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Explore the fascinating journey of scientists as they work to bring back a long-lost creature, while uncovering the sea creatures that could turn your beach trip into a nightmare. Discover the delicate balance between innovation and nature's hidden dangers in this captivating video!
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00:00In 1952, an Air Force plane called C-124 Globemaster II crashed into a big mountain while flying from Washington
00:09to Alaska.
00:10Sadly, everyone on board, 52 people in total, didn't make it.
00:15The bad weather at the time made it hard to find the crash site, and even later, any attempts to
00:20locate it failed.
00:21But in 2012, a helicopter crew doing a training mission spotted the pieces of the crashed plane on a glacier
00:28called Colony Glacier in Alaska.
00:31They started looking for more pieces and confirmed it was indeed the missing plane.
00:37Since then, every summer for about a decade, different military groups have been helping in an operation called Colony Glacier.
00:45They've managed to identify 40 out of the 52 people whose lives were lost in the crash.
00:50The soldiers taking part in this mission take their promise seriously to never leave a fallen comrade behind.
00:58They believe it's their duty to bring back those who didn't make it.
01:05Another discovery comes from the Alps.
01:08In 1991, some hikers exploring the picturesque Alps stumbled upon a human body.
01:14It was half-frozen in ice at the top of a mountain pass between Italy and Austria.
01:19At first, the local police thought it might be a mountaineering accident.
01:23But in a few weeks, archaeologists started claiming that this guy might have lived more than 5,000 years ago.
01:31They eventually gave the frozen fellow the nickname, Ertzie.
01:35He was named after the nearby Ertzel Valley.
01:38He's become quite famous as the oldest ice mummy on record.
01:42Ertzie's frozen state might not be as unique as we thought, and that's where things get really cool.
01:50Archaeologists have another theory.
01:52See, at first, everyone was convinced that Ertzie marked the start of a cooler period
01:57because he had been frozen in the ice without any interruptions since he had lost his life.
02:03Yet, over the past few decades, glaciers and ice patches worldwide have been melting away like ice cream on a
02:10hot summer day.
02:11Not just Ertzie, but other ancient relics like bodies, hunting gear, horse droppings, and even ancient skis started to appear.
02:20So, archaeologists say there are similar sites.
02:24They found quite a few, and they all fit perfectly into this growing field of glacial archaeology.
02:31It seems like as the world warms up, it will show even more ancient secrets from the deep freeze.
02:41Moving on to another amazing discovery.
02:44In 2018, William Taylor and Nick Jarman were exploring the snowy slopes of Mongolia's Altai Mountains.
02:51They found an ancient treasure trove hidden in the ice.
02:56Inside the trove, they found a well-preserved 3,000-year-old arrow shaft adorned with ochre markings.
03:03It was in pristine condition, a rarity for organic items that old.
03:08They found other items, too, like a bronze arrowhead with bits of animal sinew still attached.
03:14All of these relics had been untouched for hundreds of years, since they had been locked in the ice.
03:24In Mongolia, rising temperatures have melted ice patches that remained frozen for centuries.
03:29Similar discoveries have been made in the Yukon, U.S., Italy, Siberia, and Norway.
03:36Thousands of sites have been identified.
03:39Yet, scientists are racing against time to document and preserve these artifacts before they're lost forever.
03:46The study of these artifacts challenges the definition of these environments as wildernesses
03:52and shows how indigenous people coexisted with nature there.
03:56Sometimes, people find simple items, too.
03:59As simple as a sandal.
04:01This one, discovered on one of central Norway's mountain passes,
04:05indicates that people used this route roughly 1,700 years ago.
04:10This suggests that there was less snow and ice in that area back then.
04:15The sandal, dating back to around 300 BCE, resembles Roman sandals of that era.
04:24Again, in Norway, hunters found an iron sword high up on a mountain,
04:29more than 5,250 feet above sea level.
04:33There's no nearby burial site, and it's puzzling why someone would have a sword in such a remote location.
04:40Archaeologists speculate that the owner might have become lost.
04:43Then, in 2011, unusual objects resembling giant slingshots began to emerge as the ice melted.
04:51Radiocarbon dating suggests that this particular object was crafted around 400 BCE.
04:58It measures over 3 feet long and has knife cuts.
05:02Those puzzled archaeologists until one team member recognized them as
05:06tongue, or pliers, used to secure loads on sleds when transporting hay or leaving for animal food.
05:14People in the area used hay sleds with pliers until the 1950s, when tractors became more common.
05:23Now, let's get back in time to thousands of years ago.
05:27We can easily do that by looking at this woolly mammoth.
05:30This creature looks a bit like a cherished but slightly worn-out toy.
05:35This ancient giant, whose heyday was 39,000 years ago, is the best preserved mammoth ever found.
05:42Even its signature shaggy hair is surprisingly well-preserved,
05:46having been trapped in glacial ice until its recent discovery in Siberia.
05:51This remarkable animal is stepping into the limelight in Yokohama, Japan.
05:57Scientists are running tests that might bring this extinct species back to life.
06:02When they stumbled upon this female mammoth, they uncovered a hidden treasure.
06:07A sample of her blood preserved beneath the ice.
06:11So they believe this ancient blood could hold the key to resurrecting the mammoth.
06:17They also found well-preserved muscle tissue.
06:20She was between 50 and 60 years old when she met her icy fate.
06:24The discovery of mammoth blood has reignited debates about the ethics of bringing back extinct creatures,
06:31like in Jurassic Park.
06:33Their ambitious plan is to implant an egg into a living elephant for a 22-month pregnancy,
06:39hoping that at least one living mammoth cell might survive.
06:46Hop on! We're going to the French Alps!
06:49We are at a spot not far from where an Air India plane tragically crashed 46 years ago.
06:56We're accompanied by a diligent mountain rescuer and his neighbor.
07:01They went to this area after a bunch of tourists had noticed a strange-looking thingy on a glacier.
07:06It was a bag.
07:08The Indian embassy in Paris got wind of it, and it was all set on getting that bag.
07:13What makes it kind of cool is that it had diplomatic mail and Ministry of External Affairs written on it.
07:20The Air India flight was on its way from Mumbai to New York when it took a nosedive in January
07:261966.
07:28It took 117 people on board down with it.
07:32Guess what else was inside the bag besides the soaked diplomatic mail?
07:36It had a stack of old Indian newspapers.
07:40So, alongside those, they also found bits of the plane's cabin, a lone shoe, and a bunch of cables.
07:47Totally unexpected treasures on that mountain.
07:53During the summer of 2013, scientists stumbled upon a message left behind by a geologist named Walker,
08:00who had placed it there 44 years before.
08:03That message sort of served as the man's last testament.
08:07He passed away just a month after hiding the bottle in the rocks on the island.
08:12The content of the message was quite astounding.
08:14In 1959, Walker had measured the distance from those very stones to the glacier's edge,
08:21and it clocked in at a mere 167 feet.
08:24By 2013, that distance had ballooned to 400 feet.
08:30Researchers are convinced that this stark contrast between the two measurements
08:35underscores the consequences of ongoing global warming.
08:41Imagine the melting ice in Norway's mountains as a time machine revealing a treasure trove.
08:47Nearly 800 Viking artifacts tucked away for over a thousand years have been unearthed.
08:54They give us a peek into the bustling trade networks of the Viking era
08:58and the critical role of the mountain passes in this ancient commerce.
09:02Among the finds are leather shoes, cozy woolen mittens, stylish tunics, feathered arrowheads,
09:10horseshoes, walking sticks, and kitchen gadgets from the Viking Chef's Toolkit.
09:15There are even Viking pack horse souvenirs.
09:18These artifacts provide us with insights into ancient travel habits
09:23and the peak times when those paths were bustling with activity
09:27and give us a glimpse into the lives of adventurers.
09:31There's a creature somewhere deep in the ocean looking for prey that would make Dracula himself proud.
09:39It's been around since before even the dinosaurs walked the earth.
09:44It has no bones or jaw, but it doesn't stop this underwater vampire from hunting.
09:50The name of this eel-like parasite is the Pacific Lamprey.
09:54The English monarch loved this fish so much that he defied doctors' orders to stop eating lamprey flesh.
10:02He got sick every time he'd have the original gooey fish.
10:06But the lack of bones and the fact that this lamprey tastes like slow-cooked beefsteak
10:11made the royal fall in love with the fish once and for all.
10:15The product of this love was a chill in his aged body, some heavy sweating, and some other scary symptoms,
10:22which eventually took his life and interrupted his 35-year reign.
10:27The lamprey is way better at surviving as it lived through at least four mass extinctions.
10:32Its ancient ancestors evolved over 450 million years ago.
10:37There are around 40 living species of lampreys still thriving across the world.
10:43The Pacific Lamprey is just one of them.
10:46These creatures have cartilage instead of bones and a third eye,
10:49which is a special light-sensing organ on the top of their heads.
10:53Instead of a regular jaw, they have a sucker mouth surrounded by teeth.
10:58It's perfect for latching onto prey and sipping up body fluids like underwater vampires.
11:03Once they pick a victim, they suction it, making a seal that's almost impossible to break.
11:09Scientists believe the Pacific Lampreys don't munch on flesh.
11:13Female lampreys lay up to 200,000 eggs in nests that stay in fresh water for three to four weeks.
11:21Once the larvae hatch, they burrow into sediment and stay under the sand for up to a decade.
11:27When they hit their teenage years,
11:29these miniature draculas re-emerge and migrate from fresh water all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
11:35This journey isn't the easiest,
11:37and it takes some changes to its appearance and physiology to adapt to a huge change in salinity.
11:43After several years, they go back to fresh water to reproduce.
11:47Pacific Lampreys can use chemical clues released by their larval migrating pals to find their way.
11:53They can travel hundreds of miles inland to find the perfect spot for spawning and rearing.
11:58It's not always the same place they spawned in.
12:01Many species of birds, mammals, and other fish can appreciate the fatty flesh of lamprey.
12:07This makes them some of the most valuable players in freshwater and marine ecosystems.
12:13Another lamprey type, the sea lamprey, is native to the Atlantic Ocean.
12:17It's not that dangerous when it's at home,
12:20but once it gets to the Great Lakes,
12:22it becomes a real threat to the four local native species of lamprey.
12:27The sea lamprey is up to four times bigger than the lake species.
12:31It has unlimited food and spawning grounds,
12:34and no natural predators here,
12:36so it becomes cocky.
12:38It secretes an enzyme that doesn't let the blood clot.
12:41Once it attaches to some unsuspecting fish,
12:44it spends the next several months feeding off of it.
12:47And even if the fish shakes the lamprey off,
12:50it doesn't have long to live because the mark the predator leaves behind.
12:54Sea lampreys aren't interested in humans,
12:57but can accidentally latch onto a swimmer.
13:00It won't be fatal, but it's not the most pleasant sensation,
13:03and you'd need to get the spot of the impact disinfected.
13:07The Australian box jellyfish looks harmless,
13:10but it's considered the most venomous marine animal.
13:14Unlike other kinds of jellyfish that float with the current rather than swim,
13:17this creature can reach an impressive speed and choose its own direction.
13:22It has tentacles covered with tiny darts loaded with poison.
13:26People and animals that get unlucky enough to meet with those tentacles
13:30face some scary and sometimes even fatal consequences in a matter of minutes.
13:36Before you decide to never revisit the ocean,
13:39you should know that only a few out of around 50 existing species of box jellyfish
13:44have venom that is lethal to humans.
13:47There are some not-so-dangerous species living in warm coastal waters worldwide,
13:51and the most dangerous ones are in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia.
13:57A blue-ringed octopus spots a signature psychedelic color
14:01and the ability to take away your life.
14:04This cute-looking sea monster likes to spend its time
14:07in the soft, sandy bottom or shallow tide pools and coral reefs.
14:11It normally hides in underwater crevices among shells or debris.
14:16If you disturb it, the octopus will activate its tiny color-changing organs
14:20and demonstrate its blue rings as a warning signal.
14:24The next step will be releasing a venom a thousand times more powerful than cyanide.
14:30This venom is more toxic than that of land mammals.
14:33The octopus normally uses it to hunt crabs, shrimp and small fish
14:38by pecking them with its beak and paralyzing them.
14:41There is no known antidote for the venom,
14:43so if you ever see this sea creature, the best you can do is to stay away from it.
14:49It bites without any pain, so you might notice when it's too late.
14:53The good news is that it's not aggressive and won't go after you unless it's cornered.
14:58The reef stonefish are masters of disguise in the underwater world
15:03that camouflage themselves on rocks, coral reefs, or just blend into the seabed.
15:08They thrive throughout tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.
15:12Their invisibility superpower makes them especially dangerous
15:17to their prospective victims they ambush and swallow whole.
15:20If someone happens to disturb them, their 13 defensive dorsal spines stand on end
15:26and deliver a powerful venom punch.
15:29They say stonefish stings are extra painful and lead to scary consequences within minutes.
15:35They're called the most venomous fish in the world.
15:38If you don't do anything about it, the impact can be lethal.
15:43If you ever go diving in the Pacific Ocean,
15:46be careful not to pick up a cone snail from the seafloor.
15:49It has a beautiful shell made of brown, black, or white patterns.
15:53Like most other snails, it's slow, but it has a complicated system of seeking out prey.
15:59It likes to snack on fish, marine worms, or even other snails.
16:04Once a cone snail senses food is near,
16:06it activates a sharp proboscis or a needle-like protrusion from its mouth.
16:11The attack is swift and super potent.
16:14The victim doesn't even have time to realize what happened to them.
16:17Once it's completely incapable of moving, the cone snail swallows it whole.
16:22Humans aren't on its menu, but it can still release the venom if someone steps on it or disturbs it.
16:28The proboscis can even penetrate gloves.
16:31Luckily, only several out of over 700 species of cone snails can take a human's life.
16:36But since there's no antivenom, you better not risk it.
16:40All 52 known species of sea snakes living mostly in the warm tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans
16:47are venomous.
16:48The beaked sea snake even has the title of one of the world's most venomous serpents,
16:53but it's one of the few kinds that can pose a real threat to humans.
16:57Sea snakes prefer a peaceful coexistence and would rather slither away than engage in any confrontations.
17:05If you ever see them in the water, staying calm and moving slowly will save your life.
17:10Sea snake bites, although almost painless at the moment, can have varying degrees of impact.
17:16Some may only cause mild symptoms, while others can lead to severe outcomes.
17:21Most bite reports come from accidental encounters, like someone freeing them from nets or unsuspecting beachgoers stepping on them.
17:30Blue dragons rarely grow larger than the size of a grape.
17:34They like to swim belly up, so their brightest blues blend in with the ocean waters.
17:39And the silver front faces down and camouflages with the darker seabed.
17:44Blue dragons feed on another dangerous sea creature and store up their stinging cells.
17:49Their venom lives on even after the fish itself is no longer alive.
17:54That's why you should be extra careful and never pick up or step on them on the beach.
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