diff --git "a/subtitle/K0m4xAfTVwM.srt" "b/subtitle/K0m4xAfTVwM.srt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/subtitle/K0m4xAfTVwM.srt" @@ -0,0 +1,4016 @@ +1 +00:00:01,100 --> 00:00:07,529 +faster than a speeding bullet + +2 +00:00:04,490 --> 00:00:11,340 +six times hotter than the surface of the + +3 +00:00:07,529 --> 00:00:18,240 +Sun it seems to defy the laws of gravity + +4 +00:00:11,340 --> 00:00:21,660 +and can strike you dead lightly now we + +5 +00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:24,779 +reveal dramatic new discoveries shocking + +6 +00:00:21,660 --> 00:00:27,330 +experiments that prove lightning is one + +7 +00:00:24,779 --> 00:00:31,550 +of the weirdest most destructive and + +8 +00:00:27,330 --> 00:00:31,550 +important phenomena on earth + +9 +00:00:46,630 --> 00:00:53,810 +lightning strikes giant sparks of static + +10 +00:00:51,290 --> 00:00:57,650 +electricity tear through the atmosphere + +11 +00:00:53,810 --> 00:01:00,950 +at 60 million miles an hour up to a + +12 +00:00:57,650 --> 00:01:04,180 +billion volts rip the air apart in that + +13 +00:01:00,950 --> 00:01:07,160 +instant the current creates light waves + +14 +00:01:04,180 --> 00:01:10,090 +we see a brilliant bolt of light race + +15 +00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,090 +across the sky + +16 +00:01:12,140 --> 00:01:18,580 +Aaron Sun heats up to more than 50,000 + +17 +00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:22,640 +degrees Fahrenheit it expands so rapidly + +18 +00:01:18,580 --> 00:01:24,140 +it explodes we hear a deafening clap of + +19 +00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:27,140 +thunder + +20 +00:01:24,140 --> 00:01:29,930 +it all happens in less than the blink of + +21 +00:01:27,140 --> 00:01:32,960 +an eye up to eight million times every + +22 +00:01:29,930 --> 00:01:36,380 +day this is one of nature's most + +23 +00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:40,009 +frequent best observed phenomenon but + +24 +00:01:36,380 --> 00:01:42,650 +it's also one of the least understood we + +25 +00:01:40,009 --> 00:01:44,810 +probably know more about how a star + +26 +00:01:42,650 --> 00:01:47,180 +explodes halfway across the galaxy + +27 +00:01:44,810 --> 00:01:50,660 +then how lightning works just a few + +28 +00:01:47,180 --> 00:01:52,970 +miles above our heads scientists are + +29 +00:01:50,660 --> 00:01:55,520 +using every technological tool in the + +30 +00:01:52,970 --> 00:01:59,450 +box to see lightning as it's never been + +31 +00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:02,030 +seen before and they're discovering that + +32 +00:01:59,450 --> 00:02:03,710 +it's more powerful you're talking about + +33 +00:02:02,030 --> 00:02:07,729 +something that's a up to a billion volts + +34 +00:02:03,710 --> 00:02:09,800 +it's 200,000 amps it's the nucleus small + +35 +00:02:07,729 --> 00:02:13,310 +nuclear power plant it's it's huge and + +36 +00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:16,310 +more important than ever imagined it's + +37 +00:02:13,310 --> 00:02:19,220 +probably one of those fundamental parts + +38 +00:02:16,310 --> 00:02:23,410 +of the equation that really contribute + +39 +00:02:19,220 --> 00:02:26,030 +to life on Earth to unlock its secrets + +40 +00:02:23,410 --> 00:02:28,870 +we follow a lightning bolt on its + +41 +00:02:26,030 --> 00:02:31,190 +journey from creation to destruction and + +42 +00:02:28,870 --> 00:02:33,710 +beyond + +43 +00:02:31,190 --> 00:02:36,470 +few people have experienced lightnings + +44 +00:02:33,710 --> 00:02:41,990 +awesome power more closely than former + +45 +00:02:36,470 --> 00:02:43,970 +stockbroker michael Utley may 2000 but + +46 +00:02:41,990 --> 00:02:47,870 +Lee is playing golf at his local course + +47 +00:02:43,970 --> 00:02:51,920 +in Cape Cod Massachusetts overhead a + +48 +00:02:47,870 --> 00:02:54,620 +storm gathers 30,000 amps of electricity + +49 +00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:57,680 +burns its way through the atmosphere at + +50 +00:02:54,620 --> 00:03:01,130 +60 million miles an hour and heads + +51 +00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:06,040 +straight toward other the warning siren + +52 +00:03:01,130 --> 00:03:06,040 +sounds it's the last thing he remembers + +53 +00:03:06,930 --> 00:03:11,450 +the first thing that I remember after + +54 +00:03:08,940 --> 00:03:14,519 +the strike was 38 days after it happened + +55 +00:03:11,450 --> 00:03:17,340 +in less than half a second his life + +56 +00:03:14,519 --> 00:03:19,769 +changed forever I opened my eyes and + +57 +00:03:17,340 --> 00:03:21,750 +realized there was an an ambulance and I + +58 +00:03:19,769 --> 00:03:22,890 +had a trach so I couldn't speak so it + +59 +00:03:21,750 --> 00:03:24,480 +was kind of like The Godfather and I + +60 +00:03:22,890 --> 00:03:26,310 +where am I + +61 +00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,440 +and he looked at me he said you're on + +62 +00:03:26,310 --> 00:03:31,980 +your way to rehab you were struck by + +63 +00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:34,829 +lightning a month ago Utley never saw + +64 +00:03:31,980 --> 00:03:39,599 +the bolt that hit him he has no memory + +65 +00:03:34,829 --> 00:03:42,060 +of that terrible day we reconstruct + +66 +00:03:39,599 --> 00:03:44,819 +those missing moments and step into at + +67 +00:03:42,060 --> 00:03:48,090 +least shoes to follow a lightning bolt + +68 +00:03:44,819 --> 00:03:50,129 +as it rips through the body and examine + +69 +00:03:48,090 --> 00:03:54,420 +its devastating effects in forensic + +70 +00:03:50,129 --> 00:04:00,750 +detail we begin with the moment of + +71 +00:03:54,420 --> 00:04:03,329 +impact lightning strikes electricity + +72 +00:04:00,750 --> 00:04:06,840 +tears through your body and stops your + +73 +00:04:03,329 --> 00:04:09,420 +heart dead the lightning goes through + +74 +00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:12,150 +the body and it stops the heart and to + +75 +00:04:09,420 --> 00:04:14,250 +your 100% dependent on somebody around + +76 +00:04:12,150 --> 00:04:15,359 +you to do CPR at that point so just + +77 +00:04:14,250 --> 00:04:16,829 +laying there you're not breathing your + +78 +00:04:15,359 --> 00:04:19,139 +heart stopped and and that's it + +79 +00:04:16,829 --> 00:04:22,770 +resuscitation brings you back to life + +80 +00:04:19,139 --> 00:04:26,419 +but your heart rate is still erotic the + +81 +00:04:22,770 --> 00:04:26,419 +race is on to reach the ER + +82 +00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:33,400 +the emergency department at the + +83 +00:04:30,100 --> 00:04:34,840 +University of Illinois in Chicago gets + +84 +00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:37,300 +struck by lightning in the Windy City + +85 +00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:39,940 +and this could be the first place you'll + +86 +00:04:37,300 --> 00:04:42,930 +come and the first person you'll see + +87 +00:04:39,940 --> 00:04:45,880 +will probably be dr. Mary Ann Cooper + +88 +00:04:42,930 --> 00:04:49,600 +emergency m.d. and head of the lightning + +89 +00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:51,610 +injury research program the number one + +90 +00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:54,790 +cause of death from lightning is cardiac + +91 +00:04:51,610 --> 00:04:56,919 +arrest at the time of the injury the + +92 +00:04:54,790 --> 00:05:01,000 +current hitches a lift on the body's own + +93 +00:04:56,919 --> 00:05:04,330 +electrical highway route 1 the autonomic + +94 +00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:06,600 +nervous system it runs down your spine + +95 +00:05:04,330 --> 00:05:12,640 +and controls involuntary functions + +96 +00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:16,210 +breathing digestion heartbeat routes 2 & + +97 +00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:18,930 +3 blood and muscle full of electrolytes + +98 +00:05:16,210 --> 00:05:21,850 +acids salts and other chemicals + +99 +00:05:18,930 --> 00:05:25,240 +essential for life and electrically + +100 +00:05:21,850 --> 00:05:26,729 +conductive together they offer the + +101 +00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,410 +current a route through the body + +102 +00:05:26,729 --> 00:05:29,520 +straight to your heart + +103 +00:05:28,410 --> 00:05:32,919 +[Music] + +104 +00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:34,840 +the heart's internal pacemaker generates + +105 +00:05:32,919 --> 00:05:37,450 +electrical currents that control its + +106 +00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:40,350 +rhythm hit this with a high voltage + +107 +00:05:37,450 --> 00:05:48,940 +current and the rhythm is disrupted or + +108 +00:05:40,350 --> 00:05:51,700 +worse but even if you survive the shock + +109 +00:05:48,940 --> 00:05:55,050 +a series of bizarre and traumatic + +110 +00:05:51,700 --> 00:05:57,789 +injuries could still assault your body a + +111 +00:05:55,050 --> 00:06:02,710 +strike can cause blood vessels to spasm + +112 +00:05:57,789 --> 00:06:04,660 +and leave you temporarily paralyzed look + +113 +00:06:02,710 --> 00:06:07,240 +at the extremities they're cold model + +114 +00:06:04,660 --> 00:06:08,910 +blue look for all of the world like + +115 +00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,730 +they're dead + +116 +00:06:08,910 --> 00:06:13,740 +I was pretty much paralyzed and I + +117 +00:06:11,730 --> 00:06:15,690 +couldn't swallow I couldn't talk they + +118 +00:06:13,740 --> 00:06:18,930 +just thought my body was completely + +119 +00:06:15,690 --> 00:06:22,620 +fried for utley nerve and muscle damage + +120 +00:06:18,930 --> 00:06:28,740 +means years of grueling rehab but some + +121 +00:06:22,620 --> 00:06:31,470 +injuries last a lifetime a strike near + +122 +00:06:28,740 --> 00:06:34,770 +the head sends current into the eyes and + +123 +00:06:31,470 --> 00:06:35,970 +can detach the retina the shock wave can + +124 +00:06:34,770 --> 00:06:38,720 +rupture the eardrums + +125 +00:06:35,970 --> 00:06:41,580 +and can sometimes fracture the skull + +126 +00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:43,950 +lightning flowers known as Lichtenberg + +127 +00:06:41,580 --> 00:06:46,200 +marks the current ruptures tiny + +128 +00:06:43,950 --> 00:06:48,560 +capillaries to create a fossilized + +129 +00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:51,750 +record of its journey across the skin + +130 +00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:54,480 +the same process can sometimes be seen + +131 +00:06:51,750 --> 00:06:56,820 +on a golf course but not all the effects + +132 +00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:58,920 +of lightning are as easy to see I am + +133 +00:06:56,820 --> 00:07:01,500 +definitely not the same person that my + +134 +00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,540 +wife married prior to the incident I've + +135 +00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:05,390 +changed before the strike Utley was a + +136 +00:07:03,540 --> 00:07:08,070 +ski instructor and extreme sports + +137 +00:07:05,390 --> 00:07:10,470 +enthusiast I used to have an edge I used + +138 +00:07:08,070 --> 00:07:12,060 +to be very very good now I'm still + +139 +00:07:10,470 --> 00:07:14,130 +pretty good if I find all the notes I + +140 +00:07:12,060 --> 00:07:16,530 +kind of get it it's frustrating it's + +141 +00:07:14,130 --> 00:07:19,080 +without a doubt you live life on a much + +142 +00:07:16,530 --> 00:07:22,530 +different level you survive the strike + +143 +00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:25,850 +you look okay on the outside but inside + +144 +00:07:22,530 --> 00:07:28,440 +you're weak in pain you've changed and + +145 +00:07:25,850 --> 00:07:31,290 +doctors say it's almost impossible to + +146 +00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,810 +find the cause many strike survivors + +147 +00:07:31,290 --> 00:07:37,260 +have faced this nightmare scenario until + +148 +00:07:33,810 --> 00:07:39,840 +now at the University of Illinois in + +149 +00:07:37,260 --> 00:07:41,310 +Chicago scientists have a new weapon to + +150 +00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:44,400 +hunt for the hidden cause of these + +151 +00:07:41,310 --> 00:07:46,380 +complaints dr. Keith Colburn leads the + +152 +00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,810 +search this patient's Anatomy is + +153 +00:07:46,380 --> 00:07:51,030 +completely normal you can see the gray + +154 +00:07:48,810 --> 00:07:52,470 +matter here nicely delineated and the + +155 +00:07:51,030 --> 00:07:54,450 +white manner and they're completely + +156 +00:07:52,470 --> 00:07:57,720 +symmetrical in normal in size for a + +157 +00:07:54,450 --> 00:08:00,690 +patient of this age but this MRI scan + +158 +00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:02,660 +belongs to a strike survivor he + +159 +00:08:00,690 --> 00:08:05,900 +complains of a short attention span + +160 +00:08:02,660 --> 00:08:08,790 +irritability and memory loss but + +161 +00:08:05,900 --> 00:08:11,580 +according to the scan there's nothing + +162 +00:08:08,790 --> 00:08:13,010 +wrong so are his symptoms simply + +163 +00:08:11,580 --> 00:08:17,030 +psychological + +164 +00:08:13,010 --> 00:08:20,060 +maybe not a regular MRI scan takes a + +165 +00:08:17,030 --> 00:08:27,110 +snapshot of the brain functional MRI + +166 +00:08:20,060 --> 00:08:30,680 +makes a movie using this doctors can now + +167 +00:08:27,110 --> 00:08:33,169 +see the brain in action could functional + +168 +00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:36,770 +MRI shed new light on this man's + +169 +00:08:33,169 --> 00:08:40,400 +mysterious symptoms we put the + +170 +00:08:36,770 --> 00:08:42,979 +technology to the test two subjects our + +171 +00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:46,250 +strike survivor and a regular member of + +172 +00:08:42,979 --> 00:08:48,770 +the public both take the same simple + +173 +00:08:46,250 --> 00:08:51,250 +reading test but the strike survivors + +174 +00:08:48,770 --> 00:08:53,840 +brain behaves in a very different way + +175 +00:08:51,250 --> 00:08:55,940 +you see a lot more activation in the + +176 +00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:59,240 +left temporal lobe the area associated + +177 +00:08:55,940 --> 00:09:01,370 +with understanding what is being read we + +178 +00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,440 +see no activation in the left frontal + +179 +00:09:01,370 --> 00:09:05,330 +lobe which is the area associated with + +180 +00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,520 +the expression of language so this + +181 +00:09:05,330 --> 00:09:09,950 +patients pattern of activation is + +182 +00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:12,880 +completely reversed from normal in these + +183 +00:09:09,950 --> 00:09:15,770 +areas associated with with reading the + +184 +00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:18,080 +pink areas show that the strike victim + +185 +00:09:15,770 --> 00:09:21,140 +not only employs a different part of the + +186 +00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:22,040 +brain but also uses a lot more energy to + +187 +00:09:21,140 --> 00:09:24,350 +complete the test + +188 +00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:26,930 +now he's finding the task much more + +189 +00:09:24,350 --> 00:09:28,220 +difficult than the normal subject but + +190 +00:09:26,930 --> 00:09:31,430 +why + +191 +00:09:28,220 --> 00:09:33,680 +in a normal brain electrical currents + +192 +00:09:31,430 --> 00:09:35,200 +carry orders and information along a + +193 +00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:38,390 +network of nerves + +194 +00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:40,940 +the current reaches a gap called a + +195 +00:09:38,390 --> 00:09:44,630 +synapse and triggers the release of a + +196 +00:09:40,940 --> 00:09:46,310 +chemical a neurotransmitter a receptor + +197 +00:09:44,630 --> 00:09:49,490 +catches it on the other side and + +198 +00:09:46,310 --> 00:09:51,740 +delivers the message but gets struck by + +199 +00:09:49,490 --> 00:09:55,100 +lightning and this network can break + +200 +00:09:51,740 --> 00:09:59,810 +down the current has to take an indirect + +201 +00:09:55,100 --> 00:10:02,900 +route for now dr. Thorne and his team + +202 +00:09:59,810 --> 00:10:05,870 +are in the early stages of research but + +203 +00:10:02,900 --> 00:10:08,480 +one day functional MRI may help them to + +204 +00:10:05,870 --> 00:10:15,680 +pinpoint and treat the cause of strike + +205 +00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:18,020 +survivors mysterious symptoms lightnings + +206 +00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:22,730 +deadly trail of destruction from the + +207 +00:10:18,020 --> 00:10:25,780 +nerves to the heart nothing is safe but + +208 +00:10:22,730 --> 00:10:30,200 +despite all this 90% of strike victims + +209 +00:10:25,780 --> 00:10:35,780 +survived survivor Michael Utley wants to + +210 +00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:37,970 +know why to find out Utley will witness + +211 +00:10:35,780 --> 00:10:41,870 +a dramatic demonstration at lightning + +212 +00:10:37,970 --> 00:10:44,390 +technologies in Pittsfield Massachusetts + +213 +00:10:41,870 --> 00:10:47,450 +what we're doing here is trying to see + +214 +00:10:44,390 --> 00:10:50,300 +how the Lightning might flash across the + +215 +00:10:47,450 --> 00:10:52,580 +surface of a human being chief engineer + +216 +00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:54,700 +Andy Plummer is in charge of testing and + +217 +00:10:52,580 --> 00:10:58,130 +devising lightning protection systems + +218 +00:10:54,700 --> 00:11:00,560 +his plan to hit this mannequin with one + +219 +00:10:58,130 --> 00:11:02,930 +mega volt of electricity and recreate + +220 +00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:05,420 +the split seconds that changed Michael's + +221 +00:11:02,930 --> 00:11:06,620 +life forever I would imagine that it + +222 +00:11:05,420 --> 00:11:08,660 +wouldn't take much of the current to + +223 +00:11:06,620 --> 00:11:10,640 +stop the heart I think it doesn't take + +224 +00:11:08,660 --> 00:11:12,230 +very much at all though even if 90% of + +225 +00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:15,170 +it goes outside the little bit that goes + +226 +00:11:12,230 --> 00:11:17,080 +through it does enough they recreate + +227 +00:11:15,170 --> 00:11:20,330 +conditions on the golf course + +228 +00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:23,750 +Utley was holding a putter metal + +229 +00:11:20,330 --> 00:11:26,470 +conducts electricity it was a hot day he + +230 +00:11:23,750 --> 00:11:29,510 +was sweating this too is conductive + +231 +00:11:26,470 --> 00:11:32,000 +could these two factors explain his + +232 +00:11:29,510 --> 00:11:34,400 +survival human sweat has a little bit of + +233 +00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:37,040 +connectivity so Bob here is putting just + +234 +00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:39,410 +some salt solution just to simulate the + +235 +00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:42,310 +conductivity that existed on you the day + +236 +00:11:39,410 --> 00:11:52,100 +you were struck by lightning excellent + +237 +00:11:42,310 --> 00:11:54,680 +okay Bob start charging the strike is so + +238 +00:11:52,100 --> 00:11:58,820 +fast that we need to freeze the moment + +239 +00:11:54,680 --> 00:12:00,680 +of impact sweat conducts the huge bolt + +240 +00:11:58,820 --> 00:12:04,490 +of electricity down the body's right + +241 +00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:06,950 +side the metal putter provides a path to + +242 +00:12:04,490 --> 00:12:10,400 +the ground the lethal current is + +243 +00:12:06,950 --> 00:12:12,080 +diverted away from the major organs we + +244 +00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,570 +can see on the mannequin + +245 +00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:16,850 +the experiment suggests that for most + +246 +00:12:14,570 --> 00:12:19,959 +strike survivors there are other factors + +247 +00:12:16,850 --> 00:12:22,070 +at play such as the putter or the sweat + +248 +00:12:19,959 --> 00:12:23,920 +diverting the deadly current and + +249 +00:12:22,070 --> 00:12:27,830 +explaining their survival + +250 +00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:32,029 +it seems Utley may owe his life to these + +251 +00:12:27,830 --> 00:12:35,360 +two simple things it's a life he's still + +252 +00:12:32,029 --> 00:12:38,120 +battling to rebuild today he enjoys a + +253 +00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:41,420 +regular game of golf and uses the very + +254 +00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:44,450 +same putter that saved his life but he + +255 +00:12:41,420 --> 00:12:46,100 +takes no chances if there was one thing + +256 +00:12:44,450 --> 00:12:47,750 +that I could tell people about lightning + +257 +00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:51,290 +it would be when Thunder roars go + +258 +00:12:47,750 --> 00:12:57,260 +indoors there's no play safe outside in + +259 +00:12:51,290 --> 00:13:01,610 +a thunderstorm we've seen lightnings + +260 +00:12:57,260 --> 00:13:04,620 +deadly force now we need to know what it + +261 +00:13:01,610 --> 00:13:05,890 +is what creates this awesome power + +262 +00:13:04,620 --> 00:13:08,290 +[Music] + +263 +00:13:05,890 --> 00:13:11,290 +that quest takes us to one of the + +264 +00:13:08,290 --> 00:13:15,540 +world's stormiest places and some of the + +265 +00:13:11,290 --> 00:13:15,540 +most spectacular lightning on earth + +266 +00:13:18,730 --> 00:13:24,749 +[Music] + +267 +00:13:21,889 --> 00:13:27,660 +we're following a lightning bolt on its + +268 +00:13:24,749 --> 00:13:29,850 +journey through the atmosphere we've + +269 +00:13:27,660 --> 00:13:31,050 +seen what happens when a storm unleashes + +270 +00:13:29,850 --> 00:13:34,350 +its awesome power + +271 +00:13:31,050 --> 00:13:37,199 +now let's rewind to the moments before + +272 +00:13:34,350 --> 00:13:40,259 +lightning strikes to investigate what + +273 +00:13:37,199 --> 00:13:42,509 +triggers this mysterious phenomenon our + +274 +00:13:40,259 --> 00:13:44,249 +journey takes us to a city that's home + +275 +00:13:42,509 --> 00:13:45,949 +to some of the world's most violent + +276 +00:13:44,249 --> 00:13:50,249 +lightning storms + +277 +00:13:45,949 --> 00:13:52,740 +Darwyn northern Australia in just a few + +278 +00:13:50,249 --> 00:13:59,009 +hours it can take as many as 1600 + +279 +00:13:52,740 --> 00:14:00,930 +strikes Darwin is the perfect place to + +280 +00:13:59,009 --> 00:14:05,990 +investigate one of nature's biggest + +281 +00:14:00,930 --> 00:14:10,319 +mysteries what sparks a lightning bolt + +282 +00:14:05,990 --> 00:14:13,800 +an international team of scientists are + +283 +00:14:10,319 --> 00:14:16,620 +here to find out they use radar and a + +284 +00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:19,079 +fleet of aircraft to look for the answer + +285 +00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:19,740 +deep inside Darwin's monster storm + +286 +00:14:19,079 --> 00:14:26,020 +clouds + +287 +00:14:19,740 --> 00:14:30,520 +[Music] + +288 +00:14:26,020 --> 00:14:33,360 +a potent cocktail of heat and moist + +289 +00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:39,790 +tropical air means these are no ordinary + +290 +00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:43,420 +clouds called cumulonimbus they can rise + +291 +00:14:39,790 --> 00:14:45,870 +up to 40,000 feet at speeds of 60 miles + +292 +00:14:43,420 --> 00:14:45,870 +an hour + +293 +00:14:48,529 --> 00:14:56,130 +13 miles up twice as high as a passenger + +294 +00:14:52,410 --> 00:14:58,710 +jet above the storm a modified former + +295 +00:14:56,130 --> 00:15:02,670 +Russian spy plane collects data about + +296 +00:14:58,710 --> 00:15:07,279 +the cloud below somewhere inside this + +297 +00:15:02,670 --> 00:15:10,170 +cloud lightning is preparing to strike + +298 +00:15:07,279 --> 00:15:13,200 +understanding how has puzzled scientists + +299 +00:15:10,170 --> 00:15:17,839 +for centuries but they think the cloud + +300 +00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:20,640 +acts as a giant electrical generator + +301 +00:15:17,839 --> 00:15:24,210 +inside the cloud tiny water droplets + +302 +00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:27,950 +rise upward they freeze and fall back + +303 +00:15:24,210 --> 00:15:30,570 +down as ice they rub against each other + +304 +00:15:27,950 --> 00:15:33,420 +electrically charged particles transfer + +305 +00:15:30,570 --> 00:15:35,970 +from one to the other the water and ice + +306 +00:15:33,420 --> 00:15:38,570 +particles that were previously neutral + +307 +00:15:35,970 --> 00:15:43,140 +are now either positively or negatively + +308 +00:15:38,570 --> 00:15:45,210 +charged the negative particles sink to + +309 +00:15:43,140 --> 00:15:47,940 +the bottom of the cloud the positive + +310 +00:15:45,210 --> 00:15:50,400 +rise to the top separating the positive + +311 +00:15:47,940 --> 00:15:54,900 +and negative charges when they were + +312 +00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:59,510 +unite lightning will strike that's the + +313 +00:15:54,900 --> 00:15:59,510 +theory but the reality is even stranger + +314 +00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:07,460 +air is not a good conductor electricity + +315 +00:16:03,410 --> 00:16:09,830 +can't pass through it easily to let the + +316 +00:16:07,460 --> 00:16:13,280 +current through the airs atomic + +317 +00:16:09,830 --> 00:16:15,950 +structure must literally break apart to + +318 +00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:19,250 +do that takes millions even billions of + +319 +00:16:15,950 --> 00:16:22,760 +volts scientists search the skies for + +320 +00:16:19,250 --> 00:16:25,850 +this huge electrical charge but even in + +321 +00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:28,760 +Darwin's massive storm clouds it's never + +322 +00:16:25,850 --> 00:16:31,450 +been found in the story of lightning + +323 +00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:34,370 +there's a piece missing + +324 +00:16:31,450 --> 00:16:36,950 +it's a puzzle that fascinates physicist + +325 +00:16:34,370 --> 00:16:38,840 +Joe Dwyer from Florida Institute of + +326 +00:16:36,950 --> 00:16:40,340 +Technology lightning it's almost + +327 +00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,830 +embarrassing we've been studying + +328 +00:16:40,340 --> 00:16:45,800 +lightning since the time of Franklin and + +329 +00:16:42,830 --> 00:16:47,570 +Eve over 200 years we still have an + +330 +00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:49,250 +answer the big questions how does + +331 +00:16:47,570 --> 00:16:51,320 +lightning work how does it get started + +332 +00:16:49,250 --> 00:16:53,480 +up in the thunderstorms how does it + +333 +00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:56,390 +propagate for miles through the air from + +334 +00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:59,290 +way up there were it's initiated down to + +335 +00:16:56,390 --> 00:17:02,150 +our feet one thing we can be sure of + +336 +00:16:59,290 --> 00:17:04,250 +lightning is static electricity and you + +337 +00:17:02,150 --> 00:17:06,890 +can make it at home let me take my shoes + +338 +00:17:04,250 --> 00:17:09,980 +off and when I do I'm gonna rub my feet + +339 +00:17:06,890 --> 00:17:12,439 +on the carpet as I rub my feet friction + +340 +00:17:09,980 --> 00:17:14,630 +is going to separate electrical charge + +341 +00:17:12,439 --> 00:17:16,609 +positive charges going one way negative + +342 +00:17:14,630 --> 00:17:18,079 +charge the other now when charges + +343 +00:17:16,609 --> 00:17:20,510 +separate they want to get back together + +344 +00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:25,240 +a large electric field can build up and + +345 +00:17:20,510 --> 00:17:25,240 +when this happens you can get a spark + +346 +00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,700 +we think that something like that is + +347 +00:17:29,090 --> 00:17:35,600 +going on inside a thundercloud when it + +348 +00:17:31,700 --> 00:17:39,230 +makes lightning to send a current across + +349 +00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:42,380 +this tiny distance takes up to 25,000 + +350 +00:17:39,230 --> 00:17:45,920 +volts but lightning bolts can be up to + +351 +00:17:42,380 --> 00:17:49,120 +120 miles long sending a current through + +352 +00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:52,270 +this much air takes millions of volts a + +353 +00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:55,790 +massive electrical charge that's so far + +354 +00:17:52,270 --> 00:17:57,230 +scientists have failed to find you have + +355 +00:17:55,790 --> 00:17:59,570 +to ask well where is the finger that's + +356 +00:17:57,230 --> 00:18:01,370 +concentrating the charge to making the + +357 +00:17:59,570 --> 00:18:03,590 +big fields to produce the spark and + +358 +00:18:01,370 --> 00:18:07,070 +we're having a really hard time figuring + +359 +00:18:03,590 --> 00:18:10,420 +out what that finger is thunderstorms + +360 +00:18:07,070 --> 00:18:12,410 +are violent lightning is unpredictable + +361 +00:18:10,420 --> 00:18:16,330 +getting close enough to make + +362 +00:18:12,410 --> 00:18:16,330 +measurements is virtually impossible + +363 +00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:22,040 +scientists can't get to the lightning so + +364 +00:18:20,570 --> 00:18:23,810 +at the university of florida's + +365 +00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:26,450 +international center for lightning + +366 +00:18:23,810 --> 00:18:29,540 +research they bring the lightning to the + +367 +00:18:26,450 --> 00:18:31,900 +scientists what we did is that we used + +368 +00:18:29,540 --> 00:18:34,430 +rocket triggered lightning + +369 +00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:37,730 +you can tell lightning where and when to + +370 +00:18:34,430 --> 00:18:40,550 +strike Dwyer in the team fire a rocket + +371 +00:18:37,730 --> 00:18:45,320 +into a charged storm cloud ready to fire + +372 +00:18:40,550 --> 00:18:51,010 +arming rocket five four three two one + +373 +00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:53,940 +fire it trails a copper one + +374 +00:18:51,010 --> 00:18:56,350 +that acts like a lightning conductor + +375 +00:18:53,940 --> 00:19:00,130 +millions of volts of electricity race + +376 +00:18:56,350 --> 00:19:02,290 +from the cloud to the ground Dwyer uses + +377 +00:19:00,130 --> 00:19:04,809 +data from this to investigate how + +378 +00:19:02,290 --> 00:19:08,280 +lightning can pass few miles of air and + +379 +00:19:04,809 --> 00:19:14,340 +he looks for the answer in outer space + +380 +00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:16,960 +in a galaxy far away a star explodes + +381 +00:19:14,340 --> 00:19:19,690 +millions of microscopic electrically + +382 +00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:20,260 +charged particles are forced out into + +383 +00:19:19,690 --> 00:19:24,549 +space + +384 +00:19:20,260 --> 00:19:26,830 +these are cosmic rays traveling at + +385 +00:19:24,549 --> 00:19:29,500 +nearly the speed of light they race + +386 +00:19:26,830 --> 00:19:34,360 +across millions of miles millions of + +387 +00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:37,059 +light years to reach Earth Dwyer wonders + +388 +00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:41,280 +could cosmic rays explain how + +389 +00:19:37,059 --> 00:19:43,600 +electricity travels through miles of air + +390 +00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:45,880 +billions of these rays bombard our + +391 +00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:49,600 +planet every second they're invisible + +392 +00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:51,970 +and inaudible but when a cosmic ray + +393 +00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:54,190 +travels through the atmosphere it + +394 +00:19:51,970 --> 00:19:58,950 +momentarily rips apart the airs + +395 +00:19:54,190 --> 00:20:01,990 +molecular structure this produces x-rays + +396 +00:19:58,950 --> 00:20:05,500 +electromagnetic waves of radiation which + +397 +00:20:01,990 --> 00:20:07,570 +can be measured could cosmic rays be the + +398 +00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:09,230 +missing link in the story of a lightning + +399 +00:20:07,570 --> 00:20:12,289 +bolt + +400 +00:20:09,230 --> 00:20:14,510 +it sounds like science fiction even the + +401 +00:20:12,289 --> 00:20:16,429 +optimistic Dwyer thinks it's a long shot + +402 +00:20:14,510 --> 00:20:17,750 +when we got our first triggered + +403 +00:20:16,429 --> 00:20:19,250 +lightning and made her first x-ray + +404 +00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:20,899 +measurements I didn't even get around to + +405 +00:20:19,250 --> 00:20:22,760 +looking at the data for a couple weeks + +406 +00:20:20,899 --> 00:20:25,850 +so I wasn't really expecting to see + +407 +00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:28,039 +anything when I sat down finally there + +408 +00:20:25,850 --> 00:20:30,500 +on the screen was an x-ray pulse right + +409 +00:20:28,039 --> 00:20:32,330 +when the Lightning occurred I thought + +410 +00:20:30,500 --> 00:20:34,700 +what's the chance of that happening I + +411 +00:20:32,330 --> 00:20:37,909 +mean right there at the same time so we + +412 +00:20:34,700 --> 00:20:40,250 +looked at the next stroke and there was + +413 +00:20:37,909 --> 00:20:41,690 +another pulse even bigger we looked at + +414 +00:20:40,250 --> 00:20:44,269 +the next stroke another pulse and + +415 +00:20:41,690 --> 00:20:46,519 +another pulse with the next stroke every + +416 +00:20:44,269 --> 00:20:48,980 +time we looked we saw big burst of + +417 +00:20:46,519 --> 00:20:52,190 +x-rays hitting our instrument the exact + +418 +00:20:48,980 --> 00:20:54,950 +time that lightning struck - Dwyer it's + +419 +00:20:52,190 --> 00:20:57,889 +a clue something has changed the Ayres + +420 +00:20:54,950 --> 00:21:00,950 +atomic structure and he thinks that + +421 +00:20:57,889 --> 00:21:03,559 +something could be cosmic rays for + +422 +00:21:00,950 --> 00:21:05,510 +centuries we've been laboring under the + +423 +00:21:03,559 --> 00:21:07,190 +assumption the lightnings just a normal + +424 +00:21:05,510 --> 00:21:09,409 +kind of discharge like the finger + +425 +00:21:07,190 --> 00:21:10,850 +touching the doorknob we suddenly see + +426 +00:21:09,409 --> 00:21:15,200 +now that this was wrong + +427 +00:21:10,850 --> 00:21:18,380 +if Dwyers right when a cosmic ray hits a + +428 +00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:21,080 +cloud it causes a huge momentary surge + +429 +00:21:18,380 --> 00:21:25,370 +in electricity enough to create a spark + +430 +00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:28,460 +but too brief to be measured the Ray + +431 +00:21:25,370 --> 00:21:30,919 +hurdles on toward the ground the super + +432 +00:21:28,460 --> 00:21:33,950 +fast-moving particles collide with air + +433 +00:21:30,919 --> 00:21:36,409 +molecules and rip them apart for a + +434 +00:21:33,950 --> 00:21:38,929 +fraction of a second the air becomes + +435 +00:21:36,409 --> 00:21:42,970 +electrically conductive and provides a + +436 +00:21:38,929 --> 00:21:46,000 +path down which the current can run now + +437 +00:21:42,970 --> 00:21:48,360 +lightning can strike + +438 +00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:52,210 +a channel of negative electrical charge + +439 +00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:54,630 +shoots from the bottom of a cloud it + +440 +00:21:52,210 --> 00:21:57,760 +heads toward the ground in rapid steps + +441 +00:21:54,630 --> 00:22:02,530 +each takes just 50 millionths of a + +442 +00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:04,830 +second as it gets closer it has a + +443 +00:22:02,530 --> 00:22:07,510 +strange effect on the ground below + +444 +00:22:04,830 --> 00:22:10,420 +positive particles in the ground or in + +445 +00:22:07,510 --> 00:22:13,660 +objects on it are drawn up toward their + +446 +00:22:10,420 --> 00:22:15,430 +negative counterparts a storm cloud can + +447 +00:22:13,660 --> 00:22:19,120 +create dozens of these negative and + +448 +00:22:15,430 --> 00:22:21,310 +positive channels most don't connect but + +449 +00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:23,110 +when they do millions of volts of + +450 +00:22:21,310 --> 00:22:26,980 +electricity raced between the cloud and + +451 +00:22:23,110 --> 00:22:30,820 +the ground lightning travels up as well + +452 +00:22:26,980 --> 00:22:33,700 +as down the air lights up we see + +453 +00:22:30,820 --> 00:22:36,400 +lightning strike here the air explode in + +454 +00:22:33,700 --> 00:22:39,340 +the following thousandth of a second any + +455 +00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:42,010 +remaining charge in the cloud surges up + +456 +00:22:39,340 --> 00:22:44,740 +and down the channel the bolt may appear + +457 +00:22:42,010 --> 00:22:48,100 +to flicker lightning really does strike + +458 +00:22:44,740 --> 00:22:52,180 +more than once and all this happens up + +459 +00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:55,810 +to 8 million times every day 100 times a + +460 +00:22:52,180 --> 00:22:59,440 +second lightning is one of nature's most + +461 +00:22:55,810 --> 00:23:02,080 +common phenomena and if Joe Duarte are + +462 +00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:04,480 +right it's also one of the most + +463 +00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:06,670 +incredible if these ideas are correct + +464 +00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:09,370 +then there may be a connection between + +465 +00:23:06,670 --> 00:23:11,560 +the lightning that we see in a star + +466 +00:23:09,370 --> 00:23:15,040 +exploding halfway across the galaxy in a + +467 +00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:17,770 +million years ago in less than half a + +468 +00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:22,150 +second we've traveled from strike to + +469 +00:23:17,770 --> 00:23:24,820 +spark impact to creation as we follow a + +470 +00:23:22,150 --> 00:23:28,060 +lightning bolt now in the moments after + +471 +00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:33,870 +impact we enter a bizarre world of + +472 +00:23:28,060 --> 00:23:37,090 +fireballs UFOs and ghostly apparitions + +473 +00:23:33,870 --> 00:23:39,519 +we're following a lightning bolt on its + +474 +00:23:37,090 --> 00:23:42,070 +journey through the atmosphere we've + +475 +00:23:39,519 --> 00:23:43,809 +traced its origins investigated the + +476 +00:23:42,070 --> 00:23:46,899 +terrible moment of impact + +477 +00:23:43,809 --> 00:23:49,960 +now our quest takes us to the moments + +478 +00:23:46,899 --> 00:23:52,480 +after lightning strikes to a Twilight + +479 +00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:56,549 +world that seems to come straight from + +480 +00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:56,549 +the pages of a science fiction comic + +481 +00:23:56,850 --> 00:24:07,090 +March 19th 1963 Eastern Airlines flight + +482 +00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:09,100 +ei 539 from New York to Washington five + +483 +00:24:07,090 --> 00:24:11,590 +minutes past midnight the plane + +484 +00:24:09,100 --> 00:24:14,799 +encounters a storm there's a loud bang + +485 +00:24:11,590 --> 00:24:17,230 +and a bright flash seconds later a + +486 +00:24:14,799 --> 00:24:20,679 +glowing ball emerges from the pilots + +487 +00:24:17,230 --> 00:24:23,019 +cabin the blue-white ball hovers above + +488 +00:24:20,679 --> 00:24:25,809 +the aisle and floats slowly toward the + +489 +00:24:23,019 --> 00:24:29,350 +rear of the plane it reaches the back of + +490 +00:24:25,809 --> 00:24:32,950 +the plane and vanishes remarkably the + +491 +00:24:29,350 --> 00:24:36,309 +plane continues unharmed but this wasn't + +492 +00:24:32,950 --> 00:24:39,159 +fantasy this was fact and it wasn't the + +493 +00:24:36,309 --> 00:24:42,129 +first account of its kind in World War + +494 +00:24:39,159 --> 00:24:44,279 +two pilots reported strange balls of + +495 +00:24:42,129 --> 00:24:48,659 +light that seemed to follow their planes + +496 +00:24:44,279 --> 00:24:51,070 +US pilots named them Foo Fighters for + +497 +00:24:48,659 --> 00:24:54,070 +thousands of years people have claimed + +498 +00:24:51,070 --> 00:24:58,870 +to encounter fiery spheres as ghosts + +499 +00:24:54,070 --> 00:25:00,399 +messages from the gods or UFOs but there + +500 +00:24:58,870 --> 00:25:03,549 +was something different about the + +501 +00:25:00,399 --> 00:25:06,009 +Eastern Airlines account the eyewitness + +502 +00:25:03,549 --> 00:25:09,190 +wasn't an adrenaline-fueled fighter + +503 +00:25:06,009 --> 00:25:12,190 +pilot or a medieval mystic he was a + +504 +00:25:09,190 --> 00:25:16,090 +scientist a professor at a prestigious + +505 +00:25:12,190 --> 00:25:19,269 +British university suddenly scientists + +506 +00:25:16,090 --> 00:25:20,950 +set up and took notice one scientist + +507 +00:25:19,269 --> 00:25:23,799 +who's been inspired by his own close + +508 +00:25:20,950 --> 00:25:25,580 +encounter his nuclear physicist dr. + +509 +00:25:23,799 --> 00:25:28,100 +Graham Hubler + +510 +00:25:25,580 --> 00:25:32,899 +I have seen ball lightning myself so I + +511 +00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:35,539 +would I know that it exists a teenage + +512 +00:25:32,899 --> 00:25:40,909 +uvula is on a date in a park in upstate + +513 +00:25:35,539 --> 00:25:43,869 +New York a storm breaks out the couple + +514 +00:25:40,909 --> 00:25:46,369 +takes shelter in a Bandstand and + +515 +00:25:43,869 --> 00:25:47,840 +suddenly off to our left we're sitting + +516 +00:25:46,369 --> 00:25:50,269 +there with open sides and a lift on the + +517 +00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:53,389 +front off to the left we saw this ball + +518 +00:25:50,269 --> 00:25:55,970 +approaching ball of light and of course + +519 +00:25:53,389 --> 00:25:59,269 +we were terrified what the heck was this + +520 +00:25:55,970 --> 00:26:02,629 +we didn't know what it was slowly the + +521 +00:25:59,269 --> 00:26:06,200 +ball approaches it was about thirty + +522 +00:26:02,629 --> 00:26:08,480 +yards away and coming slowly at us just + +523 +00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:10,429 +kind of drifting ambling along drifting + +524 +00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:13,580 +along and we're looking at this thing + +525 +00:26:10,429 --> 00:26:16,309 +and and just we were both just paralyzed + +526 +00:26:13,580 --> 00:26:18,470 +actually to their horror it enters the + +527 +00:26:16,309 --> 00:26:21,289 +bandstand and rolls across the floor + +528 +00:26:18,470 --> 00:26:23,989 +past the couple's feet with a strange + +529 +00:26:21,289 --> 00:26:27,080 +sound the sound it was making was like a + +530 +00:26:23,989 --> 00:26:30,169 +freshly struck match at the other side + +531 +00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:34,190 +of the bandstand the ball leaps back up + +532 +00:26:30,169 --> 00:26:35,869 +and travels out of the open side and it + +533 +00:26:34,190 --> 00:26:39,049 +jumped right back up to about six feet + +534 +00:26:35,869 --> 00:26:41,539 +off the ground and went out another + +535 +00:26:39,049 --> 00:26:43,730 +twenty thirty feet held into the night + +536 +00:26:41,539 --> 00:26:45,039 +and then very quickly dropped to the + +537 +00:26:43,730 --> 00:26:49,580 +ground and extinguished + +538 +00:26:45,039 --> 00:26:52,100 +without a noise the experience leaves + +539 +00:26:49,580 --> 00:26:54,919 +Hubler with a lifelong fascination with + +540 +00:26:52,100 --> 00:26:57,470 +ball lightning he collects thousands of + +541 +00:26:54,919 --> 00:26:59,779 +eyewitness accounts there's multiple + +542 +00:26:57,470 --> 00:27:02,779 +ball lightning balls that fell from the + +543 +00:26:59,779 --> 00:27:07,129 +sky that exploded hissed + +544 +00:27:02,779 --> 00:27:09,950 +spun hovered jumped it's even been seen + +545 +00:27:07,129 --> 00:27:13,669 +to pass through solid objects without + +546 +00:27:09,950 --> 00:27:15,889 +leaving a trace there is no good theory + +547 +00:27:13,669 --> 00:27:18,289 +that exists that explains the features + +548 +00:27:15,889 --> 00:27:20,239 +of ball lightning different theories can + +549 +00:27:18,289 --> 00:27:23,299 +explain one or two of the the features + +550 +00:27:20,239 --> 00:27:25,809 +of ball lightning but none none really + +551 +00:27:23,299 --> 00:27:28,899 +do a very good job of explaining at all + +552 +00:27:25,809 --> 00:27:31,399 +one man who's examined all the evidence + +553 +00:27:28,899 --> 00:27:34,160 +investigated all the theories is + +554 +00:27:31,399 --> 00:27:35,510 +physicist Marx tenhoff + +555 +00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,130 +there are probably almost as many + +556 +00:27:35,510 --> 00:27:40,430 +theories of ball lightning as there have + +557 +00:27:37,130 --> 00:27:42,260 +been scientists investigating it but + +558 +00:27:40,430 --> 00:27:45,710 +there is one thing almost everyone + +559 +00:27:42,260 --> 00:27:50,570 +agrees on ball lightning is probably + +560 +00:27:45,710 --> 00:27:54,970 +plasma plasma is the commonest form of + +561 +00:27:50,570 --> 00:27:58,790 +matter in the universe the Sun fire + +562 +00:27:54,970 --> 00:28:04,100 +lightning and the space between the + +563 +00:27:58,790 --> 00:28:06,650 +stars are all plasma it's not hard to + +564 +00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:10,430 +make plasma run a current through a gas + +565 +00:28:06,650 --> 00:28:12,380 +and it will spontaneously emit light but + +566 +00:28:10,430 --> 00:28:14,560 +explaining how a fiery ball can + +567 +00:28:12,380 --> 00:28:17,240 +materialize out of thin air as + +568 +00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:20,000 +confounded scientists for centuries I + +569 +00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:22,550 +think as soon as we we see something we + +570 +00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:24,920 +can't explain particularly something as + +571 +00:28:22,550 --> 00:28:26,900 +bizarre as that we have a tendency to + +572 +00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:28,910 +move outside our normal frames of + +573 +00:28:26,900 --> 00:28:30,680 +reference and explain things using if + +574 +00:28:28,910 --> 00:28:34,190 +you like rather supernatural kinds of + +575 +00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:36,530 +explanations one of the more sensible + +576 +00:28:34,190 --> 00:28:38,990 +theories is that ball lightning is + +577 +00:28:36,530 --> 00:28:42,920 +produced by a rare phenomenon known as + +578 +00:28:38,990 --> 00:28:44,510 +bead lightening this footage shows a + +579 +00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:47,810 +lightning bolt that appears to break + +580 +00:28:44,510 --> 00:28:49,940 +into small beads some scientists argue + +581 +00:28:47,810 --> 00:28:52,570 +that ball lightning is a plasma bead + +582 +00:28:49,940 --> 00:28:55,970 +that's become separated from the bolt + +583 +00:28:52,570 --> 00:28:57,980 +but there's one big problem eyewitnesses + +584 +00:28:55,970 --> 00:29:00,950 +talk of balls lasting minutes + +585 +00:28:57,980 --> 00:29:03,340 +these beads vanish in less than half a + +586 +00:29:00,950 --> 00:29:03,340 +second + +587 +00:29:03,580 --> 00:29:09,109 +we don't know of a way in which we + +588 +00:29:07,099 --> 00:29:11,570 +create a plasma in the atmosphere that + +589 +00:29:09,109 --> 00:29:14,299 +self-contained that would survive for + +590 +00:29:11,570 --> 00:29:16,669 +many seconds it will a plasma would + +591 +00:29:14,299 --> 00:29:18,169 +provide plenty of energy but it wouldn't + +592 +00:29:16,669 --> 00:29:22,549 +be able to survive for that period of + +593 +00:29:18,169 --> 00:29:25,279 +time so if ball lightning isn't part of + +594 +00:29:22,549 --> 00:29:29,450 +a lightning bolt could it be the product + +595 +00:29:25,279 --> 00:29:31,840 +of one this strange-looking stone is the + +596 +00:29:29,450 --> 00:29:35,749 +fossilized remnant of a lightning strike + +597 +00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:37,570 +lightning strikes sandy soil heat and + +598 +00:29:35,749 --> 00:29:40,580 +current spread through the ground + +599 +00:29:37,570 --> 00:29:44,169 +everything in its path fuses into a + +600 +00:29:40,580 --> 00:29:47,419 +solid tube this is nature's own glass + +601 +00:29:44,169 --> 00:29:51,440 +it's called a fulgurite and can stretch + +602 +00:29:47,419 --> 00:29:53,989 +to depths of 15 feet when the tube is + +603 +00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:54,849 +formed dust is pushed up into the + +604 +00:29:53,989 --> 00:29:58,479 +atmosphere + +605 +00:29:54,849 --> 00:30:02,239 +this detonation replicates the effect + +606 +00:29:58,479 --> 00:30:05,800 +could something as simple as dust hold + +607 +00:30:02,239 --> 00:30:09,320 +the key to this centuries-old mystery + +608 +00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:12,530 +laboratory experiments prove a tiny dust + +609 +00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:15,350 +ball holds its shape and ignites in an + +610 +00:30:12,530 --> 00:30:18,350 +area of electrical charge it could + +611 +00:30:15,350 --> 00:30:20,540 +explain hue blurs account but not the + +612 +00:30:18,350 --> 00:30:23,390 +eastern airlines one it's extremely + +613 +00:30:20,540 --> 00:30:25,190 +difficult to imagine how any chemical + +614 +00:30:23,390 --> 00:30:28,490 +process could actually if you like + +615 +00:30:25,190 --> 00:30:29,060 +invade the space inside the aircraft for + +616 +00:30:28,490 --> 00:30:32,480 +now + +617 +00:30:29,060 --> 00:30:34,490 +ball lightning remains a mystery but if + +618 +00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:37,490 +science can unlock its secrets + +619 +00:30:34,490 --> 00:30:40,970 +ball lightning could turn out to be more + +620 +00:30:37,490 --> 00:30:43,040 +than just a curiosity it's even possible + +621 +00:30:40,970 --> 00:30:45,890 +it could hold the key to a completely + +622 +00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:47,870 +new source of energy evidently it + +623 +00:30:45,890 --> 00:30:51,050 +contains energy just the shared process + +624 +00:30:47,870 --> 00:30:53,720 +of glowing is sufficient to require some + +625 +00:30:51,050 --> 00:30:56,660 +energy and if we could harness that + +626 +00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,460 +energy who knows what the future might + +627 +00:30:56,660 --> 00:31:00,290 +hold + +628 +00:30:57,460 --> 00:31:04,700 +ball lightning surely exists so it's + +629 +00:31:00,290 --> 00:31:06,950 +either non physics that we have to put + +630 +00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:09,650 +together in ways we we haven't followed + +631 +00:31:06,950 --> 00:31:11,510 +before or it's a totally new physical + +632 +00:31:09,650 --> 00:31:14,090 +phenomena which is very exciting that + +633 +00:31:11,510 --> 00:31:17,570 +will lead us into some new new + +634 +00:31:14,090 --> 00:31:19,940 +technology or new physics the mystery of + +635 +00:31:17,570 --> 00:31:22,850 +ball lightning is yet to be solved and + +636 +00:31:19,940 --> 00:31:24,590 +it's not the only strange phenomenon to + +637 +00:31:22,850 --> 00:31:28,100 +occur in the moments after lightning + +638 +00:31:24,590 --> 00:31:31,870 +strikes look above the clouds and the + +639 +00:31:28,100 --> 00:31:31,870 +story gets even stranger + +640 +00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:41,020 +on our journey following a lightning + +641 +00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:41,770 +bolt we ventured beyond the frontiers of + +642 +00:31:41,020 --> 00:31:45,340 +science + +643 +00:31:41,770 --> 00:31:47,650 +but this is just the beginning seconds + +644 +00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:50,320 +after lightning strikes high above a + +645 +00:31:47,650 --> 00:31:57,220 +thundercloud a strange new phenomenon + +646 +00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:59,500 +appears July 6th 1989 physicists from + +647 +00:31:57,220 --> 00:32:02,440 +the University of Minnesota test out a + +648 +00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:04,560 +new low-light camera they plan to use it + +649 +00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:07,720 +for a high-altitude rocket experiment + +650 +00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:10,750 +they point the camera east a random + +651 +00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:13,990 +choice at some stars and what looks like + +652 +00:32:10,750 --> 00:32:16,720 +a distant thunderstorm they play the + +653 +00:32:13,990 --> 00:32:20,920 +tape back something catches their + +654 +00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:23,710 +attention to follow shaped flashes of + +655 +00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:26,200 +light they last for just a few + +656 +00:32:23,710 --> 00:32:28,390 +thousandths of a second the team + +657 +00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:31,660 +estimates that the flashes are 20 miles + +658 +00:32:28,390 --> 00:32:34,660 +above the clouds and an astonishing 12 + +659 +00:32:31,660 --> 00:32:38,710 +miles tall by pure chance they've + +660 +00:32:34,660 --> 00:32:40,150 +captured something new to science from + +661 +00:32:38,710 --> 00:32:43,420 +his research lab at Duke University + +662 +00:32:40,150 --> 00:32:47,500 +North Carolina professor Steve comer + +663 +00:32:43,420 --> 00:32:49,810 +searches for these strange specters it's + +664 +00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:51,640 +exciting to be part of something + +665 +00:32:49,810 --> 00:32:54,700 +fundamentally new that no one else has + +666 +00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:56,020 +seen before and it's kind of a big + +667 +00:32:54,700 --> 00:32:57,340 +surprise that these things have been + +668 +00:32:56,020 --> 00:32:59,220 +there the whole time and nobody knew + +669 +00:32:57,340 --> 00:33:02,580 +about + +670 +00:32:59,220 --> 00:33:07,380 +the twin pillars of lights and flicker + +671 +00:33:02,580 --> 00:33:12,150 +above a thunderstorm in the distance so + +672 +00:33:07,380 --> 00:33:14,370 +what are they around the world + +673 +00:33:12,150 --> 00:33:18,110 +lightning scientists are on the hunt to + +674 +00:33:14,370 --> 00:33:20,550 +find out they don't have to look far + +675 +00:33:18,110 --> 00:33:23,280 +scientists review hundreds of hours of + +676 +00:33:20,550 --> 00:33:25,500 +video taken from the space shuttle to + +677 +00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:28,080 +their amazement there are dozens of + +678 +00:33:25,500 --> 00:33:31,500 +these strange apparitions just waiting + +679 +00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:34,290 +to be identified low-light cameras are + +680 +00:33:31,500 --> 00:33:38,280 +trained on the skies high altitude + +681 +00:33:34,290 --> 00:33:42,110 +aircraft fly above storms soon there are + +682 +00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:42,110 +thousands of recorded sightings + +683 +00:33:42,529 --> 00:33:47,460 +everybody was surprised by how common + +684 +00:33:45,899 --> 00:33:48,899 +they in fact were it's just one of those + +685 +00:33:47,460 --> 00:33:51,179 +cases once you know what you're looking + +686 +00:33:48,899 --> 00:33:52,250 +for all of a sudden you see a lot of + +687 +00:33:51,179 --> 00:33:55,710 +them + +688 +00:33:52,250 --> 00:33:58,230 +scientists call them sprites because of + +689 +00:33:55,710 --> 00:34:00,059 +their elusive ghostly appearance they + +690 +00:33:58,230 --> 00:34:03,240 +seem to dance above the thunder clouds + +691 +00:34:00,059 --> 00:34:06,450 +in the night sky in groups of two or + +692 +00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,639 +three they last less than 10 thousandths + +693 +00:34:06,450 --> 00:34:09,629 +of a second + +694 +00:34:07,639 --> 00:34:12,599 +researchers from the University of + +695 +00:34:09,629 --> 00:34:16,080 +Alaska Fairbanks calculate they occur in + +696 +00:34:12,599 --> 00:34:19,500 +the middle atmosphere 25 to 60 miles + +697 +00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:25,530 +above the earth and can extend up to 30 + +698 +00:34:19,500 --> 00:34:30,889 +miles across observations suggests + +699 +00:34:25,530 --> 00:34:30,889 +sprites are related to lightning but how + +700 +00:34:30,980 --> 00:34:36,510 +in a field in North Carolina antennae + +701 +00:34:34,469 --> 00:34:39,960 +pick up the radio signals produced by + +702 +00:34:36,510 --> 00:34:41,909 +lightning steve comer uses these to + +703 +00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:45,030 +listen to the radio noise made by + +704 +00:34:41,909 --> 00:34:47,520 +individual lightning bolts the equipment + +705 +00:34:45,030 --> 00:34:50,969 +is so sensitive he can detect lightning + +706 +00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:54,719 +as it happens anywhere on earth every + +707 +00:34:50,969 --> 00:34:56,339 +one of these individual pulses is one of + +708 +00:34:54,719 --> 00:35:00,089 +those radio pulses from a lightning + +709 +00:34:56,339 --> 00:35:02,580 +stroke somewhere in the globe comer uses + +710 +00:35:00,089 --> 00:35:05,790 +this data to measure the size of each + +711 +00:35:02,580 --> 00:35:08,330 +bolt he matches this with sightings of + +712 +00:35:05,790 --> 00:35:11,250 +sprites from other research stations a + +713 +00:35:08,330 --> 00:35:13,869 +pattern emerges + +714 +00:35:11,250 --> 00:35:17,470 +sprites occur in the fractions of a + +715 +00:35:13,869 --> 00:35:21,270 +second after lightning strikes but only + +716 +00:35:17,470 --> 00:35:24,359 +after the most powerful lightning bolts + +717 +00:35:21,270 --> 00:35:26,559 +comer thinks this huge release of energy + +718 +00:35:24,359 --> 00:35:30,490 +causes a disturbance in the atmosphere + +719 +00:35:26,559 --> 00:35:32,790 +above this high-speed footage the most + +720 +00:35:30,490 --> 00:35:37,290 +detailed film of a sprite ever shot + +721 +00:35:32,790 --> 00:35:40,770 +supports comers theory 45 miles up + +722 +00:35:37,290 --> 00:35:44,770 +electrical charge momentarily increases + +723 +00:35:40,770 --> 00:35:46,300 +it triggers a giant spark millions of + +724 +00:35:44,770 --> 00:35:49,329 +electrically charged particles + +725 +00:35:46,300 --> 00:35:54,010 +accelerate outward at 33 million feet + +726 +00:35:49,329 --> 00:35:57,220 +per second sprites tend to be about 40 + +727 +00:35:54,010 --> 00:36:01,859 +miles high the bottom here is maybe 25 + +728 +00:35:57,220 --> 00:36:04,569 +miles and the top is 60 or 65 miles + +729 +00:36:01,859 --> 00:36:08,980 +sprites come in many shapes and sizes + +730 +00:36:04,569 --> 00:36:12,700 +from the so called a bombs bright up to + +731 +00:36:08,980 --> 00:36:16,030 +60 miles in diameter to a tall skinny + +732 +00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:20,890 +one less than a mile wide and nicknamed + +733 +00:36:16,030 --> 00:36:23,260 +the Diet Sprite five years after the + +734 +00:36:20,890 --> 00:36:25,000 +first sprite was spotted researchers + +735 +00:36:23,260 --> 00:36:28,180 +from the University of Alaska Fairbanks + +736 +00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:31,690 +hunt for sprites high above a monster + +737 +00:36:28,180 --> 00:36:34,420 +storm they use a sensitive low-light + +738 +00:36:31,690 --> 00:36:37,960 +camera and capture the first ever color + +739 +00:36:34,420 --> 00:36:40,740 +images of sprites it's a spectacular + +740 +00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,740 +surprise + +741 +00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:50,090 +what causes this colorful display with + +742 +00:36:46,950 --> 00:36:53,190 +each new discovery come new questions + +743 +00:36:50,090 --> 00:36:55,470 +but sprites are elusive unpredictable + +744 +00:36:53,190 --> 00:36:59,330 +and almost impossible to observe at + +745 +00:36:55,470 --> 00:37:03,210 +close range so Earl Williams from MIT + +746 +00:36:59,330 --> 00:37:08,850 +made his own he calls it sprite in a + +747 +00:37:03,210 --> 00:37:11,340 +bottle in a disused printing Factory in + +748 +00:37:08,850 --> 00:37:14,520 +Brockton Massachusetts Williams and his + +749 +00:37:11,340 --> 00:37:16,920 +team use a Plexiglas tube an old + +750 +00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:21,090 +steering wheel and plenty of ingenuity + +751 +00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:22,980 +to create their very own sprite they + +752 +00:37:21,090 --> 00:37:25,590 +recreate conditions in the middle + +753 +00:37:22,980 --> 00:37:28,920 +atmosphere 50 miles above the earth + +754 +00:37:25,590 --> 00:37:30,300 +there's the good sprite light we start + +755 +00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:32,100 +with a tube filled with the air at + +756 +00:37:30,300 --> 00:37:34,050 +atmospheric pressure like the air in + +757 +00:37:32,100 --> 00:37:36,720 +this room we're breathing with vacuum + +758 +00:37:34,050 --> 00:37:39,480 +pumps beneath the table we pump the tube + +759 +00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:43,440 +down to pressures corresponding to 50 + +760 +00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:45,810 +mile altitude by running an electrical + +761 +00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:48,600 +current through the tube they create a + +762 +00:37:45,810 --> 00:37:51,550 +magical light show + +763 +00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:55,060 +it's the same process that lights up Las + +764 +00:37:51,550 --> 00:37:57,490 +Vegas the neon gas and these tubes is + +765 +00:37:55,060 --> 00:38:01,120 +invisible but run a current through it + +766 +00:37:57,490 --> 00:38:03,580 +and it produces colored light in the + +767 +00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:05,890 +atmosphere most of the gas is nitrogen + +768 +00:38:03,580 --> 00:38:08,350 +hit the air near the ground with a + +769 +00:38:05,890 --> 00:38:11,320 +current and it produces a dazzling white + +770 +00:38:08,350 --> 00:38:16,030 +light but change the pressure and the + +771 +00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:16,960 +color changes to 50 miles up in the + +772 +00:38:16,030 --> 00:38:19,840 +Earth's atmosphere + +773 +00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:22,330 +low pressure means nitrogen produces red + +774 +00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:24,760 +light but as the sprite stretches toward + +775 +00:38:22,330 --> 00:38:27,310 +Earth air pressure increases under + +776 +00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:33,190 +gravity the color changes to purple and + +777 +00:38:27,310 --> 00:38:36,160 +then blue in the skies sprites last less + +778 +00:38:33,190 --> 00:38:38,470 +than 10 thousandths of a second but with + +779 +00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:40,510 +the sprite in the bottle Williams can + +780 +00:38:38,470 --> 00:38:44,710 +study the forces that shape them in his + +781 +00:38:40,510 --> 00:38:47,020 +own time but even in the controlled + +782 +00:38:44,710 --> 00:38:49,920 +conditions of the lab the sprite is a + +783 +00:38:47,020 --> 00:38:49,920 +volatile creature + +784 +00:38:53,150 --> 00:38:59,339 +oh that's an Isis oh that's needs I like + +785 +00:38:56,119 --> 00:39:01,650 +that nice flat disks + +786 +00:38:59,339 --> 00:39:03,809 +straights are very much alive and as you + +787 +00:39:01,650 --> 00:39:05,789 +can see the patterns in the tube are + +788 +00:39:03,809 --> 00:39:10,049 +very much alive moving and writhing + +789 +00:39:05,789 --> 00:39:12,329 +around and very unsteady let's not look + +790 +00:39:10,049 --> 00:39:15,229 +at that the bottle lets Williams look + +791 +00:39:12,329 --> 00:39:18,659 +deep inside the hidden world of sprites + +792 +00:39:15,229 --> 00:39:20,789 +I've never seen our before and discover + +793 +00:39:18,659 --> 00:39:22,159 +there may be even stranger phenomena + +794 +00:39:20,789 --> 00:39:26,839 +waiting to be found + +795 +00:39:22,159 --> 00:39:26,839 +sprite scientists expect the unexpected + +796 +00:39:27,199 --> 00:39:31,939 +but even they aren't prepared for this + +797 +00:39:34,009 --> 00:39:40,349 +Puerto Rico 2001 a jet of blue light + +798 +00:39:38,459 --> 00:39:43,999 +shoots from the top of a thundercloud + +799 +00:39:40,349 --> 00:39:47,819 +and travels over 40 miles into the sky + +800 +00:39:43,999 --> 00:39:51,419 +other sightings confirm this is not a + +801 +00:39:47,819 --> 00:39:54,630 +sprite it travels up not down from the + +802 +00:39:51,419 --> 00:39:58,519 +cloud not the middle atmosphere it's an + +803 +00:39:54,630 --> 00:40:01,109 +entirely new species called a blue jet + +804 +00:39:58,519 --> 00:40:02,759 +when I saw the videos I was like huh + +805 +00:40:01,109 --> 00:40:04,859 +that's pretty spectacular wonder what + +806 +00:40:02,759 --> 00:40:07,019 +those are blue Jets are of a mystery + +807 +00:40:04,859 --> 00:40:10,259 +that nobody really knows what it takes + +808 +00:40:07,019 --> 00:40:14,299 +to generate them and it doesn't stop + +809 +00:40:10,259 --> 00:40:17,640 +there next come an even rarer species + +810 +00:40:14,299 --> 00:40:20,069 +elves a pulse from a lightning bolt + +811 +00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:23,579 +triggers a horizontal halo of light + +812 +00:40:20,069 --> 00:40:26,369 +about 60 miles above the earth that + +813 +00:40:23,579 --> 00:40:30,839 +spreads out rapidly to a diameter of up + +814 +00:40:26,369 --> 00:40:34,019 +to 250 miles just about everybody who's + +815 +00:40:30,839 --> 00:40:35,459 +gone with a new instrument or to a new + +816 +00:40:34,019 --> 00:40:37,679 +region of the world to look above + +817 +00:40:35,459 --> 00:40:41,579 +thunderstorms for something new they + +818 +00:40:37,679 --> 00:40:46,529 +have found something new sprites blue + +819 +00:40:41,579 --> 00:40:49,309 +Jets elves a cast of characters straight + +820 +00:40:46,529 --> 00:40:49,309 +out of a fairy tale + +821 +00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:55,580 +but are they as benign as their name + +822 +00:40:52,490 --> 00:40:59,080 +suggests what would it be like to + +823 +00:40:55,580 --> 00:41:02,180 +encounter one at close range + +824 +00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:04,970 +NASA test pilots fly through a regular + +825 +00:41:02,180 --> 00:41:11,630 +lightning storm it's a bumpy ride but + +826 +00:41:04,970 --> 00:41:14,240 +it's a safe one modern aircraft are + +827 +00:41:11,630 --> 00:41:16,520 +designed to take a direct strike the + +828 +00:41:14,240 --> 00:41:19,360 +current flows along and away from its + +829 +00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:21,710 +frame and continues to the ground a + +830 +00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:24,500 +regular lightning bolt is about the + +831 +00:41:21,710 --> 00:41:28,490 +width of a pencil but these monsters can + +832 +00:41:24,500 --> 00:41:30,410 +be up to 200 miles across aircraft can + +833 +00:41:28,490 --> 00:41:33,140 +operate in the same altitude as blue + +834 +00:41:30,410 --> 00:41:36,590 +jets and spacecraft pass through the + +835 +00:41:33,140 --> 00:41:38,330 +same altitude as sprites and elves what + +836 +00:41:36,590 --> 00:41:41,030 +would it be like to fly through one of + +837 +00:41:38,330 --> 00:41:42,170 +these mysterious phenomena that is one + +838 +00:41:41,030 --> 00:41:44,060 +of the questions that we're trying to + +839 +00:41:42,170 --> 00:41:45,700 +answer what is happening inside them and + +840 +00:41:44,060 --> 00:41:48,170 +that could that pose a threat to + +841 +00:41:45,700 --> 00:41:51,099 +aircraft or anything else that spends + +842 +00:41:48,170 --> 00:41:54,489 +time and in those altitudes + +843 +00:41:51,099 --> 00:41:57,279 +so far no damage from a sprite moon jet + +844 +00:41:54,489 --> 00:41:59,769 +or elf has been reported but while + +845 +00:41:57,279 --> 00:42:00,989 +investigations continue it remains a + +846 +00:41:59,769 --> 00:42:03,729 +possibility + +847 +00:42:00,989 --> 00:42:06,369 +lightnings weird offspring inhabit a + +848 +00:42:03,729 --> 00:42:09,400 +world that we've only glimpsed too high + +849 +00:42:06,369 --> 00:42:12,190 +for balloon or aircraft samples too low + +850 +00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:14,829 +for satellites like the depths of the + +851 +00:42:12,190 --> 00:42:17,589 +oceans nobody knows what other creatures + +852 +00:42:14,829 --> 00:42:19,299 +wait to be discovered since there have + +853 +00:42:17,589 --> 00:42:21,279 +been so many things discovered in the + +854 +00:42:19,299 --> 00:42:22,930 +last 15 years new things it would not + +855 +00:42:21,279 --> 00:42:24,400 +surprise me at all if there were if + +856 +00:42:22,930 --> 00:42:25,119 +there were more things out there waiting + +857 +00:42:24,400 --> 00:42:27,969 +to be discovered + +858 +00:42:25,119 --> 00:42:30,459 +we followed a lightning bolt on its way + +859 +00:42:27,969 --> 00:42:33,099 +through the Earth's atmosphere from its + +860 +00:42:30,459 --> 00:42:35,079 +devastating impact on the ground to it's + +861 +00:42:33,099 --> 00:42:38,140 +spectacular after-effects above the + +862 +00:42:35,079 --> 00:42:41,619 +clouds now our journey takes us into + +863 +00:42:38,140 --> 00:42:46,390 +outer space as we discover why life as + +864 +00:42:41,619 --> 00:42:49,359 +we know it could depend on lightning + +865 +00:42:46,390 --> 00:42:52,059 +we followed lightning from creation to + +866 +00:42:49,359 --> 00:42:54,549 +destruction and beyond now we travel + +867 +00:42:52,059 --> 00:42:59,049 +into space for the final stage of + +868 +00:42:54,549 --> 00:43:03,150 +lightnings strange journey the Cold War + +869 +00:42:59,049 --> 00:43:07,480 +a top-secret us operation code name + +870 +00:43:03,150 --> 00:43:09,579 +starfish prime the objective to + +871 +00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:10,920 +investigate the effects of a nuclear war + +872 +00:43:09,579 --> 00:43:15,910 +in space + +873 +00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:20,380 +July 9th 1962 a 1.5 Megaton nuclear + +874 +00:43:15,910 --> 00:43:21,519 +warhead is detonated 250 miles above the + +875 +00:43:20,380 --> 00:43:25,119 +Pacific Ocean + +876 +00:43:21,519 --> 00:43:27,970 +the explosion takes place in an area of + +877 +00:43:25,119 --> 00:43:30,849 +natural radiation called the Van Allen + +878 +00:43:27,970 --> 00:43:33,700 +belts wrapped around the earth like two + +879 +00:43:30,849 --> 00:43:36,519 +giant Donuts they're full of deadly + +880 +00:43:33,700 --> 00:43:40,510 +radioactive particles and a threat to + +881 +00:43:36,519 --> 00:43:42,609 +astronauts and satellites at NASA + +882 +00:43:40,510 --> 00:43:46,299 +Goddard Space Flight Center near + +883 +00:43:42,609 --> 00:43:48,910 +Washington DC Jim Green monitors the + +884 +00:43:46,299 --> 00:43:52,569 +radiation in the belts it's a very + +885 +00:43:48,910 --> 00:43:54,759 +hazardous area because these particles + +886 +00:43:52,569 --> 00:43:58,750 +are moving so fast they'll move through + +887 +00:43:54,759 --> 00:44:01,779 +skin through flesh tissues also through + +888 +00:43:58,750 --> 00:44:05,140 +spacecraft damaging delicate circuits + +889 +00:44:01,779 --> 00:44:07,380 +and eventually leading to satellites + +890 +00:44:05,140 --> 00:44:10,359 +that will no longer function in space + +891 +00:44:07,380 --> 00:44:14,019 +between the belts is an area with much + +892 +00:44:10,359 --> 00:44:16,900 +less radiation called the safe slot it's + +893 +00:44:14,019 --> 00:44:18,279 +home to commercial satellites operating + +894 +00:44:16,900 --> 00:44:21,369 +in the safety of its low radiation + +895 +00:44:18,279 --> 00:44:23,769 +environment but the starfish prime + +896 +00:44:21,369 --> 00:44:27,029 +warhead sends a massive dose of + +897 +00:44:23,769 --> 00:44:30,819 +radiation straight into the safe slot + +898 +00:44:27,029 --> 00:44:33,150 +radiation levels soar satellites cease + +899 +00:44:30,819 --> 00:44:36,390 +to function but + +900 +00:44:33,150 --> 00:44:40,190 +just a few weeks later the slot is free + +901 +00:44:36,390 --> 00:44:43,069 +of radiation NASA scientists are stunned + +902 +00:44:40,190 --> 00:44:46,890 +something has recreated the safe slot + +903 +00:44:43,069 --> 00:44:49,349 +what we have been on the hunt to + +904 +00:44:46,890 --> 00:44:51,380 +determine why that slot region is there + +905 +00:44:49,349 --> 00:44:54,990 +ever since + +906 +00:44:51,380 --> 00:44:57,900 +soon there's a breakthrough researchers + +907 +00:44:54,990 --> 00:45:01,020 +realized violent solar storms pumped + +908 +00:44:57,900 --> 00:45:02,460 +radioactive particles into space when + +909 +00:45:01,020 --> 00:45:06,210 +these head in our direction + +910 +00:45:02,460 --> 00:45:09,839 +radiation saturates the safe slot then + +911 +00:45:06,210 --> 00:45:11,990 +as if by magic it clears and the slot + +912 +00:45:09,839 --> 00:45:16,680 +becomes safe again + +913 +00:45:11,990 --> 00:45:17,450 +but not all at once and that's the vital + +914 +00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:20,520 +clue + +915 +00:45:17,450 --> 00:45:22,500 +whatever clears the safe slot seems to + +916 +00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:25,829 +be more effective at some times than + +917 +00:45:22,500 --> 00:45:27,990 +others it's more intense on the day side + +918 +00:45:25,829 --> 00:45:30,510 +than it is on the night side and it's + +919 +00:45:27,990 --> 00:45:34,380 +more intense during the summer than it + +920 +00:45:30,510 --> 00:45:38,970 +is in the winter the evidence points to + +921 +00:45:34,380 --> 00:45:41,490 +the Sun but in 2004 Green takes a chance + +922 +00:45:38,970 --> 00:45:44,460 +look at a magazine and everything + +923 +00:45:41,490 --> 00:45:48,680 +changes an article on the distribution + +924 +00:45:44,460 --> 00:45:51,630 +of lightning captures his attention the + +925 +00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:53,819 +beautiful maps of lightning changed my + +926 +00:45:51,630 --> 00:45:56,130 +concept of where lightning was was + +927 +00:45:53,819 --> 00:45:58,369 +actually being generated drew my + +928 +00:45:56,130 --> 00:46:01,770 +attention to the article immediately + +929 +00:45:58,369 --> 00:46:03,809 +green notices lightning exhibits exactly + +930 +00:46:01,770 --> 00:46:06,869 +the same characteristics as the + +931 +00:46:03,809 --> 00:46:10,500 +clearance of the safe slot it occurs + +932 +00:46:06,869 --> 00:46:14,039 +more overland than see more during the + +933 +00:46:10,500 --> 00:46:18,089 +day than night more in the summer than + +934 +00:46:14,039 --> 00:46:21,089 +the winter it's a match that was the + +935 +00:46:18,089 --> 00:46:23,130 +time that we then knew that this had to + +936 +00:46:21,089 --> 00:46:25,799 +be related to phenomena that was + +937 +00:46:23,130 --> 00:46:28,710 +occurring on the earth and the only + +938 +00:46:25,799 --> 00:46:31,410 +thing of course that no enters into + +939 +00:46:28,710 --> 00:46:35,020 +space is lightning + +940 +00:46:31,410 --> 00:46:39,000 +but how could lightning on earth affect + +941 +00:46:35,020 --> 00:46:42,190 +the safe slot four thousand miles up + +942 +00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:44,650 +unliking boat tears through the air it + +943 +00:46:42,190 --> 00:46:48,070 +doesn't just produce light and sound it + +944 +00:46:44,650 --> 00:46:50,110 +also creates radio waves turn on your + +945 +00:46:48,070 --> 00:46:52,690 +radio when there's a storm nearby and + +946 +00:46:50,110 --> 00:46:55,060 +you can hear them as interference but + +947 +00:46:52,690 --> 00:46:57,190 +tune in with an all frequencies receiver + +948 +00:46:55,060 --> 00:47:00,700 +and you can pick up more than just + +949 +00:46:57,190 --> 00:47:03,130 +crackle this UE whistling is the sound + +950 +00:47:00,700 --> 00:47:05,830 +of those radio waves after they've + +951 +00:47:03,130 --> 00:47:10,390 +traveled through space what we've been + +952 +00:47:05,830 --> 00:47:12,700 +listening to our lightning spirits and + +953 +00:47:10,390 --> 00:47:15,670 +these are emissions that occur from + +954 +00:47:12,700 --> 00:47:18,490 +lightning hundreds of miles away that + +955 +00:47:15,670 --> 00:47:22,480 +are propagated to us and are received in + +956 +00:47:18,490 --> 00:47:25,450 +our antennas Green realizes that these + +957 +00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:27,730 +radio waves are the missing link they + +958 +00:47:25,450 --> 00:47:31,510 +connect lightning on earth with the safe + +959 +00:47:27,730 --> 00:47:34,900 +slot in space we never realize the + +960 +00:47:31,510 --> 00:47:40,120 +importance that the ground is having on + +961 +00:47:34,900 --> 00:47:42,850 +space in 2005 Jim and his team come up + +962 +00:47:40,120 --> 00:47:44,710 +with a radical new theory less than a + +963 +00:47:42,850 --> 00:47:47,470 +second after a lightning strike on earth + +964 +00:47:44,710 --> 00:47:49,990 +the radio wave reaches the radiation + +965 +00:47:47,470 --> 00:47:51,790 +belts there it interacts with the + +966 +00:47:49,990 --> 00:47:54,880 +electrically charged particles the + +967 +00:47:51,790 --> 00:47:57,280 +radiation it forces the particles out of + +968 +00:47:54,880 --> 00:48:00,270 +the safe slot the radiation is cleared + +969 +00:47:57,280 --> 00:48:03,130 +and the safe slot returns to normal + +970 +00:48:00,270 --> 00:48:05,520 +we always had thought about lightning in + +971 +00:48:03,130 --> 00:48:09,100 +the past I believe as a destructive + +972 +00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:13,480 +mechanism but I think we're discovering + +973 +00:48:09,100 --> 00:48:16,240 +many of its beneficial factors if Green + +974 +00:48:13,480 --> 00:48:18,160 +is right without lightning radiation + +975 +00:48:16,240 --> 00:48:20,950 +would soon fill the safe slot + +976 +00:48:18,160 --> 00:48:23,800 +satellites would go down taking out many + +977 +00:48:20,950 --> 00:48:27,340 +things we've come to rely on global + +978 +00:48:23,800 --> 00:48:31,000 +communications navigation systems cell + +979 +00:48:27,340 --> 00:48:34,480 +phones satellite television all could + +980 +00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:35,470 +shut down life as we know it would grind + +981 +00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:38,350 +to a halt + +982 +00:48:35,470 --> 00:48:40,900 +if lightning stopped tomorrow we would + +983 +00:48:38,350 --> 00:48:43,990 +see a dramatic change in the way we + +984 +00:48:40,900 --> 00:48:48,849 +today it's probably one of those + +985 +00:48:43,990 --> 00:48:51,869 +fundamental parts of the equation that + +986 +00:48:48,849 --> 00:48:55,029 +really contribute to life on earth + +987 +00:48:51,869 --> 00:48:57,819 +lightning for millions of years it + +988 +00:48:55,029 --> 00:49:01,329 +stopped our darkest visions struck + +989 +00:48:57,819 --> 00:49:03,579 +terror through our oldest myths now + +990 +00:49:01,329 --> 00:49:07,269 +we're closer than ever to unlocking its + +991 +00:49:03,579 --> 00:49:10,660 +secrets and the more we discover the + +992 +00:49:07,269 --> 00:49:14,400 +more lightning defies expectation its + +993 +00:49:10,660 --> 00:49:17,980 +origins may live far beyond our world + +994 +00:49:14,400 --> 00:49:21,519 +it can take strange forms and create + +995 +00:49:17,980 --> 00:49:25,269 +dazzling light shows lightning is + +996 +00:49:21,519 --> 00:49:28,269 +devastating beautiful and essential to + +997 +00:49:25,269 --> 00:49:31,269 +life as we know it the incredible + +998 +00:49:28,269 --> 00:49:34,329 +journey of a lightning bolt from outer + +999 +00:49:31,269 --> 00:49:35,130 +space to the inner workings of the human + +1000 +00:49:34,329 --> 00:49:40,420 +body + +1001 +00:49:35,130 --> 00:49:45,509 +life and death destruction and creation + +1002 +00:49:40,420 --> 00:49:45,509 +all in less than the blink of an eye + +1003 +00:49:48,490 --> 00:49:57,239 +[Music] + +1004 +00:50:02,430 --> 00:50:06,890 +[Music] +