1 00:00:00,596 --> 00:00:03,013 (wind blows) 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:05,460 There's one material 3 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:09,210 that even after millions of years of evolution 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,973 has defeated all but a handful of creatures. 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:18,713 Sand. 6 00:00:22,060 --> 00:00:23,603 Which is why I'm here. 7 00:00:24,620 --> 00:00:25,750 I'm convinced that the key 8 00:00:25,750 --> 00:00:28,690 to revolutionizing how we get around 9 00:00:28,690 --> 00:00:30,790 lies hidden within the creatures 10 00:00:30,790 --> 00:00:32,363 that are masters of movement. 11 00:00:34,639 --> 00:00:35,540 Can I go this way? 12 00:00:35,540 --> 00:00:37,233 Yeah. Follow this road. 13 00:00:39,192 --> 00:00:43,386 (gasps) (honks horn) Argh! 14 00:00:43,386 --> 00:00:44,801 (gasps) I'm going back. 15 00:00:44,801 --> 00:00:47,137 (laughs) I'm done with this. 16 00:00:47,137 --> 00:00:49,720 (gentle music) 17 00:00:54,670 --> 00:00:56,180 Just my luck. 18 00:00:56,180 --> 00:00:57,360 I'm on the hunt for an animal 19 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,460 that's adapted to moving in the desert. 20 00:00:59,460 --> 00:01:02,453 And I'm stuck in the desert. 21 00:01:05,460 --> 00:01:06,710 This is a perfect example 22 00:01:07,870 --> 00:01:09,200 of how poorly adapted we are 23 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,790 to living in loads of different environments 24 00:01:11,790 --> 00:01:12,873 including the desert. 25 00:01:13,855 --> 00:01:16,620 You know, we need all these different devices and technology 26 00:01:16,620 --> 00:01:21,620 just to live here and be able to move in this environment. 27 00:01:21,650 --> 00:01:23,933 But then when it goes wrong, 28 00:01:25,101 --> 00:01:26,210 it can be pretty catastrophic, 29 00:01:26,210 --> 00:01:28,710 'cause we've got nothing else that we can rely on. 30 00:01:30,700 --> 00:01:33,190 If you want to find animals that have come up with 31 00:01:33,190 --> 00:01:36,570 some really neat solutions to living, 32 00:01:36,570 --> 00:01:39,210 best place to look is an extreme environment. 33 00:01:39,210 --> 00:01:40,870 If it's extreme and inhospitable, 34 00:01:40,870 --> 00:01:43,570 anything that lives there (Patrick dusts off hands) 35 00:01:43,570 --> 00:01:46,283 must have come up with a really clever solution. 36 00:01:48,790 --> 00:01:53,297 One solution may be hidden in the neighboring dunes. 37 00:01:53,297 --> 00:01:55,880 (snake hisses) 38 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,120 This snake begins her day 39 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,543 by journeying across the shifting sand. 40 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,023 Unlike us, she manages the crossing with grace and poise, 41 00:02:10,930 --> 00:02:12,380 thanks to a method of movement 42 00:02:12,380 --> 00:02:15,020 that's taken millions of years of trial and error 43 00:02:15,020 --> 00:02:16,530 to perfect. 44 00:02:16,530 --> 00:02:19,973 She even makes use of this sand to help catch her prey. 45 00:02:21,243 --> 00:02:24,310 (snake hisses) 46 00:02:24,310 --> 00:02:27,420 She begins by writhing and twisting, 47 00:02:27,420 --> 00:02:29,273 slowly sinking into the sand. 48 00:02:32,550 --> 00:02:34,997 There, she waits. 49 00:02:34,997 --> 00:02:39,160 (anticipatory percussion music) 50 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,823 Her eyes, located at the top of her head, 51 00:02:42,730 --> 00:02:44,390 are the only indication 52 00:02:44,390 --> 00:02:47,533 that this venomous viper is even here. 53 00:02:47,533 --> 00:02:49,760 (slow anticipatory percussion music) 54 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:50,593 Prey. 55 00:02:52,230 --> 00:02:54,773 A shovel-snouted lizard struts nearby. 56 00:02:57,650 --> 00:03:00,310 They too have developed their own adaptations 57 00:03:00,310 --> 00:03:01,510 to deal with the desert. 58 00:03:04,850 --> 00:03:07,380 This lizard alternately lifts its legs 59 00:03:07,380 --> 00:03:08,950 off the scorching sand 60 00:03:08,950 --> 00:03:10,703 to prevent it from overheating. 61 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:18,486 The snake times her strike to perfection. 62 00:03:18,486 --> 00:03:21,400 (dramatic musical chord) 63 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,920 Venom delivered by the snake's needle-like fangs 64 00:03:24,920 --> 00:03:27,656 paralyzes the lizard in moments. 65 00:03:27,656 --> 00:03:30,573 (foreboding music) 66 00:03:33,610 --> 00:03:35,973 Satisfied, she retreats, 67 00:03:39,090 --> 00:03:41,860 using that unique sidewinding ability 68 00:03:41,860 --> 00:03:43,483 to glide across the sand. 69 00:03:44,503 --> 00:03:47,086 (lively music) 70 00:03:51,644 --> 00:03:54,060 (energetic music) 71 00:03:54,060 --> 00:03:56,500 Movement is life. 72 00:03:56,500 --> 00:04:00,133 It's the difference between eating and being eaten. 73 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,240 For 3.8 billion years, 74 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,820 nature has pitted one creature against another 75 00:04:07,980 --> 00:04:10,083 in an evolutionary arms race. 76 00:04:11,670 --> 00:04:13,633 And only the fittest survived. 77 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,560 There's such beauty and engineering brilliance in nature. 78 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,320 You can't ignore it. 79 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,630 This journey is the culmination 80 00:04:22,630 --> 00:04:24,980 of my years in the wild. 81 00:04:24,980 --> 00:04:29,480 I want to prove that only by studying nature's best movers 82 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,990 can humanity usher itself into a brighter future. 83 00:04:33,990 --> 00:04:36,160 Could we design machines that can travel 84 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:37,940 across all types of terrain? 85 00:04:37,940 --> 00:04:39,260 This could be used for inspection 86 00:04:39,260 --> 00:04:41,950 of nuclear power plants, for example. 87 00:04:41,950 --> 00:04:44,410 Or upgrade our bodies to move faster 88 00:04:44,410 --> 00:04:45,993 than we ever dreamed possible. 89 00:04:47,050 --> 00:04:48,850 You're literally like superhuman. 90 00:04:48,850 --> 00:04:50,610 Even reinvent flight 91 00:04:50,610 --> 00:04:52,453 to start cleaning up the skies. 92 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,700 We start with that most treacherous of landscapes, 93 00:04:57,700 --> 00:04:58,533 the desert. 94 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:01,370 Buzzy! 95 00:05:01,370 --> 00:05:02,203 Patrick! (door slams shut) 96 00:05:02,203 --> 00:05:03,350 How's it going, bro? I see you found us. 97 00:05:03,350 --> 00:05:04,810 Yeah. Just about. 98 00:05:04,810 --> 00:05:06,949 Hey, they don't give you a good enough map? 99 00:05:06,949 --> 00:05:08,170 (laughs) Got a bit lost. 100 00:05:08,170 --> 00:05:09,410 Yeah? Yeah. 101 00:05:09,410 --> 00:05:12,720 Look at this, man. These dunes are massive. 102 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,620 If you or I were to try and run up to the top, 103 00:05:15,620 --> 00:05:17,550 it would take so much energy. 104 00:05:17,550 --> 00:05:20,030 That sand is really slippery. 100 %, yeah, yeah. 105 00:05:20,030 --> 00:05:21,157 So that's kind of what I'm here for. 106 00:05:21,157 --> 00:05:25,270 I want to know how can we explore landscapes like this 107 00:05:25,270 --> 00:05:28,400 in a way that is fast and efficient. 108 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,937 Probably spend a couple of hundred million years evolving, 109 00:05:31,937 --> 00:05:32,770 (Patrick laughs) 110 00:05:32,770 --> 00:05:34,780 and then you learn to do what is called sidewinding. 111 00:05:34,780 --> 00:05:36,870 So we got a number of different sidewinders 112 00:05:36,870 --> 00:05:37,920 around the world. Correct. 113 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:38,753 But here you have 114 00:05:38,753 --> 00:05:39,770 one species that's endemic. We have one. 115 00:05:39,770 --> 00:05:40,603 What's its name? 116 00:05:40,603 --> 00:05:42,957 Bitis peringueyi. Oh my God. 117 00:05:42,957 --> 00:05:47,887 "Bite" I-S, not "bite us." (Patrick laughs) 118 00:05:49,585 --> 00:05:53,130 Sidewinders are completely at home on the dunes. 119 00:05:53,130 --> 00:05:56,260 And so in the spirit of scientific inquiry, 120 00:05:56,260 --> 00:05:58,940 I'm gonna see just how hard it is to climb one. 121 00:05:58,940 --> 00:06:02,846 Ahh wow. (sighs and exhales) 122 00:06:02,846 --> 00:06:05,651 (Patrick laughs) 123 00:06:05,651 --> 00:06:07,453 God, hardly got anywhere, have we? 124 00:06:10,100 --> 00:06:12,180 When you look at the dunes, like, 125 00:06:12,180 --> 00:06:13,190 it looks like you should be able 126 00:06:13,190 --> 00:06:14,410 to run up them really quickly. 127 00:06:14,410 --> 00:06:15,630 It's not that far. 128 00:06:15,630 --> 00:06:16,880 No. 129 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,510 The problem is the density of the sand. 130 00:06:19,510 --> 00:06:21,570 You go one step forward, 131 00:06:21,570 --> 00:06:22,713 And two back! and keep sliding back. 132 00:06:22,713 --> 00:06:23,750 Exactly. Yeah. 133 00:06:23,750 --> 00:06:26,580 It is literally just like, No, it's just- 134 00:06:26,580 --> 00:06:28,830 like a fluid. No, it's 100%. 135 00:06:28,830 --> 00:06:31,150 And even if you dig quite far down, it's still there. 136 00:06:31,150 --> 00:06:33,270 There's nothing hard underneath. 137 00:06:33,270 --> 00:06:34,663 You literally just sink. 138 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:37,290 This desert is vast 139 00:06:38,626 --> 00:06:41,170 and the snake is not only small, 140 00:06:41,170 --> 00:06:43,640 it's a camouflage expert. 141 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,610 Luckily its movement is so unique, 142 00:06:46,610 --> 00:06:49,396 it leaves behind a telltale sign. 143 00:06:49,396 --> 00:06:50,229 Here we go,- Yes. 144 00:06:50,229 --> 00:06:51,062 we're in business. 145 00:06:51,062 --> 00:06:53,010 Brilliant. All right. 146 00:06:53,010 --> 00:06:53,843 So you can see it's coming from- 147 00:06:53,843 --> 00:06:55,340 That might come from all the way, 148 00:06:55,340 --> 00:06:56,369 that direction, looks like. 149 00:06:56,369 --> 00:06:59,452 (dramatic drum roll) 150 00:07:00,430 --> 00:07:03,874 Somewhere nearby lies a venomous sidewinder. 151 00:07:03,874 --> 00:07:05,500 (dramatic drum roll) 152 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:06,920 Oh. It's sitting right here. 153 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:07,753 Ooh, where? 154 00:07:07,753 --> 00:07:09,923 Below the tip. You see it? 155 00:07:11,090 --> 00:07:13,167 I'm gonna stick my face in there, 156 00:07:13,167 --> 00:07:15,417 (laughs) Better you than me. I'm trying- 157 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:19,790 Be careful. 158 00:07:21,682 --> 00:07:22,515 So there you go. 159 00:07:22,515 --> 00:07:25,010 If you come around here now, you can see. 160 00:07:25,010 --> 00:07:26,673 Ooh, yeah. Yes. 161 00:07:27,770 --> 00:07:30,350 It's such a small snake. 162 00:07:30,350 --> 00:07:33,520 It doesn't mean it's less venomous because it's smaller. 163 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:35,570 Quite the opposite can sometimes be true. 164 00:07:36,940 --> 00:07:39,520 There we go. A great view there. 165 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,680 On sand, she's a deadly combo of venom and speed. 166 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,220 Catching her safely is going to be tricky. 167 00:07:46,220 --> 00:07:48,980 Oh, they can move very fast if they want to. 168 00:07:48,980 --> 00:07:52,760 Ooh, stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. 169 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,453 Ooh. Not a happy camper this morning, eh? 170 00:07:57,710 --> 00:07:59,350 Finally up close, 171 00:07:59,350 --> 00:08:02,283 I'm starting to see what makes this snake so special. 172 00:08:03,250 --> 00:08:05,940 Out here, we have another species, a horned adder. 173 00:08:05,940 --> 00:08:09,010 And we've actually noticed that there is 174 00:08:09,010 --> 00:08:10,900 what we think is hybridization. 175 00:08:10,900 --> 00:08:13,780 So this is cool, this is groundbreaking science, really. 176 00:08:13,780 --> 00:08:16,150 Scientists are only just realizing the role 177 00:08:16,150 --> 00:08:18,400 that interbreeding of different species 178 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,623 can play in the creation of new ones. 179 00:08:21,582 --> 00:08:23,923 And it could be happening right here. 180 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,910 So the whole point of what we're doing here 181 00:08:26,910 --> 00:08:28,710 is to try and get a DNA profile. 182 00:08:28,710 --> 00:08:30,280 So we need to get a sample 183 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:31,780 Correct. from this snake. 184 00:08:32,980 --> 00:08:34,573 What I need you to do, 185 00:08:35,540 --> 00:08:39,840 grab a snake as close to the head as you can, please. 186 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,310 I will try and lift her out. 187 00:08:42,310 --> 00:08:44,960 Just clamp down slightly, there you go. (indistinct) 188 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:46,170 Perfect. (Patrick whoops) 189 00:08:46,170 --> 00:08:47,010 You can actually see, 190 00:08:47,010 --> 00:08:49,050 she actually had a crack at your finger. 191 00:08:49,050 --> 00:08:51,710 She has actually unloaded a little bit of venom 192 00:08:51,710 --> 00:08:52,880 onto the glove. 193 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,060 If that was your finger, 194 00:08:54,060 --> 00:08:55,760 I'd really know about it. 195 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,670 there'd be a pork-sausaging as we speak now. 196 00:08:58,670 --> 00:09:00,153 We are just going to take- 197 00:09:01,380 --> 00:09:04,210 The best way to get our DNA sample 198 00:09:04,210 --> 00:09:06,713 is to snip off the very tip of the tail. 199 00:09:08,340 --> 00:09:11,610 But don't worry. The snake is barely affected. 200 00:09:11,610 --> 00:09:15,230 And Buzzy is being super-careful to take the tiniest snip. 201 00:09:16,810 --> 00:09:17,643 Got it. Perfect. 202 00:09:17,643 --> 00:09:19,400 Up close like this, 203 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,980 I can see all the different elements 204 00:09:21,980 --> 00:09:25,110 that make it perfectly adapted 205 00:09:25,110 --> 00:09:28,400 to moving around in the desert in this sand. 206 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:32,003 Considering how small it is, it's really strong. 207 00:09:33,510 --> 00:09:36,550 This is where all that searching pays off. 208 00:09:36,550 --> 00:09:40,259 I can finally witness her mesmerizing movement for myself. 209 00:09:40,259 --> 00:09:42,663 There we go. Nice and slow, there she goes. 210 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:45,940 And she doesn't disappoint. 211 00:09:45,940 --> 00:09:47,510 (Patrick laughs) 212 00:09:47,510 --> 00:09:50,030 That is brilliant. And look at the impression as well. 213 00:09:50,030 --> 00:09:52,910 We can see that very clear definition 214 00:09:52,910 --> 00:09:54,260 of contact on the ground, 215 00:09:54,260 --> 00:09:55,358 no contact on the ground, 216 00:09:55,358 --> 00:09:56,800 contact on the ground. 217 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,150 It's almost literally like steps. 218 00:09:59,150 --> 00:09:59,983 100%. 219 00:09:59,983 --> 00:10:03,220 You can actually physically see the distance she travels 220 00:10:03,220 --> 00:10:04,813 with each little movement. 221 00:10:07,270 --> 00:10:10,663 She seems to effortlessly glide across the sand. 222 00:10:11,950 --> 00:10:13,723 But how does she do it? 223 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,940 My research has led me to a scientist in the US 224 00:10:20,940 --> 00:10:24,343 who runs something called the BIRTH Lab. 225 00:10:24,343 --> 00:10:27,010 (dramatic beat) 226 00:10:29,466 --> 00:10:30,640 The BIRTH Lab. 227 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:31,920 Knock knock! (knocks on door) 228 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:32,753 Hey Patrick. 229 00:10:32,753 --> 00:10:33,586 Dr. Hamid, nice to meet you. 230 00:10:33,586 --> 00:10:34,920 Nice to meet you too. 231 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:35,753 For most people, 232 00:10:35,753 --> 00:10:38,330 if they were told they'd be invited to the "Birth" Lab, 233 00:10:38,330 --> 00:10:40,300 they'd be expecting something 234 00:10:40,300 --> 00:10:41,133 a bit different, (Both laugh) 235 00:10:41,133 --> 00:10:42,900 like a maternity ward or something. 236 00:10:42,900 --> 00:10:43,733 BIRTH stands for 237 00:10:43,733 --> 00:10:46,630 "bio-inspired robotics technology and healthcare." 238 00:10:46,630 --> 00:10:48,410 And the idea is, we want to give birth 239 00:10:48,410 --> 00:10:50,963 to new technologies inspired by nature. 240 00:10:52,110 --> 00:10:55,030 The lab is full of animal-inspired robots 241 00:10:55,030 --> 00:10:57,430 and experimental hardware. 242 00:10:57,430 --> 00:10:59,750 For a bio-mimicry geek like me, 243 00:10:59,750 --> 00:11:02,133 it's like being a kid in a candy store. 244 00:11:03,890 --> 00:11:05,830 We have a project on studying 245 00:11:05,830 --> 00:11:08,660 snake locomotion on sand, 246 00:11:08,660 --> 00:11:09,493 because 247 00:11:09,493 --> 00:11:11,880 they are the champion animal. Ooh. 248 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,600 Our colleague at Carnegie Mellon University, 249 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,700 they have developed this wonderful snake robot 250 00:11:17,700 --> 00:11:20,690 that was capable of doing different modes of locomotion. 251 00:11:20,690 --> 00:11:23,090 But whenever they put it on sand, 252 00:11:23,090 --> 00:11:24,310 it had difficulty moving, 253 00:11:24,310 --> 00:11:27,110 and especially climbing on loose sand. 254 00:11:27,110 --> 00:11:28,940 Okay. Well, let's see this thing move. 255 00:11:28,940 --> 00:11:29,773 Sure. 256 00:11:29,773 --> 00:11:33,360 Please tilt it to around 5 to 10 degrees, 257 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:35,208 then we can start the climbing tests. 258 00:11:35,208 --> 00:11:36,659 (machine whirs and whines) 259 00:11:36,659 --> 00:11:37,492 Whoa. 260 00:11:38,450 --> 00:11:40,820 Okay, this is gonna be cool. 261 00:11:40,820 --> 00:11:42,900 (machine stutters and stops) 262 00:11:42,900 --> 00:11:44,450 All right. So let's try that. 263 00:11:45,380 --> 00:11:46,340 So as you can see,- 264 00:11:46,340 --> 00:11:48,080 Yeah, so it's not moving anywhere. 265 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,960 Exactly. So it's just sliding all over the place. 266 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:51,970 Actually, in fact, 267 00:11:51,970 --> 00:11:53,930 it's probably digging itself deeper into the sand. 268 00:11:53,930 --> 00:11:56,250 Exactly. Exactly. 269 00:11:56,250 --> 00:11:59,150 Programmed with only horizontal movement, 270 00:11:59,150 --> 00:12:00,550 this robot is probably 271 00:12:00,550 --> 00:12:03,250 where the sidewinder started its evolutionary journey. 272 00:12:04,130 --> 00:12:08,460 So how did the real snake learn how to move up dunes? 273 00:12:08,460 --> 00:12:11,730 We did some field work with sidewinder rattlesnakes. 274 00:12:11,730 --> 00:12:13,640 We collected six of those animals, 275 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:18,170 we shipped those all on a plane back to Atlanta. 276 00:12:18,170 --> 00:12:19,430 You had snakes on a plane? 277 00:12:19,430 --> 00:12:20,263 Exactly. 278 00:12:20,263 --> 00:12:22,560 (Both laugh) 279 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:25,710 We had this animal that can readily handle 280 00:12:25,710 --> 00:12:27,860 all sorts of sandy hills. 281 00:12:27,860 --> 00:12:31,550 And that's why we kinda picked that particular animal 282 00:12:31,550 --> 00:12:33,800 to see what's the trick 283 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,653 that the animal uses to climb. 284 00:12:36,550 --> 00:12:38,310 What Dr. Hamid discovered 285 00:12:38,310 --> 00:12:40,230 was that sidewinder locomotion 286 00:12:40,230 --> 00:12:42,893 is actually comprised of two distinct movements. 287 00:12:44,820 --> 00:12:47,923 Firstly, there's that horizontal slithering. 288 00:12:49,430 --> 00:12:51,940 Secondly, to avoid slipping, 289 00:12:51,940 --> 00:12:54,453 the snake also moves up and down vertically. 290 00:12:55,323 --> 00:12:57,683 Both these waves travel along the snake's body, 291 00:12:58,660 --> 00:13:01,170 lifting it to the next position 292 00:13:01,170 --> 00:13:03,913 and leaving behind those telltale tracks. 293 00:13:05,310 --> 00:13:09,780 And so snakes have become pioneers of this ingenious method 294 00:13:09,780 --> 00:13:12,433 of moving across difficult sandy terrain. 295 00:13:13,970 --> 00:13:16,410 I'm changing one parameter in particular, 296 00:13:16,410 --> 00:13:19,100 and that's the amplitude of the vertical wave. 297 00:13:19,100 --> 00:13:19,950 Vertical, yeah. 298 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,730 And as you can see, it's climbing up. 299 00:13:24,730 --> 00:13:26,890 Oh, wow. Look at that. 300 00:13:26,890 --> 00:13:28,230 It's generating those two waves, 301 00:13:28,230 --> 00:13:29,910 in horizontal plane, vertical plane. 302 00:13:29,910 --> 00:13:31,760 It's lifting the body enough to be able to move forward. 303 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:32,780 Yeah, and it's making 304 00:13:32,780 --> 00:13:34,130 the same impressions in the sand 305 00:13:34,130 --> 00:13:36,510 as a real sidewinder, as well. Exactly. 306 00:13:36,510 --> 00:13:37,930 The part that's moving forward 307 00:13:37,930 --> 00:13:39,360 is actually clearing the ground, 308 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:40,550 and it's not touching the ground. 309 00:13:40,550 --> 00:13:43,120 So that's why it's able to move forward. 310 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,060 Every time we change a parameter, 311 00:13:45,060 --> 00:13:47,380 really, when we look at what's happening in biology, 312 00:13:47,380 --> 00:13:49,270 that equates to thousands, 313 00:13:49,270 --> 00:13:51,623 and in some case, millions of years of evolution, 314 00:13:51,623 --> 00:13:53,523 Exactly. this is trial and error. 315 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:55,793 Can I- So do you 316 00:13:55,793 --> 00:13:56,626 wanna play with it? Yeah, 317 00:13:56,626 --> 00:13:57,520 let's reset this robot, 318 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,260 let's get it back to where it was. 319 00:13:59,260 --> 00:14:00,750 Yep. 320 00:14:00,750 --> 00:14:01,750 All right. 321 00:14:03,610 --> 00:14:05,340 There you go. Yes! 322 00:14:05,340 --> 00:14:08,280 We have a sidewinding robot. That is so cool. 323 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:10,490 I gotta say, it's awesome. 324 00:14:10,490 --> 00:14:12,550 What's the future applications for this kind of thing? 325 00:14:12,550 --> 00:14:13,383 We can take this 326 00:14:13,383 --> 00:14:15,230 to a wide range of different applications. 327 00:14:15,230 --> 00:14:17,150 For space robotics, for example, right? 328 00:14:17,150 --> 00:14:19,780 For search and rescue applications, 329 00:14:19,780 --> 00:14:22,780 for exploring even parts of the planets 330 00:14:22,780 --> 00:14:25,230 that might be difficult for humans to access. 331 00:14:25,230 --> 00:14:26,063 This could be used 332 00:14:26,063 --> 00:14:29,330 for inspection of nuclear power plants, for example. 333 00:14:29,330 --> 00:14:31,760 And the fact that it's been inspired by an animal, 334 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,540 a deadly venomous snake, 335 00:14:34,540 --> 00:14:35,800 which we're so used to thinking 336 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,440 about these animals killing us, 337 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:40,310 potentially could not only help us explore, 338 00:14:40,310 --> 00:14:41,630 but also save us in the future. 339 00:14:41,630 --> 00:14:42,730 Exactly. 340 00:14:42,730 --> 00:14:44,690 Hacking the sidewinder's ability 341 00:14:44,690 --> 00:14:46,680 could help us move in environments 342 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:48,973 that we're otherwise ill-equipped to handle. 343 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:55,160 But it's clear that sand isn't the only type of environment 344 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,343 that has us humans completely stumped. 345 00:15:00,088 --> 00:15:01,770 (inhales) All right, I'm trying to find my way back 346 00:15:01,770 --> 00:15:03,420 to my hotel. 347 00:15:03,420 --> 00:15:04,310 But it's got me thinking, 348 00:15:04,310 --> 00:15:06,100 we as humans don't even need 349 00:15:06,100 --> 00:15:08,300 to be plunged into complete darkness 350 00:15:08,300 --> 00:15:13,300 to realize how helpless we are in the dark. 351 00:15:13,870 --> 00:15:16,190 We're so well-adapted to daytime living, 352 00:15:16,190 --> 00:15:20,100 but we are utterly useless in environments 353 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:21,780 that we can't see well in 354 00:15:21,780 --> 00:15:25,210 without something like a torch or a flashlight. 355 00:15:25,210 --> 00:15:26,200 And it's in times like these, 356 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,080 when you've got a phone with a dwindling battery 357 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,150 that you can't help but envy those animals 358 00:15:31,150 --> 00:15:33,220 that can find their way around 359 00:15:33,220 --> 00:15:35,353 even in the darkest of night. 360 00:15:39,470 --> 00:15:41,913 Some animals don't need light. 361 00:15:43,740 --> 00:15:46,861 They have a super sense. 362 00:15:46,861 --> 00:15:49,728 (foreboding music) 363 00:15:49,728 --> 00:15:52,720 (ethereal music) 364 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,970 This bat relies on the sound of water ripples 365 00:15:55,970 --> 00:15:57,673 to locate her favorite prey. 366 00:15:58,560 --> 00:15:59,393 Fish. 367 00:16:02,140 --> 00:16:04,720 She moves through complete darkness 368 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,333 as easily as you or I in broad daylight. 369 00:16:09,620 --> 00:16:11,960 Some 50 million years ago, 370 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,880 the bat's ancestors took the night shift 371 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:18,450 to beat the competition 372 00:16:20,810 --> 00:16:22,033 and avoid predators. 373 00:16:24,490 --> 00:16:28,623 In doing so, they developed their own internal sonar. 374 00:16:30,570 --> 00:16:33,693 This bat emits pulses of high-frequency sound, 375 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,893 and listens for the returning echoes. 376 00:16:40,620 --> 00:16:44,333 These echoes create a mental map of her environment. 377 00:16:45,950 --> 00:16:49,083 They're her window into this dark world. 378 00:16:50,104 --> 00:16:52,854 (dramatic music) 379 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,053 But this ability is bad news for this little insect. 380 00:16:58,053 --> 00:17:00,636 (lively music) 381 00:17:02,311 --> 00:17:04,600 (dramatic beat) 382 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,760 As this horseshoe bat draws closer to her prey, 383 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,193 she emits up to 200 pulses every second, 384 00:17:14,569 --> 00:17:17,710 (two dramatic beats) 385 00:17:17,710 --> 00:17:21,513 helping her to catch as many as 1000 insects in an hour. 386 00:17:23,630 --> 00:17:24,920 Part of her secret 387 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:28,060 seems to be this fleshy adornment surrounding her nostrils, 388 00:17:28,060 --> 00:17:29,770 called the nose-leaf, 389 00:17:29,770 --> 00:17:32,070 which helps to direct her echo-location calls. 390 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:36,170 Combined with enormous ears 391 00:17:36,170 --> 00:17:38,350 that swivel like satellite dishes 392 00:17:38,350 --> 00:17:40,233 and locate the returning echoes, 393 00:17:41,260 --> 00:17:44,040 these clever adaptations have enabled these bats 394 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,923 to move with perfect confidence through the night. 395 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,610 Engineers have already taken inspiration 396 00:17:52,610 --> 00:17:54,673 from the bat's echo-location skills, 397 00:17:57,590 --> 00:18:00,370 but instead of bouncing sound waves, 398 00:18:00,370 --> 00:18:01,903 they bounce light waves. 399 00:18:02,930 --> 00:18:07,813 It's called lidar, and it's revolutionizing how we move, 400 00:18:08,870 --> 00:18:12,323 helping us navigate in poor visibility and darkness. 401 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,483 It's already being used in self-driving cars. 402 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,423 One day soon they could improve road safety for everyone. 403 00:18:24,470 --> 00:18:28,380 And we may soon be taking this bat-inspired perception 404 00:18:28,380 --> 00:18:30,823 quite literally to new heights. 405 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,950 Flying autonomous cars are no longer 406 00:18:35,950 --> 00:18:38,083 bound to stories of the imagination. 407 00:18:40,130 --> 00:18:43,400 Their designs are packed with safety features. 408 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,460 They continuously send and receive signals 409 00:18:46,460 --> 00:18:49,513 containing information about their position and airspeed. 410 00:18:51,570 --> 00:18:53,620 And just as bats use sound waves 411 00:18:53,620 --> 00:18:55,823 to build a 3D picture of their world, 412 00:18:56,810 --> 00:18:59,840 these new-age aircraft bounce pulses of light 413 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:01,540 off their surroundings 414 00:19:01,540 --> 00:19:02,863 to map their environment. 415 00:19:04,770 --> 00:19:07,820 Maneuvering safely around other objects in the air 416 00:19:07,820 --> 00:19:09,413 with absolute precision. 417 00:19:11,500 --> 00:19:15,840 So you may be sitting in a bat-inspired vehicle 418 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:17,555 sooner than you think. 419 00:19:17,555 --> 00:19:20,305 (dramatic music) 420 00:19:21,583 --> 00:19:24,149 (birds sing and call) 421 00:19:24,149 --> 00:19:25,670 (lively music) 422 00:19:25,670 --> 00:19:26,820 I'm on a mission to prove 423 00:19:26,820 --> 00:19:30,100 that nature's solutions to moving over any terrain 424 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:32,983 can deliver true benefits to humanity. 425 00:19:36,020 --> 00:19:38,710 And when it comes to moving over land, 426 00:19:38,710 --> 00:19:42,193 there's one animal that's head and shoulders above the rest. 427 00:19:47,180 --> 00:19:51,300 Marlice, you know cheetahs are one of my favorite animals. 428 00:19:51,300 --> 00:19:52,540 The reason why I'm here 429 00:19:52,540 --> 00:19:56,974 is to find out how these cheetahs can run so fast. 430 00:19:56,974 --> 00:19:58,603 Oh man, look at that. 431 00:19:58,603 --> 00:20:00,439 This is Athena. 432 00:20:00,439 --> 00:20:02,450 Where is the boy? 433 00:20:02,450 --> 00:20:04,094 Can you spot the male? They're just so elegant. 434 00:20:04,094 --> 00:20:05,450 Oh, look. 435 00:20:05,450 --> 00:20:07,353 We've got another one here, to my left. 436 00:20:09,370 --> 00:20:11,820 We're literally sat about, what, 10 meters away 437 00:20:11,820 --> 00:20:13,410 from these cheetahs. 438 00:20:13,410 --> 00:20:15,590 It's incredible seeing what they're doing. 439 00:20:15,590 --> 00:20:17,340 They're walking through this grass, 440 00:20:17,340 --> 00:20:19,633 but their eyes are trained on the horizon. 441 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:25,080 Of course, they're trying to find a meal in this grass. 442 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,020 This is perfect for them because they just, whoo, blend in 443 00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:31,053 and they just seem to disappear. 444 00:20:32,010 --> 00:20:33,460 Look, we can't even see them. 445 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,536 Can you see 'em? (chuckles) 446 00:20:38,536 --> 00:20:40,631 Yeah, they are at that big tree. 447 00:20:40,631 --> 00:20:43,633 Okay, I can see some movement. Ah, there we go. 448 00:20:43,633 --> 00:20:45,050 Oh, she just climbed up. 449 00:20:45,050 --> 00:20:47,475 Boom. Wow! 450 00:20:47,475 --> 00:20:49,186 And you know what, that probably- 451 00:20:49,186 --> 00:20:50,460 Up, he's up the trunk. It's up on the tree 452 00:20:50,460 --> 00:20:51,920 trying to get a better vantage point. 453 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,497 Yup, and you see the left one, 454 00:20:53,497 --> 00:20:56,133 the one on the bottom is scanning the left. 455 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:58,650 It looks like they saw something. 456 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,330 (dramatic music) 457 00:21:03,330 --> 00:21:06,210 A herd of springbok nervously graze 458 00:21:06,210 --> 00:21:07,660 within range of the cheetahs. 459 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,150 These two species have been locked in a deadly game of chase 460 00:21:14,150 --> 00:21:15,503 for millions of years. 461 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:20,520 Where cheetah have evolved to hunt, 462 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,883 springbok have evolved to flee. 463 00:21:24,270 --> 00:21:26,720 Having developed agile reflexes 464 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,840 and a top speed of 55 miles per hour, 465 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:33,230 the springbok display their youth and vigor to predators 466 00:21:33,230 --> 00:21:36,360 by springing and bucking into the air, 467 00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:37,210 hence their name. 468 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,430 Athena and her sibling 469 00:21:42,430 --> 00:21:44,520 will need to use all their hunting prowess 470 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:46,403 to get within striking distance. 471 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,930 She's using the bushes on the side of the airstrip. 472 00:21:51,930 --> 00:21:53,620 She gonna try and sneak up on the springbok? 473 00:21:53,620 --> 00:21:55,633 Yeah, she's trying to sneak up. 474 00:21:59,070 --> 00:22:03,970 Cheetahs will lock onto one specific individual. 475 00:22:05,669 --> 00:22:09,315 And they'll focus and hone in on that one individual. 476 00:22:09,315 --> 00:22:12,597 So I wonder if there's cheetahs 477 00:22:12,597 --> 00:22:14,580 just going through their process, 478 00:22:15,604 --> 00:22:17,660 having a look at the herd, 479 00:22:17,660 --> 00:22:19,830 trying to pick out the one that 480 00:22:21,780 --> 00:22:23,474 is gonna make the perfect meal. 481 00:22:23,474 --> 00:22:26,510 (ominous music beat) 482 00:22:26,510 --> 00:22:28,200 (energetic music) 483 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:29,563 Yep. Ooh. 484 00:22:30,900 --> 00:22:34,970 From zero to 60 in just three seconds. 485 00:22:34,970 --> 00:22:37,280 But Athena can only sustain this speed 486 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:39,290 over a short distance, 487 00:22:39,290 --> 00:22:42,393 and the energy she expends is enormous. 488 00:22:43,950 --> 00:22:47,113 These ancient rivals are so evenly matched, 489 00:22:48,050 --> 00:22:51,223 that her odds of a kill are about fifty-fifty. 490 00:22:51,223 --> 00:22:53,973 (dramatic music) 491 00:22:57,900 --> 00:22:59,740 Oh my goodness. 492 00:22:59,740 --> 00:23:01,473 That is fast. 493 00:23:02,390 --> 00:23:06,063 Athena's so fast, I'm barely able to keep track of the hunt. 494 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:11,310 If I really want to understand 495 00:23:11,310 --> 00:23:13,310 how nature has adapted these animals 496 00:23:13,310 --> 00:23:15,173 with such formidable speed, 497 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:17,623 I'll need to get closer. 498 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:20,913 Johannes! 499 00:23:20,913 --> 00:23:22,380 Good morning. How's it going, my man? 500 00:23:22,380 --> 00:23:23,700 Yes sir. You all right? 501 00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:24,533 Yeah. 502 00:23:25,540 --> 00:23:26,633 Much closer. 503 00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:32,170 Look. We've got live cheetahs in here. 504 00:23:32,170 --> 00:23:33,650 Are you sure it's safe? 505 00:23:33,650 --> 00:23:34,743 Everything is fine. 506 00:23:38,950 --> 00:23:40,430 Johannes works with cheetahs 507 00:23:40,430 --> 00:23:42,480 that have been rescued and rehabilitated. 508 00:23:43,700 --> 00:23:47,173 And today he wants me to help them get some exercise. 509 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:51,600 Is it four cheetahs in here, Johannes? 510 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:52,590 Yes, it's four. 511 00:23:52,590 --> 00:23:54,740 We could have any one of four cheetahs 512 00:23:56,190 --> 00:23:57,070 come out of nowhere. 513 00:23:57,070 --> 00:24:01,140 And we know that these cheetahs have been rescued, 514 00:24:01,140 --> 00:24:04,910 so they're habituated, they're used to human interaction. 515 00:24:04,910 --> 00:24:07,773 But there's always that level of uncertainty. 516 00:24:10,050 --> 00:24:13,853 It doesn't take long for our cheetahs to get curious. 517 00:24:17,083 --> 00:24:20,000 (intriguing music) 518 00:24:21,140 --> 00:24:24,208 Hey, hey, look. Just turn to, look to your left. 519 00:24:24,208 --> 00:24:26,460 We got a cheetah following us. (cheetah growls softly) 520 00:24:26,460 --> 00:24:27,870 Okay, so 521 00:24:27,870 --> 00:24:30,720 I reckon she's interested. (cheetah growls softly) 522 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,770 Johannes, does she know what we're doing? 523 00:24:32,770 --> 00:24:34,210 Yes, they know. Yeah? 524 00:24:34,210 --> 00:24:36,610 Because they like they are chasing that thing. 525 00:24:37,950 --> 00:24:40,830 Cheetahs are highly adapted runners, 526 00:24:40,830 --> 00:24:44,053 and as such, they need regular exercise to stay healthy. 527 00:24:45,150 --> 00:24:48,123 But sometimes they need a little incentive. 528 00:24:50,350 --> 00:24:53,780 Our cheetah here is really, really interested 529 00:24:53,780 --> 00:24:55,183 in this lure pulley system. 530 00:24:56,630 --> 00:24:59,215 You can tell that she wants to run. 531 00:24:59,215 --> 00:25:04,000 (machine beeps and whirs fitfully) 532 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,805 Ooh, this is nice. 533 00:25:06,805 --> 00:25:08,240 I reckon she's waiting to see the lure, 534 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:09,380 which is gonna come up now. 535 00:25:09,380 --> 00:25:10,230 Okay, here we go. 536 00:25:12,251 --> 00:25:13,251 Woo hoo hoo! 537 00:25:14,460 --> 00:25:17,580 Oh wow, this is cool. I love this. 538 00:25:17,580 --> 00:25:18,910 Full speed. 539 00:25:18,910 --> 00:25:21,703 She's also anticipating where the lure's gonna go. 540 00:25:22,694 --> 00:25:24,680 (dramatic music) 541 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:25,730 Quick turning around. 542 00:25:27,010 --> 00:25:28,116 Wow. 543 00:25:28,116 --> 00:25:32,220 Cheetah Scalextrics. This (laughs) 544 00:25:32,220 --> 00:25:35,223 Press a button, watch a cheetah run. (laughs) 545 00:25:36,887 --> 00:25:38,530 What stands out for me right now, 546 00:25:38,530 --> 00:25:40,910 from this angle, watching them here, 547 00:25:40,910 --> 00:25:41,993 is their tails. 548 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,560 Their long tails, which act as a counterbalance, 549 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,350 which means they can change direction really quickly. 550 00:25:49,350 --> 00:25:50,880 Also when they're running at full speed 551 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:52,750 which is 70 miles an hour, 552 00:25:52,750 --> 00:25:54,840 their spine flexes so much. 553 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,910 It extends, it compresses, 554 00:25:56,910 --> 00:25:59,570 and all in all, that helps the cheetahs 555 00:25:59,570 --> 00:26:02,420 to cover up to seven meters with each stride. 556 00:26:02,420 --> 00:26:03,770 In fact, they're in the air longer 557 00:26:03,770 --> 00:26:05,410 than they are on the ground, 558 00:26:05,410 --> 00:26:07,390 which is quite surprising 559 00:26:07,390 --> 00:26:10,419 for the fastest land-based animal. 560 00:26:10,419 --> 00:26:12,890 (dramatic music) 561 00:26:12,890 --> 00:26:14,900 They really do fly through the air. 562 00:26:14,900 --> 00:26:17,970 But I think the real key, the secret to their speed, 563 00:26:17,970 --> 00:26:19,523 lies in their legs. 564 00:26:21,030 --> 00:26:23,770 You see, there's another more subtle feature 565 00:26:23,770 --> 00:26:25,203 powering the speed machine. 566 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,440 If we were to put on X-ray glasses, 567 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,940 we'd see what looks like elastic bands 568 00:26:31,940 --> 00:26:34,740 strapped onto the backs of those legs. 569 00:26:34,740 --> 00:26:37,600 These are the cheetah's tendons. 570 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,813 With each landing, those tendons become tightly stretched. 571 00:26:42,820 --> 00:26:45,040 When the cheetah takes its next stride, 572 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,113 they ping back to their original position like a slingshot, 573 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,090 propelling the cheetah's body forwards. 574 00:26:52,090 --> 00:26:53,530 These tendons are essentially 575 00:26:53,530 --> 00:26:56,110 storing up energy with each step 576 00:26:56,110 --> 00:26:58,543 and then using it to power the next one. 577 00:27:02,670 --> 00:27:03,630 Okay. This is great. 578 00:27:03,630 --> 00:27:04,880 We've had these cheetahs running 579 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,319 at high speed for a little while. 580 00:27:07,319 --> 00:27:10,050 (Patrick chuckles) 581 00:27:10,050 --> 00:27:11,836 Hello. (cheetah growls softly) 582 00:27:11,836 --> 00:27:13,630 Oh, aww. 583 00:27:15,430 --> 00:27:16,380 That's amazing, 584 00:27:16,380 --> 00:27:19,820 literally having a cheetah coming and (laughs) 585 00:27:19,820 --> 00:27:21,420 lying down right in front of me. 586 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,110 This is brilliant. 587 00:27:24,110 --> 00:27:26,910 Their legs are spring-loaded. 588 00:27:26,910 --> 00:27:29,420 And right now I can get a really kinda good view 589 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:31,863 of the shape of the legs. 590 00:27:32,954 --> 00:27:35,110 Reckon it's a C shape. 591 00:27:35,110 --> 00:27:37,153 Most of the tendons or ligaments, 592 00:27:38,350 --> 00:27:40,860 that's helping them with each stride. 593 00:27:40,860 --> 00:27:43,590 They're converting that movement into potential energy. 594 00:27:43,590 --> 00:27:45,290 They're storing up that energy. 595 00:27:45,290 --> 00:27:50,290 So it's ready to help them explode on the next stride. 596 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:55,420 But the awesome thing is 597 00:27:55,420 --> 00:27:56,780 that we as humans have managed 598 00:27:56,780 --> 00:27:59,510 to harness this exact same principle 599 00:27:59,510 --> 00:28:01,981 to make our own leap forward. 600 00:28:01,981 --> 00:28:04,564 (lively music) 601 00:28:06,130 --> 00:28:09,900 To see this in action, I'm on the move to England, 602 00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:12,180 to meet someone who's pushing the boundaries 603 00:28:12,180 --> 00:28:13,703 of what the human body can do. 604 00:28:14,674 --> 00:28:17,424 (dramatic music) 605 00:28:22,592 --> 00:28:25,970 (dramatic music intensifies) 606 00:28:25,970 --> 00:28:29,380 She's won gold medals and broken world records 607 00:28:31,270 --> 00:28:34,943 with a little help from some cheetah-inspired technology. 608 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:37,630 Sophie, how's it going? 609 00:28:37,630 --> 00:28:38,810 Oh, it's good, thanks. How are you? 610 00:28:38,810 --> 00:28:40,100 Yeah, absolutely pleasure to meet you. 611 00:28:40,100 --> 00:28:41,210 Should we do one of those, 612 00:28:41,210 --> 00:28:42,470 Yeah. or whatever, yeah. 613 00:28:42,470 --> 00:28:43,303 I want to find out more 614 00:28:43,303 --> 00:28:46,163 about this running blade that you've got. 615 00:28:47,390 --> 00:28:48,303 That is cool. 616 00:28:49,530 --> 00:28:51,850 Do you ever consider that your running blade 617 00:28:51,850 --> 00:28:53,540 is inspired by cheetahs? 618 00:28:53,540 --> 00:28:55,543 I suppose I haven't really thought about the fact 619 00:28:55,543 --> 00:28:58,120 that they were inspired by cheetahs that often, 620 00:28:58,120 --> 00:28:59,540 because when I'm running, 621 00:28:59,540 --> 00:29:02,720 I really don't feel like a predator, like a giant cat. 622 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:03,777 Like I don't feel like that at all. 623 00:29:03,777 --> 00:29:05,760 You're running like one. (Both laugh) 624 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,350 As a Paralympian, you can run, what, 625 00:29:07,350 --> 00:29:08,880 100 meters in 12.9 seconds, 626 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,720 Yeah, that's my PB. which is incredibly fast. 627 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:12,860 You're literally like superhuman. 628 00:29:12,860 --> 00:29:15,160 It's amazing how far 629 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,140 speeds of all the competitors have come along. 630 00:29:18,140 --> 00:29:21,330 Now everyone's running kind of 12 point something. 631 00:29:21,330 --> 00:29:24,850 Whereas in 2012 I got into the final 632 00:29:24,850 --> 00:29:26,651 having run 14 point something, so. 633 00:29:26,651 --> 00:29:28,150 Oh wow, so that's two-second difference, really. 634 00:29:28,150 --> 00:29:30,600 Or like one, one and a half second difference. 635 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:34,910 A two-second difference over 100 meters is phenomenal. 636 00:29:34,910 --> 00:29:36,820 Now it's probably a fool's errand, 637 00:29:36,820 --> 00:29:38,590 but I have to at least see what it's like 638 00:29:38,590 --> 00:29:40,453 to run alongside a gold medalist. 639 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:43,800 How many races are we gonna do? 640 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:45,130 Um, depends. 641 00:29:45,130 --> 00:29:46,197 If I win the first one, 642 00:29:46,197 --> 00:29:49,933 we'll just leave it at that. (Both laugh) 643 00:29:49,933 --> 00:29:51,800 So basically I've got to try and beat you. 644 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:53,048 Yeah. 645 00:29:53,048 --> 00:29:56,184 Okay, runners. On your mark. 646 00:29:56,184 --> 00:29:57,690 And three, 647 00:29:57,690 --> 00:29:58,687 two, 648 00:29:58,687 --> 00:29:59,647 one, 649 00:29:59,647 --> 00:30:00,480 go! 650 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,321 (throbbing music) 651 00:30:03,321 --> 00:30:08,321 (footsteps running) (Patrick breathing hard) 652 00:30:09,750 --> 00:30:11,580 I never stood a chance. 653 00:30:11,580 --> 00:30:12,550 That was good. 654 00:30:12,550 --> 00:30:15,360 Especially against an athlete equipped with cheetah tech. 655 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:16,270 Sophie, that was awesome. 656 00:30:16,270 --> 00:30:18,170 Thanks for the race. I would love a rematch, 657 00:30:18,170 --> 00:30:19,290 but you got training to do. 658 00:30:19,290 --> 00:30:21,825 And so I shall be graceful in defeat. 659 00:30:21,825 --> 00:30:23,380 (Both laugh) 660 00:30:23,380 --> 00:30:26,190 I want to learn more about this technology 661 00:30:26,190 --> 00:30:28,083 and the origins of its inspiration. 662 00:30:29,170 --> 00:30:30,340 So who better to ask 663 00:30:30,340 --> 00:30:32,640 than the people who designed it? 664 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,780 Oh, great to be able to have a chat to you today. 665 00:30:34,780 --> 00:30:36,410 Looking at that running blade, 666 00:30:36,410 --> 00:30:39,110 you wouldn't imagine that it's really a spring, 667 00:30:39,110 --> 00:30:42,030 because it looks so rigid and so tough. 668 00:30:42,030 --> 00:30:44,150 This is quite a lightweight carbonate, 669 00:30:44,150 --> 00:30:47,200 but I almost can't move this with my hand. 670 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:48,460 So what happens is- Let me give it a go. 671 00:30:48,460 --> 00:30:49,293 Let me try. 672 00:30:49,293 --> 00:30:51,089 'Cause I mean, it's gonna be a lot tougher, 673 00:30:51,089 --> 00:30:52,470 'cause there are spikes. (laughs) 674 00:30:52,470 --> 00:30:53,850 There is that, yeah. 675 00:30:53,850 --> 00:30:55,890 I'll try and avoid the spikes. 676 00:30:55,890 --> 00:30:56,723 And, yeah. 677 00:30:57,660 --> 00:30:58,980 When somebody walks, 678 00:30:58,980 --> 00:30:59,910 they're probably putting 679 00:30:59,910 --> 00:31:03,320 about one, 1.2, or three times their body weight 680 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,110 through their legs. 681 00:31:05,110 --> 00:31:06,690 When someone runs or jumps, 682 00:31:06,690 --> 00:31:09,500 that can almost go up to eight times their body weight. 683 00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:13,230 So if you're 100 kilos, quite a sizable person, 684 00:31:13,230 --> 00:31:16,180 yeah, that's 800 kilos at the maximum point. 685 00:31:16,180 --> 00:31:18,440 And that's when these start to come into their own. 686 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:21,770 It seems like it is the natural kind of evolution 687 00:31:21,770 --> 00:31:22,840 of when you look at animals 688 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,420 that use biological springs in their bodies, 689 00:31:25,420 --> 00:31:27,580 whether it's kangaroos or cheetahs, 690 00:31:27,580 --> 00:31:31,070 it does accurately reflect what they do. 691 00:31:31,070 --> 00:31:35,080 There's such beauty and engineering brilliance in nature. 692 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:36,413 You can't ignore it. 693 00:31:37,580 --> 00:31:40,250 I think nature will always win. 694 00:31:40,250 --> 00:31:43,126 I think engineering will come a close second. 695 00:31:43,126 --> 00:31:46,543 (dramatic surging music) 696 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:51,930 It's amazing to think how 697 00:31:51,930 --> 00:31:53,820 learning about just one animal 698 00:31:53,820 --> 00:31:57,310 can completely transform an existing technology. 699 00:31:57,310 --> 00:31:58,620 And it's got me thinking 700 00:31:58,620 --> 00:32:00,390 if there are any other inventions 701 00:32:00,390 --> 00:32:03,350 that could do with a bio-mimicry makeover. 702 00:32:03,350 --> 00:32:04,790 And just as that was coming to mind, 703 00:32:04,790 --> 00:32:07,870 look, I've just spotted these wind turbines. 704 00:32:07,870 --> 00:32:09,720 And boy, it's got me thinking 705 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:14,400 about one of the biggest conundrums of the natural world. 706 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:16,460 Now, here's a question for you. 707 00:32:16,460 --> 00:32:20,990 Why are those propellers on those turbines smooth, 708 00:32:20,990 --> 00:32:22,957 when the best propellers in nature 709 00:32:22,957 --> 00:32:24,257 are the complete opposite? 710 00:32:26,525 --> 00:32:29,520 (waves softly flow) 711 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,293 The coastal waters of Alaska. 712 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,513 A pod of humpback whales is on the move. 713 00:32:41,660 --> 00:32:46,273 Big and hulking, this female weighs 40 tons, 714 00:32:47,170 --> 00:32:50,763 the equivalent of 22 cars strapped together. 715 00:32:53,540 --> 00:32:55,503 But wait till you see her move. 716 00:32:58,690 --> 00:33:00,700 Her prey is tiny. 717 00:33:00,700 --> 00:33:02,680 So to get a big enough mouthful, 718 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,340 she's evolved the ability to corral them 719 00:33:05,340 --> 00:33:06,403 into a tight bundle. 720 00:33:10,970 --> 00:33:13,300 With incredible coordination, 721 00:33:13,300 --> 00:33:15,453 she moves together with her pod-mates. 722 00:33:16,330 --> 00:33:19,413 Diving down, she takes position, 723 00:33:22,431 --> 00:33:25,343 her movements intricate and controlled. 724 00:33:27,130 --> 00:33:30,920 The result is a display of synchronized swimming 725 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,973 that surpasses anything you'll see at the Olympics. 726 00:33:39,078 --> 00:33:43,110 (swelling string music) 727 00:33:43,110 --> 00:33:45,190 Working together, the humpbacks 728 00:33:45,190 --> 00:33:47,563 release a wall of bubbles around their prey. 729 00:33:48,940 --> 00:33:51,563 To the fish, it's an impenetrable barrier. 730 00:33:53,430 --> 00:33:57,699 And it allows the humpbacks to eat their fill. 731 00:33:57,699 --> 00:34:00,282 (lively music) 732 00:34:02,530 --> 00:34:03,910 The secret to being 733 00:34:03,910 --> 00:34:06,243 one of the most graceful giants in the ocean? 734 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:09,633 It's all in the flippers. 735 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:12,450 It turns out 736 00:34:12,450 --> 00:34:15,000 smooth flippers aren't as great as you might think. 737 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:17,790 50 million years ago, 738 00:34:17,790 --> 00:34:21,030 as whales evolved from four-legged mammals 739 00:34:21,030 --> 00:34:23,453 and legs were slowly repurposed as fins, 740 00:34:24,490 --> 00:34:26,523 why didn't the humpbacks go smooth? 741 00:34:28,550 --> 00:34:30,170 On a smooth flipper, 742 00:34:30,170 --> 00:34:32,840 water flow breaks up into turbulent vortices 743 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:34,563 as it reaches the trailing edge. 744 00:34:36,090 --> 00:34:38,840 But humpbacks have developed strange bumps 745 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,593 on the leading edge of their fins, called tubercles, 746 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:47,560 and these tubercles channel water into a streamlined flow, 747 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,270 creating less drag 748 00:34:49,270 --> 00:34:51,683 and giving her a better grip on the water. 749 00:34:52,980 --> 00:34:55,330 It's this increased control 750 00:34:55,330 --> 00:34:58,894 that's the key to her fancy flipper work. 751 00:34:58,894 --> 00:35:02,561 (dramatic music crescendos) 752 00:35:04,820 --> 00:35:08,503 This discovery could be applied in all sorts of areas. 753 00:35:10,155 --> 00:35:11,080 (propeller whirs) 754 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:14,470 Underwater propellers would face less drag, 755 00:35:14,470 --> 00:35:16,903 meaning more power and less fuel. 756 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:20,100 Engineers are already experimenting 757 00:35:20,100 --> 00:35:22,223 with these whale-inspired designs. 758 00:35:23,350 --> 00:35:26,343 And this effect works in air as well. 759 00:35:27,350 --> 00:35:30,530 With less drag, wind turbines rotate faster, 760 00:35:30,530 --> 00:35:31,903 harnessing more energy. 761 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:36,050 But perhaps the most profound use 762 00:35:36,050 --> 00:35:38,230 we can make of this technology 763 00:35:38,230 --> 00:35:39,253 is in aviation. 764 00:35:43,310 --> 00:35:44,620 Researchers have discovered 765 00:35:44,620 --> 00:35:47,110 that tubercles on the wings of airplanes 766 00:35:47,110 --> 00:35:50,733 produce better lift, and up to 30% less drag, 767 00:35:52,450 --> 00:35:54,790 which means burning less fuel. 768 00:35:54,790 --> 00:35:57,223 And that's got to be good news for the planet. 769 00:36:00,390 --> 00:36:02,873 And as I make my way to my next destination, 770 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:07,583 I'm reminded of how much we take air travel for granted. 771 00:36:11,540 --> 00:36:13,240 In 2019, 772 00:36:13,240 --> 00:36:17,380 the airline industry released over 900 million tons of CO2 773 00:36:17,380 --> 00:36:18,423 into the atmosphere. 774 00:36:19,500 --> 00:36:22,653 That's more than the entire carbon output of Texas. 775 00:36:23,900 --> 00:36:27,660 Now, we aren't likely to give up air travel anytime soon. 776 00:36:27,660 --> 00:36:30,683 So we have to discover more efficient ways to get around. 777 00:36:31,550 --> 00:36:34,390 And if we want to find better ways to fly, 778 00:36:34,390 --> 00:36:36,210 we need look no further 779 00:36:36,210 --> 00:36:38,793 than the animals that have mastered the skies. 780 00:36:39,830 --> 00:36:42,023 Which is why I'm headed to Hawaii. 781 00:36:46,660 --> 00:36:48,670 We've always looked to birds 782 00:36:48,670 --> 00:36:52,510 to inspire us to get ourselves airborne. 783 00:36:52,510 --> 00:36:54,170 But the thing is, 784 00:36:54,170 --> 00:36:56,390 these feathered friends are way ahead of us 785 00:36:56,390 --> 00:37:00,610 when it comes to their mastery of the skies. 786 00:37:00,610 --> 00:37:04,690 Are there any more lessons that we can learn from birds, 787 00:37:04,690 --> 00:37:06,633 not just when it comes to flying, 788 00:37:07,540 --> 00:37:09,343 but flying more efficiently? 789 00:37:10,690 --> 00:37:13,190 Well, I'm hoping that the answer to that 790 00:37:13,190 --> 00:37:16,053 lies at the end of this bumpy dirt road. 791 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,633 While I attempt to navigate this road, 792 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:26,793 far out at sea, a lone figure is gliding. 793 00:37:30,770 --> 00:37:34,670 This female albatross has had to venture far from land 794 00:37:34,670 --> 00:37:35,783 in search of food. 795 00:37:37,980 --> 00:37:39,350 So far, in fact, 796 00:37:39,350 --> 00:37:43,063 she's been out of sight of land for almost two weeks. 797 00:37:46,350 --> 00:37:49,633 Surprisingly, she hasn't flapped her wings for hours. 798 00:37:50,540 --> 00:37:53,200 Instead, she keeps them outstretched, 799 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,173 catching the sea wind to stay aloft. 800 00:37:56,990 --> 00:38:00,180 As she glides, she sniffs the air, 801 00:38:00,180 --> 00:38:02,700 searching for the smell of plankton, 802 00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:04,500 where her prey are likely gathering. 803 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:09,250 For the first time in almost 24 hours, 804 00:38:09,250 --> 00:38:13,143 she furls her wings and approaches the water surface. 805 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:21,323 She takes this opportunity to drink, 806 00:38:22,310 --> 00:38:23,990 having no problem dealing with the salt 807 00:38:23,990 --> 00:38:25,290 contained in the seawater. 808 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:31,777 But down here, she's vulnerable to predators. 809 00:38:31,777 --> 00:38:34,444 (ominous music) 810 00:38:36,096 --> 00:38:39,513 A narrow escape, as she takes to the air, 811 00:38:40,950 --> 00:38:42,763 this time heading for shore. 812 00:38:52,470 --> 00:38:56,383 Back at the colony, a lone chick waits amongst its brethren. 813 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:04,143 Having last ate over a week ago, it's ravenous. 814 00:39:09,090 --> 00:39:10,943 But after so long out at sea, 815 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:16,273 Mum has to look carefully to identify which chick is hers. 816 00:39:23,150 --> 00:39:24,023 Is it this one? 817 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:27,030 Nope. 818 00:39:27,030 --> 00:39:27,983 How about this one? 819 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:33,753 At long last it's Mum, with a much-needed food delivery. 820 00:39:35,564 --> 00:39:39,650 A concentrated mix of squid and calorific oil. 821 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:44,830 This will last the chick for at least another week, 822 00:39:44,830 --> 00:39:47,153 until Dad returns on a separate trip. 823 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:50,870 Mothering duties done, 824 00:39:50,870 --> 00:39:54,073 it's time she returned to the comfort of the ocean. 825 00:39:56,370 --> 00:39:59,450 Takeoff isn't that easy for these lumbering birds. 826 00:39:59,450 --> 00:40:02,583 They're far more at home gliding with the wind. 827 00:40:06,070 --> 00:40:08,570 This act of landing and taking off 828 00:40:08,570 --> 00:40:09,663 will have used more energy 829 00:40:09,663 --> 00:40:11,513 than she would have burned in flight. 830 00:40:14,550 --> 00:40:16,423 But up here, she's serene. 831 00:40:17,550 --> 00:40:19,933 Her energy expenditure, insignificant. 832 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:24,630 So what's her secret? 833 00:40:24,630 --> 00:40:26,640 I love how these albatross are just lurking. 834 00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:28,820 I know. (laughs) How close they get, wow! 835 00:40:28,820 --> 00:40:29,980 I think from a distance, 836 00:40:29,980 --> 00:40:34,150 in some ways you can't really tell how big their wings are, 837 00:40:34,150 --> 00:40:37,482 but as soon as they kind of just buzz your head, 838 00:40:37,482 --> 00:40:39,470 there're just like a couple of different things 839 00:40:39,470 --> 00:40:41,280 I suppose I'm noticing, 840 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:44,100 how like graceful and maneuverable they are, 841 00:40:44,100 --> 00:40:45,650 barely flapping their wings. 842 00:40:45,650 --> 00:40:48,910 Yeah, they know how to harness the power of the wind. 843 00:40:48,910 --> 00:40:50,090 And I mean, we can watch this bird 844 00:40:50,090 --> 00:40:52,540 probably for however long he's flying, 845 00:40:52,540 --> 00:40:53,750 and it would be unusual for him 846 00:40:53,750 --> 00:40:55,200 to take a wing beat right now. 847 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:57,310 So he's just gonna arc and glide 848 00:40:57,310 --> 00:40:58,810 all over the whole thing. 849 00:40:58,810 --> 00:40:59,850 And I can't help but thinking 850 00:40:59,850 --> 00:41:01,030 they're having fun when they're doing this. 851 00:41:01,030 --> 00:41:02,940 I think they are, definitely Especially when they bank. 852 00:41:02,940 --> 00:41:04,170 Definitely. 853 00:41:04,170 --> 00:41:06,955 I suppose all of that comes down to its ability 854 00:41:06,955 --> 00:41:09,590 to lock its wings in position. 855 00:41:09,590 --> 00:41:10,423 Right. 856 00:41:10,423 --> 00:41:12,080 If we were to hold our arms out like this, 857 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:13,990 I mean, we could do it for a decent length of time, 858 00:41:13,990 --> 00:41:14,823 but after a few minutes, 859 00:41:14,823 --> 00:41:16,830 you're gonna start to get pretty shaky. 860 00:41:16,830 --> 00:41:19,190 And that's kind of the key to how they fly. 861 00:41:19,190 --> 00:41:21,540 They can almost keep their wings out indefinitely, 862 00:41:21,540 --> 00:41:23,840 and they have special tendons and ligaments 863 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:25,740 in essentially their breastplate 864 00:41:25,740 --> 00:41:27,310 that allow them to lock it open. 865 00:41:27,310 --> 00:41:29,410 So it's not something that's using muscle. 866 00:41:33,254 --> 00:41:35,630 The land component of their life is such a small part. 867 00:41:35,630 --> 00:41:38,830 We have some birds that we banded as chicks 868 00:41:38,830 --> 00:41:40,460 that didn't come back for eight years. 869 00:41:40,460 --> 00:41:41,293 Wow. 870 00:41:44,240 --> 00:41:47,853 This locking tendon is an amazing feat of evolution. 871 00:41:49,170 --> 00:41:51,790 Essentially, it turns a flapping bird 872 00:41:51,790 --> 00:41:53,453 into a fixed-wing glider. 873 00:41:56,460 --> 00:41:59,920 At rest, the wings are positioned as you'd expect. 874 00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:03,060 Folded at the shoulder and elbow joints. 875 00:42:03,060 --> 00:42:05,660 But when the albatross extends its wings, 876 00:42:05,660 --> 00:42:07,410 a special tendon at the shoulder 877 00:42:07,410 --> 00:42:09,083 locks the wing to the chest. 878 00:42:10,210 --> 00:42:14,230 In flight, this tendon prevents the wing from overextending. 879 00:42:14,230 --> 00:42:17,150 The body now suspended from a rigid frame, 880 00:42:17,150 --> 00:42:18,193 like a hang glider. 881 00:42:19,410 --> 00:42:21,810 And should the albatross hit any turbulence, 882 00:42:21,810 --> 00:42:23,400 or need to flap, 883 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:25,080 the wings can unlock, 884 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:27,223 giving the albatross total control. 885 00:42:31,210 --> 00:42:33,893 Albatross are an endangered species. 886 00:42:36,650 --> 00:42:38,730 By tagging them, Lindsay can keep track 887 00:42:38,730 --> 00:42:40,160 of their numbers and movement 888 00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:41,663 for conservation purposes. 889 00:42:44,710 --> 00:42:46,180 So we've got some adults over there. 890 00:42:46,180 --> 00:42:47,665 Yeah, so we've got one there, 891 00:42:47,665 --> 00:42:48,498 and then two in the background, 892 00:42:48,498 --> 00:42:49,633 and you can see the chick. 893 00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:52,860 But we'll need to catch one first, 894 00:42:54,250 --> 00:42:56,253 and no, it's not easy. 895 00:42:58,890 --> 00:43:00,020 So right now, if you just want to kneel, 896 00:43:00,020 --> 00:43:01,120 so we don't scare 'em. 897 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:02,833 Okay. 898 00:43:04,900 --> 00:43:05,733 Am I coming with you? 899 00:43:05,733 --> 00:43:07,371 No, just stay right there. Okay. 900 00:43:07,371 --> 00:43:08,204 Phoo, wow. 901 00:43:09,300 --> 00:43:10,712 So it's not always pretty. (laughs) 902 00:43:10,712 --> 00:43:12,410 It's not, I mean- 903 00:43:12,410 --> 00:43:13,243 I'm actually gonna hand the bird to you. 904 00:43:13,243 --> 00:43:15,370 Okay. So, hand across the bill, 905 00:43:15,370 --> 00:43:18,600 making sure that its nostrils are clear. 906 00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:20,850 I'd say football hold, but that is different than soc- 907 00:43:20,850 --> 00:43:22,290 Whoa, which way? Which way am I going? 908 00:43:22,290 --> 00:43:24,570 You're good. Just hug him. 909 00:43:24,570 --> 00:43:26,207 Okay. Hug the bird. 910 00:43:26,207 --> 00:43:27,693 Hug the bird. 911 00:43:29,460 --> 00:43:30,800 Okay. 912 00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:31,890 So you're all good. 913 00:43:31,890 --> 00:43:32,723 Nice. How does it look 914 00:43:32,723 --> 00:43:33,556 to hug an albatross? 915 00:43:33,556 --> 00:43:34,389 It feels great. 916 00:43:34,389 --> 00:43:35,897 It's really soft. (Lindsay laughs) 917 00:43:35,897 --> 00:43:39,360 I didn't expect I was gonna have my hands 918 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:41,383 over the beak of an albatross, 919 00:43:41,383 --> 00:43:44,873 and holding it like a baby. (laughs) 920 00:43:45,710 --> 00:43:46,543 I can tell you one thing, 921 00:43:46,543 --> 00:43:47,385 You said you were here to help, 922 00:43:47,385 --> 00:43:48,218 I mean- it's really strong. 923 00:43:48,218 --> 00:43:50,342 I am here to help. (laughs) 924 00:43:50,342 --> 00:43:54,260 I just didn't realize this would be the help. (laughs) 925 00:43:54,260 --> 00:43:56,697 So what we're doing is we're putting two leg bands on. 926 00:43:56,697 --> 00:43:59,370 And so if it loses one band, we still know who this bird is. 927 00:43:59,370 --> 00:44:01,190 So the idea is, we never want to touch him again. 928 00:44:01,190 --> 00:44:03,080 This like two minutes that we're holding him,- 929 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:03,913 Mm-hmm. 930 00:44:03,913 --> 00:44:05,739 We'll do that. 931 00:44:05,739 --> 00:44:09,446 So that's got a good (indistinct). 932 00:44:09,446 --> 00:44:12,098 Bit of a bump on his leg. 933 00:44:12,098 --> 00:44:14,200 Oh, sorry, sorry. Okay, (laughs) sorry, buddy. 934 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:16,090 So now what we're gonna do is release him. 935 00:44:16,090 --> 00:44:16,923 Okay. 936 00:44:19,361 --> 00:44:20,872 All right. 937 00:44:20,872 --> 00:44:22,590 Let go of the beak last. 938 00:44:22,590 --> 00:44:23,890 Okay, here we go. So. 939 00:44:25,298 --> 00:44:28,609 (albatross flaps wings and skitters across grass) 940 00:44:28,609 --> 00:44:31,385 Nice. 941 00:44:31,385 --> 00:44:32,281 There we go. 942 00:44:32,281 --> 00:44:34,869 (laughs) That's awesome. 943 00:44:34,869 --> 00:44:36,786 Good job. Nicely done. 944 00:44:38,650 --> 00:44:40,470 As I leave Hawaii, 945 00:44:40,470 --> 00:44:42,450 I can't help but reflect on my time 946 00:44:42,450 --> 00:44:43,890 with these incredible birds 947 00:44:45,479 --> 00:44:49,447 and their ability to fly so far using minimal effort. 948 00:44:50,970 --> 00:44:54,360 Surely there must be a way to adapt this skill 949 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:55,653 to our own needs. 950 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:01,433 (camera beeps) 951 00:45:01,433 --> 00:45:03,740 Okay, I've made my way back to England, 952 00:45:03,740 --> 00:45:06,450 to a town called Filton. 953 00:45:06,450 --> 00:45:08,330 Now it might be a small town, 954 00:45:08,330 --> 00:45:10,120 but this place has a lot of history 955 00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:13,040 when you think about the history of aviation. 956 00:45:13,040 --> 00:45:16,490 About a hundred years' worth of planes have been born here, 957 00:45:16,490 --> 00:45:18,900 all the way through to the mighty Concorde. 958 00:45:18,900 --> 00:45:20,380 And I'm here to meet engineers 959 00:45:20,380 --> 00:45:23,030 that are designing the next generation of aircraft 960 00:45:23,030 --> 00:45:24,693 to take to our skies. 961 00:45:24,693 --> 00:45:28,920 (inspiring energetic music) 962 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:31,520 We've been trying to copy birds' ability to fly 963 00:45:31,520 --> 00:45:32,593 for centuries. 964 00:45:34,330 --> 00:45:36,773 It's probably the oldest form of bio-mimicry. 965 00:45:38,680 --> 00:45:42,653 It's led to some truly weird and wonderful flying machines. 966 00:45:43,960 --> 00:45:45,910 And once we gave up on making aircraft 967 00:45:45,910 --> 00:45:47,610 that flap their wings, 968 00:45:47,610 --> 00:45:50,193 we ended up with some pretty successful designs. 969 00:45:52,830 --> 00:45:54,713 But can we take this any further? 970 00:45:56,090 --> 00:45:58,543 Well, there's someone who thinks we can. 971 00:45:59,930 --> 00:46:01,660 Yup, that's the wing from an A320, 972 00:46:01,660 --> 00:46:03,490 an Airbus. Oh my goodness. 973 00:46:03,490 --> 00:46:07,190 Tom, so this is the pinnacle of commercial aviation. 974 00:46:07,190 --> 00:46:08,740 Is there anything that you want to change here, 975 00:46:08,740 --> 00:46:10,240 or is this it? 976 00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:11,640 We ought to make the wings longer, 977 00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:13,400 'cause that's how we get more efficient flight. 978 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:16,030 How much longer do you want to get them? 979 00:46:16,030 --> 00:46:18,700 So the wingspan of this aircraft is about 36 meters 980 00:46:18,700 --> 00:46:20,390 and we're interested to see 981 00:46:20,390 --> 00:46:22,050 whether we can get beyond 50 meters. 982 00:46:22,050 --> 00:46:24,310 That's almost doubling the length. 983 00:46:24,310 --> 00:46:26,890 So why aren't they that long right now? 984 00:46:26,890 --> 00:46:29,260 If you make a wing longer, it gets heavier. 985 00:46:29,260 --> 00:46:30,510 You have to reinforce it. 986 00:46:30,510 --> 00:46:32,010 So how can you make it longer, 987 00:46:32,010 --> 00:46:33,430 and get the aerodynamic gains, 988 00:46:33,430 --> 00:46:35,973 without having to reinforce and make it heavier? 989 00:46:37,830 --> 00:46:40,860 There have been no major breakthroughs in aviation 990 00:46:40,860 --> 00:46:42,543 for over 50 years. 991 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:44,973 Until now. 992 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:50,793 And it seems flapping wings might be back on the menu. 993 00:46:51,850 --> 00:46:54,170 Wow, so this is your creation, 994 00:46:54,170 --> 00:46:55,350 the Albatross One, 995 00:46:55,350 --> 00:46:58,760 but (laughs) I've never seen wings like that before. 996 00:46:58,760 --> 00:47:00,200 Surely this thing doesn't fly. 997 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:01,930 It does. It's flown six times. 998 00:47:01,930 --> 00:47:04,470 It actually flies, not even just in principle, 999 00:47:04,470 --> 00:47:05,960 this model actually can get up into the air? 1000 00:47:05,960 --> 00:47:08,140 Yeah, we prefer to call it a research vehicle. 1001 00:47:08,140 --> 00:47:10,470 Wow. It's for scientific endeavor 1002 00:47:10,470 --> 00:47:11,900 That's so cool. 1003 00:47:11,900 --> 00:47:13,120 In terms of doing wider reading 1004 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:14,530 around high aspect ratio wings 1005 00:47:14,530 --> 00:47:16,240 and thinking, how does nature do it? 1006 00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:17,790 We realized that the albatross had a solution 1007 00:47:17,790 --> 00:47:19,020 which is very similar. 1008 00:47:19,020 --> 00:47:20,650 So that kind of gave us confidence 1009 00:47:20,650 --> 00:47:22,663 that we were asking the right questions. 1010 00:47:23,580 --> 00:47:26,070 A conventional wing transmits huge loads 1011 00:47:26,070 --> 00:47:27,970 to the plane's body during turbulence. 1012 00:47:29,150 --> 00:47:31,763 This means the wing has to be heavily strengthened, 1013 00:47:32,630 --> 00:47:34,780 increasing the weight and the amount of fuel 1014 00:47:34,780 --> 00:47:35,793 needed to fly. 1015 00:47:37,150 --> 00:47:40,600 But the wings of this albatross-inspired prototype 1016 00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:43,350 can avoid these challenges altogether. 1017 00:47:43,350 --> 00:47:45,260 And we're about to see how. 1018 00:47:45,260 --> 00:47:48,020 Great, all right, let's get these fans on, then. 1019 00:47:48,020 --> 00:47:48,853 Here we go. 1020 00:47:49,801 --> 00:47:53,380 (fans whir and accelerate speed) 1021 00:47:53,380 --> 00:47:55,320 For the purposes of this experiment, 1022 00:47:55,320 --> 00:47:57,913 the pilot is operating the wings by remote control. 1023 00:47:59,440 --> 00:48:01,590 In normal flight, the wing is fixed, 1024 00:48:01,590 --> 00:48:03,113 like any normal aircraft. 1025 00:48:04,750 --> 00:48:07,500 But when the turbulence provided by these industrial fans 1026 00:48:07,500 --> 00:48:08,480 kicks in, 1027 00:48:08,480 --> 00:48:10,943 our stand-in pilot unlocks the wing. 1028 00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:14,220 It floats free. 1029 00:48:14,220 --> 00:48:16,432 So no more stress from that turbulence. 1030 00:48:16,432 --> 00:48:20,190 (urgent string music) 1031 00:48:20,190 --> 00:48:21,927 So this is now in turbulence. 1032 00:48:21,927 --> 00:48:23,570 So if you- 1033 00:48:23,570 --> 00:48:26,040 Gonna come back to that position. 1034 00:48:26,040 --> 00:48:27,700 Oh, interesting. Okay, right, yeah. 1035 00:48:27,700 --> 00:48:28,533 So it's, 1036 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:33,030 it'll always find the right kind of angle attack 1037 00:48:33,980 --> 00:48:34,813 or place to be, really. 1038 00:48:34,813 --> 00:48:36,450 Yeah, we call it coasting. 1039 00:48:39,010 --> 00:48:40,470 Right there, I can, 1040 00:48:40,470 --> 00:48:43,870 these wings are really, like, free-moving. 1041 00:48:43,870 --> 00:48:45,357 That's the thing right now. 1042 00:48:45,357 --> 00:48:47,430 And so you can imagine that 1043 00:48:47,430 --> 00:48:48,963 without that free movement, 1044 00:48:50,340 --> 00:48:53,570 all of that energy would be transferred into those wings. 1045 00:48:53,570 --> 00:48:54,590 That's right. 1046 00:48:54,590 --> 00:48:56,130 And once out of turbulence, 1047 00:48:56,130 --> 00:48:58,650 the pilot locks the wings back in position, 1048 00:48:58,650 --> 00:49:00,750 just like a real albatross. 1049 00:49:00,750 --> 00:49:02,674 So now the wing tips have been locked. 1050 00:49:02,674 --> 00:49:03,748 And you can feel it's- 1051 00:49:03,748 --> 00:49:05,193 Okay, yeah. 1052 00:49:06,168 --> 00:49:07,070 Ah. 1053 00:49:07,070 --> 00:49:08,500 Just like a shoulder. 1054 00:49:08,500 --> 00:49:10,090 That's so cool. 1055 00:49:10,090 --> 00:49:12,040 And if it was this long, 1056 00:49:12,040 --> 00:49:16,630 and it didn't have the ability to come up and be hinged, 1057 00:49:16,630 --> 00:49:19,520 then you'd risk a failure on this wing, potentially. 1058 00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:21,110 In fact we'd just simply have to make the wing 1059 00:49:21,110 --> 00:49:22,830 much stronger, and therefore much heavier. 1060 00:49:22,830 --> 00:49:25,330 And if it wasn't stronger and wasn't heavier, 1061 00:49:25,330 --> 00:49:26,230 what would happen? 1062 00:49:27,100 --> 00:49:27,933 We won't fly. 1063 00:49:27,933 --> 00:49:30,880 (Both laugh) Yeah. 1064 00:49:30,880 --> 00:49:32,360 (fans power down) 1065 00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:34,820 Now, there's still a long way to go, 1066 00:49:34,820 --> 00:49:36,300 but Tom believes this approach 1067 00:49:36,300 --> 00:49:39,133 could lead to a significant boost in fuel efficiency. 1068 00:49:40,950 --> 00:49:41,960 It's quite a big deal. 1069 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:43,500 So most of the big improvements recently 1070 00:49:43,500 --> 00:49:44,640 have come on the engines, 1071 00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:45,980 but on the airframe side, 1072 00:49:45,980 --> 00:49:47,170 there's been small improvements. 1073 00:49:47,170 --> 00:49:48,003 So that if we can achieve it, 1074 00:49:48,003 --> 00:49:49,800 it would be a really big step forward. 1075 00:49:51,270 --> 00:49:53,350 I set out to show that humanity 1076 00:49:53,350 --> 00:49:56,053 would benefit from nature's solutions to movement. 1077 00:49:57,130 --> 00:49:58,963 And here is the proof. 1078 00:50:00,140 --> 00:50:04,550 If we could make our planes just 5% more fuel efficient, 1079 00:50:04,550 --> 00:50:09,093 we could save over 4.5 billion gallons of fuel each year. 1080 00:50:09,930 --> 00:50:12,210 And in terms of carbon emissions, 1081 00:50:12,210 --> 00:50:13,330 that's almost as much 1082 00:50:13,330 --> 00:50:16,223 as the yearly total footprint of Singapore, 1083 00:50:17,800 --> 00:50:21,333 simply by copying one of nature's ultimate gliders. 1084 00:50:23,630 --> 00:50:27,530 So how much more fantastic could our aircraft become 1085 00:50:27,530 --> 00:50:28,663 through bio-mimicry? 1086 00:50:30,070 --> 00:50:33,363 Planes that soar with the true grace of an albatross, 1087 00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:37,243 or with the agility of a hummingbird. 1088 00:50:38,470 --> 00:50:40,240 But why stop there? 1089 00:50:40,240 --> 00:50:43,230 By looking to the animals that are masters of movement, 1090 00:50:43,230 --> 00:50:45,293 I see a very dynamic future. 1091 00:50:46,280 --> 00:50:48,820 Snake-inspired search and rescue robots 1092 00:50:48,820 --> 00:50:50,583 that can master any terrain. 1093 00:50:51,570 --> 00:50:55,193 Autonomous passenger vehicles navigating like bats. 1094 00:50:56,270 --> 00:50:59,753 The future of movement is definitely animal. 1095 00:51:03,520 --> 00:51:06,673 The human species has spread and colonized the globe. 1096 00:51:07,610 --> 00:51:10,703 We can go anywhere we want in a matter of hours, 1097 00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:14,823 but our movement is taking a toll on the planet. 1098 00:51:16,410 --> 00:51:19,420 I've seen that by studying how nature moves, 1099 00:51:19,420 --> 00:51:22,023 we can find ways of reversing our impact. 1100 00:51:23,460 --> 00:51:26,393 There are many more life-altering solutions out there. 1101 00:51:27,330 --> 00:51:30,037 All we need to do is look. 1102 00:51:30,037 --> 00:51:32,870 (energetic music) 1103 00:51:57,559 --> 00:52:00,142 (jingle plays) 1104 00:52:01,569 --> 00:52:04,152 (jingle plays) 1105 00:52:04,152 --> 00:52:06,152 �moovlmvhd