1 00:00:01,535 --> 00:00:03,268 Narrator: Ever wonder why crows would gather 2 00:00:03,270 --> 00:00:05,804 Around the body of a fallen comrade? 3 00:00:05,806 --> 00:00:09,274 Man: This must have been one popular crow. 4 00:00:09,276 --> 00:00:12,244 Narrator: What's electrifying the skies over venezuela? 5 00:00:12,246 --> 00:00:15,981 This is the lightning strike capital of planet earth. 6 00:00:15,983 --> 00:00:17,649 Narrator: And what could cause a lake shore 7 00:00:17,651 --> 00:00:20,753 To become smothered in spider webs? 8 00:00:20,755 --> 00:00:23,756 Layers of webs pretty much covering everything. 9 00:00:25,092 --> 00:00:27,760 Narrator: Nature is awe-inspiring, 10 00:00:27,762 --> 00:00:30,129 But sometimes it just doesn't make sense. 11 00:00:30,131 --> 00:00:33,065 Man: I have never, ever seen anything like this. 12 00:00:33,067 --> 00:00:35,200 Strange animal behavior, 13 00:00:35,202 --> 00:00:39,471 Unexpected events captured on camera -- 14 00:00:39,473 --> 00:00:41,974 The truth behind them is astonishing. 15 00:00:41,976 --> 00:00:43,375 My god! 16 00:00:43,377 --> 00:00:46,412 Nature's greatest mysteries, "solved." 17 00:00:46,414 --> 00:00:48,514 -- Captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com 18 00:00:48,516 --> 00:00:50,582 Captions paid for by discovery communications 19 00:00:50,584 --> 00:00:54,586 Narrator: February 14, 2018, seattle, washington -- 20 00:00:54,588 --> 00:01:00,192 A seemingly ordinary valentine's morning erupts into chaos. 21 00:01:02,163 --> 00:01:05,564 A cacophony of squawks draws schoolteacher 22 00:01:05,566 --> 00:01:08,867 Jean sherrard to the bizarre scene outside. 23 00:01:13,607 --> 00:01:16,542 Narrator: A huge flock of crows has gathered. 24 00:01:16,544 --> 00:01:20,446 They all seem to be looking at one individual. 25 00:01:20,448 --> 00:01:24,883 The question is, "just what is going on in their bird brains 26 00:01:24,885 --> 00:01:26,618 To make them do this?" 27 00:01:29,857 --> 00:01:32,724 This is a really strange bit of behavior, 28 00:01:32,726 --> 00:01:34,927 And all sorts of questions spring to mind 29 00:01:34,929 --> 00:01:36,628 As to what's actually going on here. 30 00:01:36,630 --> 00:01:39,731 Why have they gathered round this crow? 31 00:01:39,733 --> 00:01:42,634 Perhaps these crows gather round to assess it 32 00:01:42,636 --> 00:01:44,203 And see whether it's just injured 33 00:01:44,205 --> 00:01:47,372 Or whether there'd be a way of that crow coming back around. 34 00:01:49,543 --> 00:01:56,014 Narrator: So have these crows gathered to help out a wounded flock mate? 35 00:01:56,016 --> 00:01:59,118 After all, the social dynamics of crow society 36 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:03,055 Show these birds of a feather really do flock together. 37 00:02:03,057 --> 00:02:06,058 Crows mate for life. 38 00:02:06,060 --> 00:02:08,627 And young crows might remain with their parents 39 00:02:08,629 --> 00:02:10,963 For 5 or more years, some of them, 40 00:02:10,965 --> 00:02:16,468 So that you get really large extended family groups. 41 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:21,173 Narrator: But there's no room for being a lazy teenager in a crow family. 42 00:02:21,175 --> 00:02:22,875 Young crows and corvids 43 00:02:22,877 --> 00:02:27,112 Will help their parents to raise siblings. 44 00:02:27,114 --> 00:02:29,448 Marzluff: And those offspring will help feed the young, 45 00:02:29,450 --> 00:02:32,251 Defend the territory, look out for predators. 46 00:02:34,221 --> 00:02:37,823 Narrator: Other animals with strong social bonds like lions 47 00:02:37,825 --> 00:02:41,593 Have been known to support their injured friends. 48 00:02:41,595 --> 00:02:43,662 Is this happening here? 49 00:02:43,664 --> 00:02:49,835 Certainly if a mate is injured in a nonlethal way, 50 00:02:49,837 --> 00:02:52,337 They will still remain together. 51 00:02:52,339 --> 00:02:55,774 They do seem to have a really strong loyalty. 52 00:02:55,776 --> 00:02:58,944 Crows have been reported to feed an injured bird 53 00:02:58,946 --> 00:03:01,780 If it couldn't feed itself. 54 00:03:01,782 --> 00:03:04,316 There are even reports of individual crows 55 00:03:04,318 --> 00:03:07,319 Helping support another bird who's wounded, 56 00:03:07,321 --> 00:03:10,822 And I can see that definitely happening with a mated pair. 57 00:03:12,893 --> 00:03:14,927 But it's really unlikely that they would do that 58 00:03:14,929 --> 00:03:17,229 For unrelated crows. 59 00:03:17,231 --> 00:03:20,832 Narrator: A group of crows is called a murder. 60 00:03:20,834 --> 00:03:25,671 In seattle, this cackling army is at least 60 strong. 61 00:03:25,673 --> 00:03:29,274 But crow families have no more than a dozen members, 62 00:03:29,276 --> 00:03:32,811 So this gathering is unlikely to be a family affair. 63 00:03:35,616 --> 00:03:37,583 So in this instance, all these crows 64 00:03:37,585 --> 00:03:42,854 Gathering round to help a crow, it doesn't seem likely to me. 65 00:03:42,856 --> 00:03:44,456 Narrator: There must be something else going on 66 00:03:44,458 --> 00:03:46,758 To bring this flock together. 67 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,563 On closer inspection, it seems our crow is way beyond help. 68 00:03:51,565 --> 00:03:53,298 It's dead. 69 00:03:59,940 --> 00:04:02,040 For a really long time throughout human history, 70 00:04:02,042 --> 00:04:05,010 We have noticed that crows seem to respond 71 00:04:05,012 --> 00:04:08,046 Really strongly to their dead. 72 00:04:08,048 --> 00:04:12,251 When a crow dies, a murder of crows will gather around 73 00:04:12,253 --> 00:04:16,054 That dead crow in what's known as a crow funeral. 74 00:04:21,829 --> 00:04:23,528 A bird will fly in, and it's... 75 00:04:23,530 --> 00:04:25,297 You know, as it's going about its day, 76 00:04:25,299 --> 00:04:29,368 And it will see a dead crow on the ground. 77 00:04:29,370 --> 00:04:30,502 One starts to call, 78 00:04:30,504 --> 00:04:32,638 Others come in, and they start calling. 79 00:04:35,609 --> 00:04:38,577 It's a cacophony. 80 00:04:38,579 --> 00:04:41,246 Narrator: But what's the motive for this crow funeral? 81 00:04:44,685 --> 00:04:46,551 Could their interest in the dead crow 82 00:04:46,553 --> 00:04:49,721 Be an attempt to come to terms with losing a flock member? 83 00:04:51,825 --> 00:04:54,059 Marzluff: One other reason they could come in to a funeral 84 00:04:54,061 --> 00:04:59,331 Setting would be to mourn the loss of that individual. 85 00:04:59,333 --> 00:05:02,301 Swift: Maybe it was an expression of grief. 86 00:05:02,303 --> 00:05:04,403 One of their neighbors died, or their mate died, 87 00:05:04,405 --> 00:05:08,006 And they're coming to pay their respects. 88 00:05:08,008 --> 00:05:11,076 Marzluff: They might actually be having emotional mourning 89 00:05:11,078 --> 00:05:13,945 Sort of response to that. 90 00:05:13,947 --> 00:05:15,447 Narrator: In the animal kingdom, 91 00:05:15,449 --> 00:05:19,518 Only a handful of species like dolphins and elephants 92 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,689 Respond to their dead in this remarkably human way. 93 00:05:23,691 --> 00:05:27,225 Could crows also be a species that grieves? 94 00:05:30,497 --> 00:05:33,565 John marzluff is professor of wildlife science 95 00:05:33,567 --> 00:05:36,668 At the university of washington and has been working with crows 96 00:05:36,670 --> 00:05:40,872 For decades to better understand their behavior. 97 00:05:40,874 --> 00:05:44,376 John wants to explore the mental reactions of wild crows 98 00:05:44,378 --> 00:05:47,145 When a fellow crow dies. 99 00:05:47,147 --> 00:05:49,448 After anesthetizing his subjects, 100 00:05:49,450 --> 00:05:51,550 He examined their brains in his lab 101 00:05:51,552 --> 00:05:55,687 Using a special bird-sized scanning machine. 102 00:05:55,689 --> 00:05:57,222 The way we scan a crow's brain 103 00:05:57,224 --> 00:05:59,524 Is to use what's called a micro-p.E.T., 104 00:05:59,526 --> 00:06:03,428 Or positron emission tomography. 105 00:06:03,430 --> 00:06:06,865 Narrator: The p.E.T. Scan will allow john to see which parts of the crow's 106 00:06:06,867 --> 00:06:09,634 Brain light up during a crow funeral. 107 00:06:13,207 --> 00:06:16,908 Firstly, to simulate a crow's reaction to death, 108 00:06:16,910 --> 00:06:21,480 He showed a crow a stuffed dead bird. 109 00:06:21,482 --> 00:06:23,648 John wanted to measure their mental reactions 110 00:06:23,650 --> 00:06:25,317 To the dead crow, 111 00:06:25,319 --> 00:06:28,620 But the result wasn't quite what he'd expected. 112 00:06:28,622 --> 00:06:30,655 I kind of expected them to be very stereotyped, 113 00:06:30,657 --> 00:06:32,624 In a very simple, like, response, 114 00:06:32,626 --> 00:06:34,659 But it wasn't like they were fearful 115 00:06:34,661 --> 00:06:38,897 Or even emotional about this particular scene. 116 00:06:38,899 --> 00:06:41,633 Instead, what we saw was that part of their brain 117 00:06:41,635 --> 00:06:47,839 Was activated that is indicative of complex decision-making. 118 00:06:47,841 --> 00:06:51,276 Narrator: So it seems that the crows at the funeral are flocking 119 00:06:51,278 --> 00:06:53,912 Together not to pay their respects 120 00:06:53,914 --> 00:06:57,215 But to assess the situation and make decisions, 121 00:06:57,217 --> 00:07:01,887 In which case, "what answers are these brainy birds seeking?" 122 00:07:01,889 --> 00:07:03,722 Maybe they're turning detective 123 00:07:03,724 --> 00:07:05,791 And investigating the crime scene. 124 00:07:05,793 --> 00:07:09,494 Perhaps it's a kind of a novel predator like a unique dog 125 00:07:09,496 --> 00:07:14,166 Or a human that they need to learn about. 126 00:07:14,168 --> 00:07:18,303 Narrator: To test the theory, john added a suspect to the crime scene, 127 00:07:18,305 --> 00:07:20,405 A human holding the dead bird. 128 00:07:20,407 --> 00:07:22,073 Swift: Well, they have made this connection 129 00:07:22,075 --> 00:07:24,576 That this person holding a dead crow 130 00:07:24,578 --> 00:07:26,511 Must have had something to do with their death, 131 00:07:26,513 --> 00:07:29,314 Or in some way they're bad. 132 00:07:29,316 --> 00:07:31,216 Narrator: Adding this new threat element 133 00:07:31,218 --> 00:07:35,587 Activated a different part of the crow's brain. 134 00:07:35,589 --> 00:07:37,889 We saw the hippocampus activated, 135 00:07:37,891 --> 00:07:40,992 And the hippocampus is an important part of the brain 136 00:07:40,994 --> 00:07:45,897 That is used to form important social and spatial memories. 137 00:07:45,899 --> 00:07:50,535 That indicates that these birds are forming a memory. 138 00:07:50,537 --> 00:07:53,505 Narrator: John's results suggested that wild birds will commit 139 00:07:53,507 --> 00:07:56,308 These crime scenes to memory, 140 00:07:56,310 --> 00:07:59,211 But just what exactly are these super smart birds 141 00:07:59,213 --> 00:08:02,414 Trying to remember? 142 00:08:12,693 --> 00:08:17,529 Narrator: February 14, 2018, seattle, washington -- 143 00:08:17,531 --> 00:08:21,166 A crow funeral is filmed on a suburban street. 144 00:08:21,168 --> 00:08:22,734 What are they doing? 145 00:08:22,736 --> 00:08:23,935 To find out, 146 00:08:23,937 --> 00:08:26,538 Scientist john marzluff has been examining crows 147 00:08:26,540 --> 00:08:30,075 To see how they react to their dead, 148 00:08:30,077 --> 00:08:31,443 And he's discovered that 149 00:08:31,445 --> 00:08:34,479 They seem to be trying to memorize the event. 150 00:08:34,481 --> 00:08:37,949 Crows appear to be really good at learning from crime scenes, 151 00:08:37,951 --> 00:08:40,652 And the two things that we know that they learn, 152 00:08:40,654 --> 00:08:42,621 And there might be other things, 153 00:08:42,623 --> 00:08:46,691 Is the location of the crime scene itself 154 00:08:46,693 --> 00:08:50,228 And any suspects that were present 155 00:08:50,230 --> 00:08:53,532 At the scene of the crime. 156 00:08:53,534 --> 00:08:57,636 Narrator: So is our valentine's day crow funeral in seattle 157 00:08:57,638 --> 00:09:01,873 Really just one big crow investigation. 158 00:09:01,875 --> 00:09:06,945 If so, it could be beneficial for every bird in the flock. 159 00:09:06,947 --> 00:09:09,614 By gathering around the dead or dying crow, 160 00:09:09,616 --> 00:09:12,417 What the others are doing are gleaning information, 161 00:09:12,419 --> 00:09:15,153 Learning and finding out what caused the accident, 162 00:09:15,155 --> 00:09:16,555 What caused their death, 163 00:09:16,557 --> 00:09:18,490 And once they've got that information, 164 00:09:18,492 --> 00:09:22,127 It helps them avoid a similar end themselves. 165 00:09:22,129 --> 00:09:24,996 So make sure that they don't meet the same fate 166 00:09:24,998 --> 00:09:28,600 As this bird that has just recently died. 167 00:09:28,602 --> 00:09:31,469 Marzluff: It pays to be smart and learn things as you go 168 00:09:31,471 --> 00:09:35,607 Because you might be able to use that information in the future. 169 00:09:35,609 --> 00:09:38,209 Narrator: So it's not so much a crow funeral. 170 00:09:38,211 --> 00:09:41,580 It's more like a crow classroom where the birds learn 171 00:09:41,582 --> 00:09:44,583 How to keep themselves safe down the line. 172 00:09:48,021 --> 00:09:50,488 Oh, and by the way, no need to worry 173 00:09:50,490 --> 00:09:54,326 About the welfare of the crows john used in his tests. 174 00:09:54,328 --> 00:09:57,128 We wake the bird up, and then it can be released to the wild 175 00:09:57,130 --> 00:09:58,897 And go about its own life. 176 00:09:58,899 --> 00:10:07,839 ♪ 177 00:10:07,841 --> 00:10:12,611 Narrator: October 2018, lake vistonida, greece -- 178 00:10:12,613 --> 00:10:14,879 Residents living on the lakeshores wake up 179 00:10:14,881 --> 00:10:17,215 To a very strange sight. 180 00:10:21,054 --> 00:10:23,955 Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. 181 00:10:23,957 --> 00:10:26,925 Narrator: Almost overnight, their beach has been transformed 182 00:10:26,927 --> 00:10:29,361 Into an arachnophobe's nightmare. 183 00:10:29,363 --> 00:10:31,229 This is a creepy one. 184 00:10:31,231 --> 00:10:33,431 This place in greece all of a sudden 185 00:10:33,433 --> 00:10:36,201 Is totally covered in spider webs. 186 00:10:36,203 --> 00:10:38,403 Layers of webs covering plants, 187 00:10:38,405 --> 00:10:43,508 Pretty much covering everything and over a huge area. 188 00:10:43,510 --> 00:10:45,543 It looks like Halloween decorations, but it's not. 189 00:10:45,545 --> 00:10:47,746 It's totally real. 190 00:10:47,748 --> 00:10:51,182 Narrator: The super web spans almost 1,000 meters. 191 00:10:51,184 --> 00:10:53,218 What could be going on in the spider world 192 00:10:53,220 --> 00:10:56,087 To make them spin such a gigantic structure? 193 00:10:58,492 --> 00:10:59,791 Could this be the work of a group 194 00:10:59,793 --> 00:11:03,128 Of unusually social spiders? 195 00:11:03,130 --> 00:11:05,830 Spiders certainly aren't known for their teamwork. 196 00:11:05,832 --> 00:11:10,201 Everybody thinks of spiders as these solo hunters, 197 00:11:10,203 --> 00:11:14,406 But there are a few kinds of spiders that act communally, 198 00:11:14,408 --> 00:11:16,207 Almost like an anthill, 199 00:11:16,209 --> 00:11:18,977 Where a whole bunch of spiders will share a great big web, 200 00:11:18,979 --> 00:11:22,013 And that could be what's happening in greece. 201 00:11:24,351 --> 00:11:28,319 Narrator: Of the almost 50,000 species of spider worldwide, 202 00:11:28,321 --> 00:11:32,057 Only 23 species are truly social. 203 00:11:32,059 --> 00:11:34,959 Cooperative spiders create immense webs, 204 00:11:34,961 --> 00:11:37,829 Home to up to 50,000 individuals. 205 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,901 So do we have a fast-growing community 206 00:11:42,903 --> 00:11:45,937 Of social spiders here in greece? 207 00:11:45,939 --> 00:11:48,039 They are a species of orb weaver, 208 00:11:48,041 --> 00:11:50,075 Which typically aren't social. 209 00:11:50,077 --> 00:11:52,577 There aren't any communal spiders in greece 210 00:11:52,579 --> 00:11:54,112 Or anywhere near greece. 211 00:11:54,114 --> 00:11:57,215 That's not going to explain this. 212 00:11:57,217 --> 00:12:00,051 Narrator: If there are no social spiders in greece, 213 00:12:00,053 --> 00:12:04,422 Did these long-jawed orb weavers migrate here? 214 00:12:04,424 --> 00:12:07,258 Spiders crawl slowly through their webs, 215 00:12:07,260 --> 00:12:08,893 And they crawl on the ground. 216 00:12:08,895 --> 00:12:11,396 Narrator: But surely they haven't swum across the lake? 217 00:12:11,398 --> 00:12:12,797 What a lot of people don't realize is 218 00:12:12,799 --> 00:12:14,599 That they can also fly. 219 00:12:25,512 --> 00:12:29,914 Narrator: October 2018, lake vistonida, greece -- 220 00:12:29,916 --> 00:12:32,684 The shoreline looks like a Halloween party. 221 00:12:32,686 --> 00:12:38,490 Spider webs are everywhere, so how did they get here? 222 00:12:38,492 --> 00:12:43,161 Could an army of spiders have flown in overnight? 223 00:12:43,163 --> 00:12:45,196 A spider's version of an airplane 224 00:12:45,198 --> 00:12:47,966 Is just a really long strand of web 225 00:12:47,968 --> 00:12:49,901 That gets caught by the wind, 226 00:12:49,903 --> 00:12:52,237 And if the spider is holding on to its strand 227 00:12:52,239 --> 00:12:56,241 And moves with it, it's called ballooning. 228 00:12:56,243 --> 00:12:58,376 They will climb to the top of whatever 229 00:12:58,378 --> 00:13:01,012 Is most prominent in their environment, 230 00:13:01,014 --> 00:13:04,916 So a top of a tree, blade of grass. 231 00:13:04,918 --> 00:13:08,753 They will stand on their tiptoes, raise their abdomen, 232 00:13:08,755 --> 00:13:10,955 Let out silk, and then float away. 233 00:13:10,957 --> 00:13:16,261 ♪ 234 00:13:16,263 --> 00:13:19,197 So they travel huge distances without any wings, 235 00:13:19,199 --> 00:13:22,734 Just using these silk lines. 236 00:13:22,736 --> 00:13:25,904 Narrator: But only some spider species can balloon, 237 00:13:25,906 --> 00:13:29,107 And it seems unlikely that so many ballooning spiders 238 00:13:29,109 --> 00:13:33,311 Would happen to land in this one spot, as once airborne, 239 00:13:33,313 --> 00:13:37,015 They have little control over where they go. 240 00:13:37,017 --> 00:13:40,218 So could the greek lake have been their launch site? 241 00:13:40,220 --> 00:13:44,322 Maybe all those long strands of web have accumulated 242 00:13:44,324 --> 00:13:47,325 And made these big huge webs that cover everything. 243 00:13:49,396 --> 00:13:51,596 Narrator: When thousands of spiders balloon, 244 00:13:51,598 --> 00:13:53,965 The tangle of silk threads they leave behind 245 00:13:53,967 --> 00:13:58,203 Can be surprisingly lovely to look at, 246 00:13:58,205 --> 00:14:01,372 But why would a bunch of long-jawed orb weaver spiders 247 00:14:01,374 --> 00:14:05,210 Be ballooning in such large numbers? 248 00:14:05,212 --> 00:14:06,911 Well, baby spiders 249 00:14:06,913 --> 00:14:09,848 Have an especially big motivation to move. 250 00:14:09,850 --> 00:14:13,751 Sixty-five babies can hatch from just one egg sac. 251 00:14:13,753 --> 00:14:16,087 And these are all in a very small space, 252 00:14:16,089 --> 00:14:19,991 So there's a lot of competition and potentially predation 253 00:14:19,993 --> 00:14:22,260 Happening from their brothers and sisters 254 00:14:22,262 --> 00:14:23,728 As spiders are cannibalistic. 255 00:14:23,730 --> 00:14:25,029 They will eat each other, 256 00:14:25,031 --> 00:14:27,732 So obviously it's a good idea to disperse 257 00:14:27,734 --> 00:14:30,602 And get far away from any brothers and sisters 258 00:14:30,604 --> 00:14:33,037 That might want to eat them. 259 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:36,107 Narrator: No wonder young spiders will go to extreme lengths 260 00:14:36,109 --> 00:14:39,043 To find a new home, 261 00:14:39,045 --> 00:14:41,045 But was it a bunch of baby spiders 262 00:14:41,047 --> 00:14:45,350 Ballooning off to pastures new that carpeted the lakeshore? 263 00:14:45,352 --> 00:14:47,252 If they were ballooning, you would expect to find 264 00:14:47,254 --> 00:14:49,387 Just individual strands everywhere, 265 00:14:49,389 --> 00:14:51,890 And these are well-built webs. 266 00:14:51,892 --> 00:14:53,691 Narrator: If they're not ballooning in, 267 00:14:53,693 --> 00:14:57,428 Could the solution be something to do with weather? 268 00:14:57,430 --> 00:15:01,132 This shoreline in greece had warm and humid conditions, 269 00:15:01,134 --> 00:15:04,602 Which is perfect for an abundance of mosquitoes. 270 00:15:08,308 --> 00:15:12,810 Narrator: Millions of mozzies cued a frenzy of feeding and mating. 271 00:15:12,812 --> 00:15:16,648 So the reason there were so many spiders in greece all at once 272 00:15:16,650 --> 00:15:17,982 Is because all of a sudden, 273 00:15:17,984 --> 00:15:20,017 There was a ton of food for them. 274 00:15:20,019 --> 00:15:23,621 With that much food available, the spiders went to town. 275 00:15:23,623 --> 00:15:25,857 Narrator: This glut of food and ideal 276 00:15:25,859 --> 00:15:28,426 Weather led to a breeding bonanza, 277 00:15:28,428 --> 00:15:31,362 And an explosion in the local spider population. 278 00:15:31,364 --> 00:15:33,798 And that's what resulted in this huge, huge 279 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,235 Extraordinary webbing that you saw there. 280 00:15:37,237 --> 00:15:41,105 And so it turns into the new york city of spider webs. 281 00:15:41,107 --> 00:15:43,841 Narrator: Perfect weather and lots of spider food 282 00:15:43,843 --> 00:15:48,179 Means lots of spiders, and that means lots of webs. 283 00:15:48,181 --> 00:15:50,415 Greek spider town mystery... 284 00:15:50,417 --> 00:15:52,417 Solved. 285 00:15:56,589 --> 00:15:58,990 Astronauts at the international space station 286 00:15:58,992 --> 00:16:02,527 Capture a dramatic storm over south america. 287 00:16:02,529 --> 00:16:06,030 One lake in venezuela is particularly electric, 288 00:16:06,032 --> 00:16:08,333 Which begs the question, "why?" 289 00:16:10,270 --> 00:16:13,137 Lightning is a very common occurrence around the globe. 290 00:16:13,139 --> 00:16:16,841 There are around 100 lightning strikes per second. 291 00:16:16,843 --> 00:16:20,178 That averages out to around 3 billion 292 00:16:20,180 --> 00:16:22,847 Lightning strikes per year. 293 00:16:22,849 --> 00:16:26,951 Narrator: 3 billion strikes -- that's a lot of electricity, 294 00:16:26,953 --> 00:16:30,221 And some places are much more hit-prone than others. 295 00:16:30,223 --> 00:16:31,556 Riskin: People love to say that lightning 296 00:16:31,558 --> 00:16:33,524 Never strikes twice in the same place, 297 00:16:33,526 --> 00:16:35,126 But they obviously haven't visited 298 00:16:35,128 --> 00:16:37,095 Lake maracaibo in venezuela. 299 00:16:37,097 --> 00:16:39,163 This place is out of control. 300 00:16:39,165 --> 00:16:44,769 [ thunder rumbling ] 301 00:16:44,771 --> 00:16:47,171 Narrator: With an average of 28 strikes a minute 302 00:16:47,173 --> 00:16:49,540 On 300 nights every year, 303 00:16:49,542 --> 00:16:53,711 This place holds the world record for lightning activity. 304 00:16:53,713 --> 00:16:59,183 This is the lightning strike capital of planet earth. 305 00:16:59,185 --> 00:17:05,590 Narrator: The question is, "what makes this place so electrifying?" 306 00:17:16,603 --> 00:17:19,637 Narrator: What is causing lake maracaibo in venezuela 307 00:17:19,639 --> 00:17:22,106 To be the lightning capital of planet earth? 308 00:17:22,108 --> 00:17:26,177 One possibility is that humans have done something there 309 00:17:26,179 --> 00:17:29,580 That has caused all this lightning to show up. 310 00:17:29,582 --> 00:17:32,617 It sounds impossible, but people can totally influence 311 00:17:32,619 --> 00:17:35,119 Where lightning strikes. 312 00:17:35,121 --> 00:17:37,688 Lightning is always trying to find the quickest path 313 00:17:37,690 --> 00:17:41,359 To the ground, the shortest route possible. 314 00:17:41,361 --> 00:17:44,429 Narrator: And in big cities, that shortest route 315 00:17:44,431 --> 00:17:47,465 Usually starts with the highest skyscraper. 316 00:17:51,071 --> 00:17:53,704 Are man-made structures attracting lightning 317 00:17:53,706 --> 00:17:55,039 To this lake? 318 00:17:55,041 --> 00:17:57,442 It's very unlikely that there would be 319 00:17:57,444 --> 00:17:59,610 Any kind of human element involved 320 00:17:59,612 --> 00:18:01,579 In terms of a building, of a city. 321 00:18:01,581 --> 00:18:04,315 Riskin: You don't have skyscrapers all around this lake. 322 00:18:04,317 --> 00:18:06,350 It's just a few small buildings. 323 00:18:06,352 --> 00:18:08,853 They're not empire state buildings, 324 00:18:08,855 --> 00:18:12,290 So they're probably not big enough to focus the lightning, 325 00:18:12,292 --> 00:18:14,325 And the lightning is not happening there. 326 00:18:14,327 --> 00:18:16,060 It's happening out over the lake. 327 00:18:19,999 --> 00:18:23,501 Narrator: This might be the most electrifying place on earth, 328 00:18:23,503 --> 00:18:25,837 But it's teeming with life. 329 00:18:25,839 --> 00:18:29,207 Jaguars roam the lush banks, and the lake, 330 00:18:29,209 --> 00:18:32,009 Which is three times the size of rhode island, 331 00:18:32,011 --> 00:18:37,248 Is home to freshwater dolphins and over 100 species of fish. 332 00:18:37,250 --> 00:18:43,121 ♪ 333 00:18:43,123 --> 00:18:46,524 So what could be causing this region's 334 00:18:46,526 --> 00:18:48,759 Tremendous thunderstorms? 335 00:18:50,730 --> 00:18:53,364 Perhaps something more industrial. 336 00:18:53,366 --> 00:18:54,799 Midcap: One of the original theories 337 00:18:54,801 --> 00:18:59,103 Was that it could possibly be driven by or fed by methane. 338 00:19:01,241 --> 00:19:03,541 So the lightning storm is happening way off the ground, 339 00:19:03,543 --> 00:19:06,377 Like 50,000 feet up, and the methane, 340 00:19:06,379 --> 00:19:07,678 If it's coming out of the ground, 341 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:09,714 Would have to travel a long distance to get there. 342 00:19:09,716 --> 00:19:12,283 Now, anybody who has ever farted knows 343 00:19:12,285 --> 00:19:15,620 That it's going to dissipate pretty quickly, 344 00:19:15,622 --> 00:19:18,523 And to be honest, it would look like a giant fireball, 345 00:19:18,525 --> 00:19:21,192 Not a whole bunch of lightning strikes. 346 00:19:21,194 --> 00:19:23,528 Lightning really doesn't depend on methane 347 00:19:23,530 --> 00:19:29,033 In any way to feed itself or intensify strikes, 348 00:19:29,035 --> 00:19:33,004 So methane has been ruled out. 349 00:19:33,006 --> 00:19:37,241 Narrator: It's not buildings, and it's not gas from the oil industry. 350 00:19:37,243 --> 00:19:40,511 Looks like humanity's off the hook. 351 00:19:40,513 --> 00:19:42,513 Could something natural be responsible 352 00:19:42,515 --> 00:19:45,349 For lighting up the skies above venezuela? 353 00:19:45,351 --> 00:19:51,122 ♪ 354 00:19:51,124 --> 00:19:53,457 So this is a very fascinating event in that 355 00:19:53,459 --> 00:19:55,259 There are a number of things going on here. 356 00:19:55,261 --> 00:19:58,429 First and foremost would be the geography of the region, 357 00:19:58,431 --> 00:20:02,233 So lake maracaibo is surrounded on three sides. 358 00:20:02,235 --> 00:20:04,468 It's hemmed in to the east, to the west, 359 00:20:04,470 --> 00:20:07,104 And to the south by very high mountains. 360 00:20:07,106 --> 00:20:10,775 To the north, lake maracaibo opens up to the caribbean sea. 361 00:20:10,777 --> 00:20:13,511 So you get all this warm air that comes from the caribbean. 362 00:20:13,513 --> 00:20:15,012 Midcap: It's warm air. 363 00:20:15,014 --> 00:20:18,916 It's moist air, and it creeps into the lake maracaibo region. 364 00:20:18,918 --> 00:20:20,284 That air has to go someplace, 365 00:20:20,286 --> 00:20:22,820 But when it enters the lake itself, it realizes, 366 00:20:22,822 --> 00:20:24,622 "okay, there are mountains here. There are mountains there. 367 00:20:24,624 --> 00:20:26,357 There are mountains. Where am I going to go? 368 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,694 I can't go to the side. I have to go up." 369 00:20:29,696 --> 00:20:31,629 And then you get this cold air down from the andes, 370 00:20:31,631 --> 00:20:34,198 And it mixes and causes a thunderstorm, 371 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,033 But the thunderstorm can't leave. 372 00:20:36,035 --> 00:20:38,269 It's stuck there and just gets amplified. 373 00:20:38,271 --> 00:20:42,173 And this happens night after night after night after night. 374 00:20:42,175 --> 00:20:45,776 Narrator: So the towering mountains are trapping powerful storms, 375 00:20:45,778 --> 00:20:50,381 And with nowhere for them to go, every evening is explosive. 376 00:20:50,383 --> 00:20:57,054 ♪