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00:07In the harshest corners of our planet, where temperatures can skyrocket or plunge below
00:13freezing, life clings to existence in seemingly impossible ways.
00:18These are the extremophiles, nature's ultimate survivors, animals who thrive where nothing
00:25else can.
00:26These are the unsung heroes of Earth's most extreme environments.
00:31From the soaring heights of incredible peaks to the frozen deserts of the Arctic, these
00:37remarkable creatures have rewritten the rules of survival.
00:41What's truly remarkable is that these extremophiles are not just survivors, but they are pioneers.
00:47They're not just adapting to extreme conditions, they're thriving in them.
00:52How, and what can we learn from their unshakable resilience?
01:18In the vast frozen expanses of the Arctic, icy winds howl and temperatures sink to unimaginable
01:26lows.
01:27This is a place where most life simply stops.
01:31A land capable of claiming any ordinary creature within minutes.
01:37So what kind of mammal could possibly survive in this cold wasteland?
01:42Remarkably, one does more than survive.
01:45It thrives.
01:47The polar bear, a giant predator perfectly suited to rule an empire of ice.
01:53This is really not an animal you want to mess with.
01:56Polar bears are imposing figures.
01:58On their hind legs, they can stand over three meters tall.
02:02That's higher than an NBA regulation basketball hoop.
02:04They can weigh up to 680 kilograms, making them the largest land carnivore on the planet.
02:12This fierce nature comes as a matter of necessity.
02:15In this barren wilderness, every calorie counts.
02:19And where other bears seek shelter in the winter, this predator is forced to seek out prey.
02:28Polar bears are apex predators, and they need to eat a lot.
02:31So, they'll eat anything they can.
02:35They'll even eat humans if they come close to settlements.
02:41But the majority of its fair will be found on the winter ice.
02:45Polar bears are classified as marine mammals, the same category as whales or seals.
02:50And this really speaks to how much they depend on sea ice for their survival.
02:54Polar bears are pageophilic mammals.
02:56This means that they depend on sea ice for critical life activities, such as hunting,
03:01mating, feeding, and resting.
03:04To survive on these remote flows, polar bears require about 12,325 kilojoules per day, almost
03:14one and a half times more calories than an adult human.
03:17And after a summer of scarcity on the shore, scraping by on kelp and berries, the bear enters
03:24a race against time.
03:25The winter hunt is short, and it's a challenge best conquered solo.
03:30Polar bears spend their time hunting alone.
03:33If you think about the extreme environment that they live in, polar bears need to roam around.
03:37So if they're roaming around with other polar bears, that means they have competition for food.
03:40So being solitary is advantageous for them because they can take all the food for themselves,
03:44and they can roam further distances.
03:46Movement is key for finding a meal in such sparse terrain, especially if the bear craves
03:52a feast of its favorite fare.
03:54Far from shore, ringed and bearded seals linger near breathing holes and haul up to rest,
04:01becoming the perfect target for the ravenous polar bear.
04:06A single adult bearded seal can contain up to 180 kilograms of blubber.
04:11A polar bear can consume up to 45 kilograms of blubber in one sitting.
04:15That's more than a million kilojoules of energy.
04:18They need that energy to travel the distances that they do.
04:21Seals, however, are agile swimmers that can easily avoid ambush.
04:26To stealthily track these animals down, the polar bear deploys its superb olfactory talents.
04:33Polar bears can smell seals up to 32 kilometers away, even through thick ice.
04:38This is like smelling a hamburger in the next town over.
04:42In their big snout, they have a very large, what's called an olfactory mucosa,
04:48which is covered in sensory receptors.
04:50When those sensory receptors detect stimuli,
04:54then it transmits that information up to the olfactory bulb,
04:58which is kind of like the processing center in the brain
05:00that interprets all that information from its sensory receptors.
05:04But once the polar bear catches a scent,
05:07how does this giant mammal, weighing hundreds of kilograms,
05:11silently sneak across the ice without making a crack?
05:15The answer lies in its massive paws,
05:18often measuring 30 centimeters in diameter,
05:21which act like natural snowshoes
05:23distributing its weight across the fragile ice.
05:27Added to this engineering
05:28are a layer of small traction-aiding bumps,
05:32known as papillae.
05:33All bears have papillae on their paws,
05:36but what makes the papillae of polar bears so special
05:39is that they're much longer.
05:41So it's kind of like snow cleats that grip the snow.
05:44They can get lots of traction in those snowy and icy surfaces.
05:49Scientists and engineers look to nature to improve products.
05:53Polar bears have a great traction system.
05:56Designs for hiking boots, for snow tires,
06:00for high-altitude climbing equipment
06:02are starting to include papillae
06:04like those from the polar bear's feet to improve traction.
06:09Traction is just one element of the hunt.
06:11As the polar bear hones in on its prey,
06:14these paws transform into deadly weapons.
06:18The polar bear stalks quietly,
06:20so it waits patiently near the breathing hole of a seal.
06:23And as soon as a seal emerges,
06:26it strikes quickly, powerfully,
06:28pulls the seal out of the water with its massive claws.
06:33Polar bears have an impressively strong bite force,
06:36the strongest of any bear.
06:38It can tear through muscle, break bones.
06:40That's really effective for tearing through
06:43the tough hides of its seal prey.
06:47The hunt is a success.
06:49In the deceptive calm that follows,
06:52polar bears enter the vulnerable period of digestion.
06:56Taking a nap on the ice,
06:58their massive body is seemingly at rest,
07:00but it wages an invisible war.
07:03Because even in the warmth of the sun's rays,
07:06temperatures here can reach as low
07:08as minus 50 degrees Celsius.
07:11Luckily, evolution has armed these giants
07:14with a secret weapon,
07:15an extraordinary thermoregulation system,
07:18at the core of which is their fur.
07:22Polar bears have a couple of different types of fur.
07:24The base layer that's closest to the skin
07:27is really insulative.
07:29It's downy and it absorbs a lot of heat.
07:32On top of that downy layer
07:33are guard hairs, longer hairs.
07:36These hairs are somewhat translucent.
07:39When we look at them from afar, they're white,
07:41but if you look at them up close,
07:42they're actually somewhat clear.
07:44They're actually arranged in such a way
07:46that when the animal loses heat from its body,
07:49it actually helps reflect that heat back towards the surface
07:52so that it can be reabsorbed by the skin.
07:55But fur alone won't do the trick.
07:58Beneath this, the polar bear has another hidden advantage.
08:03Polar bears are classically known for their white fur,
08:05but what's very interesting
08:07is that the skin under the fur is black.
08:09And you can see the black skin
08:11if you look at the snout
08:12and see that it's black around the nose.
08:13And that black color is then really effective
08:16for reabsorbing the heat that might be reflected back
08:19from those inner layers of the fur.
08:21This insulation system is critical
08:24if the bear is to survive.
08:25When the hunt calls, this mighty mammal must answer,
08:29even if it means plunging into the waters
08:31that hover near freezing.
08:34In fact, scientists have recorded these animals
08:37swimming up to 687 kilometers
08:39over the span of nine days at a time.
08:43And on such an aquatic voyage,
08:45these robust layers of protection
08:47mean the difference between life and death.
08:50Their fur has to not only provide a lot of insulation,
08:54it also has to protect against water infiltration
08:58into the undercoats and to the polar bear's skin
09:01where it would cause them to get cold very quickly.
09:03So the polar bear's fur is not only highly insulating,
09:07but also repels water.
09:11Taking a cue from the polar bear,
09:13researchers are studying how the fur traps heat
09:16and minimizes heat loss
09:18with the goal of replicating these properties
09:21to create more efficient clothing
09:22and insulation for humans.
09:25Researchers at the University of Massachusetts
09:28have successfully created a synthetic version
09:31of polar bear fur.
09:33So the fabric is a two-layered fabric
09:36that mimics the long shafts
09:38of the polar bear guard hairs and its black skin.
09:41What that allows is for it
09:42to be much thinner than traditional fabrics
09:45and it's really good at retaining heat.
09:47On even grander scales,
09:50polar bear fur has also inspired
09:52sustainable building design.
09:53Researchers have created a carbon tube
09:56that emulates the structure of polar bear hair.
09:59It's very lightweight,
10:00it's very flexible,
10:01and it can also repel water in much the same way.
10:04So it's great for building materials.
10:08Despite possessing a cutting-edge coat,
10:11slipping into waters comes with a crude calculus
10:14for the polar bear,
10:16one that involves its very survival.
10:20Swimming is an incredibly energy-intensive activity.
10:23Polar bears burn up to three to five times
10:26more energy swimming
10:27than walking an equivalent distance.
10:29So what happens when they're weakened by hunger?
10:32When a polar bear hasn't fed in weeks,
10:35is the energy cost worth the gamble?
10:38It has to decide
10:39whether the reward of a potential meal
10:41is worth the risk of exhaustion in the open water.
10:44Many polar bears can go up to 130 days without eating.
10:48When they don't eat,
10:49polar bears can lose up to a kilogram of mass per day.
10:52It's really feast or famine for these creatures.
10:56To help the polar bears survive periods of scarcity
10:59and provide additional insulation
11:02against the Arctic chill,
11:03the polar bear relies on a crucial fat reserve.
11:07Polar bears have a very thick layer of fat
11:10under their skin.
11:10It can be over 11 centimeters in thickness
11:13and that's really important for insulating them,
11:16especially in the water.
11:17Because in the water,
11:18when the fur gets wet,
11:20that reduces its insulative properties.
11:22But the fat can always act as an effective barrier
11:26against losing body heat.
11:27It also operates as an important energy reserve
11:30when they go long periods without eating.
11:34This layer of fat fluctuates from season to season.
11:39As spring arrives and the ice retreats,
11:42polar bears face a long exodus to land
11:45where food prospects are more bleak.
11:51For a female,
11:52this fat reserve becomes the thin line between life and death.
11:57The winter months bring her darkest trial,
12:01birthing and nursing cubs while unable to hunt.
12:04During this time,
12:06she may go up to eight months without eating,
12:09relying entirely on her fat stores for energy.
12:12So how does her body adapt to such an abrupt change?
12:17It's really important during these periods
12:19that they not waste energy.
12:21They conserve every bit of energy that they have.
12:23So what they do is they enter a kind of light hibernation
12:27where they depress their metabolic demands,
12:29they lower their heart rate,
12:30and they reduce the amount of energy they need to survive.
12:35This is an animal remarkably forged
12:38by millennia of ice and snow,
12:40equipped to handle even the harshest of terrains.
12:43Yet, for all its evolutionary skill,
12:46there exists one catastrophic hurdle
12:49that renders this predator near defenceless.
13:03The polar bear is a symbol of climate change.
13:06Their entire lifestyle revolves around sea ice.
13:09Already due to climate change,
13:11sea ice has been covering less and less of the ocean
13:13for less and less time of the year.
13:15With a lack of sea ice,
13:16one of the most dangerous things for polar bears
13:18is they can't rest.
13:19So if they're swimming for long periods of time,
13:21they can actually run out of energy and just drown.
13:23What's happening now
13:24is they actually tend to not go out at sea
13:26because there's not enough sea ice.
13:28They don't want to drown.
13:29So they'll actually stay on land and eat small critters.
13:32It's just not helping them
13:33in terms of the amount of energy
13:34that they need compared to seals.
13:3740 years ago,
13:39polar bears typically spend a few weeks on shore.
13:42Today, they spend approximately two months on land.
13:46Because polar bears are spending more time on land,
13:49and there's more chances for interactions with humans,
13:51which is not good for the bear or the humans.
13:54Today, the polar bear is on the front lines of climate change
13:58as one of the most affected animals by the Arctic melt.
14:02Yet, even in the face of this harrowing change,
14:05the polar bear remains a creature of remarkable resilience,
14:09expanding its diet and territory,
14:12altering its hunting strategies,
14:13and carrying the fierce determination to endure,
14:17even when the odds are stacked against it.
14:25Further south, another much tinier animal
14:28has its own toolkit to contend
14:31with drastic shifts in the environment.
14:33Here in North America's boreal forest,
14:36a vast and enchanting wilderness stretching
14:39over 1.5 billion acres across both shores
14:43from Newfoundland to Alaska,
14:45the winter chill can drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius.
14:49Amid these frigid dips,
14:51a remarkable survival story unfolds.
14:58The wood frog is a small amphibian
15:01with an extraordinary ability
15:02that defies nature's harshest conditions.
15:07Wood frogs are the amphibian
15:09that lives farthest north in the world.
15:11And to do this,
15:12they have the really unusual adaptation
15:15of being able to essentially freeze
15:18and come back to life.
15:20This is like science fiction-level stuff
15:23happening at the level of a little frog.
15:26The life of the wood frog
15:28begins in an amphitheatre of sound
15:30where adults gather and croak
15:33for breeding season in early spring.
15:37All frogs have a distinctive call
15:39and the wood frog sounds like ducks quacking.
15:46Once the females find a mate,
15:48then they lay their eggs in shallow bodies of water
15:51and then the males come and fertilize them.
15:54The eggs hatch in about a week
15:56and the tadpoles grow quickly
15:58in the warming water in the spring.
16:00And that breeding season
16:01occurs over a relatively short period of time
16:04before the shallow pools
16:06that the tadpoles develop in can dry up.
16:09But once they make their way to land,
16:11danger awaits.
16:13In spring, summer and fall,
16:15wood frog spends a lot of time dodging predators.
16:18Other larger frogs,
16:19snakes, birds and other mammals.
16:21As winter approaches,
16:23wood frogs prepare to meet another deadly foe,
16:26the bracing cold temperatures of the winter.
16:29The winter shows no mercy.
16:32For a cold-blooded creature,
16:34there is no escape from this assassin.
16:36The Arctic air threatens to turn water to ice
16:39and slow the frog's blood to a crawl.
16:42Many cold-blooded creatures
16:43will exhibit what's called brumation
16:46where they depress their metabolism
16:48to save energy.
16:50Brumation keeps cold-blooded creatures
16:53like snakes, turtles, lizards,
16:56frogs and salamanders
16:57semi-alert.
16:59They still wake up occasionally,
17:01maybe to drink, to urinate
17:02or even take a bite if conditions allow.
17:06However, the wood frog
17:07takes a more extreme approach to survival.
17:10Instead of brumating
17:12and waiting for winter to pass,
17:14it becomes winter.
17:15The wood frog
17:16undergoes a major transition like no other.
17:19Its heart slows down and stops,
17:21its muscles stop moving and stiffen
17:24and it freezes solid.
17:26They shouldn't survive.
17:28But most creatures facing a freeze
17:31would also face imminent death.
17:33Although the wood frog will freeze solid,
17:36the difference lies at the cellular level.
17:39Normally, when an animal freezes,
17:42the water inside their bodies
17:44become shards of ice
17:46which would destroy the cells
17:48and eventually kill the animal.
17:51Ice occupies a volume
17:53about 9% larger than liquid water.
17:56When a cell freezes
17:57and you get that 9% volume expansion,
18:00the cell bursts.
18:02To avoid this explosive fate,
18:05the wood frog has developed
18:06unique adaptations
18:07to become the subzero exception,
18:10biologically manufacturing
18:12its own antifreeze system.
18:14They have an ice nucleating protein
18:18that's enriched in their plasma
18:20and extracellular fluids.
18:22What that does
18:22is it makes the animals freeze
18:25around their cells
18:27but not inside their cells.
18:29By freezing the environment
18:30around the cells,
18:31the cells themselves
18:33can actually stay intact
18:34and stay alive.
18:36Within the cells,
18:38the wood frog
18:39also possesses
18:39another chemical secret,
18:41a cryoprotectant
18:43in the form of glycerol.
18:45Glycerol is a compound
18:47much like the antifreeze in cars.
18:50Antifreeze in cars
18:52is glycol,
18:54quite a similar compound
18:55that also depresses
18:57the freezing point
18:58so that the fluid
18:59in our radiators
19:00don't freeze.
19:01So frogs have developed
19:02a system that's very analogous
19:04to what we use in cars
19:06to prevent the liquid
19:08in their cells
19:08from freezing.
19:11Although the cells
19:12are now protected,
19:13freezing causes its heartbeat
19:15and vital functions
19:16to slow.
19:17How do its organs survive
19:19without oxygen?
19:21As the wood frog's heartbeat
19:23and breathing stops,
19:24it switches modes
19:25from aerobic respiration
19:26which involves the lungs
19:28and the heart
19:28to anaerobic respiration
19:30which only involves glucose.
19:32In the days and hours
19:33before freezing,
19:34the liver excretes
19:35a huge amount of glucose,
19:37one last big dose
19:38to sustain the frog's cells
19:39and tissues
19:40through the winter.
19:42Powered by this glucose alone,
19:44the wood frog can remain
19:45in a frozen state
19:46for up to seven months.
19:48Hidden away
19:49under leaves and brush
19:50they go undetected
19:52by heat-seeking predators.
19:54But as the harsh winter retreats
19:56the world begins to warm
19:58and the wood frog
20:00starts their next
20:01miraculous transformation
20:02the thaw.
20:06When the wood frogs
20:07then thaw
20:08all the ice in their
20:10extracellular fluids
20:11is being converted
20:12into dilute water.
20:14And this presents a problem
20:15because as dilute water
20:17then surrounds their cells
20:19that water will rush
20:20inside the cells
20:21and cause them to burst.
20:23Once again,
20:24glucose steps in
20:25to manage the process
20:26acting as a cushion
20:28to control how water
20:29flows into the cells.
20:31The glucose keeps the water
20:33from rushing into the cells
20:34and causing those cells
20:35to burst.
20:37As they're coming out
20:38of the frozen state
20:39their metabolism is increasing
20:40and so having this glucose
20:42to actually kick-start
20:44their metabolism
20:44and get things going
20:45is really important.
20:49The wood frog's
20:50remarkable ability
20:52to freeze and thaw
20:53without damage
20:54captivates researchers
20:55seeking to improve
20:56organ preservation
20:57for transplantation.
21:00Today,
21:01there remains a pressing
21:02need for transplantable
21:03organs.
21:05One of the problems
21:06with transplanting
21:07organs between a donor
21:09and a recipient
21:10is we really have
21:11to make sure
21:12that we do it quickly
21:13because otherwise
21:14the organ will die.
21:16We can't freeze organs
21:18right now because
21:18if we do that
21:19the cells will burst
21:21and will die.
21:21Inspired by the wood frog's
21:23use of glucose
21:24scientists are testing
21:26sugar-related compounds
21:27to help protect
21:28human cell damage
21:29caused by freezing.
21:31In one study
21:32sugars help keep
21:33rat livers alive
21:35for up to 96 hours
21:36in a frozen state.
21:40Scientists are also
21:41investigating the wood
21:42frog's secrets
21:43to revolutionize
21:44human-made materials.
21:46By mimicking
21:47the frog's
21:48natural capabilities
21:49researchers have
21:50created an anti-ice
21:52coating with potential
21:53for use in
21:54aerospace engineering
21:55on roadways
21:56and runways.
21:58The idea is
21:59to have a surface
21:59that is in and of
22:01itself ice-phobic,
22:02something that we
22:03don't need to
22:04regularly apply
22:05antifreeze to.
22:06This coating
22:07could be used
22:07on everything
22:08from plane wings
22:09to space capsules,
22:11from bridges
22:11to roadways
22:12and anywhere else
22:13where we wouldn't
22:14want to have
22:15ice formation.
22:16Though humanity
22:17has far to go
22:18in trying to match
22:19the wood frog's
22:20ability to survive
22:21and thrive
22:22in below-freezing
22:23temperatures,
22:24its subtle
22:25antifreeze
22:25mechanisms
22:26provide much
22:27inspiration
22:28for those working
22:29on the cusp
22:29of great discovery.
22:33A world away,
22:35high above the
22:35forest floor,
22:37another hardy
22:38creature has
22:38garnered human
22:39interest for
22:40millennia.
22:41From the Himalayan
22:43mountains
22:43to the Tibetan
22:44plateau,
22:45it has conquered
22:46Earth's
22:46most extreme
22:47altitudes,
22:48creating life
22:49at elevations
22:50of over 6,000 meters.
22:53Above the clouds
22:54in the treeless
22:55tundra,
22:56lives the planet's
22:57highest-dwelling
22:58mammal,
22:59the yak.
23:01Yaks live
23:02in a topography
23:03that is quite
23:04treacherous.
23:05There are mountains,
23:06highlands,
23:07large lakes,
23:08and rugged interior.
23:10It is covered
23:11in an extensive
23:12permafrost that gets
23:13drier as the
23:14altitude increases.
23:16Receiving only
23:17between 100
23:18and 300
23:18millimeters of
23:19rain,
23:19it is a polar
23:20desert.
23:21In these arid
23:23conditions,
23:24adaptability is key,
23:26and survival
23:27demands numbers.
23:29It is a social
23:30animal,
23:30living in herds
23:31formed by mostly
23:31female yaks
23:32and their young.
23:34Group sizes can
23:35range from 10
23:35to 200 individuals.
23:37For most of the
23:38year,
23:39these high societies
23:40remain calm,
23:41collected,
23:42and cooperative.
23:43But once every
23:44year,
23:45the gentle giants
23:46transform into
23:47fierce gladiators,
23:49as bulls engage
23:50in head-to-head
23:51battles for breeding
23:52rights.
23:53The traditional
23:54mating season
23:55of yak runs
23:56from July to
23:56September,
23:57and during this
23:58time,
23:59males engage in
24:00intense competition
24:01for females.
24:02In this battle,
24:04only the strongest
24:05bulls will earn
24:06the right to secure
24:07their lineage.
24:09These titans
24:10of the high peaks
24:11are built for
24:12battle,
24:12with a shoulder
24:13height that can
24:14reach up to 205
24:16centimeters,
24:17and sharp horns
24:18that can grow
24:19nearly a meter
24:19long each.
24:21Weighing up to
24:221,200 kilograms,
24:24about the size
24:24of a small car,
24:26yaks are a force
24:27to be reckoned
24:28with.
24:29But how does such
24:30a massive mammal
24:31contend with its
24:32greatest threat
24:33of all?
24:34Not other yaks,
24:36or even hungry
24:37predators,
24:37but a silent killer
24:39invisible to the
24:40naked eye,
24:41the air itself.
24:45one of the most
24:46significant challenges
24:47at high elevation
24:48is the low level
24:49of oxygen
24:50in the air.
24:51And the big problem
24:52with that is that
24:53it threatens reducing
24:54the amount of oxygen
24:55in the tissues,
24:56and that's what we
24:57call hypoxia.
24:59Hypoxia is something
25:00that's extremely
25:01damaging,
25:01that can reduce
25:03an animal's metabolism
25:04and even threaten
25:05its life.
25:06When an animal gets
25:07hypoxic,
25:08it can start to experience
25:09labored breathing,
25:10and its skin can even
25:12get a little bit blue,
25:13which is a sign of lack
25:14of oxygen in that area.
25:16At altitudes
25:17where the yak lives
25:18and grazes,
25:19the thin air has 40%
25:21less oxygen
25:22than at sea level,
25:23an oxygen desert
25:24that could suffocate
25:25the average mammal.
25:27So, how does this
25:29bovine creature
25:30beat the odds?
25:31First,
25:32it harnesses oxygen
25:33in a way that other
25:34animals simply cannot.
25:37Blood is really
25:38important to transporting
25:39oxygen throughout the
25:40body,
25:41and within the blood
25:42are red blood cells
25:43that contain hemoglobin.
25:45Hemoglobin is a vital
25:47protein in this process
25:48because it binds oxygen
25:50and carries it
25:51throughout the body
25:52and then releases it
25:53to those cells
25:54that need it.
25:55When most animals
25:56move to high altitudes,
25:58their bodies produce
25:59more red blood cells.
26:00More red blood cells
26:02means more hemoglobin,
26:03means that when you
26:04breathe air,
26:05more of the oxygen
26:06makes it into the blood.
26:07this sounds like a really
26:09great thing,
26:10but it comes with a major
26:12drawback.
26:13As more red blood cells
26:14infiltrate the body,
26:16the blood itself
26:17becomes thick and sluggish,
26:19stuck in a circulatory
26:20traffic jam.
26:22That can contribute
26:23to blood clots,
26:23and it's also one of the
26:25main causes of chronic
26:27mountain sickness,
26:28a really debilitating
26:29condition that occurs in
26:30many human populations
26:32throughout the world.
26:32So how does the yak contend
26:35with a potentially thick
26:36overflow of hemoglobin?
26:39Yaks actually have a type
26:41of hemoglobin that absorbs
26:43and releases oxygen
26:45more readily.
26:46This way they don't need
26:48to have more red blood cells
26:49to transport the same amount
26:52of oxygen.
26:53To face the rigors
26:54of the low oxygen environment,
26:55the yak is also outfitted
26:57with a biological engine
26:59in the form of an extra
27:01large heart.
27:01The heart of a yak is more
27:03than twice the mass
27:05of the heart of cattle
27:06from sea level.
27:07A huge heart means
27:09that they can move blood
27:10through their system
27:11very quickly.
27:12The faster the blood
27:13moves from the lungs
27:14to the muscles,
27:15the more effectively
27:17they can use the oxygen.
27:18And this heart
27:20doesn't work alone.
27:21Working in tandem
27:22are its oversized lungs.
27:25When paired together,
27:26they crack the code
27:28that stumps most
27:29other life forms.
27:30how to extract maximum oxygen
27:32from air so thin
27:33it barely qualifies
27:35as breathable.
27:36To make space
27:37for these supersized organs,
27:39evolution has engineered
27:40the yak
27:40with an extra large thorax.
27:42They actually have
27:43an extra set of ribs
27:44compared to cattle.
27:45the thorax plays a really important
27:48role in breathing
27:49that expands
27:50and inflates the lungs
27:51every time
27:52these animals breathe.
27:55With such a sophisticated
27:57furnace to power life
27:58at extreme altitudes,
28:00the yak must also ensure
28:02it keeps these internal
28:03mechanisms safe
28:04against the merciless cold.
28:07The Tibetan Plateau can get
28:09as cold as minus 40 degrees Celsius
28:11in the winter.
28:12And this presents
28:13a really significant challenge
28:15to animals.
28:16They need to maintain
28:17their body temperature
28:19and avoid losing
28:21their body heat
28:21to that really cold
28:23external environment.
28:24Luckily,
28:25the yak wears
28:26a luscious coat of fur
28:27that does just this.
28:29It has an outer coat
28:30of long fur
28:32with a downy layer
28:33underneath
28:34that's really effective
28:35at insulating
28:36the animals
28:37from the cold.
28:38Yet at such high altitudes,
28:40the cold air
28:41isn't all the yak
28:42has to worry about.
28:44Up here,
28:44it must also contend
28:46with the extremes
28:46of heavy, wet snow
28:48and the unrelenting radiation
28:50of the scorching sun.
28:52Yak hair can absorb
28:53up to 35% of its weight
28:56in water
28:56and still stay dry
28:58to the touch
28:58and still maintain
29:00its insulative properties.
29:02Because yaks live
29:03at extreme altitudes,
29:05their fur has evolved
29:06to be highly resistant
29:08to UV radiation.
29:09And for this reason,
29:11the yak's fur
29:12makes very durable rope.
29:14When you leave it out
29:15in the sun,
29:16the UV rays tend
29:17to break down
29:18the polymer,
29:19break down the fibers
29:20and make the rope weak.
29:21Because yak fur
29:22has this inherent
29:24UV protection,
29:25it's very durable
29:26and lasts a long time.
29:27On this mountainous terrain,
29:30the rules of survival
29:31change at every elevation.
29:34In their lifetimes,
29:35yaks will make
29:36the endless vertical journeys
29:37in their quest for food,
29:39trekking from around 3600 meters
29:42to over 6000
29:43in search of the perfect sweet spot.
29:46During colder months,
29:48yak migrate to lower plains
29:49and primarily eat grass.
29:51as the temperatures warm,
29:53then they'll return
29:54to higher elevations
29:55and eat moss and lichen,
29:57scraping it off the rocks
29:58with their tongues.
29:59This steep terrain
30:01doesn't make for an easy trek.
30:03One slip could spell
30:04certain death.
30:06Luckily,
30:07these massive mammals
30:08are surprisingly nimble.
30:11They can swim
30:13across river rapids,
30:14plod across squishy marshes,
30:16and can even clear pathways
30:18through snow.
30:19Their nimbleness
30:21is also key
30:21to evading predators
30:22like the Tibetan wolf
30:24and the snow leopard.
30:26They're able
30:26to retreat
30:28to higher elevations
30:29where their predators
30:30simply can't cope
30:31with the low levels
30:32of oxygen.
30:34For a speedy escape,
30:36the yaks rely
30:36on their well-designed hooves,
30:38each equipped
30:39with a supportive
30:40and shock-absorbing
30:41suspensory apparatus.
30:44As the yak's weight
30:45is distributed
30:46across its body,
30:47the suspensory ligament
30:49stretches,
30:50absorbs the weight
30:51and helps transmit
30:52power during movement.
30:53Their hooves
30:54are also cloven,
30:56increasing their balance
30:57on treacherous terrain.
30:59Cloven means the hoof
31:00is essentially split
31:01into two halves,
31:02like the yak has two toes.
31:04This is really effective
31:05because it means
31:07it has two surfaces
31:08for spreading out
31:09and supporting
31:10the weight
31:11of the animal.
31:11On either side
31:13of the hoof
31:14are two small dew claws
31:15that help provide
31:16some extra grip
31:17and stability.
31:19And how do they
31:20combat the discomforts
31:21of traversing
31:22both frozen tundra
31:23and scorching
31:24mountain rock?
31:27Specialized podiatric
31:28fat pads
31:29that also act
31:30as nature's
31:31ultimate shock absorbers.
31:34With every step
31:35the yak takes,
31:36these fat pads
31:37absorb vibrations.
31:38They essentially act
31:40like an airplane
31:40shock absorber,
31:41called an oleostrut.
31:44The yak's
31:45natural shock-absorbing
31:47foot pad
31:47also act as
31:48insulation against
31:49frostbite.
31:51Without this
31:52protection from
31:52the year-round frost
31:53in the Himalayas,
31:54the bottom of the
31:55yak's feet would freeze.
31:58The yak's hardy hooves
32:00have inspired
32:00incredible advancements
32:02in the world of robotics.
32:05Chinese scientists have
32:07looked to the yak's foot
32:08for inspiration
32:10when it comes to
32:11building robots.
32:12With legged robots,
32:14it's really difficult
32:15to maintain stability.
32:17By using mechanisms
32:18like those that are
32:19present in the yak's foot,
32:21we can increase the
32:22stability of robots,
32:23making them more capable.
32:26After navigating treacherous peaks,
32:29the yak finally reaches
32:30its grazing destination.
32:32Here, it has a brief window
32:34of opportunity to feed,
32:36and every moment counts.
32:38Bovine tongues are covered
32:40in papillae.
32:41They're little bumps
32:42that help grip
32:43the food inside the mouth.
32:45And what's unique
32:45about yak tongues
32:46is that they have
32:48larger papillae
32:49that have keratin in them.
32:51And this is really
32:51effective for grinding
32:53the food against
32:54the roof of the mouth.
32:55For a yak at high elevation,
32:57food is scarce,
32:58and so they really have
32:59to take what they can get.
33:00For example,
33:01plant stems or
33:02wilted leaves.
33:03To compensate for this
33:05meager variety,
33:05yak's papillae actually
33:07have fewer taste buds.
33:09This is actually
33:10quite helpful
33:10in environments
33:11where beggars can't
33:12be choosers.
33:14Once the tongue
33:15moves their food
33:16to the back of their mouth,
33:17it's transported
33:18into the yak's
33:19four-chambered stomach.
33:21In addition to being
33:22unappetizing,
33:23some of the plants
33:24consumed by the yak
33:26at high altitudes
33:27are difficult to digest.
33:29This four-chamber structure
33:31allows food
33:32to digest longer
33:33in the stomach
33:34so that yaks can
33:35absorb more
33:36of the nutrients
33:37in the plants
33:38that they eat.
33:39To supercharge
33:40the yaks' ability
33:41to glean nutrients
33:42from the sparse vegetation,
33:44the yak's stomachs
33:45contain distinctive
33:46bacteria
33:46and fungi helpers,
33:48allowing them
33:49to digest
33:50tough fibers
33:50like cellulose
33:51that cows
33:52would have difficulty
33:53digesting.
33:54Without this optimization,
33:56yaks couldn't survive
33:57in their native environment.
33:59So impressed
34:00by their remarkable
34:01adaptations,
34:03humans began
34:04domesticating
34:05these bovids
34:05over 7,000 years ago
34:07as a source
34:08of wool,
34:09milk,
34:10and most importantly
34:11guidance through
34:11the Rocky Mountain
34:12steppes,
34:14forging a connection
34:15to the animal kingdom
34:16that has endured
34:17for millennia.
34:19Compared
34:20to their bovine cousins,
34:21yaks have been
34:22upgraded by nature
34:23to have many features
34:25that allow them
34:26to cope with the
34:27challenging environments
34:28in the mountains.
34:30while the robust yak
34:32is the ultimate survivor
34:34in cold,
34:34high-altitude environments,
34:36a tiny creature
34:38defies the harsh
34:39desert landscapes
34:40of North Africa
34:41and the Arabian Peninsula.
34:44In the driest places
34:45on Earth,
34:46where the sun
34:47is relentless
34:48and the wind whips
34:50over endless dunes,
34:51survival demands
34:53innovation.
34:54One desert dweller
34:56has mastered
34:57the art of resilience
34:58with a body built
34:59for speed
35:00and a metabolism
35:01designed to conserve
35:02every precious
35:03drop of water.
35:05This is the Jeboa.
35:10The Jeboa
35:12is a small nocturnal
35:13rodent that lives
35:14in the deserts
35:15and steppes
35:16of Asia,
35:17North Africa,
35:17and Eastern Europe.
35:19Dozens of species
35:20exist,
35:21from the Sahara
35:22to the Gobi,
35:23each masterfully suited
35:25to thrive
35:26in their volatile
35:27desert terrain.
35:28By day,
35:30the Jeboa
35:30faces the unforgiving
35:31heat,
35:32often reaching
35:3355 degrees Celsius
35:34at its hottest.
35:36By night,
35:37it endures freezing cold,
35:39with temperatures
35:40plummeting as low
35:41as minus 5 degrees Celsius.
35:44Yet,
35:45despite these extreme
35:47fluctuations,
35:48this creature prevails.
35:50It's a solitary creature
35:52that forages at night
35:53for insects,
35:54roots,
35:55seeds,
35:55and plants,
35:56and spends the rest
35:57of its time hiding
35:58in underground burrows.
35:59They're quite small,
36:01only reaching about
36:0115 centimeters in length,
36:03and they weigh about
36:04the same amount
36:05as a couple of coins,
36:06so 23 to 37 grams.
36:09These tiny creatures
36:10are extremely fast.
36:12They can reach speeds
36:12up to 25 kilometers
36:14per hour.
36:16They hop on their hind legs,
36:17looking a little bit
36:18like teensy kangaroos,
36:20and when they're standing still,
36:21they rest on their tail.
36:23The Jerboa uses its speed
36:25and superior night vision
36:27to dodge predators
36:28like owls,
36:29snakes,
36:30cats,
36:31and foxes.
36:32How does it do it?
36:35Their oversized eyes
36:36allow them to detect movement
36:37and see more clearly
36:39during twilight and nocturnal hours.
36:41These are the times
36:42when the Jerboa
36:43is the most active.
36:46Every hop is a calculated risk
36:48for this tiny creature
36:49as dangers from predators abound.
36:53The Jerboa's strong hind legs
36:54are actually built
36:55for incredible jumping.
36:57All the bones in its foot
36:58are actually fused
36:59into what's called
37:00a cannon bone.
37:01It's great for leaping
37:02long distances,
37:03and its feet are actually
37:05covered in little hairs
37:06that keep it from sinking
37:08in the sand.
37:09And when they're threatened
37:10by predators,
37:11Jerboas use a unique
37:13evasive technique
37:14characterized by sudden changes
37:16in direction,
37:17gait, and speed.
37:23The Jerboa's movement
37:25is kind of like a cross
37:26between a rabbit
37:28and a kangaroo.
37:29They have very large,
37:31powerful hind legs
37:32that allow them
37:33to leap long distances,
37:35and yet they've retained
37:36the ability to turn
37:37almost instantaneously
37:39like a rabbit does.
37:40By incorporating
37:42these random movements
37:43and acrobatic leaps
37:44into their escape strategy,
37:46Jerboas are able
37:47to confuse predators,
37:49which significantly
37:50increases their chance
37:51of survival
37:52in the open desert landscape.
37:54But to survive
37:55against a bevy
37:56of predators
37:57is one thing.
37:58Surviving the environment
37:59itself
38:00is something else entirely.
38:04The Jerboa has
38:05very large ears
38:07with a lot of tiny
38:08capillaries in it.
38:09This allows the Jerboa
38:11to circulate
38:12a huge amount of blood
38:14through the ears,
38:15cooling that blood
38:16to keep the animal
38:17cool enough
38:18in the high-temperature
38:20desert environment.
38:21Keeping cool
38:22is one hurdle.
38:23Now comes the challenge
38:25of staying hydrated
38:26in a habitat
38:27where water
38:27is extremely scarce.
38:29in desert environments,
38:31animals really have
38:33to be very conscious
38:33of water management.
38:35Jerboas don't have
38:36access to fresh water.
38:38They get all of their water
38:39from the plants
38:40that they eat.
38:41So keeping that water
38:42and retaining it
38:43is really important.
38:44The Jerboa doesn't sweat,
38:46so it doesn't lose water
38:48that way.
38:48So the only really
38:49other significant loss
38:51of water is through urine.
38:52The kidneys' primary function
38:55is to remove urea
38:56from the body.
38:57Urea is a very strong compound
39:00and if you concentrate it
39:03too heavily,
39:04it can cause damage,
39:05it can reabsorb back
39:08into the body,
39:08and it's very difficult
39:10to excrete large amounts
39:13of urea
39:13without excreting water.
39:15The Jerboa's kidneys
39:17have developed the ability
39:18to excrete
39:19very concentrated
39:20urea solutions.
39:22This means that
39:23the Jerboa's
39:24conserving water
39:25because it's not
39:26eliminating it
39:27with its urine.
39:29When moisture
39:30from food sources
39:31dries up,
39:32Jerboas resort
39:33to a critical
39:34survival skill,
39:35digging.
39:37The Jerboa
39:38is optimized for digging.
39:39They have short,
39:40powerful forearms
39:41with sharp claws
39:42that dig the sand
39:43and they have long,
39:43powerful legs that kick the sand
39:45out of the burrow.
39:46They dig for water
39:47and they dig burrows
39:49to hide from predators
39:50and the extreme heat.
39:51Like a rigorous
39:52architect,
39:53the Jerboa constructs
39:55several types
39:55of burrows,
39:56each perfectly designed
39:58for its own
39:58unique purpose.
40:00The Jerboa's
40:01use temporary summer
40:02burrows
40:02while they're foraging.
40:04These are relatively simple
40:06and just provide them
40:07with some cover
40:07from the elements.
40:08They also have
40:09permanent burrows
40:10that are much more complex
40:12and have many different
40:13chambers in them
40:14for doing things
40:15like storing food.
40:16These permanent burrows
40:18are also cleverly lined
40:19with emergency tunnels,
40:21allowing for a quick
40:22escape from predators.
40:25This becomes
40:26especially vital
40:27when the Jerboa
40:28has something irreplaceable
40:29to protect.
40:30It's young.
40:32The mother spends
40:3330 to 45 days
40:35underground
40:36with their young.
40:37Their young are helpless
40:38and they're really susceptible
40:39to predators,
40:40so the mother protects them
40:42in their burrows
40:42during this time.
40:44For adult Jerboas,
40:46permanent burrows
40:47also become a hideaway
40:48during periods
40:49of extreme heat
40:50when their bodies
40:51go into a form
40:52of deep rest
40:53called estivation.
40:55Estivation is a form
40:57of dormancy
40:57similar to hibernation
40:59but during hot
41:00and dry climates.
41:02When Jerboas estivate,
41:04they will dig themselves
41:04a burrow
41:05and block the entrance
41:06to protect themselves
41:07from creditors
41:08and to keep the moisture inside.
41:09When they're dormant,
41:11their metabolism slows down
41:13and they conserve energy
41:14and water
41:15until temperatures
41:16cool off a bit.
41:17When temperatures drop,
41:20Jerboas use these
41:21same burrows
41:21for hibernation.
41:23In the frigid Gobi Desert,
41:25where temperatures
41:26can drop
41:26to minus 40 degrees Celsius
41:28in winter,
41:29Jerboas sleep
41:30for up to five months.
41:32But it's not just
41:33the Jerboas' long reprieves
41:35and water conservation efforts
41:36that make it a finely tuned
41:38survival machine.
41:41Recent research has shown
41:43this small desert creature
41:44has evolved the remarkable
41:46ability to repair its own DNA.
41:50What's been found
41:51is that high elevation Jerboa
41:53actually have mutations
41:54in specific genes.
41:56The ATR gene
41:57activates a special protein
41:59that essentially acts
42:01as a sensor for DNA damage.
42:03And what that means
42:04is that when high UV radiation
42:06causes damage to their DNA,
42:08they're much better
42:09at repairing it.
42:11This adaptation
42:12is especially beneficial
42:13to Jerboas dwelling
42:15in high-altitude
42:16desert habitats,
42:17like those in northern China,
42:19where the atmosphere
42:20thins and offers
42:21little protection
42:22against the sun's
42:23harmful UV rays.
42:25Without this
42:27evolutionary defense,
42:28DNA damage
42:29would trigger mutations
42:30that could otherwise
42:31lead to severe
42:32health problems.
42:35These insights
42:36we've gained
42:37from Jerboa
42:37might be really useful
42:39for stimulating
42:40future research
42:41to understand
42:42how we can overcome
42:43UV-related skin conditions.
42:46The Jerboa's
42:47water-conserving kidneys
42:49could also provide
42:50much fodder
42:50for future research.
42:52Water purification
42:53and conservation
42:54is really important
42:56in water-scarce regions
42:57and even during
42:59prolonged spaceflight.
43:00So the more
43:01we can learn
43:02about means
43:04of water purification,
43:05even in places
43:06like the kidneys
43:07and the exceptional kidneys
43:08of the Jerboa,
43:10this might help inspire
43:11future technologies.
43:13The Jerboa flourishes
43:15where few others can,
43:17adapting to extreme heat
43:18and scarcity
43:19with unmatched precision.
43:23So what happens
43:24when nature flips the script?
43:26Halfway around the world
43:28in Japan's snow-covered mountains,
43:31another survivor
43:32battles the opposite extremes.
43:35In the Chubu region,
43:37water doesn't disappear
43:38but transforms
43:39into icy vistas.
43:42Here,
43:42winter temperatures
43:43can plunge
43:44to minus 10 degrees Celsius
43:46and blizzards
43:47rage for months.
43:49While most creatures
43:51flee this frigid terrain,
43:53preferring the comfortable
43:54deep sleep
43:54of hibernation,
43:56one is intent
43:57on sticking it out,
43:59the Japanese macaque,
44:02a creature
44:03of remarkable intelligence,
44:05adaptability
44:05and striking contrasts.
44:08The Japanese macaque
44:10is affectionately known
44:11as a snow monkey
44:12and it's a resilient primate
44:14that's known
44:14for its adaptability
44:16to harsh environments.
44:18They don't move
44:19around a tonne
44:20and typically live
44:20in an area
44:21of about four square kilometres,
44:22but this can change a lot
44:24depending on the season.
44:26Waging a war
44:27against winter's wrath
44:29takes remarkable stamina.
44:31And although in captivity,
44:33Japanese macaques
44:34can live almost 30 years,
44:36in the harsh wilds of Japan,
44:38their lifespan
44:39is typically more
44:40like six years.
44:42Surviving even that long
44:44requires the power
44:45of community.
44:48In the wild,
44:49Japanese macaques
44:50live in highly social groups.
44:52Typically,
44:53these are matrilineal groups
44:55and females inherit
44:56their ranks
44:56from their mothers.
44:58Higher ranking individuals,
45:00particularly females,
45:01have priority access
45:02to food resources,
45:04especially during times
45:05of scarcity.
45:07This system ensures
45:08that at least
45:08some members
45:09of the group
45:09are able to maintain
45:10good health
45:11and successfully reproduce,
45:13even in challenging conditions.
45:15And how do they maintain
45:17these strong social bonds?
45:19Like a day at the spa,
45:21it's mainly through
45:22communal pampering.
45:24This activity
45:25not only keeps them clean,
45:26but it also improves
45:28social bonds
45:28within the group.
45:32Japanese macaques
45:33are master foragers,
45:35dining on leaves,
45:36insects and fruits.
45:37During the spring,
45:39summer and fall,
45:41tree climbing
45:41provides macaques
45:42with resources
45:43not available
45:44to ground-dwelling creatures.
45:46And up here
45:47is the perfect vantage point
45:49to spot danger.
45:53Japanese macaques
45:54have traits ideal
45:55for climbing trees.
45:56Their opposable thumbs
45:58allow them
45:58to grip branches firmly,
46:00and their strong,
46:01flexible limbs
46:02allow them
46:02to climb trees
46:03more easily.
46:06Jumping from branch
46:07to branch
46:08is not all fun
46:09and games
46:09for the snow monkey.
46:10After first snowfall,
46:12food becomes scarce.
46:14The ground
46:15will remain blanketed
46:16for at least three months.
46:18As temperatures
46:19drop precariously,
46:21it is time
46:22for the Japanese macaque
46:23to close ranks
46:24and get creative.
46:26In the harsh winters
46:27or times of scarcity,
46:29these social animals
46:30will work together
46:31to help each other out.
46:32They huddle together
46:34for warmth
46:34and they help each other
46:36find food.
46:37The Japanese macaques
46:38have developed
46:39the ability to fish,
46:40which is a fairly new strategy.
46:42They'll turn over rocks
46:43to catch the fish
46:44and they'll also stand up
46:45and just go and grab the fish.
46:47They'll use rocks
46:48to open up tough foods
46:49and they'll even dip it
46:50into the hot springs
46:50to soften it,
46:51just like a fondue.
46:53Yet, the fat stalls
46:54from a full belly of fish
46:56won't be enough
46:57to keep this primate warm.
46:59Fortunately, the macaque
47:01also dons a luxurious coat
47:03of fur,
47:04a natural barrier
47:05between its body
47:06and the biting cold winds.
47:09The secret to the coat's warmth
47:10lies in its intricate structure.
47:12It has multiple layers
47:14and the layer closest
47:16to the skin
47:16is a very insulative,
47:18downy layer
47:19that helps keep the body warm
47:20when the environment
47:21around the animal
47:22is really cold.
47:24This cozy coat grows
47:25as temperatures plummet
47:27and is cleverly fitted
47:28to the most ideal area
47:30of the monkey's body.
47:32So the fur is not uniform
47:33across the body.
47:35Its face and its rump
47:37are actually exposed
47:38and not covered with fur.
47:39And this is really useful
47:41for regulating
47:42the animal's body temperature.
47:44When temperatures go up,
47:46they can actually send more blood
47:47to the skin in these regions
47:49and get rid of heat
47:51to the environment
47:51to help themselves cool.
47:53But when the temperature drops,
47:55they can take the blood flow
47:56away from those skin regions
47:58and actually conserve heat
47:59to the core tissues
48:01and avoid losing
48:02too much heat to the environment.
48:04The macaque's winter get-up
48:06isn't just for warm.
48:07It's a surprising acid
48:09for an unexpected winter pastime.
48:12Swimming.
48:15If you don't have good adaptations,
48:17you're first going to get wet,
48:19absorb water,
48:20and you're going to get cold.
48:21The macaques have produced
48:23an adaptation
48:24that prevents their fur
48:26from getting wet
48:27so that they don't get
48:28that cold associated
48:29with wet fur.
48:31With their fur grown out
48:33and their bodies protected,
48:34these monkeys are now safe
48:36to shift into low gear.
48:38In the winter months,
48:40Japanese macaque reduce
48:41their overall levels of activity.
48:43They're most active around noon
48:45in the middle of the day
48:46when they go out to forage
48:48and then they sleep overnight.
48:49But what's interesting
48:50is this is totally different
48:52from what they do
48:52in the other seasons of the year
48:54when they're actually
48:55much more active overnight
48:57and they sleep during the day.
49:00Yet even this calm winter state
49:03requires a jolt of energy
49:04every now and again
49:05to catch prey, move about,
49:08and most importantly,
49:09to keep warm.
49:11So the big challenge
49:12that a Japanese macaque faces
49:14in the winter
49:15is keeping its body warm.
49:17And so when it experiences cold
49:19in the winter,
49:20it increases its metabolism
49:21to generate body heat.
49:23And one of the ways
49:24that they do that
49:25is they produce and release
49:27a hormone called cortisol.
49:30Cortisol is released
49:31by a gland called
49:33the adrenal gland
49:34which is just above the kidneys
49:36and it circulates throughout the body
49:38and it tells all the cells
49:40in the body
49:40to take up more carbohydrates
49:42from the circulation
49:43and increase their metabolism.
49:45And that's one of the ways
49:47in which they stimulate those cells
49:49to generate more body heat.
49:51When a thick fur coat
49:53and a hormonal kickstart
49:54aren't enough to keep warm,
49:56the Japanese macaque resorts
49:58to the earth itself,
49:59seeking out nature's own hot tubs
50:02in the middle of the mountain terrain.
50:03Here they gather in natural hot springs
50:07where the steaming water
50:08provide the perfect escape
50:10from the harsh cold.
50:13Japanese macaques are not only tough
50:15but they're resourceful.
50:16This is a rare display
50:17of behavioral adaptation
50:19to an environmental challenge.
50:21The Japanese macaque
50:22holds a unique
50:23and relaxing position
50:24in the animal kingdom
50:25as the only primate
50:27known to soak
50:28in natural hot springs.
50:29According to local tales,
50:31it all began when a young macaque
50:34entered an outdoor hot spring
50:35near Jigokudani Monkey Park
50:37and her peers soon followed suit,
50:40turning a daring plunge
50:42into a winter ritual
50:43that has since shielded the truth
50:45from frostbite and hypothermia.
50:48Interestingly enough,
50:50when the macaques are lounging
50:52in the hot springs,
50:53they also have lower cortisol levels.
50:55And this makes a lot of sense
50:57because they don't have to generate
50:59as much body heat
51:00because the hot springs
51:01are doing it for them.
51:02And so that reduces their energy costs,
51:06it reduces their cortisol levels,
51:08and that's really advantageous
51:09because that means
51:10they don't have to forage as much
51:11and they can save their energy.
51:13The Japanese macaque's
51:15remarkable cold weather adaptations,
51:18physiological and behavioral,
51:20may hold valuable lessons
51:22for our own survival
51:23in a world of extremes.
51:26The lessons of the animal kingdom
51:28are not just a study in survival,
51:31they are a blueprint
51:32for thriving in nature's harshest conditions.
51:56By doing so,
52:10that the
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