrows. Maintaining them takes many helping hands. But it's worth it. Conditions are far more stable within their burrows than outside. And as the ever-growing clan can always use more space,... the digging never stops. To beat the heat and keep safe, 70,000 parrots head for the cliffs. These birds form one of Patagonia's biggest parrot colonies. They've dug these tunnels over the course of years, expanding them when they return for the breeding season. Tucked away in the dark nest of stone beyond the grasp of larger predatory birds, the young burrowing parrots stay until they're old enough to fledge. (PARROTS SQUAWK) (SQUAWKING CONTINUES) The cave-dwelling parrots have an advantage over birds that build nests in view of hungry predators. Fully grown birds are targets too. By moving in big flocks, they try to confuse their attacker,... (TENSE MUSIC) ...and then dash back to safety. 70,000 parrots and their babies need a lot to eat. Sometimes, the adults must fly 100km to secure enough food,... which doesn't make them popular with farmers or cows. (COWS MOO) They need to feed their chicks for about two months before the fledglings grow strong enough to explore the Patagonian cliffs themselves. (PARROTS SQUAWK) (SQUAWKING CONTINUES) While parrots dig tunnels in Patagonia, a different limestone layer winds below the rainforest of central Vietnam. For millions of years, underground rivers have dug their way into the soft rock. Together, these caves and tunnels are called The Son Doong Cave System, or Cave of the Mountain River. More than 150 lakes, rivers and enormous caves lie 200m below the surface. (WONDROUS MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) A British Vietnamese group of scientists was the first to explore this labyrinth. In some places, the cave ceiling collapsed and sunlight pierced the darkness. (INTRIGUING MUSIC) Seeds and plants found their way in too. They created a tropical paradise deep beneath the surface,... nature untouched by mankind ` for scientists, a godsend. In this impromptu garden, scientists have catalogued more than 105 plant species so far. Animals have found their way in too ` lots of them. A multitude of insects, birds, reptiles and even monkeys have claimed this space. (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) So, wherever there's a chance to set up home, plants and animals will jump at the opportunity. No matter how the landscape changes ` and it's always changing, either suddenly or over millions of years, life will find a way to succeed. Captions by Julie Taylor. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2021