1
00:00:12,213 --> 00:00:13,545
Narrator: CHERNOBYL --
2
00:00:13,547 --> 00:00:17,049
THE MOST RADIOACTIVE SITE
IN THE WORLD,
3
00:00:17,051 --> 00:00:19,685
A TOXIC WASTELAND.
4
00:00:19,687 --> 00:00:21,854
NOW, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME,
5
00:00:21,856 --> 00:00:24,523
TWO SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN GRANTED
EXCLUSIVE ACCESS
6
00:00:24,525 --> 00:00:27,059
TO INVESTIGATE THE ENTIRE ZONE.
7
00:00:27,061 --> 00:00:29,561
RISKING POTENTIALLY LETHAL
RADIATION,
8
00:00:29,563 --> 00:00:33,632
THEIR MISSION IS TO FIND OUT
WHAT 30 YEARS OF NUCLEAR FALLOUT
9
00:00:33,634 --> 00:00:35,367
HAS DONE TO LIFE HERE.
10
00:00:35,369 --> 00:00:37,503
-GETAC BK!
-COME ON!
11
00:00:37,505 --> 00:00:39,304
Narrator: ANTHROPOLOGIST
MARY-ANN OCHOTA
12
00:00:39,306 --> 00:00:41,040
AND BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
13
00:00:41,042 --> 00:00:43,675
WILL JOURNEY DEEP
INTO UNEXPLORED AREAS,
14
00:00:43,677 --> 00:00:47,112
COMPLETING THE MOST THOROUGH
INVESTIGATION EVER CARRIED OUT.
15
00:00:47,114 --> 00:00:48,480
THAT IS WHOLESALDAE MAGE.
16
00:00:48,482 --> 00:00:50,916
THEY CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC
EXPERIMENTS...
17
00:00:50,918 --> 00:00:52,451
OF COURSE, IT'S --
IT'S AGGRESSIVE.
18
00:00:52,453 --> 00:00:55,120
...SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
TO UNUSUAL BEHAVIORS
19
00:00:55,122 --> 00:00:57,322
AND MUTATIONS...
20
00:00:57,324 --> 00:00:59,258
There's something out there.
21
00:00:59,260 --> 00:01:01,560
RACING AGAINST MOUNTING
RADIATION EXPOSURE,
22
00:01:01,562 --> 00:01:05,564
THEY UNCOVER THE SHOCKING TRUTH
ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS
23
00:01:05,566 --> 00:01:07,232
THAT STILL LIVE HERE,
24
00:01:07,234 --> 00:01:10,936
WHERE NOTHING WAS EXPECTED
TO SURVIVE FOR YEARS TCOO ME.
25
00:01:10,938 --> 00:01:13,806
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
26
00:01:13,808 --> 00:01:16,942
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
27
00:01:16,944 --> 00:01:19,545
APRIL 1986.
28
00:01:19,547 --> 00:01:21,313
[ WOMAN SINGS IN RUSSIAN ]
29
00:01:23,884 --> 00:01:25,617
A CATASTROPHIC EXPLOSION
30
00:01:25,619 --> 00:01:27,920
AT CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR
POWER STATION.
31
00:01:32,493 --> 00:01:34,860
REACTOR NUMBER FOUR
GOES INTO MELTDOWN,
32
00:01:34,862 --> 00:01:36,161
RELEASING EIGHT TONS
33
00:01:36,163 --> 00:01:39,665
OF HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE
CORE MATERIAL.
34
00:01:39,667 --> 00:01:43,102
RADIATION EQUIVALENT
TO 400 HIROSHIMA BOMBS,
35
00:01:43,104 --> 00:01:45,838
FIVE TIMES MORE
THAN THE FUKUSHIMA DISASTER,
36
00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:47,639
RAINS ACROSS THE WORLD.
37
00:01:49,844 --> 00:01:51,877
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DIE,
38
00:01:51,879 --> 00:01:54,847
AND COUNTLESS ANIMALS
ARE WIPED OUT.
39
00:01:56,183 --> 00:01:58,750
30 YEARS LATER,
IT'S SO RADIOACTIVE
40
00:01:58,752 --> 00:02:02,187
THAT IT IS STILL ABANDONED,
SEALED OFF --
41
00:02:02,189 --> 00:02:07,926
A 20-MILE EXCLUSION ZONE
WITH ACCESS STRICTLY CONTROLLED.
42
00:02:07,928 --> 00:02:09,962
Man: I THINK I SEE THE
CHECKPOINT IN FRONT OF US.
43
00:02:09,964 --> 00:02:11,430
Woman: YEAH.
44
00:02:11,432 --> 00:02:15,167
AFTER THE DISASTER, MANY THOUGHT
LIFE HERE WOULD BE GONE FOREVER.
45
00:02:15,169 --> 00:02:18,871
BUT NEW STUDIES
ARE CHALLENGING TH BATELIEF.
46
00:02:18,873 --> 00:02:22,508
ANTHROPOLOGIST MARY-ANN OCHOTA
AND BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
47
00:02:22,510 --> 00:02:24,743
AND HERE TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH.
48
00:02:24,745 --> 00:02:26,612
THIS WHOLE AREA
IS LIKE A GIANT EXPERIMENT
49
00:02:26,614 --> 00:02:27,713
BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT,
50
00:02:27,715 --> 00:02:29,548
YOU KNOW, PLANTS AND ANIMALS
THAT HAVE BEEN
51
00:02:29,550 --> 00:02:32,818
LIVING WITH RADIATION
THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
52
00:02:32,820 --> 00:02:34,453
AND SO, LOOKING AT THEM,
STUDYING THEM,
53
00:02:34,455 --> 00:02:35,621
YOU'RE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT
54
00:02:35,623 --> 00:02:37,122
WHAT ARE THE REAL EFFECTS
OF RADIATION.
55
00:02:37,124 --> 00:02:38,390
YEAH.
56
00:02:38,392 --> 00:02:41,527
A LOT OF MY FRIENDS THINK
I'M ABSOLUTELY MAD TO BE HERE.
57
00:02:41,529 --> 00:02:42,995
"WHY WOULD YOU
TAKE THAT RISK?"
58
00:02:42,997 --> 00:02:47,166
AND YET THERE'S SO MUCH SCIENCE
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE.
59
00:02:47,168 --> 00:02:51,570
HOW CAN LIFE SURVIVE
IN THIS EXTRE EMENVIRONMENT?
60
00:02:51,572 --> 00:02:54,773
AND WHATS ITHE RADIATION
DOING TO THE CREATURES HERE?
61
00:02:56,243 --> 00:02:57,809
SO, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE
WORKING HERE,
62
00:02:57,811 --> 00:02:59,611
SOME PEOPLE HERE,
SOME PEOPLE DOWN HERE.
63
00:02:59,613 --> 00:03:00,746
SO, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE
ALL OVER THIS AREA
64
00:03:00,748 --> 00:03:02,381
DOING DIFFERENT THINGS,
65
00:03:02,383 --> 00:03:05,651
TRYING TO LOOK AT HOW
RADIATION IS AFFECTING
THE WILDLIFE HERE.
66
00:03:05,653 --> 00:03:06,685
WE'VE GOT A LOT TO DO.
67
00:03:06,687 --> 00:03:09,254
YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GET STARTED.
68
00:03:10,791 --> 00:03:13,692
THERE ARE LOCAL TALES
OF MONSTER FISH,
69
00:03:13,694 --> 00:03:17,262
TWO-HEADED FROGS,
MUTANT CREATURES.
70
00:03:17,264 --> 00:03:22,434
BUT WHAT'S REALLY OUT THERE
IN CHERNOBYL'S DANGER ZONE?
71
00:03:22,436 --> 00:03:24,803
-GAS, GAS, GAS!
-ONE...
72
00:03:24,805 --> 00:03:25,637
-TWO...
-THREE.
73
00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:26,738
Narrator: THE THREAT
74
00:03:26,740 --> 00:03:29,074
OF THE INVISIBLE KILLER
IS EVERYWHERE,
75
00:03:29,076 --> 00:03:30,576
SO BEFORE THEY START...
76
00:03:30,578 --> 00:03:32,110
GO, GO, GO!
77
00:03:32,112 --> 00:03:35,113
...THEY NEED MILITARY-GRADE
TRAINING AND PROTECTIVE GEAR.
78
00:03:35,115 --> 00:03:37,049
LOOK AT ME. TOO LATE.
YOU'VE GOT IT TOO LATE.
79
00:03:37,051 --> 00:03:40,786
YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE, OKAY?
OKAY. DOWN HERE.
80
00:03:41,989 --> 00:03:43,188
I CANNOT BELIEVE
81
00:03:43,190 --> 00:03:46,124
THAT I'M GOING INTO THE HEART
OF A NUCLEAR HOT ZONE.
82
00:03:46,126 --> 00:03:47,893
I REMEMBER AS A LITT KLEID
83
00:03:47,895 --> 00:03:50,562
BEING KEPT IN
AT SCHOOL BREAK TIME
84
00:03:50,564 --> 00:03:52,798
SO THAT THE CONTAMINATED DUST
ULDN'T FALL ON US.
85
00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:54,066
REMEMBER IT SO CLEARLY.
86
00:03:54,068 --> 00:03:56,501
WELL, IT'S FAR WORSE HERE.
RIGHT.
87
00:03:56,503 --> 00:03:57,436
OVERBOOTS.
-THANK YOU.
88
00:03:57,438 --> 00:03:59,204
OKAY.
-HELP PROTECT YOUR FEET.
89
00:03:59,206 --> 00:04:02,040
ORAL/NASAL MASK
TO HELP PROTECT YOUR BREATHING.
90
00:04:02,042 --> 00:04:06,011
GOGGLES
AND YOUR PROTECTIVE OVERSUIT.
91
00:04:06,013 --> 00:04:08,747
NO ONE'S DONE THAT MUCH
EXPLORATION INTO THE ZONE.
92
00:04:08,749 --> 00:04:11,049
EVEN DECADES LATER,
THESE PLACES
93
00:04:11,051 --> 00:04:12,618
ARE SO CONTAMINATED THAT,
94
00:04:12,620 --> 00:04:16,455
IF YOU STAY TOO LONG,
IT COULD KILL YOU.
95
00:04:16,457 --> 00:04:18,190
Narrator: MARY-ANN
AND ROB HAVE BEEN BRIEFED
96
00:04:18,192 --> 00:04:20,492
ON THE SYMPTOMS
TO WATCH OUT FOR.
97
00:04:20,494 --> 00:04:20,525
ACUTE EXPOSURE TO RADIATION
CAUSES SICKNESS, DIZZINESS
98
00:04:20,527 --> 00:04:24,129
,
ON THE SYMPTOMS
TO WATCH OUT FOR.
99
00:04:24,131 --> 00:04:28,700
HAIR LOSS, VOMITING BLD,OO
AND EVEN SEIZURES.
100
00:04:28,702 --> 00:04:30,068
BUT WITH FEW STUDIES,
101
00:04:30,070 --> 00:04:32,070
THE EFFECTS
OF LONG-TERM RADIATION
102
00:04:32,072 --> 00:04:34,373
ARE MUCH LESS UNDERSTOOD.
103
00:04:34,375 --> 00:04:36,508
WHAT WE WANT TO FIND OUT
IS WHAT 30 YEARS
104
00:04:36,510 --> 00:04:39,478
OF RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT
HAS DONE TO LIFE HERE.
105
00:04:41,315 --> 00:04:43,915
Narrator: THEY START IN A COOLER
PART OF THE ZONE,
106
00:04:43,917 --> 00:04:47,586
WHERE RADIATION LEVELS
ARE RELATIVELY LOW --
107
00:04:47,588 --> 00:04:50,622
A TOP-SECRET RELIC
OF THE COLD WAR.
108
00:04:50,624 --> 00:04:52,691
YOU SEE ALL THESE TREES
AROUND HERE?
109
00:04:52,693 --> 00:04:56,528
THEY WERE BASICALLY PLANTED
TO GROW UP AND HIDE THIS ARRAY
110
00:04:56,530 --> 00:04:59,865
SO THAT NOBODY COULD SEE IT
FROM ANY ROAD.
111
00:04:59,867 --> 00:05:04,236
THIS WAS A SUPER-POWERED RADAR
FACILITY DESIGNED BY THE SOVIETS
112
00:05:04,238 --> 00:05:05,671
TO SPY ON THE WEST.
113
00:05:05,673 --> 00:05:08,206
THIS WHOLE
AREA WAS SUPER-SECRET.
114
00:05:08,208 --> 00:05:09,675
NOBODY WAS ALLOWED IN HERE.
115
00:05:09,677 --> 00:05:12,444
IT WAS PROTECTED
FOR A LONG TIME.
116
00:05:12,446 --> 00:05:14,112
UNDISTURBED BY HUMANS,
117
00:05:14,114 --> 00:05:17,182
THIS USED TO BE
A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE.
118
00:05:17,184 --> 00:05:20,052
BUT THAT WAS
BEFORE THE NUCLEAR MELTDOWN
119
00:05:20,054 --> 00:05:23,355
THAT EXTERMINATED ANIMALS
ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION.
120
00:05:27,494 --> 00:05:29,828
OKAY. LET'S SEE WHAT
WE'VE GOT, THEN.
121
00:05:33,367 --> 00:05:35,967
OH, HELLO.
122
00:05:35,969 --> 00:05:37,769
WE'VE ONLY BEEN HERE
JUST A LITTLE TIME,
123
00:05:37,771 --> 00:05:40,706
BUT I'VE ALREADY HEARD
A WOODPECKER OVER THERE.
124
00:05:43,944 --> 00:05:47,112
Narrator: WHAT THEY FIND
SURPRISES THEM.
125
00:05:47,114 --> 00:05:48,980
IT'S TEEMING WITH WILDLIFE.
126
00:05:48,982 --> 00:05:51,717
Nelson: THIS IS AWESOME.
127
00:05:51,719 --> 00:05:53,185
Narrator: AGAINST ALL ODDS,
128
00:05:53,187 --> 00:05:56,088
NATURE APPEARS TO BE MAKING
A COMEBACK.
129
00:05:56,090 --> 00:05:57,622
BUT HOW?
130
00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,461
COULD RADIATION
BE AFFECTING THE ANIMALS
131
00:06:02,463 --> 00:06:05,464
IN WAYS THAT AREN'T
EASILY VISIBLE?
132
00:06:08,268 --> 00:06:10,802
TIME TO DO MORE
DETAILED INVESTIGATION.
133
00:06:21,849 --> 00:06:26,485
I'VE JUST SPOTTED A HERD
OF PRZEWALKSKI'S HORSES.
134
00:06:26,487 --> 00:06:28,787
INCREDIBLY ENDANGERED,
135
00:06:28,789 --> 00:06:30,455
AND THEY'RE
GRAZING JUST OVER THERE.
136
00:06:33,327 --> 00:06:35,961
Narrator: THESE ARE THE ZONE'S
RAREST CREATURES,
137
00:06:35,963 --> 00:06:39,030
RESCUED FROM THE BRINK
OF EXTINCTION.
138
00:06:39,032 --> 00:06:42,167
IT IS AMAZING TO GET THIS CLOSE
TO THESE HORSES.
139
00:06:42,169 --> 00:06:43,301
THE PRZEWALKSKI'S HORSES
140
00:06:43,303 --> 00:06:46,004
ARE ACTUALLY
A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SPECIES
141
00:06:46,006 --> 00:06:49,741
TO THE DOMESTIC HORSE THAT MOST
OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
142
00:06:49,743 --> 00:06:51,109
AND THEY'RE REALLY PRIMITIVE.
143
00:06:51,111 --> 00:06:52,711
THEY THINK
THAT THE SPECIES DIVERGED
144
00:06:52,713 --> 00:06:55,280
AT LEAST 50,000 YEARS AGO.
145
00:06:55,282 --> 00:06:56,415
AND THAT IS BASICALLY
146
00:06:56,417 --> 00:06:59,084
WHY THEY LOOK
LIKE CAVE-PAINTING HORSES.
147
00:06:59,086 --> 00:07:03,321
THEY ARE.
THEY'RE A PRIMITIVE SPECIES.
148
00:07:03,323 --> 00:07:04,523
Narrator:
THE HORSES WERE INTRODUCED
149
00:07:04,525 --> 00:07:07,225
12 YEARS AFTER THE EXPLOSION.
150
00:07:07,227 --> 00:07:09,060
THEY WERE SETTLED
IN THE LOW-RADIATION AREAS
151
00:07:09,062 --> 00:07:10,395
OF THE ZONE WITH THE HOPE
152
00:07:10,397 --> 00:07:14,866
THAT THE PROTECTED SITE
WOULD ALLOW THEM TO THRIVE.
153
00:07:14,868 --> 00:07:18,003
AT FIRST, ALL LOOKED PROMISING.
154
00:07:18,005 --> 00:07:20,839
BY THE EARLY 2000s,
THEY WERE DOING INCREDIBLY WELL.
155
00:07:20,841 --> 00:07:24,109
THIS WAS A CONSERVATION
SUCCESS STORY.
156
00:07:24,111 --> 00:07:27,078
BUT JUST RECENTLY, NUMBERS
HAVE BEEN DROPPING RAPIDLY,
157
00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,048
AND NO ONE'S QUITE SURE WHY.
158
00:07:30,050 --> 00:07:32,317
SO I'M GONNA TRY
AND GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER,
159
00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:35,887
CHECK OUT HOW HEALTHY
THIS HERD IS.
160
00:07:35,889 --> 00:07:38,523
Narrator: THE HORSES
APPEAR COMPLETELY NORMAL,
161
00:07:38,525 --> 00:07:42,227
BUT NOW SOMETHING
IS KILLING THEM OFF.
162
00:07:42,229 --> 00:07:43,762
TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON,
163
00:07:43,764 --> 00:07:46,131
MARY-ANN IS GOING
TO COLLECT A TEST SAMPLE.
164
00:07:46,133 --> 00:07:51,102
I'VE GOT TO FILL THIS WHOLE
THING UP WITH HORSE DOO-DOO.
165
00:07:53,507 --> 00:07:55,140
Narrator: THIS DUNG
SAMPLE SHOULD REVEAL
166
00:07:55,142 --> 00:07:57,309
WHETHER IT'S DISEASE
OR RADIATION
167
00:07:57,311 --> 00:07:59,444
WHICH IS HAVING
SUCH A CATASTROPHIC EFFECT
168
00:07:59,446 --> 00:08:01,079
ON THE HORSES.
169
00:08:03,984 --> 00:08:05,450
PROFESSOR TIM MOUSSEAU,
170
00:08:05,452 --> 00:08:08,253
A BIOLOGIST FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
171
00:08:08,255 --> 00:08:10,021
HAS BEEN STUDYING
A RANGE OF ANIMALS
172
00:08:10,023 --> 00:08:12,424
ACROSS THE ZONE FOR 15 YEARS.
173
00:08:12,426 --> 00:08:13,825
-TIM, HI.
-MARY-ANN.
174
00:08:13,827 --> 00:08:16,828
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
-HOW'S IT GOING?
175
00:08:16,830 --> 00:08:19,831
Narrator: NOTHING IS ALLOWED
TO LEAVE THE EXCLUSION AREA,
176
00:08:19,833 --> 00:08:21,800
SO PROFESSOR MOUSSEAU
HAS SET UP A LAB
177
00:08:21,802 --> 00:08:24,336
INSIDE AN ABANDONED BUILDING
IN THE ZONE.
178
00:08:24,338 --> 00:08:25,704
WELCOME TO
OUR HUMBLE ABODE.
179
00:08:25,706 --> 00:08:27,706
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
180
00:08:27,708 --> 00:08:30,242
TIM, THAT'S IT.
THE GAMMA SPECTROMETER.
181
00:08:30,244 --> 00:08:31,643
LOOK AT THAT!
182
00:08:31,645 --> 00:08:34,112
SOLID LEAD BLOCKS
HELD TOGETHER WITH DUCT TAPE.
183
00:08:34,114 --> 00:08:34,946
[ Chuckling ] YES.
184
00:08:34,948 --> 00:08:36,715
OKAY.
HERE'S THE SAMPLE.
185
00:08:36,717 --> 00:08:41,152
THE SPECTROMETER MEASURES
THE RADIATION IN THE DUNG.
186
00:08:41,154 --> 00:08:43,054
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GET.
187
00:08:43,056 --> 00:08:44,122
WOW.
188
00:08:44,124 --> 00:08:45,257
LOOK AT THAT.
189
00:08:45,259 --> 00:08:47,492
WE HAVE A --
-THAT'S A HUGE SIGNATURE.
190
00:08:47,494 --> 00:08:49,127
WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?
191
00:08:49,129 --> 00:08:51,863
THAT IS GOING UP
AND UP AND UP.
192
00:08:51,865 --> 00:08:53,932
YEAH.
NO, THIS IS QUITE INCREDIBLE.
193
00:08:53,934 --> 00:08:54,866
MM.
194
00:08:54,868 --> 00:08:56,935
AND WE'VE GOT
THAT BLUE SPIKE --
195
00:08:56,937 --> 00:08:59,571
CS-137.
THAT'S THE RADIOACTIVE CESIUM.
196
00:08:59,573 --> 00:09:00,772
THAT'S THE
RADIOACTIVE CESIUM
197
00:09:00,774 --> 00:09:03,642
THAT'S DOMINANT
IN THE CHERNOBYL ZONE. YEP.
198
00:09:03,644 --> 00:09:06,811
EVEN THOUGH THESE HORSES
ARE IN THE COOL-RADIATION ZONES,
199
00:09:06,813 --> 00:09:08,480
THE CONTAMINATION
IN THEIR BODIES
200
00:09:08,482 --> 00:09:10,549
IS EXTREMELY HIGH.
201
00:09:10,551 --> 00:09:13,084
AND THAT IS GOING
TO HAVE PROFOUND IMPACT
202
00:09:13,086 --> 00:09:14,986
ON THOSE HORSES' HEALTH.
203
00:09:14,988 --> 00:09:18,023
THAT IS --
THAT IS WHOLESALE DAMAGE.
204
00:09:18,025 --> 00:09:19,925
I'M REALLY,
REALLY SHOCKED, ACTUALLY.
205
00:09:23,230 --> 00:09:26,164
WELL, THOSE RESULTS
WERE STAGGERING.
206
00:09:26,166 --> 00:09:27,966
THAT DUNG SAMPLE WAS TAKEN
207
00:09:27,968 --> 00:09:31,136
FROM A COLD AREA
OF THE EXCLUSION ZONE,
208
00:09:31,138 --> 00:09:34,606
BUT THE CESIUM-137 LEVELS
WERE THROUGH THE ROOF.
209
00:09:34,608 --> 00:09:36,808
Narrator: OVER TIM
ETHE LOW-LEVEL RADIATION
210
00:09:36,810 --> 00:09:38,977
IS BUILDING UP
IN THE HORSES' BODIES
211
00:09:38,979 --> 00:09:41,580
TO TOXIC AMOUNTS.
212
00:09:41,582 --> 00:09:44,282
AND THAT COULD BE WHAT'S CAUSING
THE HORSE POPULATION NUMBERS
213
00:09:44,284 --> 00:09:46,952
TO DROP.
214
00:09:46,954 --> 00:09:49,321
COMING UP, ROB
IS ABOUT TO INVESTIGATE
215
00:09:49,323 --> 00:09:50,655
A STMYERIOUS CHANGE
216
00:09:50,657 --> 00:09:53,458
IN ONE OF CHERNOBYL'S
ICONIC ANIMALS --
217
00:09:53,460 --> 00:09:54,559
THE WOLVES.
218
00:09:57,089 --> 00:09:58,121
Narrator:
BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
219
00:09:58,123 --> 00:09:59,622
AND ANTHROPOLOGIST
MARY-ANN OCHOTA
220
00:09:59,624 --> 00:10:03,059
ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT
WHAT EXTREME NUCLEAR RADIATION
221
00:10:03,061 --> 00:10:06,863
HAS DONE TO LIVING CREATURES
OUND CHERNOBYL.
222
00:10:06,865 --> 00:10:09,065
ROB IS ON THE TRAIL
OF A STRANGE CHANGE
223
00:10:09,067 --> 00:10:11,668
IN THE GROWING WOLF POPULATION.
224
00:10:11,670 --> 00:10:14,637
WOLVES HAVE HAD REPORTS
OF BEING VERY --
225
00:10:14,639 --> 00:10:17,607
PRETTY AGGRESSIVE, AND WOLVES
ARE NOT REALLY AGGRESSIVE.
226
00:10:17,609 --> 00:10:19,142
WOLVES ARE VERY INTELLIGENT.
227
00:10:19,144 --> 00:10:20,343
THEY TRY TO STAY
AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
228
00:10:20,345 --> 00:10:21,511
BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH SOMETHING
229
00:10:21,513 --> 00:10:22,946
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT HERE, YOU KNOW?
230
00:10:22,948 --> 00:10:24,147
WE'RE DEALING WITH WOLVES
231
00:10:24,149 --> 00:10:26,983
THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED
TO RADIOACTIVITY.
232
00:10:26,985 --> 00:10:30,086
Narrator: ROB TEAMS UP WITH
WOLF EXPERT MARYNA SHKVYRIA,
233
00:10:30,088 --> 00:10:33,389
WHO'S BEEN STUDYING THE WOLVES
HERE FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
234
00:10:33,391 --> 00:10:36,526
SHE REVEALS AN ALARMING PIECE
OF INFORMATION.
235
00:10:40,966 --> 00:10:42,665
SO, THE WOLVES
HERE HAVE BEEN
236
00:10:42,667 --> 00:10:44,834
EATING SOME
LIVESTOCK, DOGS,
237
00:10:44,836 --> 00:10:46,669
AND THERE WAS
AN ATTACK ON HUMANS.
238
00:10:49,307 --> 00:10:51,574
A GROUP OF TEMPORARY WORKERS
WERE IN THE ZONE
239
00:10:51,576 --> 00:10:53,209
WHEN, SUDDENLYA , LONE WOLF
240
00:10:53,211 --> 00:10:57,046
ATTACKED THEM,
BITING THEM REPEATEDLY.
241
00:10:57,048 --> 00:10:59,249
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
242
00:10:59,251 --> 00:11:00,984
SIX PEOPLE WERE TAKEN
TO THE HOSPITAL
243
00:11:00,986 --> 00:11:03,386
FOR STITCHES
AND RABIES TREATMENT.
244
00:11:04,890 --> 00:11:06,356
[ HOWLING ]
245
00:11:06,358 --> 00:11:09,526
WOLF ATTACKS ON HUMANS
ARE EXCEPTIONALLY RARE,
246
00:11:09,528 --> 00:11:12,228
ESPECIALLY ON A GROUP OF PEOPLE.
247
00:11:12,230 --> 00:11:14,831
I'M JUST THINKING BACK
TO WHEN I GREW UP.
248
00:11:14,833 --> 00:11:17,767
I HEARD THAT WOLVES
NEVER ATTACKED HUMANS.
249
00:11:17,769 --> 00:11:20,670
THIS COULD BE
JUST AN ISOLATED CASE,
250
00:11:20,672 --> 00:11:22,005
BUT THE LOCALS HERE FEAR
251
00:11:22,007 --> 00:11:25,542
THAT RADIATION IS CHANGING
THE WOLVES' BEHAVIOR.
252
00:11:29,748 --> 00:11:35,084
ROB WANTS TO SET UP CAMERA TRAPS
TO SEE THE WOLVES IN ACTION.
253
00:11:35,086 --> 00:11:37,787
BUT THEY OFTEN HUNT AFTER DARK,
254
00:11:37,789 --> 00:11:40,123
WHICH MEANS ROB HAS
TO GO INTO THE FOREST
255
00:11:40,125 --> 00:11:45,328
OF THE CHERNOBYL EXCLUSION ZONE
AT NIGHT.
256
00:11:45,330 --> 00:11:46,362
ALMOST 9:00 AT NIGHT RIGHT NOW.
257
00:11:46,364 --> 00:11:48,832
WE HAVEN'T PASSED ANYBODY
IN A WHILE.
258
00:11:48,834 --> 00:11:52,502
THIS, UH, FOREST AT NIGHT --
259
00:11:52,504 --> 00:11:56,172
IT'S A LOT EASIER TO BELIEVE
THE STORIES OF MUTANT ANIMALS.
260
00:11:58,577 --> 00:12:00,844
WE'RE HOPING WE CAN GET
CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THESE WOLVES
261
00:12:00,846 --> 00:12:02,612
THROUGH THESE CAMERA TRAPS,
262
00:12:02,614 --> 00:12:05,281
'CAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE
WHAT THEIR BEHAVIOR'S LIKE.
263
00:12:13,592 --> 00:12:15,425
Narrator: THESE CAMERA TRAPS
CAPTURE AN IMAGE
264
00:12:15,427 --> 00:12:17,894
WHENEVER AN ANIMAL
BREAKS THE BEAM.
265
00:12:17,896 --> 00:12:19,462
BUT ROWIB LL NEED
TO SEE MUCH MORE
266
00:12:19,464 --> 00:12:21,564
THAN A PASSING GLIMPSE
OF A WOLF.
267
00:12:21,566 --> 00:12:23,366
HE WILL NEED TO CAPTURE BEHAVIOR
268
00:12:23,368 --> 00:12:25,869
THAT'S NEVER BEEN
SEEN ON CAMERA BEFORE.
269
00:12:25,871 --> 00:12:27,070
This is my chance to see
270
00:12:27,072 --> 00:12:30,807
if the wolves really
are behaving strangely.
271
00:12:30,809 --> 00:12:32,442
If so,
this will be the first time
272
00:12:32,444 --> 00:12:35,812
that something like this
will be documented.
273
00:12:35,814 --> 00:12:38,281
Narrator: SUDDENLY,
THEY HEAR SOMETHING.
274
00:12:42,954 --> 00:12:44,654
SHH, SHH.
275
00:12:46,725 --> 00:12:48,424
What was that?
276
00:12:56,635 --> 00:12:59,569
[ HOWLING IN DISTANCE ]
277
00:12:59,571 --> 00:13:01,337
Narrator:
MARYNA HAS A PLAN.
278
00:13:01,339 --> 00:13:03,706
She said she's
gonna do something real quick.
279
00:13:03,708 --> 00:13:06,209
I think she's
gonna try to call them in.
280
00:13:06,211 --> 00:13:09,245
[ CALLING ]
281
00:13:17,889 --> 00:13:21,357
[ HOWLING IN DISTANCE ]
282
00:13:21,359 --> 00:13:24,727
[ CALLING ]
283
00:13:28,099 --> 00:13:31,134
Narrator: HOPING THEY'VE LURED
THE WOLVES CLOSER TO THE TRAPS,
284
00:13:31,136 --> 00:13:34,470
THEY DECIDE TO CALL IT A NIGHT.
285
00:13:34,472 --> 00:13:35,838
LET'S LEAVE
THE CAMERA TRAPS.
286
00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,341
WE'LL LEAVE THEM FOR A COUPLE
DAYS, SEE WHAT WE GET.
287
00:13:43,048 --> 00:13:45,982
COMING UP, MARY-ANN COMES
FACE TO FACE...
288
00:13:45,984 --> 00:13:46,916
OH, MY GOD.
289
00:13:49,815 --> 00:13:50,981
Narrator: ANTHROPOLOGIST
MARY-ANN OCHOTA
290
00:13:50,983 --> 00:13:54,485
AND BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
ARE WORKING IN CHERNOBYL,
291
00:13:54,487 --> 00:13:57,221
THE MOST RADIOACTIVE SITE
ON THE PLANET, TO FIND OUT
292
00:13:57,223 --> 00:14:01,792
WHAT EXTREME RADIATION
HAS DONE TO LIFE HERE.
293
00:14:01,794 --> 00:14:03,761
WE'RE STAYING THE NIGHT
IN THE EXCLUSION ZONE
294
00:14:03,763 --> 00:14:05,029
IN CHERNOBYL TOWN.
295
00:14:05,031 --> 00:14:06,697
SOMEONE JUST RAN IN
WHILE WE WERE HAVING DINNER
296
00:14:06,699 --> 00:14:08,332
AND SAID, "THERE'S A WILD BOAR
IN THE CAR PARK."
297
00:14:08,334 --> 00:14:11,969
AND IT'S HERE JUST TOTALLY
UNBOTHERED.
298
00:14:11,971 --> 00:14:14,338
BOY, IT'S MASSIVE!
299
00:14:16,942 --> 00:14:19,743
I VEHA TO SAY,
I'M KIND OF LOST FOR WORDS.
300
00:14:19,745 --> 00:14:22,913
IT'S SO CLOSE.
AND THAT WEIGHS MORE THAN I DO.
301
00:14:22,915 --> 00:14:25,683
AND I KNOW THAT WILD BOAR
KILL PEOPLE.
302
00:14:25,685 --> 00:14:27,618
UM, THEY GORE THEM AND --
303
00:14:27,620 --> 00:14:29,253
OH, MY GOD.
304
00:14:33,659 --> 00:14:34,758
Narrator: ACROSS THE ZONE,
305
00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:39,096
THE NUMBER
OF WILD BOAR HAS SOARED.
306
00:14:39,098 --> 00:14:40,564
I THINK HE'S EATING
SOME KIND OF NUT
307
00:14:40,566 --> 00:14:42,700
FROM THE TREE THAT'S ABOVE US.
308
00:14:42,702 --> 00:14:42,733
IT'S GOT
AN INCREDIBLY HARD SHELL
309
00:14:42,735 --> 00:14:44,201
,
FROM THE TREE THAT'S ABOVE US.
310
00:14:44,203 --> 00:14:47,705
AND THIS BOAR IS JUST
CRUNCHING THROUGH THEM.
311
00:14:47,707 --> 00:14:50,741
JUST GOES TO SHOW JUST HOW
POWERFUL THEIR JAWS ARE,
312
00:14:50,743 --> 00:14:54,478
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
THEY'RE SO DANGEROUS.
313
00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,680
Narrator:
THE OTHER DANGER IS HIDDEN.
314
00:14:56,682 --> 00:15:00,050
THESE BOARS ARE RADIOACTIVE.
315
00:15:00,052 --> 00:15:02,753
THEY EAT THE ZONE'S
TOXIC PLANTS,
316
00:15:02,755 --> 00:15:06,190
CONCENTRATING THE POISON
IN THEIR BODIES.
317
00:15:06,192 --> 00:15:08,425
AND WHEN THEY ROAM
OUTSIDE THE ZONE,
318
00:15:08,427 --> 00:15:11,462
THEY ARE HUNTED
AND EATEN BY THE LOCALS.
319
00:15:11,464 --> 00:15:13,063
YOU CAN SEE
THIS IS HOW BOARS FEED.
320
00:15:13,065 --> 00:15:15,966
THEY GET THEIR NOSES
RIGHT DOWN INTO THE DIRT,
321
00:15:15,968 --> 00:15:17,801
GRUBBING UP ROOTS,
322
00:15:17,803 --> 00:15:20,003
EATING MUSHROOMS, BERRIES,
323
00:15:20,005 --> 00:15:21,739
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE
SO SUSCEPTIBLE
324
00:15:21,741 --> 00:15:24,708
TO GETTING CONTAMINATED.
325
00:15:24,710 --> 00:15:26,243
IF YOU EAT WILD BOAR,
326
00:15:26,245 --> 00:15:28,946
YOU'RE INGESTING EVERYTHING
THAT THAT ANIMAL HAS TAKEN IN.
327
00:15:28,948 --> 00:15:32,449
IT MAKES THE MEAT
REALLY DANGEROUS.
328
00:15:32,451 --> 00:15:34,952
Narrator: BUT WHO HUNTS
THESE ANIMALS?
329
00:15:34,954 --> 00:15:37,855
AND WHY WOULD THEY WANT
TO EAT THE TOXIC MEAT?
330
00:15:37,857 --> 00:15:39,423
[ ANIMAL BARKS ]
331
00:15:43,062 --> 00:15:44,328
THE NEXT MORNING,
332
00:15:44,330 --> 00:15:48,265
MARY-ANN DISCOVERS
SOME STARTLING INFORMATION.
333
00:15:48,267 --> 00:15:51,435
DESPITE ARMED PERIMETER
CHECKPOINTS IN CHERNOBYL,
334
00:15:51,437 --> 00:15:53,137
SHE'S HEARD
SOME FORMER RESIDENTS
335
00:15:53,139 --> 00:15:58,275
HAVE SNEAKED BACK IN
AND NOW LIVE HERE PERMANENTLY.
336
00:15:58,277 --> 00:16:01,979
AS AN ANTHROPOLOGIST,
MARY-ANN IS EAGER TO LEARN MORE.
337
00:16:01,981 --> 00:16:04,581
SHE'S DETERMINED
TO TRACK THE PEOPLE DOWN.
338
00:16:04,583 --> 00:16:07,818
I FEEL LIKE A SPY
FROM LONG-GONE SOVIET DAYS
339
00:16:07,820 --> 00:16:11,822
BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO ARRANGE
THIS RATHER CLANDESTINE MEETING
340
00:16:11,824 --> 00:16:13,257
WITH SOMEONE
WHO KNOWS ABOUT PEOPLE
341
00:16:13,259 --> 00:16:15,492
WHO LIVE IN THE EXCLUSION ZONE.
342
00:16:15,494 --> 00:16:18,595
THE AUTHORITIES ARE AWARE
THAT PEOPLE COME IN HERE,
343
00:16:18,597 --> 00:16:21,064
BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY
KEEN ON ME TALKING TO THEM.
344
00:16:23,736 --> 00:16:27,204
Narrator:
IVAN WORKS LEGALLY IN THE ZONE
AT THE LOCAL FIRE STATION.
345
00:16:30,042 --> 00:16:34,545
HE'S AGREED TO TAKE MARY-ANN
TO MEET TWO PERMANENT RESIDENTS.
346
00:16:34,547 --> 00:16:36,513
-IVAN IVANOVYCH, MARY-ANN.
-MARIYA.
347
00:16:36,515 --> 00:16:40,284
[ CONVERSING IN RUSSIAN ]
348
00:16:40,286 --> 00:16:41,485
SO, YOU LIVE HERE
PERMANENTLY?
349
00:16:41,487 --> 00:16:43,387
Narrator: IVAN AND MARIYA
CAME BACK TO CHERNOBYL
350
00:16:43,389 --> 00:16:45,756
JUST TWO YEARS
AFTER THE MELTDOWN.
351
00:16:45,758 --> 00:16:47,858
50 YEARS?
352
00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:50,661
SO YOU REMEMBER
WHEN THE DISASTER HAPPENED?
353
00:16:50,663 --> 00:16:52,162
[ SPEAKING RUSSIAN ]
354
00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,800
IVAN IVANOVYCH
SAYS HE REMEMBERS
355
00:16:56,802 --> 00:16:59,436
EXACTLY THE MOMENT
THE DISASTER HAPPENED.
356
00:16:59,438 --> 00:17:01,305
THEY WERE
PLANTING VEGETABLES,
357
00:17:01,307 --> 00:17:03,941
AND SUDDENLY, THE EVACUATION
HAD TO HAPPEN.
358
00:17:03,943 --> 00:17:06,176
THEY WERE TOLD
THEY HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOME.
359
00:17:06,178 --> 00:17:09,346
BUT WHY WOULD THEY WANT
TO RETURN TO THIS DESERTED,
360
00:17:09,348 --> 00:17:10,581
RADIOACTIVE VILLAGE?
361
00:17:10,583 --> 00:17:13,584
OH, MY GOSH!
362
00:17:13,586 --> 00:17:15,319
THAT'S TERRIBLE!
363
00:17:15,321 --> 00:17:19,022
THEY THOUGHT
THAT YOU WERE TAINTED?
364
00:17:19,024 --> 00:17:20,924
WHEN THEY WERE EVACUATED,
365
00:17:20,926 --> 00:17:23,126
THE AREA THAT THEY WERE
RESETTLED TO --
366
00:17:23,128 --> 00:17:24,428
THE PEOPLE THOUGHT
367
00:17:24,430 --> 00:17:27,564
THAT THEY WERE TAINTED,
CONTAMINATED BY CHERNOBYL,
368
00:17:27,566 --> 00:17:32,302
SO WHEN THEY WENT TO THE SHOP,
EVERYONE ELSE WOULD DISAPPEAR.
369
00:17:32,304 --> 00:17:35,706
Narrator: TREATED AS OUTCASTS
OUTSIDE CHERNOBYL,
370
00:17:35,708 --> 00:17:39,243
THEY PREFERRED NUCLEAR FALLOUT
TO ISOLATION.
371
00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:42,913
AHA.
THESE ARE CARROTS.
372
00:17:42,915 --> 00:17:44,481
THERE ARE NO SHOPS HERE,
373
00:17:44,483 --> 00:17:47,918
SO THIS COUPLE LIVE MAINLY ON
WHAT THEY CAN GROW ON THE LAND.
374
00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,288
CARROTS, CORN, PEAS.
375
00:17:51,290 --> 00:17:54,825
YOU EVER WORRIED ABOUT
THE CONTAMINATION IN THE GROUND?
376
00:17:54,827 --> 00:17:57,394
[ SPEAKING RUSSIAN ]
377
00:17:59,832 --> 00:18:03,100
HE SAYS THATHE T LIQUIDATORS,
THE CLEAN-UP WORKERS
378
00:18:03,102 --> 00:18:04,868
CAME HERE AND REPORTED
379
00:18:04,870 --> 00:18:07,938
THAT THE LAND WAS CLEAN
ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE.
380
00:18:07,940 --> 00:18:10,207
Narrator: BUT RADIATION
IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE
381
00:18:10,209 --> 00:18:13,443
TO ERADICATE COMPLETELY.
382
00:18:13,445 --> 00:18:17,514
AND EVEN LOW-LEVEL RADIATION
CAN BUILD UP TO DANGEROUS LEVELS
383
00:18:17,516 --> 00:18:20,817
WITHIN THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS.
384
00:18:20,819 --> 00:18:25,188
IT'S WARM IN HERE.
IT'S NICE.
385
00:18:25,190 --> 00:18:27,157
HAVING TO SURVIVE
ON WHAT THEY GROW
386
00:18:27,159 --> 00:18:28,458
OR FIND IN THE ZONE
387
00:18:28,460 --> 00:18:31,728
COULD BE PUTTING IVAN
AND MARIYA IN DANGER.
388
00:18:33,465 --> 00:18:35,899
Ochota: IT'S CLEARLY
A HARD LIFE THESE TWO LIVE.
389
00:18:38,470 --> 00:18:41,338
Narrator: IVAN AND MARIYA
ARE NOT THE ONLY RESIDENTS.
390
00:18:41,340 --> 00:18:44,575
IT'S ESTIMATED
THAT OVER 150 PEOPLE
391
00:18:44,577 --> 00:18:47,678
ARE NOW LINGVI
IN THIS TOXIC WASTELAND.
392
00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,947
DISCOVERING THAT PEOPLE
LIVE HERE PERMANENTLY
393
00:18:49,949 --> 00:18:52,716
IS AN ABSOLUTE GAME-CHANGER.
394
00:18:52,718 --> 00:18:54,718
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
THE CONSEQUENCES
395
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:57,020
OF LONG-TERM RADIATION EXPOSURE
396
00:18:57,022 --> 00:18:58,322
NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE
OF THE ANIMALS
397
00:18:58,324 --> 00:19:00,157
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE.
398
00:19:06,065 --> 00:19:07,331
Narrator:
IT'S BEEN 24 HOURS
399
00:19:07,333 --> 00:19:09,199
SINCE BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
400
00:19:09,201 --> 00:19:12,536
AND WOLF EXPERT MARYNA SHKVYRIA
SET CAMERA TRAPS
401
00:19:12,538 --> 00:19:15,973
TO TRY AND CAPTURE WILD BEHAVIOR
OF CHERNOBYL'S WOLVES.
402
00:19:15,975 --> 00:19:19,009
ETTY COOL.
WOW.
403
00:19:19,011 --> 00:19:20,978
IS THAT A MALE RIGHT THERE?
404
00:19:20,980 --> 00:19:24,448
REMARKABLY, THE FOOTAGE
SHOWS A WOLF EATING ITS PREY --
405
00:19:24,450 --> 00:19:27,718
A UNIQUE CHANCE
TO OBSERVE ITS BEHAVIOR.
406
00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,087
TELL ME WHAT YOU CAN
ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR HERE
407
00:19:30,089 --> 00:19:31,755
OF THIS WOLF EATING.
408
00:19:43,869 --> 00:19:45,802
YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE
THAT HE'S GROWLING.
409
00:19:45,804 --> 00:19:47,504
YEAH, HE'S DEFINITELY
BEINAGG GRESSIVE RIGHT THERE
410
00:19:47,506 --> 00:19:50,273
TO SOMETHING --
YOU CAN SEE HIS FANGS.
411
00:19:56,515 --> 00:19:57,948
ALL RIGHT. I MUST SAY,
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SCARY
412
00:19:57,950 --> 00:20:00,150
SEEING THAT AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
IN THE WOLVES.
413
00:20:00,152 --> 00:20:02,486
AT THE SAME TIME,
WE'RE REALLY LUCKY
414
00:20:02,488 --> 00:20:05,188
TO HAVE SEEN IT, 'CAUSE IT'S
REALLY, REALLY RARE
415
00:20:05,190 --> 00:20:07,724
TO SEE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IN THE WILD.
416
00:20:07,726 --> 00:20:10,394
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE
WHAT THE WOLF WAS LOOKING AT.
417
00:20:10,396 --> 00:20:12,763
JUST FROM THAT PICTURE,
IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL.
418
00:20:12,765 --> 00:20:15,098
SO, THE SCIENTISTS ARE
GONNA CONTINUE THEIR RESEARCH.
419
00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:17,834
THEY'RE GONNA TAKE DNA SAMPLES,
TRY TO FIGURE OUT
420
00:20:17,836 --> 00:20:20,904
WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH THESE RADIOACTIVE WOLVES.
421
00:20:30,949 --> 00:20:32,149
Narrator: ROB AND MARY-ANN
422
00:20:32,151 --> 00:20:34,885
ARE ABOUT TO FACE
THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE YET.
423
00:20:34,887 --> 00:20:37,521
THEY ARE MOVING INTO THE HIGHEST
RADIATION AREAS,
424
00:20:37,523 --> 00:20:42,025
INVESTIGATING ONE OF THE ZONE'S
MOST LETHAL SPOTS...
425
00:20:42,027 --> 00:20:43,060
-GOOD LUCK.
-THANKS.
426
00:20:43,062 --> 00:20:44,227
STAY SAFE, ROB.
427
00:20:44,229 --> 00:20:47,998
...CHERNOBYL'S INFAMOUS
RED FOREST.
428
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,435
THIS HOT ZONE HAS NEVE
R BEEN FULLY EXPLORED BEFORE.
429
00:20:51,437 --> 00:20:54,071
-YOU GETTING NERVOUS.
-YEAH. A LITTLE NERVOUS.
430
00:20:54,073 --> 00:20:55,305
-SURE.
-I'M GOOD.
431
00:20:55,307 --> 00:20:57,007
-YEAH?
-I'M GOOD. YEAH.
432
00:20:57,009 --> 00:20:58,208
Narrator:
AFTER THE EXPLOSION,
433
00:20:58,210 --> 00:21:01,878
THE WIND BLEW
A VAST RADIOACVETI CLOUD WEST,
434
00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:06,049
WHERE IT RAINED
ITS TOXIC CONTENTS ON THIS AREA.
435
00:21:06,051 --> 00:21:07,217
FOR OBVIOUS REASONS,
436
00:21:07,219 --> 00:21:08,785
THERE HASN'T BEEN
THAT MUCH EXPLORATION
437
00:21:08,787 --> 00:21:10,987
IN THE REALLY HOT AREAS.
438
00:21:10,989 --> 00:21:12,489
EVEN DECADES LATER,
439
00:21:12,491 --> 00:21:17,060
THE LEVELS OF CONTAMINATION HERE
ARE LETHAL IF YOU STAY TOO LONG.
440
00:21:17,062 --> 00:21:18,795
SO WE'VE ONLY GOT A SHORT TIME.
441
00:21:21,700 --> 00:21:23,900
TIM, I KEEP HAVING
TO REMIND MYSELF
442
00:21:23,902 --> 00:21:26,903
THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY
DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT,
443
00:21:26,905 --> 00:21:29,639
BECAUSE THE THREAT
IS SO INVISIBLE.
444
00:21:29,641 --> 00:21:31,608
IT JUST LOOKS
LIKE A BEAUTIFUL FOREST.
445
00:21:31,610 --> 00:21:33,610
IT REALLY IS ONE OF THE MOST
RADIOACTIVE PLACES
446
00:21:33,612 --> 00:21:35,879
ON THE PLANET, ACTUALLY.
447
00:21:35,881 --> 00:21:38,849
Narrator:
MARY-ANN HAS BEEN JOINED
BY BIOLOGIST PROFESSOR
448
00:21:38,851 --> 00:21:41,518
TIM MOUSSEAU.
449
00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,488
OKAY. LET'S SEE WHAT THE
RADIATION REALLY IS DOING HERE.
450
00:21:44,490 --> 00:21:45,989
[ METER CRACKLES ]
WHOA!
451
00:21:45,991 --> 00:21:48,658
AND THAT'S FROM ALMOST A METER
FROM THE GROUND.
452
00:21:48,660 --> 00:21:52,295
662, 686, 747.
453
00:21:52,297 --> 00:21:53,630
THAT IS EXTREMELY --
454
00:21:53,632 --> 00:21:56,800
THAT IS THE HIGHEST I'VE SEEN
SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN THE ZONE.
455
00:21:56,802 --> 00:22:00,036
BUT THE FOREST HIDES
AN EVEN MORE DEADLY THREAT --
456
00:22:00,038 --> 00:22:05,575
A MAJOR RISK NOT JUST TO LIFE
HERE BUT ACROSS THE PLANET.
457
00:22:05,577 --> 00:22:08,245
-OH, MY GOODNESS, TIM.
-MAJOR DISASTER POTENTIAL.
458
00:22:10,776 --> 00:22:11,674
Naatrror: ANTHROPOLOGIST
MARY-ANN OCHOTA
459
00:22:11,676 --> 00:22:13,610
AND BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
460
00:22:13,612 --> 00:22:15,645
ARE CONTINUING
TO UNCOVER THE IMPACT
461
00:22:15,647 --> 00:22:17,981
OF LONG-TERM RADIATION EXPOSURE
462
00:22:17,983 --> 00:22:22,185
ON BOTH HUMANS AND WILDLIFE
IN CHERNOBYL'S EXCLUSION ZONE.
463
00:22:23,955 --> 00:22:26,623
NOW THEY'RE INVESTIGATING
THE RED FOREST,
464
00:22:26,625 --> 00:22:30,293
ONE OF THE HOTTEST
RADIOACTIVE ZONEONS EARTH.
465
00:22:30,295 --> 00:22:31,661
UH, THAT'S NOT NORMAL.
466
00:22:31,663 --> 00:22:34,431
THAT'S A REALLY OLD TREE
THAT ISN'T REALLY DECAYING.
467
00:22:34,433 --> 00:22:36,466
YEAH, WELL, IN FACT,
THIS IS ONE OF THE TREES
468
00:22:36,468 --> 00:22:38,301
THAT DIED DURING THE TIME
OF THE EXPLOSION.
469
00:22:38,303 --> 00:22:40,170
THIS IS PART
OF THE SO-CALLED RED FOREST.
470
00:22:40,172 --> 00:22:42,472
RED FOREST BECAUSE ALL THE TREES
TURNED RED AFTER THEY DIED.
471
00:22:42,474 --> 00:22:43,740
WOW.
472
00:22:43,742 --> 00:22:47,610
AND, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU
KNOW, 28 YEARS LATER, PLUS,
473
00:22:47,612 --> 00:22:49,012
IT'S ALMOST INTACT.
474
00:22:49,014 --> 00:22:51,147
YOU KNOW,
THE WOOD'S STILL ALL THERE.
475
00:22:51,149 --> 00:22:53,383
YOU KICK IT, IT'S HARD.
476
00:22:53,385 --> 00:22:58,254
STRANGEL TY,HE DEAD TREES
ARE NOT DECOMPOSING.
477
00:22:58,256 --> 00:23:01,825
AND ON THE GROUND ARE COUNTLESS
YEARS' WORTH OF LEAVES,
478
00:23:01,827 --> 00:23:05,128
ALL AS CRISP
AS WHEN THEY FIRST FELL.
479
00:23:05,130 --> 00:23:07,063
YOU CAN SEE
THAT IT'S PRETTY THICK.
480
00:23:07,065 --> 00:23:08,531
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
481
00:23:08,533 --> 00:23:12,202
YEAH, THAT'S YEARS
OF ACCUMULATED MATTER.
482
00:23:12,204 --> 00:23:15,705
THE EXTREME RADIATION
HAS WIPED OUT EVEN THE ORGANISMS
483
00:23:15,707 --> 00:23:17,507
THAT CAUSE DECAY.
484
00:23:17,509 --> 00:23:19,342
SO, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT
THE LITTLE CRITTERS,
485
00:23:19,344 --> 00:23:23,279
THE BACTERIA, THE FUNGUS
THAT'S BREAKING DOWN THE STUFF
486
00:23:23,281 --> 00:23:25,181
ON THE FOREST FLOOR,
THEN, EFFECTIVELY,
487
00:23:25,183 --> 00:23:28,818
YOUR WHOLE ECOSYSTEM PYRAMID
IS GONNA FALL APART, RIGHT?
488
00:23:28,820 --> 00:23:30,487
WE THINK IT HAS
MAJOR IMPACTS.
489
00:23:30,489 --> 00:23:32,622
BUT, YOU KNOW,
THE BIGGER THREAT, WE THINK,
490
00:23:32,624 --> 00:23:35,692
STEMS FROM THE FACT
THAT YOU'VE GOT ALL THIS FUEL
491
00:23:35,694 --> 00:23:37,694
ON THE GROUND
FOR A POTENTIAL FOREST FIRE,
492
00:23:37,696 --> 00:23:40,463
AND THIS FUEL IS DIFFERENT
THAN REGULAR FUEL.
493
00:23:40,465 --> 00:23:41,798
OH, MY GOODNESS, TIM.
494
00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:43,600
SO, IT'S NOT JUST
A FOREST FIRE.
495
00:23:43,602 --> 00:23:45,535
IT'S A RADIOACTIVE
FOREST FIRE.
496
00:23:45,537 --> 00:23:48,104
IT'S A RADIOACTIVE
FOREST FIRE.
497
00:23:48,106 --> 00:23:51,207
THAT IS TERRIFYING.
BECAUSE IF THIS SETS ON FIRE,
498
00:23:51,209 --> 00:23:53,042
ALL THAT
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
499
00:23:53,044 --> 00:23:55,445
GOES UP
INTO THE AIR, SPREADS,
500
00:23:55,447 --> 00:23:59,849
AND FALLS ON PEOPLE'S HOMES,
SCHOOLS, PARKS, FARMS.
501
00:23:59,851 --> 00:24:01,551
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SADISTER
ON OUR HANDS.
502
00:24:01,553 --> 00:24:04,420
YEAH.
MAJOR DISASTER POTENTIAL.
503
00:24:04,422 --> 00:24:07,590
THE RADIOACTIVITY HAD
ACCUMULATED WITHIN THE LEAVES
504
00:24:07,592 --> 00:24:09,559
BEFORE THEY FELL.
505
00:24:09,561 --> 00:24:13,830
BUT HOW MUCH CONTAMINATION
WOULD BE RELEASED IN A FIRE?
506
00:24:13,832 --> 00:24:15,732
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
TO FIND OUT.
507
00:24:15,734 --> 00:24:17,700
MARY-ANN WILL HAVE
TO COLLECT SOME LEAVES
508
00:24:17,702 --> 00:24:20,870
AND DO A CONTROLLED-BURN
EXPERIMENT.
509
00:24:22,908 --> 00:24:26,910
DEEPER IN THE RED FOREST,
ROB IS SEARCHING FOR BUGS.
510
00:24:26,912 --> 00:24:28,411
IN THIS SUPER-HOT ZONE,
511
00:24:28,413 --> 00:24:31,447
MOST INSECT POPULATIONS
WERE DECIMATED.
512
00:24:31,449 --> 00:24:34,083
SOME SPECIES
THAT SURVIVED SHOW DEFORMITIES
513
00:24:34,085 --> 00:24:36,152
AND MUTATIONS.
514
00:24:36,154 --> 00:24:37,587
Nelson: SINCE BUGS
DON'T LIVE VERY LONG,
515
00:24:37,589 --> 00:24:40,790
THEY'RE ALREADY MANY GENERATIONS
OUT FROM THE INITIAL EXPOSURE.
516
00:24:40,792 --> 00:24:43,459
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ALREADY
SHOWING THESE GENETIC CHANGES
517
00:24:43,461 --> 00:24:45,528
AND MUTATIONS.
518
00:24:47,032 --> 00:24:48,631
WOW. LOOK AT THAT.
519
00:24:48,633 --> 00:24:51,734
SPIDERS ARE IN HERE.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
520
00:24:53,104 --> 00:24:57,307
Narrator: THE SPIDERS MAY LOOK
NORMAL, BUT THEY'RE NOT.
521
00:24:57,309 --> 00:25:00,343
JUST TAKE A CLOSE LOOK
AT THEIR WEBS.
522
00:25:01,947 --> 00:25:03,646
COMPARED TO HEALTHY SPIDERS,
523
00:25:03,648 --> 00:25:05,448
THE RADIOACTIVE ONES
OF CHERNOBYL
524
00:25:05,450 --> 00:25:08,384
SEEM TO BE WEAVING ERRATIC WEBS.
525
00:25:11,957 --> 00:25:14,157
DISTORTED.
526
00:25:14,159 --> 00:25:16,426
DEFORMED.
527
00:25:16,428 --> 00:25:17,860
IN EXPERIMENTS,
528
00:25:17,862 --> 00:25:21,931
SPIDERS THAT WERE GIVEN DRUGS
HAVE SHOWN SIMILAR BEHAVIOR.
529
00:25:23,668 --> 00:25:25,802
IT'S AFFECTING THEIR SURVIVAL
530
00:25:25,804 --> 00:25:29,472
AND COULD BE A SIGN
OF GENETIC MUTATION.
531
00:25:33,812 --> 00:25:36,246
BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE RED FOREST,
532
00:25:36,248 --> 00:25:38,047
MARY-ANN IS GATHERING MATERIAL
533
00:25:38,049 --> 00:25:39,949
FOR A CONTROLLED-BURN
EXPERIMENT.
534
00:25:39,951 --> 00:25:41,284
Ochota:
WELL, IF I'M GONNA GET DOWN
535
00:25:41,286 --> 00:25:45,021
AND COLLECT THOSE LEAF SAMPLES,
THIS IS NOT ENOUGH.
536
00:25:45,023 --> 00:25:48,424
I NEED TO BE WEARING ONE
OF THESE WITH A FRESH FILTER.
537
00:25:48,426 --> 00:25:50,927
IT'S SO EASY
TO UNDERESTIMATE THE THREAT.
538
00:25:50,929 --> 00:25:52,595
AND IT'S ONLY
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MONITORS
539
00:25:52,597 --> 00:25:54,497
THAT YOU REALIZE
THAT THE RADIATION HIT
540
00:25:54,499 --> 00:25:57,667
THAT YOU'RE TAKING IS ENORMOUS.
541
00:25:57,669 --> 00:26:01,104
AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT,
IT COULD KILL YOU.
542
00:26:02,674 --> 00:26:05,808
YOU DON'T NEED TOO MUCH
TO RUN THE TEST,
543
00:26:05,810 --> 00:26:08,144
'CAUSE THEY'RE COVERED
IN THE RADIOACTIVE DUST.
544
00:26:08,146 --> 00:26:11,481
THEY LOOK INNOCENT,
BUT THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY DEADLY.
545
00:26:15,420 --> 00:26:18,988
Narrator:
MARY-ANN IS ALMOST FINISHED
WITH HER WORK IN THE RED FOREST.
546
00:26:18,990 --> 00:26:23,493
SHE JUST HAS SOME FINAL
READINGS LEFT TO TAKE.
547
00:26:23,495 --> 00:26:24,327
COMING UP...
548
00:26:24,329 --> 00:26:26,262
Ochota: IAIN, IAIN.
549
00:26:26,264 --> 00:26:28,231
-GET BACK, GET BACK!
-THAT'S GONE OVER!
550
00:26:30,636 --> 00:26:32,102
Narrator: ANTHROPOLOGIST
MARY-ANN OCHOTA
551
00:26:32,104 --> 00:26:34,604
IS WORKING IN ONE
OF THE HIGHEST RADIATION ZONES
552
00:26:34,606 --> 00:26:37,407
IN CHERNOBYL --
THE RED FOREST.
553
00:26:37,409 --> 00:26:38,275
Ochota: OH, MY GOODNESS.
554
00:26:38,277 --> 00:26:40,343
IAIN, IAIN.
[ METER WHINES ]
555
00:26:40,345 --> 00:26:42,412
-GET BACK, GET BACK!
-IT'S GONE OVER.
556
00:26:42,414 --> 00:26:43,680
-GET BACK.
-GUYS, GUYS,
557
00:26:43,682 --> 00:26:44,748
COME AWAY FROM THERE!
558
00:26:44,750 --> 00:26:45,749
COME AWAY!
-EVERYBODY BACK!
559
00:26:45,751 --> 00:26:47,784
COME ON!
560
00:26:47,786 --> 00:26:49,352
WHAT IS THAT?
561
00:26:49,354 --> 00:26:51,288
IT WENT UP TO 3,000.
562
00:26:51,290 --> 00:26:53,490
AND THEN IT JUST SAID,
"OVER."
563
00:26:56,161 --> 00:26:57,127
WOW.
564
00:26:58,297 --> 00:26:59,062
[ COUGHS ]
565
00:27:02,568 --> 00:27:05,368
-OKAY.
-NO NEED TO PANIC.
566
00:27:05,370 --> 00:27:07,871
SO, I WAS JUST SCANNING THE MOSS
IN THIS SECTOR OF THE RED FOREST
567
00:27:07,873 --> 00:27:10,073
TO SEE WHAT THE READINGS WERE,
568
00:27:10,075 --> 00:27:12,409
AND WE SAW
THIS METALWORK JUST --
569
00:27:12,411 --> 00:27:13,844
OH, I DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHAT IT IS.
570
00:27:13,846 --> 00:27:15,745
AND IT SHOT UP THE READINGS --
571
00:27:15,747 --> 00:27:19,616
2,000, 3,000, THEN
SUDDENLY IT JUST SAID, "OVER."
572
00:27:19,618 --> 00:27:21,885
AND, UH, IAIN
GOT US ALL BACK REALLY QUICKLY,
573
00:27:21,887 --> 00:27:24,554
THE PRINCIPLE BEING
THAT IF YOU DOUBLE YOUR DISTANCE
574
00:27:24,556 --> 00:27:26,556
FROM THE SOURCE,
YOU QUARTER YOUR DOSE.
575
00:27:26,558 --> 00:27:28,825
SO WE'RE ALL SAFE.
WE'RE ALL SAFE?
576
00:27:28,827 --> 00:27:30,227
-YEP.
-OKAY.
577
00:27:30,229 --> 00:27:32,362
AND WE NEED TO INFMOR
THE AUTHORITIES
578
00:27:32,364 --> 00:27:35,198
THAT THIS SOURCE IS HERE.
579
00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,367
OBVIOUSLY,
MAYBE THEY PUT THE METAL ON TOP,
580
00:27:37,369 --> 00:27:39,302
WHOEVER IT WAS,
TO KIND OF SHIELD
581
00:27:39,304 --> 00:27:42,405
SOME KIND
OF RIDICULOUSLY RADIOACTIVE,
582
00:27:42,407 --> 00:27:47,744
RIDICULOUSLY DANGEROUS MATERIAL
THAT'S UNDER THERE.
583
00:27:47,746 --> 00:27:49,412
[ EXHALES SHARPLY, LAUGHS ]
584
00:27:53,452 --> 00:27:55,185
OHH.
585
00:27:58,223 --> 00:28:00,657
Narrator: STILL REELING
FROM HER NEAR MISS,
586
00:28:00,659 --> 00:28:05,929
MARY-ANN WANTS TO FIND OUT JUST
HOW BIG A THREAT THE LEAVES ARE.
587
00:28:05,931 --> 00:28:08,164
USING A TINY HANDFUL
OF THE SAMPLE,
588
00:28:08,166 --> 00:28:09,432
A CONTROLLED-BURN TEST
589
00:28:09,434 --> 00:28:12,335
WILL SHOW HOW MUCH
RADIOACTIVITY WILL BE RELEASED
590
00:28:12,337 --> 00:28:14,571
IF THEY WERE TO CATCH FIRE.
591
00:28:14,573 --> 00:28:18,308
THEY'RE BURNING INCREDIBLY FAST
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO DRY.
592
00:28:20,412 --> 00:28:23,213
[ METER CRACKLING ]
WOW. LOOK AT THAT.
593
00:28:23,215 --> 00:28:25,815
THE ASH IS HIGHLY CONTAMINATED.
594
00:28:25,817 --> 00:28:27,450
BUT SO IS THE WATER
595
00:28:27,452 --> 00:28:29,753
THAT I'VE USED
TO DAMPEN THE FIRE.
596
00:28:29,755 --> 00:28:31,254
HONESTLY,
IF THIS WERE A FOREST FIRE
597
00:28:31,256 --> 00:28:32,789
ON A MASSIVE SCALE,
598
00:28:32,791 --> 00:28:34,257
ALL THE ASH
WOULD BE UP IN THE AIR,
599
00:28:34,259 --> 00:28:35,992
RAINING DOWN ON LAND
600
00:28:35,994 --> 00:28:38,561
MUCH FURTHER AWAY
THAN THE RED FOREST.
601
00:28:38,563 --> 00:28:40,597
AND ALL THE WATER
WOULD BE CONTAMINATED.
602
00:28:40,599 --> 00:28:42,899
[ CRACKLING CONTINUES ]
603
00:28:42,901 --> 00:28:45,602
THAT IS SCARY.
604
00:28:45,604 --> 00:28:47,537
WOW. YOU THINK
YOU'RE JUST BURNING LEAVES,
605
00:28:47,539 --> 00:28:49,773
AND THEN YOU REMEMBER,
ONCE AGAIN,
606
00:28:49,775 --> 00:28:52,943
THAT THEY ARE RADIOACTIVE LEAVES
COVERED IN CESIUM-137,
607
00:28:52,945 --> 00:28:56,246
AND IF THAT GETS
INTO YOUR INTERNAL ORGANS,
608
00:28:56,248 --> 00:28:57,847
IF IT GETS
INTO YOUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
609
00:28:57,849 --> 00:29:00,784
OR ON YOUR SKIN,
YOU'RE IN DIRE STRAITS, RIGHT?
610
00:29:00,786 --> 00:29:02,185
YOU ARE INDEED.
611
00:29:05,324 --> 00:29:07,624
Narrator: MARY-ANN
AND ROB HAVE ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT
612
00:29:07,626 --> 00:29:10,994
BEFORE THEIR PERSONAL RADIATION
LEVELS ARE MAXED OUT.
613
00:29:10,996 --> 00:29:13,630
THEY NOW FACE THEIR ULTIMATE
CHALLENGE --
614
00:29:13,632 --> 00:29:14,998
THE COOLING POND RIGHT
615
00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:18,368
AT THE FOOT
OF REACTOR NUMBER FOUR.
616
00:29:18,370 --> 00:29:20,003
ALL RIGHT.
SO, RIGHT BACK THERE --
617
00:29:20,005 --> 00:29:22,405
THAT'S REACTOR NUMBER FOUR,
THE SARCOPHAGUS,
618
00:29:22,407 --> 00:29:24,374
AS A LOT OF PEOPLE
LIKE TO CALL IT.
619
00:29:24,376 --> 00:29:27,510
THEY COVERED THE WHOLE THING
UP AFTER IT, YOU KNOW, PEW!
620
00:29:27,512 --> 00:29:30,246
BLEW UP.
AND IT'S 30 YEARS LATER.
621
00:29:30,248 --> 00:29:31,648
IT'S STARTING TO DEGRADE.
622
00:29:31,650 --> 00:29:34,718
SO THEY'RE BUILDING ANOTHER
GIANT STRUCTURE RIGHT THERE.
623
00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:35,852
IT'S HUGE.
624
00:29:35,854 --> 00:29:38,088
I'M NOT ACTUALLY SUPPOSED
TO FILM ALL OF IT,
625
00:29:38,090 --> 00:29:39,622
SO I LET THE VAN KIND
OF BE IN THE WAY.
626
00:29:39,624 --> 00:29:43,059
AND I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO FILM
ANY OF THAT STUFF, EITHER.
627
00:29:43,061 --> 00:29:45,462
SO I WON'T.
628
00:29:45,464 --> 00:29:48,431
Narrator: THE COOLING POND
STILL CONTAINS LETHAL PLUTONIUM
629
00:29:48,433 --> 00:29:51,768
AND URANIUM EJECTED
FROM THE REACTOR.
630
00:29:51,770 --> 00:29:56,373
THERE E ARTALES OF MONSTER FISH
LURKING IN ITS NUCLEAR DEPTHS.
631
00:29:56,375 --> 00:29:58,041
THIS PLACE IS SOMETHING.
632
00:29:58,043 --> 00:30:00,243
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST
THE MYSTERY OF WATER,
633
00:30:00,245 --> 00:30:04,614
BUT THE COOLING POND HAS ALWAYS
INSPIRED STRANGE STORIES.
634
00:30:04,616 --> 00:30:06,349
AND I KNOW, LOGICALLY,
635
00:30:06,351 --> 00:30:08,985
THERE ARE PROBABLY
NO MONSTER FISH,
636
00:30:08,987 --> 00:30:10,687
EXTREME MUTANTS,
637
00:30:10,689 --> 00:30:13,323
BUT YOU CAN'T HELP BUTON WDER
WHAT THE RADIOACTIVITY HAS DONE
638
00:30:13,325 --> 00:30:14,924
TO THE CREATURES THAT LIVE HERE.
639
00:30:16,528 --> 00:30:17,694
Narrator:
ROB HAS BEEN GIVEN
640
00:30:17,696 --> 00:30:21,464
SPECIAL ACCESS
TO INVESTIGATE THESE WATERS.
641
00:30:21,466 --> 00:30:23,767
HIS SAFETY TEAM
IS ON HIGH ALERT.
642
00:30:23,769 --> 00:30:28,505
THIS IS NO PLACE
FOR AN UNEXPECTED DIP.
643
00:30:28,507 --> 00:30:30,407
Nelson: SO, WE ARE VERY CLOSE
TO THE REACTOR.
644
00:30:30,409 --> 00:30:32,675
IT'S LITERALLY
A STONE'S THROW AWAY THERE.
645
00:30:32,677 --> 00:30:34,711
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT
OF RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES HERE --
646
00:30:34,713 --> 00:30:36,312
URANIUM, PLUTONIUM --
647
00:30:36,314 --> 00:30:39,883
ORIGINAL FUEL MATERISAL
RIGHT HERE IN THE COOLING POND.
648
00:30:39,885 --> 00:30:42,485
Narrator:
SKEPTICAL THAT ANYTHING
COULD SURVIVE THAT,
649
00:30:42,487 --> 00:30:45,522
ROB'S BROUGHT AN UNDERWATER
CAMERA TO INVESTIGATE.
650
00:30:45,524 --> 00:30:46,923
ALL RIGHT.
651
00:30:46,925 --> 00:30:48,625
LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND.
652
00:30:56,802 --> 00:30:59,402
OH, WOW.
653
00:30:59,404 --> 00:31:00,703
THIS IS AWESOME.
654
00:31:02,707 --> 00:31:04,707
Narrator:
DESPITE ITS LETHAL CONTENTS,
655
00:31:04,709 --> 00:31:08,144
THE POND IS SURPRISINGLY
PACKED WITH LIFE.
656
00:31:10,549 --> 00:31:15,218
AND THEN,
OUT OF THE DEPTHS...
657
00:31:15,220 --> 00:31:18,188
SOMETHING BIGGER --
658
00:31:18,190 --> 00:31:20,290
MUCH BIGGER.
659
00:31:25,063 --> 00:31:28,098
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE COULD BE
MONSTERS HERE AFTER ALL.
660
00:31:31,236 --> 00:31:35,038
MARY-ANN IS DETERMINED
TO FIND OUT.
661
00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:36,973
SHE IS ATTPTEMING
TO TEST THE DNA
662
00:31:36,975 --> 00:31:40,410
OF THE COOLING POND'S
MONSTER-SIZED FISH.
663
00:31:40,412 --> 00:31:41,778
SHE'S USING AN IMPROVISED
664
00:31:41,780 --> 00:31:44,514
BUT INGENIOUS
DNA-COLLECTOR POLE.
665
00:31:44,516 --> 00:31:46,416
Ochota: I'VE NEVER SEEN A FISH
THAT BIG.
666
00:31:46,418 --> 00:31:47,550
WOW!
667
00:31:47,552 --> 00:31:49,419
IT'S A MONSTER!
668
00:31:49,421 --> 00:31:52,689
Narrator: THE FISH
ARE OVER SEVEN FEET LONG.
669
00:31:52,691 --> 00:31:55,892
THEY'RE CATFISH, WELS CATFISH,
670
00:31:55,894 --> 00:31:58,628
BUT ARE THEY MUTANT CATFISH?
671
00:32:00,565 --> 00:32:02,265
OH, MY GOODNESS.
672
00:32:02,267 --> 00:32:03,600
Narrator:
TO ANALYZE THEIR DNA,
673
00:32:03,602 --> 00:32:07,403
MARY-ANN NEEDS TO CATCH
A TINY SAMPLE OF THE FISH.
674
00:32:07,405 --> 00:32:09,272
SHARKS, THEY THROW GOATS IN.
675
00:32:09,274 --> 00:32:11,808
CATFISH, YOU THROW BREAD
AND BERRIES IN.
676
00:32:17,449 --> 00:32:20,049
OH, NO! [ LAUGHS ]
677
00:32:20,051 --> 00:32:22,652
I DIDN'T GET HIM.
678
00:32:22,654 --> 00:32:25,455
THAT WAS THE BIGGEST FISH
I'VE EVER SEEN IN A RIVER,
679
00:32:25,457 --> 00:32:27,857
AND I MANAGED TO NOT STAB HIM!
680
00:32:27,859 --> 00:32:29,626
Narrator:
JEREMY WADE, MOVE OVER.
681
00:32:29,628 --> 00:32:31,494
MARY-ANN
MAY NOT BE A MASTER ANGLER,
682
00:32:31,496 --> 00:32:33,596
BUT SHE WON'T GIVE UP EASY.
683
00:32:36,334 --> 00:32:38,134
Ochota:
OOH, THE BIG ONE'S COMING.
684
00:32:38,136 --> 00:32:39,869
RIGHT.
COME ON, MY MAN.
685
00:32:39,871 --> 00:32:41,538
I'M GONNA TRY AND GET YOU.
686
00:32:43,175 --> 00:32:44,440
[ GRUNTS ]
687
00:32:48,213 --> 00:32:49,846
I THINK I GOT HIM.
688
00:32:49,848 --> 00:32:52,382
Narrator: FINALLY, SUCCESS.
689
00:32:52,384 --> 00:32:53,583
I THINK I ACTUALLY GOT HIM.
690
00:32:53,585 --> 00:32:55,518
I SAW HIM SQUIRM AWAY.
691
00:32:57,956 --> 00:33:00,423
OKAY.
THAT'S MY SAMPLE.
692
00:33:00,425 --> 00:33:02,125
WELL, AS COMIC AS THAT LOOKED,
693
00:33:02,127 --> 00:33:03,893
IT ACTUALLY TOOK DAYS
OF PERMITS FOR ME
694
00:33:03,895 --> 00:33:06,863
TO GET PERMISSION
TO FISH OFF THE BRIDGE.
695
00:33:06,865 --> 00:33:08,598
FINALLY, I'VE GOT MY SAMPLE.
696
00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,000
IT NEEDS DNA TESTING,
AND THEN WE CAN FINALLY WORK OUT
697
00:33:11,002 --> 00:33:13,269
WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH THOSE MONSTER FISH.
698
00:33:16,575 --> 00:33:18,908
Narrator: THE AMOUNT OF FISH
SURVIVING AND THRIVING
699
00:33:18,910 --> 00:33:22,545
IN THE COOLING POND
IS ASTOUNDING.
700
00:33:22,547 --> 00:33:25,982
MARY-ANN MEETS WITH FISH
BIOLOGIST ADELAIDE LEREBOURS,
701
00:33:25,984 --> 00:33:28,251
WHO IS CHECKING OUT
A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY
702
00:33:28,253 --> 00:33:30,620
THAT EXPLAINS WHY.
703
00:33:30,622 --> 00:33:33,756
YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH IN THE MOST
PRECARIOUS PLAYGROUND EVER.
704
00:33:33,758 --> 00:33:34,824
YES.
705
00:33:34,826 --> 00:33:36,926
SHE'S FOUND
THAT SOME FISH ARE ABLE
706
00:33:36,928 --> 00:33:40,396
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
AGAINST RADIATION DAMAGE
707
00:33:40,398 --> 00:33:43,733
BY REPAIRING THEIR OWN DNA.
708
00:33:43,735 --> 00:33:46,569
SO, YOU'RE SAYING,
OVER THE PAST 30 OR SO YEARS
709
00:33:46,571 --> 00:33:48,071
SINCE THE
DISASTER HAPPENED,
710
00:33:48,073 --> 00:33:50,907
THEY'VE ACTUALLY
EVOLVED TO COPE BETTER.
711
00:33:51,977 --> 00:33:53,176
WOW!
712
00:34:05,190 --> 00:34:06,623
THE IDEA THAT ANIMALS
713
00:34:06,625 --> 00:34:09,826
CAN EVOLVE TO ENDURE
THIS EXTREME ENVIRONMENT
714
00:34:09,828 --> 00:34:12,061
IS INCREDIBLE.
715
00:34:12,063 --> 00:34:14,797
AND OTHER RESEARCH INSIDE
CHERNOBYL'S EXCLUSION ZONE
716
00:34:14,799 --> 00:34:19,369
HAS REVEALED ANOTHER VERY
DEFINITE RAY OF HOPE.
717
00:34:19,371 --> 00:34:22,272
IM MOUSSEAU
AND OTHER RESEARCH INSIDE
CHERNOBYL'S EXCLUSION ZONE
718
00:34:22,274 --> 00:34:24,674
TO CATCH
AN INCREDIBLY SPECIAL SPECIMEN.
719
00:34:24,676 --> 00:34:27,243
-OKAY. NOW WE JUST WAIT, HUH?
-YEAH.
720
00:34:27,245 --> 00:34:30,847
WE JUST SIT BACK,
HAVE A LITTLE COFFEE BREAK,
721
00:34:30,849 --> 00:34:33,216
AND, UH, WAIT
FOR THE BIRDS TO FLY IN.
722
00:34:33,218 --> 00:34:34,550
-ALL RIGHT.
-COOL.
723
00:34:37,289 --> 00:34:39,122
Narrator: MANY OF THE BIRDS
HERE SHOW SIGNS
724
00:34:39,124 --> 00:34:41,391
OF SEVERE RADIATION DAMAGE --
725
00:34:41,393 --> 00:34:46,162
CATARACTS, CANCERS,
SMALLER BRAINS.
726
00:34:46,164 --> 00:34:49,499
BUT A RARE FEW DON'T.
727
00:34:49,501 --> 00:34:50,800
-NICE.
-OH, WHAT DO WE GOT?
728
00:34:50,802 --> 00:34:52,302
-TWO OF THEM.
-EXCELLENT.
729
00:34:52,304 --> 00:34:53,770
OHH.
730
00:34:53,772 --> 00:34:56,172
SOME GREAT TITS?
-THESE ARE GREAT TITS --
731
00:34:56,174 --> 00:34:59,108
PARUS MAJOR.
THEY ARE.
732
00:34:59,110 --> 00:35:00,610
YEAH, THIS GOES HERE.
733
00:35:00,612 --> 00:35:02,912
NOW -- AH!
OH, GOODNESS.
734
00:35:02,914 --> 00:35:05,648
OW!
[ LAUGHS ]
735
00:35:05,650 --> 00:35:06,949
YEAH, THEY GOT A LITTLE
BITE, DON'T THEY?
736
00:35:06,951 --> 00:35:08,751
YES, THEY DO.
737
00:35:08,753 --> 00:35:10,887
JUST BITE MY FINGER THERE.
738
00:35:10,889 --> 00:35:12,255
THE DARKER PATCH
ON THE WING
739
00:35:12,257 --> 00:35:16,025
SHOWS THAT THIS HUMBLE
GREAT TIT IS A WORLD FIRST --
740
00:35:16,027 --> 00:35:19,662
A SPECIES THAT IS ACTUALLY
ADAPTING TO THE RADIATION.
741
00:35:19,664 --> 00:35:22,765
YEAH, WE --
WE RECENTLY FOUND
742
00:35:22,767 --> 00:35:24,667
THAT SOME OF THE SPEESCI
OF BIRDS
743
00:35:24,669 --> 00:35:26,736
ACTUALLY ARE DOING
REASONABLY WELL
744
00:35:26,738 --> 00:35:28,805
IN THESE AREAS
OF HIGH CONTAMINATION.
745
00:35:28,807 --> 00:35:29,972
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
746
00:35:29,974 --> 00:35:32,075
BLD OOTESTS SHOW
THAT THESE LITTLE BIRDS
747
00:35:32,077 --> 00:35:34,644
HAVE EVOLVED
TO PRODUCE ANTIOXIDANTS
748
00:35:34,646 --> 00:35:37,213
THAT PROTECT THEM
AGAINST RADIATION DAMAGE.
749
00:35:37,215 --> 00:35:38,414
SO, THESE DIFFERENT BIRDS
750
00:35:38,416 --> 00:35:41,017
ARE ADAPTING TO THE SITUATION
THAT THEY'RE IN, THEN.
751
00:35:41,019 --> 00:35:43,720
IT REALLY IS NATURAL SELECTION
IN ACTION.
752
00:35:43,722 --> 00:35:45,555
YEP.
-THAT'S FASCINATING.
753
00:35:46,991 --> 00:35:49,826
THESE BIRDS ARE ADAPTING
TO THIS NUCLEAR ENVIRONMENT
754
00:35:49,828 --> 00:35:51,694
AT A RATE
THAT IS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE
755
00:35:51,696 --> 00:35:53,062
FOR AN ANIMAL
OF THIS COMPLEXITY.
756
00:35:53,064 --> 00:35:55,398
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
IT'S BEEN SEEN IN THE WILD.
757
00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:57,800
NOW, IF WE COULD UNDERSTAND
THE MECHANISM
758
00:35:57,802 --> 00:35:59,035
THAT ALLOWS THIS CHANGE
TO HAPPEN,
759
00:35:59,037 --> 00:36:02,605
THEN IT WOULD BE
A REAL GAME-CHANGER.
760
00:36:02,607 --> 00:36:06,008
Narrator: COMING UP, MARY-ANN
MEETS SOME TINY CREATURES
761
00:36:06,010 --> 00:36:08,511
THAT JUST MIGHT HOLD
THE SECRET --
762
00:36:08,513 --> 00:36:10,346
ONE THAT COULD
REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY
763
00:36:10,348 --> 00:36:13,049
WE PROTECT OURSELVES
FROM RADIATION.
764
00:36:13,051 --> 00:36:13,532
WOW. THAT IS BIG.
765
00:36:15,109 --> 00:36:16,174
Narrator: THEY'VE SEEN
THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS
766
00:36:16,176 --> 00:36:18,310
OF LONG-TERM RADIATION
IN CHERNOBYL,
767
00:36:18,312 --> 00:36:20,045
BUT ANTHROPOLOGIST
MARY-ANN OCHOTA
768
00:36:20,047 --> 00:36:21,747
AND BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
769
00:36:21,749 --> 00:36:25,984
HAVE NOW FOUND SIGNS
THAT NATURE IS FIGHTING BACK.
770
00:36:25,986 --> 00:36:27,919
MARY-ANN IS ASSISTING
WITH AN EXPERIMENT
771
00:36:27,921 --> 00:36:27,953
THAT COULD PROVE TO BE
A LIFESAVER FOR HUMANS
772
00:36:27,955 --> 00:36:31,323
.
MARY-ANN IS ASSISTING
WITH AN EXPERIMENT
773
00:36:31,325 --> 00:36:34,092
I'M IN ONE OF THE MOST
CONTAMINATED AREAS
774
00:36:34,094 --> 00:36:36,928
OF THE WHOLE
OF THE EXCLUSION ZONE.
775
00:36:36,930 --> 00:36:38,930
WE'RE DUE WEST
OF REACTOR NUMBER FOUR,
776
00:36:38,932 --> 00:36:42,067
AND THIS IS WHERE A LOT
OF THE FALLOUT HIT THE EARTH.
777
00:36:42,069 --> 00:36:46,738
IT MAKES IT A FANTASTIC
HABITAT TO STUDY.
778
00:36:46,740 --> 00:36:48,640
Narrator:
DR. ZBYSZEK BORATYNSKI
779
00:36:48,642 --> 00:36:51,009
IS AN EVOLUTIONARY
BIOLOGIST TRAPPING
780
00:36:51,011 --> 00:36:52,844
AND RESEARCHING MICE AND VOLES
781
00:36:52,846 --> 00:36:56,314
THAT LIVE IN CHERNOBYL'S
HOTTEST ZONES.
782
00:36:56,316 --> 00:36:59,017
SO, INSIDE EACH TRAP
ARE SOME --
783
00:36:59,019 --> 00:37:03,555
THIS IS SUNFLOWER SEEDS,
APPLE -- IS THAT POTATO?
784
00:37:03,557 --> 00:37:04,990
THEY LIKE POTATO?
785
00:37:04,992 --> 00:37:06,958
HA HA.
THAT'S SWEET.
786
00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:08,493
THEY BELIEVE THEY'VE UNCOVERED
787
00:37:08,495 --> 00:37:11,663
A SECRET WEAPON
AGAINST RADIATION DAMAGE.
788
00:37:11,665 --> 00:37:15,367
AHA. THIS IS IT.
789
00:37:15,369 --> 00:37:18,470
SO, WE'RE SETTING THIS TRAP
UNDER THIS FEEDING STATION.
790
00:37:18,472 --> 00:37:21,139
AND THE FEEDING STATION
791
00:37:21,141 --> 00:37:23,141
IS THE CRUX
OF THE WHOLE EXPERIMENT,
792
00:37:23,143 --> 00:37:26,712
BECAUSE THESE PELLETS HERE
CONTAIN WHAT THESE GUYS CLAIM
793
00:37:26,714 --> 00:37:28,947
IS THE ULTIMATE SUPERFOOD.
794
00:37:28,949 --> 00:37:31,650
BUT, ZBYSZEK,
WHAT ACTUALLY IS IT?
795
00:37:43,030 --> 00:37:44,730
SO,
BY EATING THESE PARTICLES,
796
00:37:44,732 --> 00:37:46,998
THESE MICE ARE ACTUALLY
PROTECTING THEMSELVES
797
00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,202
FROM THE IMPACT
OF THE RADIOACTIVITY?
798
00:37:52,506 --> 00:37:55,107
WOW.
SUPERFOOD INDEED.
799
00:37:55,109 --> 00:37:57,309
BEFORE THE FEEDING
STATIONS WERE SET UP,
800
00:37:57,311 --> 00:37:59,945
VOLES SHOWED
SEVERE RADIATION SICKNESS,
801
00:37:59,947 --> 00:38:02,080
INCLUDING SHRUNKEN
INTERNAL ORGANS
802
00:38:02,082 --> 00:38:05,183
AND SMALLER BRAINS.
803
00:38:05,185 --> 00:38:10,088
BUT CAN A SIMPLE CHANGE IN DIET
BE ENOUGH TO PROTECT THEM?
804
00:38:10,090 --> 00:38:11,923
OH, HELLO.
805
00:38:11,925 --> 00:38:12,991
HERE YOU GO.
806
00:38:12,993 --> 00:38:16,695
AWW.
THAT IS SO CUTE.
807
00:38:16,697 --> 00:38:19,097
THAT'S A VOLE, RIGHT?
808
00:38:19,099 --> 00:38:20,332
GORGEOUS.
809
00:38:20,334 --> 00:38:23,835
ASTONISHINGLY, THIS VOLE
APPEARS COMPLETELY NORMAL.
810
00:38:23,837 --> 00:38:26,004
FIRST IMPRESSIONS --
IT LOOKS HEALTHY.
811
00:38:32,546 --> 00:38:34,279
MEASUREMENTS SO FAR SUGGEST
812
00:38:34,281 --> 00:38:36,581
THAT VOLES FED
THE SPECIAL DIET SHOW
813
00:38:36,583 --> 00:38:39,951
SIGNIFICANTLY LESS
RADIATION DAMAGE.
814
00:38:42,122 --> 00:38:45,390
THEN THIS VOLE
WILL HAVE A NORMAL-SIZE BRAIN
815
00:38:45,392 --> 00:38:47,025
EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN
BORN AND LIVED
816
00:38:47,027 --> 00:38:49,895
IN THIS VERY
CONTAMINATED AREA?
817
00:38:49,897 --> 00:38:51,263
THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
818
00:38:51,265 --> 00:38:53,799
AND IF IT WORKS ON A MOUSE
OR A VOLE,
819
00:38:53,801 --> 00:38:55,400
COULD IT WORK ON PEOPLE?
820
00:38:58,939 --> 00:39:00,338
WOW.
821
00:39:00,340 --> 00:39:01,640
THAT IS BIG.
822
00:39:01,642 --> 00:39:04,109
IT'S AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY.
823
00:39:04,111 --> 00:39:05,911
IF SOMETHING AS SIMPLE
824
00:39:05,913 --> 00:39:09,481
AS ADDING AN INGREDIENT
TO YOUR DIET
825
00:39:09,483 --> 00:39:12,184
CAN PROTECT YOU FROM RADIATION
826
00:39:12,186 --> 00:39:14,286
BY THAT GREAT A DEGREE,
827
00:39:14,288 --> 00:39:16,855
THE IMPLICATIONS
ARE FAR-REACHING.
828
00:39:16,857 --> 00:39:19,157
THE RESEARCH
HERE COULD IMPACT
829
00:39:19,159 --> 00:39:22,561
ON THE SURVIVORS
OF THE FUKUSHIMA DISASTER,
830
00:39:22,563 --> 00:39:24,696
ON CANCER PATIENTS, ON LOTS
831
00:39:24,698 --> 00:39:27,933
AND LOTS OF ANIMAL
AND HUMAN LIVES.
832
00:39:27,935 --> 00:39:30,402
THIS RESEARCH IS GROUNDBREAKING.
833
00:39:32,940 --> 00:39:35,640
Narrator:
FROM DISCOVERING THE DAMAGE
DONE BY RADIATION,
834
00:39:35,642 --> 00:39:37,309
EVEN IN THE COLD ZONES,
835
00:39:37,311 --> 00:39:42,247
TO LEARNING CERTAIN SPECIES
CAN ADAPT AND EVOLVE TO SURVIVE,
836
00:39:42,249 --> 00:39:46,151
ANTHROPOLOGIST MARY-ANN OCHOTA
AND BIOLOGIST ROB NELSON
837
00:39:46,153 --> 00:39:49,287
HAVE COMPLETED
THE MOST WIDE-RANGING SURVEY
838
00:39:49,289 --> 00:39:51,089
OF THE EXCLUSION ZONE.
839
00:39:52,893 --> 00:39:57,529
BEFORE THEY LEAVE, THERE'S NEWS
ABOUT THE COOLING POND CATFISH.
840
00:39:57,531 --> 00:40:01,066
THEIR DNA IS DIFFERENT
FROM REGULAR CATFISH,
841
00:40:01,068 --> 00:40:02,934
BUT DESPITE THE MUTATION,
842
00:40:02,936 --> 00:40:05,971
THE FISH ARE ABLE
TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE,
843
00:40:05,973 --> 00:40:09,174
EVEN IN
THIS EXTREME ENVIRONMENT.
844
00:40:10,944 --> 00:40:15,380
THE LETHAL DAMAGE DONE BY MAN
HERE IS INDISPUTABLE.
845
00:40:15,382 --> 00:40:17,082
BUT THERE ARE DEFINITE SIGNS
846
00:40:17,084 --> 00:40:19,251
THAT WHERE MAN IS NOT PRESENT,
847
00:40:19,253 --> 00:40:25,023
NATU IRES ADAPTING IN WAYS
WE NEVER EXPECTED.
848
00:40:25,025 --> 00:40:27,759
WE THOUGHT THAT A NUCLEAR
DISASTER THE SIZE OF CHERNOBYL
849
00:40:27,761 --> 00:40:31,563
WOULD WIPE LIFE OUT
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
850
00:40:31,565 --> 00:40:33,798
BUT NATURE HAS FOUGHT BACK.
851
00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:37,535
IT'S CLAIMED ITS SPACE
IN THE EXCLUSION ZONE.
852
00:40:37,537 --> 00:40:41,406
WE'VE PAID A HIGH PRICE,
BUT THERE IS HOPE.