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00:01The immense force, which is our ocean,
00:06wields more power than anything else on the planet.
00:12Its waters move and merge,
00:18creating marvels at every level.
00:24The ocean persuades giants to dance,
00:29and warns fish to flee for their lives.
00:34It provides the foundations for megacities to rise up,
00:39setting the scene for romance by the light of the moon.
00:46This is the power of our magnificent oceans.
00:54Take a dive into our planet's mesmerizing world of water.
01:13From the monumental open ocean,
01:16to the rugged coasts that serve as the dividing line between two worlds.
01:23From the changing rivers,
01:26that carve through continents,
01:30to mysterious lakes and swamps.
01:35Immerse yourself in the magic that unfolds.
01:41As we reveal the secrets of our enchanted waters.
01:53The ocean fine tunes our climate, generates the air we breathe, and cultivates our planet's food.
01:59It enables the survival of every living being.
02:17But it was also once the origin of life itself.
02:24Four and a half billion years ago, there was no ocean.
02:33Earth was not yet a blue planet.
02:40It was a ball of molten rock.
02:46As the rock cooled and formed a crust, gases and water vapor were released.
03:01Creating a primitive atmosphere.
03:04The vapor condensed.
03:09Rain pooled at the surface.
03:11And over millions of years, our ocean was born.
03:16Deep within these new seas, hydrothermal vents continued to discharge hot water, rock, and mineral deposits.
03:33All heated by the magma below the Earth's crust.
03:38These superheated cauldrons created the first complex organic compounds.
03:51The first chapter in the story of life on Earth.
03:58Starting with microbes.
04:00Then cyanobacteria.
04:03It was these underwater organisms, fueled by the sun's energy, that began to produce oxygen on a grand scale.
04:16This laid the foundations for multicellular life that thrived in the now oxygen-rich waters.
04:26Life that then emerged to conquer the land.
04:32It's been a long journey.
04:37Much of which still boils down to chance.
04:42The right combination of chemicals, uniting in the right place under perfect conditions.
04:51But life has a knack of grabbing every chance it gets.
04:58With 80% of our ocean still uncharted.
05:03Countless life forms and secrets await discovery.
05:09The ocean's incredible power governs even the largest of creatures.
05:16Every moment of a humpback whale's life is driven by these mighty forces.
05:22In a quest to breed.
05:23Or to eat.
05:25If they get to the right place at the right time, the ocean will provide a bounty of food.
05:35But catching this many fish requires a net.
05:50A net fashioned from the ocean itself.
06:03It's late spring.
06:05The cold waters of Alaska, preparing to welcome some returning guests.
06:19This female is traveling north from the equator.
06:24She's using the magnetic fields given off by landmarks on the seabed to guide her through 3,000 miles of an otherwise featureless ocean.
06:37To reach this nutrient rich pocket of life.
06:43And this year, she's bringing her calf.
06:50The ocean's warm equatorial waters gave her the ideal nursery to give birth.
06:56But didn't provide anything to eat.
07:01For the past six months, she has relied on her fat reserves to sustain herself and feed her baby.
07:14But if she and the other migrating whales have timed it right, this epic feat of navigation will be worth it.
07:23And the ocean will serve up a banquet of fish.
07:28They begin their choreographed routine.
07:43Swimming in a spiral.
07:46And blowing a wall of bubbles around a shoal of thousands of unsuspecting fish.
07:57The fish try to escape.
08:00But they're trapped in a net made from air.
08:14The fish are ushered into an even tighter ball.
08:22Then it's down the hatch.
08:25In one large, satisfying gulp.
08:30The whales cruise the coastline looking for more.
08:46But there's no hurry.
08:49The dinner gong will chime throughout summer.
08:52Plenty of time to feast and fatten up.
08:55In return, the whales leave behind a gift for the ocean.
09:07A generous dose of iron-rich whale poop.
09:14That acts as a fertilizer, providing a much-needed boost of nutrients.
09:24This magical ingredient, combined with a sprinkle of around-the-clock Arctic summer sun, kickstarts a frenzy of plankton growth.
09:33Attracting huge shoals of small fish that flood in to feed on these tiny marine organisms.
09:48Leaving their waste behind.
09:51The whales ensure these feeding grounds will remain plentiful for years to come.
09:57Autumn arrives.
10:07The days shorten.
10:10The light dwindles.
10:12And the ocean's summer bloom begins to wane.
10:16The huntbacks, now in peak physical condition, depart on their two-month journey back to the tropics.
10:28And the gentle warmth of their carving grounds.
10:33The perpetual rhythm of the humpback's journey provides vital nutrients in the right places.
10:39Allowing the ocean to cultivate and produce a feast.
10:44Every single year.
10:46Without fail.
10:48And each year, the humpbacks return to reap their rewards.
10:54Over eons, whales have woven their feeding patterns into the epic seasonal shifts of the ocean.
11:02But there are much subtler changes going on in the water, if you know how to read between the lines.
11:13Life out in the open ocean is tough for a little fish.
11:19These waters offer few places to hide from predators.
11:26When you're low down the food chain, it pays to stick with like-minded individuals.
11:31To grow into something greater than the sum of their parts.
11:40This twinkling, shimmering orb is a little fish's defensive strategy.
11:41Their synchronized twists and turns may look choreographed.
11:42But these moves are ingrained in their DNA.
11:43This twinkling, shimmering orb is a little fish's defensive strategy.
12:00Their synchronized twists and turns may look choreographed.
12:05But these moves are ingrained in their DNA.
12:09This is the power of the lateral line.
12:15A row of tiny sensors that run along each side of the fish's body, just beneath the skin.
12:24Allowing them to read the ocean and the warning signals it provides.
12:34The fish's lateral lines pick up on a language of subtle shifts in water movement and pressure.
12:48When the outer fish receive these messages, they react instantly.
12:53Their neighbors then ride the ripples made by those closest to them.
13:01Enabling each individual to expend minimal energy.
13:05Every fluctuation, every disturbance reverberates through the school.
13:12A dazzling silver spectacle is certain to attract attention.
13:37As danger closes in, the fish are alerted, thanks to the ocean's subtle touch.
13:46An early warning system before the predator is even spotted.
13:56Moving as one has the power to distract and confuse.
14:07Often, it pays to be near the center.
14:12Other times, life on the edge is the safest place to be.
14:25In the aftermath, the urge to reform is instinctive.
14:30The ocean and the school bound in eternal conversation.
14:39And the faith in the ocean's message never wavers.
14:46Dare to go it alone, the risk would be even greater.
14:49The school at least provides a way of knowing and a way of life.
15:05But the school's special aquatic warning system is less successful when the attack comes from above.
15:12The school's special aquatic warning system is less successful when the attack comes from above.
15:24Few creatures are equipped for movement on land, air, and sea.
15:31This charismatic dad has perfected all three.
15:46He's one of many thousands of northern gannets tied to this prime piece of seafront real estate.
15:54The windswept cliffs, battered into shape by the power of the North Atlantic.
16:07Every gannet here is trying to raise a chick.
16:11Tied to land, but completely reliant on the ocean.
16:15He nurtures his protégé.
16:22Together with a lifelong partner, each taking turns out at sea to fish.
16:33Once mum returns, it's dad's turn to fly.
16:37He makes it look effortless.
16:52His long, narrow wings, spanning over six feet, mean he can ride the ocean thermals, covering long distances on a single beat.
17:06And he isn't just an expert flyer.
17:22He eyes his target.
17:28And moulds his body into a sleek torpedo.
17:32His head, reinforced with air sacs beneath the skin.
17:46his head reinforced with air sacs beneath the skin acts as a natural shock absorber
18:02allowing him to plunge from heights of up to 100 feet
18:09striking the water at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour
18:16flying becomes swimming even when his strike isn't clean he won't go home empty-mouthed
18:29he can propel himself through the water for up to 40 seconds at a time
18:35enough to swipe or snatch a reward
18:40with each dive the ocean provides him and his youngster with a feast of fish to carry back home
18:54to the clifftops
18:56to prepare his chick for something extraordinary
19:02at just three months old he will fly nearly two thousand miles south to the next bountiful
19:12pocket of food following the ocean's shallow continental shelf in a well-worn route to
19:20west africa
19:27the ocean shapes the life of the northern gannet its waves embrace the rocky outcrops they call home
19:35it lures them from the cliffs into the air and welcomes them into its depths
19:42molding them into a champion of all realms
19:50the search for food across the seas is bound to the movement of the ocean currents
20:05the oceans 320 million cubic miles of water flows drives and mixes reaching every corner of the globe
20:12and this vast global movement is driven by two things temperature and salt
20:34at the poles as surface water freezes it expels salt leaving behind a dense salty brine which is heavier
20:56so it sinks
20:59as the brine plunges to the depths warmer surface water flows in to take its place
21:06the new surface water is now cooled by the polar temperatures and the cycle is repeated
21:13creating a giant pump
21:21powering the underwater circulatory system of our entire planet
21:29this deep water highway known as the ocean conveyor belt
21:34flows across the globe
21:36and wraps itself around the land
21:39undulating over the seabed
21:42and creating a vast interconnected global system of currents
21:47it's this constant and complex churning
21:51that delivers nutrients to different parts of the ocean
21:54shaping the ecosystems that live there
22:07but this huge flow of water has implications far beyond the ocean itself
22:13as cold sea currents move from the poles towards the equator
22:18they cool the air above them
22:23in the same way warm ocean currents moving away from the equator
22:27warm the atmosphere as they travel
22:33this distribution of heat regulates the world's climate
22:37helping to keep our planet at a habitable temperature
22:44and it also controls the weather
22:47ocean water is constantly evaporating under the heat of the sun
22:52rising into the atmosphere
22:54where it eventually condenses
22:56and falls back down to earth
22:58as fresh water
23:02it takes one water molecule
23:05up to a thousand years
23:07to complete an around the world trip
23:09on this mammoth ocean conveyor belt
23:12together
23:15they combine to create
23:17one of the most powerful forces on the planet
23:21once a year
23:32when the conditions align
23:33these monumental ocean currents work with the weather
23:37to serve up an event
23:40fit for a star-studded guest
23:43in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Oman
23:54it's monsoon season
23:56strong winds drive away the ocean's surface
24:00dragging up cold, rich, fertile water from the depths
24:06to replace it
24:07and where these upwellings occur
24:11the sun's rays are the spark that's needed for an explosion of life
24:17a bloom of plankton
24:24energized by the light and the nutrients
24:26creating a nourishing soup
24:30it's the seasonal banquet
24:35many have been waiting for
24:37fish, big and small
24:44are drawn to this special event
24:47but this soup
24:52is about to get a whole lot richer
24:55tonight's a full moon
25:00for many fish
25:06a moment in the lunar cycle
25:08triggers a light sensor in their bodies
25:10it's their cue to reproduce
25:20thousands of eggs and sperm cloud the water
25:31doing it in synchrony
25:36it's the best way to maximize the encounters
25:39between eggs and sperm of the same species
25:43this time
25:51the spawning phenomenon coincides with the monsoon upwelling
25:55in a rare fusion of festivities
26:00and as it nears its climax
26:05an A-lister is about to
26:08the immense force which is our ocean
26:19wields more power than anything else on the planet
26:24its waters move
26:28and merge
26:30creating marvels at every level
26:37the ocean persuades giants to dance
26:42and warns fish to flee for their lives
26:46it provides the foundations for megacities to rise up
26:51setting the scene for romance by the light of the moon
26:57this is the power of our magnificent oceans
27:04take a dive into our planet's mesmerizing world of water
27:20from the monumental open ocean
27:29to the rugged coasts that serve as the dividing line between two worlds
27:35the scared-like clouds
27:37from the changing rivers
27:42that carve through continents
27:45to mysterious lakes
27:47and swamps
27:50immerse yourself in the magic
27:52that unfolds
27:54As we reveal the secrets of our enchanted waters.
28:15The ocean fine-tunes our climate, generates the air we breathe, and cultivates our planet's
28:23food.
28:26It enables the survival of every living being.
28:34But it was also once the origin of life itself.
28:43Four and a half billion years ago, there was no ocean.
28:49Earth was not yet a blue planet.
28:56It was a ball of molten rock.
29:00As the rock cooled and formed a crust, gases and water vapor were released, creating a primitive atmosphere.
29:15The vapor condensed, rain pooled at the surface, and over millions of years, our ocean was born.
29:30Deep within these new seas, hydrothermal vents continued to discharge hot water, rock, and mineral deposits.
29:46All heated by the magma below the Earth's crust.
29:51These superheated cauldrons created the first complex organic compounds.
30:01The first chapter in the story of life on Earth.
30:11Starting with microbes, then cyanobacteria.
30:16It was these underwater organisms, fueled by the sun's energy, that began to produce oxygen on a grand scale.
30:29This laid the foundations for multicellular life that thrived in the now oxygen-rich waters.
30:35Life that then emerged to conquer the land.
30:48It's been a long journey.
30:52Much of which still boils down to chance.
30:55The right combination of chemicals, uniting in the right place, under perfect conditions.
31:08But life has a knack of grabbing every chance it gets.
31:14With 80% of our oceans still uncharted,
31:20countless life forms and secrets await discovery.
31:25The ocean's incredible power governs even the largest of creatures.
31:42Every moment of a humpback whale's life is driven by these mighty forces.
31:48In a quest to breed or to eat.
31:52If they get to the right place at the right time, the ocean will provide a bounty of food.
32:00But catching this many fish requires a net.
32:05A net fashioned from the ocean itself.
32:07It's late spring.
32:08The cold waters of Alaska, preparing to welcome some returning guests.
32:20This female is traveling north from the equator.
32:21She's using the magnetic fields given off by landmarks on the seabed.
32:25To guide her through 3,000 miles of an otherwise featureless ocean.
32:26To reach this nutrient rich pocket of life.
32:30To reach this nutrient rich pocket of life.
32:31And this year, she's bringing her back to the ocean.
32:32To reach this nutrient rich pocket of life.
32:36And this year, she's bringing her calf.
32:37The ocean's warm equatorial waters.
32:42Gave her the ideal nursery to give birth.
32:43But didn't provide anything to eat.
32:44The ocean's warm equatorial waters.
32:45The ocean's warm equatorial waters.
32:46Gave her the ideal nursery to give birth.
32:47But didn't provide anything to eat.
32:48For the past six months.
32:50The ocean's warm equatorial waters.
32:54Gave her the ideal nursery to give birth.
33:07But didn't provide anything to eat.
33:11For the past six months.
33:16months, she has relied on her fat reserves to sustain herself and feed her baby.
33:28But if she and the other migrating whales have timed it right, this epic feat of navigation
33:34will be worth it.
33:37In the ocean, we'll serve up a banquet of fish.
33:49They begin their choreographed routine, swimming in a spiral and blowing a wall of bubbles around
34:01a shoal of thousands of unsuspecting fish.
34:10The fish try to escape, but they're trapped in a net made from air.
34:23The fish are ushered into an even tighter ball.
34:36Then it's down the hatch in one large, satisfying gulp.
34:45The whales cruise the coastline, looking for more.
35:01But there's no hurry.
35:03The dinner gong will chime throughout summer, plenty of time to feast and fatten up.
35:09In return, the whales leave behind a gift for the ocean, a generous dose of iron-rich whale
35:27poop that acts as a fertilizer, providing a much needed boost of nutrients.
35:38This magical ingredient, combined with a sprinkle of around-the-clock Arctic summer sun, kickstarts
35:45a frenzy of plankton growth, attracting huge shoals of small fish that flood in to feed on
35:53these tiny marine organisms.
36:01By leaving their waste behind.
36:04The whales ensure these feeding grounds will remain plentiful for years to come.
36:20And the ocean's bloom arrives, the days shorten, the light dwindles, and the ocean's summer
36:27bloom begins to wane.
36:32The humpbacks, now in peak physical condition, depart on their two-month journey back to the
36:38tropics, and the gentle warmth of their carving grounds.
36:47The perpetual rhythm of the humpbacks' journey provides vital nutrients in the right places,
36:53allowing the ocean to cultivate and produce a feast every single year, without fail.
37:03And each year, the humpbacks return to reap their rewards.
37:08Over eons, whales have woven their feeding patterns into the epic seasonal shifts of the ocean.
37:16But there are much subtler changes going on in the water, if you know how to read between
37:22the lines.
37:26The reef out in the open ocean is tough for a little fish.
37:32These waters offer few places to hide from predators.
37:39When you're low down the food chain, it pays to stick with like-minded individuals.
37:50To grow into something greater than the sum of their parts.
38:08This twinkling, shimmering orb is a little fish's defensive strategy.
38:15Their synchronized twists and turns may look choreographed, but these moves are ingrained in their DNA.
38:26This is the power of the lateral line.
38:30A row of tiny sensors that run along each side of the fish's body, just beneath the skin.
38:43Allowing them to read the ocean and the warning signals it provides.
38:52The fish's lateral lines pick up on a language of subtle shifts in water movement and pressure.
39:01When the outer fish receive these messages, they react instantly.
39:10Their neighbors then ride the ripples made by those closest to them, enabling each individual
39:17to expend minimal energy.
39:22Every fluctuation, every disturbance reverberates through the school.
39:35A dazzling silver spectacle is certain to attract attention.
39:51As danger closes in, the fish are alerted, thanks to the ocean's subtle touch.
39:58An early warning system before the predator is even spotted.
40:05Moving as one has the power to distract and confuse.
40:17Often, it pays to be near the center.
40:25Other times, life on the edge is the safest place to be.
40:39In the aftermath, the urge to reform is instinctive.
40:45The ocean and the school bound in eternal conversation.
40:52And the faith in the ocean's message never wavers.
40:59Dare to go it alone, the risk would be even greater.
41:06The school at least provides a way of knowing and a way of life.
41:19But the school's special aquatic warning system is less successful when the attack comes from
41:25above, few creatures are equipped for movement on land, air, and sea.
41:55This charismatic dad has perfected all three.
42:02He's one of many thousands of northern gannets tied to this prime piece of seafront real estate.
42:10The windswept cliffs battered into shape by the power of the North Atlantic.
42:21Every gannet here is trying to raise a chick.
42:26Tied to land, but completely reliant on the ocean.
42:32He nurtures his protégé, together with a lifelong partner, each taking turns out at sea to fish.
42:47Once mum returns, it's dad's turn to fly.
43:04He makes it look effortless.
43:09His long, narrow wings, spanning over six feet, mean he can ride the ocean thermals, covering
43:17long distances on a single beat.
43:27And he isn't just an expert flyer.
43:36He eyes his target.
43:42And moulds his body into a sleek torpedo.
43:49His head, reinforced with air sacs beneath the skin, acts as a natural shock absorber,
44:05allowing him to plunge from heights of up to 100 feet, striking the water at speeds of up to
44:2760 miles per hour.
44:34Flying becomes swimming.
44:38Even when his strike isn't clean, he won't go home empty-mouthed.
44:43He can propel himself through the water for up to 40 seconds at a time.
44:51Enough to swipe or snatch a reward.
45:01With each dive, the ocean provides him and his youngster with a feast of fish to carry back
45:07home to the clifftops.
45:12To prepare his chick for something extraordinary.
45:16At just three months old, he will fly nearly 2,000 miles south to the next bountiful pocket
45:26of food, following the ocean's shallow continental shelf in a well-worn route to West Africa.
45:41The ocean shapes the life of the northern gannet.
45:45Its waves embrace the rocky outcrops they call home.
45:51It lures them from the cliffs into the air and welcomes them into its depths.
46:00Holding them into a champion of all realms.
46:15The search for food across the seas is bound to the movement of the ocean currents.
46:21The ocean's 320 million cubic miles of water flows, drives, and mixes, reaching every corner
46:38of the globe.
46:41This vast global movement is driven by two things, temperature and salt.
46:58At the poles, as surface water freezes, it expels salt, leaving behind a dense salty brine,
47:08which is heavier, so it sinks.
47:13As the brine plunges to the depths, warmer surface water flows in to take its place.
47:20The new surface water is now cooled by the polar temperatures, and the cycle is repeated,
47:28creating a giant pump, powering the underwater circulatory system of our entire planet.
47:43This deep water highway, known as the ocean conveyor belt, flows across the globe and wraps
47:51itself around the land, undulating over the seabed, and creating a vast interconnected global system
48:00of currents.
48:03It's this constant and complex churning that delivers nutrients to different parts of the
48:08ocean, shaping the ecosystems that live there.
48:21But this huge flow of water has implications far beyond the ocean itself.
48:28As cold sea currents move from the poles towards the equator, they cool the air above them.
48:37In the same way, warm ocean currents moving away from the equator warm the atmosphere as
48:43they travel.
48:47This distribution of heat regulates the world's climate, helping to keep our planet at a habitable
48:54temperature.
48:58And it also controls the weather.
49:02Warm water is constantly evaporating under the heat of the sun, rising into the atmosphere,
49:08where it eventually condenses and falls back down to Earth as fresh water.
49:16It takes one water molecule up to a thousand years to complete an around-the-world trip on this
49:23mammoth ocean conveyor belt.
49:28Together, they combine to create one of the most powerful forces on the planet.
49:43Once a year, when the conditions align, these monumental ocean currents work with the weather to serve
49:53up an event fit for a star-studded guest.
50:05In the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Oman, it's monsoon season.
50:12Strong winds drive away the ocean's surface, dragging up cold, rich, fertile water from the depths
50:21to replace it.
50:27And where these upwellings occur, the sun's rays are the spark that's needed for an explosion
50:33of life.
50:35A bloom of plankton, energized by the light and the nutrients, creating a nourishing soup.
50:48It's the seasonal banquet many have been waiting for.
50:55Fish, big and small, are drawn to this special event.
51:05This soup is about to get a whole lot richer.
51:12Tonight's a full moon.
51:19For many fish, a moment in the lunar cycle triggers a light sensor in their bodies.
51:28It's their cue to reproduce.
51:34Thousands of eggs and sperm cloud the water.
51:45Doing it in synchrony is the best way to maximize the encounters between eggs and sperm of the
51:56same species.
52:04This time, the spawning phenomenon coincides with the monsoon upwelling.
52:12In a rare fusion of festivities.
52:17And as it nears its climax, an A-lister is about to steal the show.
52:23These whale sharks have timed their arrival to perfection.
52:40This is the biggest fish on the planet.
52:44But it feeds on some of the smallest creatures.
52:49It's not the fish they're after, but the soup itself.
52:56Plankton, eggs, fish larvae, the lot.
53:06Whale sharks have incredibly attuned senses.
53:11With highly sensitive nostrils and the largest eardrums in the animal kingdom, they can follow
53:17the scent of food in water with ease.
53:23And may even hear the distant sound of a mass of plankton.
53:30Only when these signs indicate there's a party in full swing, will they grace the occasion
53:36with their presence.
53:45And when they find it, their meal is sucked in.
53:54Their specialized gills filter the equivalent of 20 bathtubs of ocean per hour.
54:09When the party's over, the ocean will call them towards the next big gathering.
54:16Their lives are guided by these brief, yet bountiful explosions of marine life, ignited
54:27by the sun and enhanced by the moon.
54:41Despite these spectacular feeding events, much of the ocean can appear empty.
54:50But when the conditions are right, a life force within the ocean can trigger something miraculous.
55:01And once it gets to work, it can build an entire underwater city from scratch.
55:13It begins with a seemingly innocuous spark of life.
55:19Newly spawned coral polyps cast off to seek their own fortune.
55:32Shallow, warm water and a solid base are the ideal conditions on which these floating nomads
55:39can take root.
55:46Together, these reef-building polyps join forces to become coral.
55:53They exude calcium carbonate to form a foundation.
56:05Then, using this hard skeleton base, they begin to sculpt their city, expanding by around four
56:14inches per year.
56:20Color polyps produce softer, flexible forms that anchor onto these solid foundations, adding
56:26a touch of color and flair.
56:32Over decades, these tiny architects erect sprawling reef structures, stamping out a permanent territory
56:40on the seabed.
56:47And the patch of shallow ocean that once appeared lifeless, now prospers.
56:56But a city doesn't run itself.
57:04They make their home within the coral's living tissues.
57:09They bask in the sunlight of the shallows, and through the magic of photosynthesis, spin
57:16the sun's rays into food for the coral, fueling their growth.
57:24Collecting the diverse characters that flock to the reef to make it their home.
57:38There are cleaners keeping the algae in check, gardeners that prune the coral, and neighbors who look
57:52out for each other.
57:59And most importantly, there's the ocean itself, delivering nutrients, cooling the reef with
58:07its upwellings, and maintaining the delicate balance needed for its survival.
58:17From nothing, a fully functioning, vibrant ecosystem is born.
58:26Coral reefs occupy just 1% of the ocean floor, but are home to a quarter of all marine life.
58:36They are the bedrock that the ocean's incredible diversity of life is built upon.
58:43From the bottom of the food chain, all the way to the top.
58:58If you can harness the power of the ocean to do your bidding, then with a little bit of chemistry,
59:06even the most unassuming creature can call the shots.
59:16This is the cone snail, a humble mollusk, but with a cunning plan.
59:25Being a snail, it doesn't hunt with speed or strength.
59:30Instead, it enlists the help of the ultimate accomplice to do its dirty work.
59:37First, the ocean delivers the intel on its surroundings.
59:44A snail reads it through scent, allowing it to track down its next potential victim.
59:56A damselfish passed by earlier, but it's no longer close enough.
00:03A bristle worm is nearby, but it's too small to bother with.
00:11What else?
00:13Hmm.
00:14Bingo.
00:15A weaver fish.
00:22Not the easiest of targets.
00:24It's lightning quick and harbors toxins concealed within its dorsal fins.
00:30The snail can't afford to get too close, but it doesn't need to.
00:39The accomplice once again does the legwork.
00:46From a safe distance, the snail releases its own chemical, which the ocean currents carry
00:52towards the target.
00:57This waft reaches the weaver fish before it even knows it's under attack.
01:05Now the snail has all the time in the world to move in for the kill.
01:21Its hyperflexible proboscis tube engulfs its stunned victim alive.
01:29Then, in the blink of an eye, the killer blow.
01:41The lethal strike of a hollow, venom-filled tooth.
01:52This snail has everything in its arsenal.
01:55Analytical skills, bespoke chemistry, and deadly hardware.
02:01But this amounts to nothing without the means to deploy it.
02:06What sets him apart is that he's aided and abetted by the ocean itself.
02:14Who knew the soft caress of seawater could prove so deadly?
02:28The ocean bristles with light and life.
02:33But we're only just dipping our toes beneath the surface.
02:38This is just one of its many sides.
02:42Dive deeper, and you'll find its other personalities.
02:48Some more secretive, more mysterious, and some often volatile.
03:02The most familiar is the sunlit realm, which extends 650 feet below the ocean's surface.
03:11There's far more going on here than we can see with the naked eye, including one of nature's
03:18most important processes taking place unnoticed.
03:28Floating microscopic plants, called phytoplankton, harness the power of the sun as it filters through
03:35the water, creating oxygen.
03:41These tiny organisms produce around half of the Earth's oxygen.
03:48More than all our forests combined.
03:52And that's not all.
03:54These phytoplankton also remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
04:01A vital aid to help cool our planet's climate.
04:07And that's not all.
04:08But as the ocean gets deeper, it reveals a shadier side.
04:18The pressure increases.
04:21The light dims.
04:23And things start to get weird.
04:28This twilight zone stretches to over 3,000 feet below the surface.
04:40With just 1% of surface sunlight filtering down this deep, life here has been forced to find
04:47a way to create its own light.
04:55Like this siphonophore, 90% of creatures in this zone use bioluminescence.
05:02The glass octopus chooses to shimmer like an ethereal night sky.
05:08Attempting to confuse potential prey in the darkness.
05:16These cutlass fish are among a minority that don't produce light.
05:28They're ambush predators, aligning vertically, ready to lunge at prey above them.
05:37While their bodies reflect the dwindling rays by glinting like knives.
05:44Disorienting their own predators below.
05:50The twilight zone also serves as the ocean's transport channel.
05:54The setting for one of life's busiest ever commutes.
06:03Trillions of microscopic animals called zooplankton ascend to the ocean's surface every night
06:10to feed on the tiny marine plants that can't exist away from the light.
06:19They're pursued by fish and squid, who are also in search of a meal.
06:27When the sun rises, they all sink back down to the relative safety of their deep water hiding places.
06:36This mass movement takes place in every part of every ocean.
06:42Making it the largest migration on Earth.
06:52A further 1,000 feet deeper.
06:57The Midnight Zone.
07:03Down here, the ocean is silent, secretive, and cloaked in perpetual darkness.
07:12But to thrive in this inky blackness takes some unique adaptations.
07:18Bodies become rounded and gelatinous.
07:25And with no ocean currents operating this far down, drifting lures ensnare unsuspecting fish.
07:43In some rare pockets, the ocean plunges to nearly 20,000 feet deep, bringing with it an overwhelming pressure.
08:04This is known as the abyss.
08:11Few creatures can survive these depths.
08:18But remarkably, life finds a way.
08:23Microbes feed on dissolved minerals spewed up from the fishes.
08:30And in turn, provide sustenance for an array of deep dwellers.
08:37Their only other food includes dead creatures and feces that fall like a macabre marine snow from the waters above them.
08:53From the crushing blackness to the sun-drenched surface, each complex persona fuses seamlessly into one single identity.
09:08The powerful enigmatic force we know as our ocean.
09:17But this phenomenon exists because of one reason alone.
09:23Our Earth miraculously happened to be in the right place in our solar system at the right time.
09:36Making it possible for water to be stored in gas, liquid and solid form.
09:46And transforming it into the blue planet we know today.
09:53The ocean holds the key to our planet's past and present.
09:59A force developed over eons, forever evolving.
10:05And its story isn't over yet.
10:10Coldavi might think ab dafür, don't Alles is over yet.
10:11The ocean we know already, still connect with the sun.
10:13But yeah, the ocean...
10:15The ocean we know.
10:16The ocean's from easy ways.
10:17The ocean torture means the sky.
10:20And with mountains we know they're all looking for the earth.
10:23The ocean breathe a little bit, they want to иначise in theños Ganon.
10:25The ocean 뮤� 테�folio room.
10:26The sea!
10:28The ocean cat tal.
10:32The oceanそags group.
10:33And on the ocean cam.
10:34The ocean step.
10:35The shore map bütün.
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