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[gentle music]
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[animals chirping, chittering]
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* *
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00:00:13,931 --> 00:00:15,600
- Greetings.
Bill Nye here.
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I'm in one of the most
amazing places on Earth,
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Yellowstone National Park.
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We're in Wyoming, a beautiful,
otherworldly landscape
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00:00:25,318 --> 00:00:27,945
sculpted by relentless
geological forces
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00:00:27,987 --> 00:00:30,364
over billions of years.
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00:00:30,406 --> 00:00:32,533
They call this geyser
Old Faithful
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because it erupts
every day, faithfully,
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about every 74 minutes.
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[whooshing]
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The ground beneath our feet
feels solid and stable,
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and it is, most of the time.
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But geysers like this one
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are a sign
of what lurks beneath us,
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ancient volcanic energies that
continue to shape our planet.
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The people here today are in
for an enormous surprise.
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This time,
when Old Faithful blows,
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she'll unleash a fury
that's been building
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for half a million years.
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Predicting it is difficult,
and no one is prepared.
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Old Faithful's a bit
ahead of schedule,
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00:01:14,075 --> 00:01:18,663
but for the rest of us,
it looks like time has run out.
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[ground rumbling]
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[people screaming]
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[dramatic music]
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* *
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[people shouting]
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[cow moos]
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Welcome, my friends,
to the Disaster Institute,
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a museum of catastrophic events
that have happened in the past,
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00:02:08,629 --> 00:02:13,259
are happening now,
or could happen at any moment.
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These exhibits
aren't for the timid.
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It's the end of the world,
after all.
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But we'll also see
how we can save it,
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a scientific blueprint
for a better future,
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00:02:23,061 --> 00:02:24,979
you might say.
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And our planet is a busy place.
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Always has been.
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Life is everywhere.
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But even if there were no life
on our world, none at all,
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Earth would still be
a very busy place.
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Hidden beneath our feet
is volcanic energy.
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Sometimes,
that energy breaks loose.
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Here at the museum,
it's volcano night.
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The kids seem to love it.
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Me, I hate volcano night.
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00:03:00,598 --> 00:03:04,394
On our planet, there are
nearly 1,500 volcanoes.
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00:03:04,435 --> 00:03:06,938
At least 860 of them
are active.
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00:03:06,979 --> 00:03:08,398
They can still erupt.
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A few dozen are erupting
at this very moment.
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* *
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And that doesn't include
the tens of thousands
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of volcanoes
on the ocean floor
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that we don't know much about,
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but dozens of those,
maybe even 100 or more,
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could be erupting as we speak.
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[distant clamoring
and screaming]
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I'm guessing this
is not a rom-com.
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[projector whirring]
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* *
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Ah, one of the first disaster
flicks ever made.
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Mount Vesuvius erupted
and killed 10,000 people
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in the city of Pompeii.
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Most of them suffocated after
inhaling sulfur dioxide gas.
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- Bill Nye the Spoiler Guy!
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- Sorry.
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* *
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It's no surprise
we're fascinated by volcanoes.
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Of the five mass extinctions
here on Earth,
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three of them have been caused,
at least in part,
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by volcanic eruptions.
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Just ask Kor here.
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Kor remembers.
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- [grunting]
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[volcano booms]
[groans]
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- Say what you will.
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His genes are in
each of us today.
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The last major eruption
in the United States
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happened in Washington State
just back in 1980.
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I remember.
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I was living in Seattle
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when Mount St. Helens
went ballistic.
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It blasted so much ash
into the atmosphere
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that 22,000 square miles
were buried
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as deep as 3 feet or more.
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Dozens of people were killed.
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It was a warning of
the unpredictable power
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of volcanic forces.
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Tonight, we're going to imagine
something far more powerful.
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We'll use our
disaster simulator
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to witness the events firsthand
from three points of view.
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A young bride-to-be
whose special day
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doesn't go as planned...
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[people screaming]
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A nervous traveler
on a vacation from hell,
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and a scientist
who sees warning signs
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that others simply ignore.
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[whooshing]
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Believe it or not,
a volcano 1,000 times
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the size of Mount St. Helens
is about to erupt.
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The entire world
lives in its shadow,
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and hardly anyone
seems to know about it.
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Let's check it out.
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[animals chirping, chittering]
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[gentle music]
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* *
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Our story begins here
in Yellowstone National Park
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in the not-too-distant future.
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Life is good.
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The diverse and abundant
wildlife is thriving,
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and the humans are too.
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It's a record tourist season
here in the park.
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In nearby Bozeman, Montana,
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the Sweet Pea Festival was,
once again, a huge success.
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It's peas and a parade.
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What's not to love?
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Speaking of love,
this young woman
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has earned a
professorship in fine arts
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at Montana State University.
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It's a milestone for her,
one of several lately.
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- Do you want to marry me?
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- [laughs]
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Yes.
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- Big dreams are coming true
in Big Sky Country.
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Out here, it's fresh air,
clean water, and fresh fish--
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the wilderness--
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far away from the stress
of city life.
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[quirky music]
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* *
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I know that guy.
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Nuts?
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We flew through
the Hydra storm together.
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And it was not his best day.
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Maybe this afternoon,
he'll get a chance to unwind.
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Probably not, though.
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It's volcano night.
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[foreboding music]
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* *
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Don't be fooled by the
serene beauty of this place.
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Yellowstone National Park
sits atop one of the largest
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active volcanoes in the world.
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It's called a supervolcano
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because it has a Volcanic
Explosivity Index of 8.
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That's the biggest there is.
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00:08:18,916 --> 00:08:22,962
When this VEI 8 last blew
over a half million years ago,
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it obliterated a mountain range
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and left a smoking hole
in the ground
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the size of Los Angeles,
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and the air quality
was even worse.
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The depression left behind
by an eruption
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is called a caldera,
and this one is huge.
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You know how some things are
too small for the eye to see?
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Well, some things are too big
for the eye to see.
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The Yellowstone volcano
is so huge,
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you need a satellite view
to see the whole thing.
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Even then, the giant crater
has been flattened
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by 500,000 years of erosion
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and is hidden
by a pristine wilderness.
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But it's there,
just below the surface.
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You can feel the heat.
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* *
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[phones ringing,
indistinct chatter]
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* *
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This is the Yellowstone
Volcano Observatory.
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Seismometers, tilt meters,
and gas detectors
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are placed throughout
the park
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as part of an early
warning system.
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They're working here
around the clock
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because they know that
this serene plateau
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could blow so hard
it would make Mount St. Helens
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look like a sneeze.
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Scientists here call it
The Beast,
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and you can imagine why.
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[computer beeping]
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The ground here
isn't just warm.
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It's the hottest
in North America,
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456 degrees Fahrenheit
in some places--
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237 Celsius--
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so hot that,
in many places, it steams.
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00:10:00,893 --> 00:10:03,312
The smell of sulfur
through the air--
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it's called "Yellowstone"
because there are
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00:10:06,190 --> 00:10:09,402
so many yellow sulfur
compounds in the rocks.
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00:10:09,444 --> 00:10:12,989
[kids laughing,
indistinct chatter]
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Today,
the National Park Service
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doesn't want to keep visitors
away from the things
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that make Yellowstone special,
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but how many people here
really know
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they're hiking, eating, and
camping on a sleeping giant?
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[ground rumbling]
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[all clamoring]
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00:10:37,472 --> 00:10:38,639
- All right?
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00:10:38,681 --> 00:10:40,058
- Just a little earthquake,
right?
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00:10:40,099 --> 00:10:43,352
Not uncommon here to feel
the earth move now and then.
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00:10:43,394 --> 00:10:46,856
The park normally gets
around 1,000 quakes a year.
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00:10:46,898 --> 00:10:48,775
Over the past few weeks,
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00:10:48,816 --> 00:10:50,693
there have been
more like 10,000,
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00:10:50,735 --> 00:10:52,904
often in groups
they call swarms.
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00:10:52,945 --> 00:10:54,363
And here's the thing.
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00:10:54,405 --> 00:10:57,450
This week, they're not fitting
their regular pattern.
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00:10:57,492 --> 00:11:00,036
Our volcanologist
is concerned
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00:11:00,078 --> 00:11:02,038
that this could be
a warning sign.
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00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,041
The odds of this supervolcano
blowing its top
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00:11:05,083 --> 00:11:06,793
are remote at best.
207
00:11:06,834 --> 00:11:08,378
Given its history,
the probability
208
00:11:08,419 --> 00:11:13,299
of it happening in any given
year is maybe one in 750,000.
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00:11:13,341 --> 00:11:16,052
As of now,
scientists have no way
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00:11:16,094 --> 00:11:19,389
to know why or when
this volcano will erupt,
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00:11:19,430 --> 00:11:23,935
but there are signs
if you know where to look.
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00:11:23,976 --> 00:11:26,729
Hot springs like this one
have fascinated tourists
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00:11:26,771 --> 00:11:29,357
and scientists alike
for decades,
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00:11:29,399 --> 00:11:32,402
but right now,
they're draining away.
215
00:11:32,443 --> 00:11:36,697
Red hot molten rock or magma
is rising to the surface
216
00:11:36,739 --> 00:11:39,492
and causing the rock
beneath the pools to fracture,
217
00:11:39,534 --> 00:11:42,245
which is causing the water
that feeds the pools
218
00:11:42,286 --> 00:11:46,541
to fall through the cracks,
literally.
219
00:11:46,582 --> 00:11:50,837
The ground here used to be flat,
another warning sign,
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00:11:50,878 --> 00:11:53,214
swelling caused
by rising magma
221
00:11:53,256 --> 00:11:56,092
straining to breach the surface.
222
00:11:56,134 --> 00:11:58,803
But the smoking guns,
so to speak,
223
00:11:58,845 --> 00:12:03,516
are these volcanic funnels
or fumaroles.
224
00:12:03,558 --> 00:12:06,936
The steam is changing color.
225
00:12:06,978 --> 00:12:09,355
Bursts of old ash
from long-ago eruptions
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00:12:09,397 --> 00:12:12,108
are shooting up
through the fissures.
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00:12:12,150 --> 00:12:15,820
Wind carries that ash
miles into the air.
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00:12:15,862 --> 00:12:19,907
It'll come down somewhere.
229
00:12:19,949 --> 00:12:22,869
[soft dramatic music]
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00:12:22,910 --> 00:12:24,370
* *
231
00:12:24,412 --> 00:12:29,083
Our newly-engaged college
professor is unconcerned.
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00:12:30,334 --> 00:12:32,295
For most people,
especially those
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00:12:32,336 --> 00:12:35,131
who live in
a geologically-active area,
234
00:12:35,173 --> 00:12:37,967
a few minor shakes
and spews of ash
235
00:12:38,009 --> 00:12:40,803
are not enough reason
to upend their lives.
236
00:12:40,845 --> 00:12:42,680
Every time
Yellowstone belches,
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00:12:42,722 --> 00:12:46,225
there's a flurry of news reports
about the supervolcano
238
00:12:46,267 --> 00:12:49,520
and how it could blow at
any time, and when it does,
239
00:12:49,562 --> 00:12:52,482
oh, boy, look out.
240
00:12:52,523 --> 00:12:56,069
But we've all heard the story
of the volcano who cried boom.
241
00:12:56,110 --> 00:12:58,112
A little dusting of ash
isn't going to stop
242
00:12:58,154 --> 00:12:59,781
this young couple
from entering
243
00:12:59,822 --> 00:13:02,533
the bonds of happy matrimony.
244
00:13:02,575 --> 00:13:04,327
It's their big day.
245
00:13:04,368 --> 00:13:05,870
You can't just
cancel everything
246
00:13:05,912 --> 00:13:07,663
at the last minute, right?
247
00:13:07,705 --> 00:13:13,252
* *
248
00:13:20,468 --> 00:13:23,429
[ominous music]
249
00:13:23,471 --> 00:13:30,395
* *
250
00:13:32,730 --> 00:13:35,858
Geothermal activity
is poisoning the water
251
00:13:35,900 --> 00:13:40,530
with nature's
own toxic chemicals.
252
00:13:40,571 --> 00:13:42,782
Not good.
253
00:13:42,824 --> 00:13:44,742
Whew, uh, hey, buddy!
254
00:13:44,784 --> 00:13:46,786
We should probably
get out of here.
255
00:13:46,828 --> 00:13:49,247
Remember me?
256
00:13:49,288 --> 00:13:52,542
- Nope, nope, nope, nope,
nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.
257
00:13:52,583 --> 00:13:53,543
Nope.
258
00:13:53,584 --> 00:13:56,504
[ground rumbling]
259
00:14:01,801 --> 00:14:03,261
[people screaming]
260
00:14:08,933 --> 00:14:12,520
[dramatic music]
261
00:14:12,562 --> 00:14:14,313
- So here's what happened.
262
00:14:14,355 --> 00:14:17,024
The Yellowstone supervolcano
erupted,
263
00:14:17,066 --> 00:14:21,404
but only in one spot
on the caldera, Old Faithful.
264
00:14:21,446 --> 00:14:25,450
The trusty geyser blew
its top one last time.
265
00:14:25,491 --> 00:14:27,910
A national treasure
is no more,
266
00:14:27,952 --> 00:14:31,038
and experts can't be certain
that the supervolcano
267
00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,082
won't erupt again.
268
00:14:33,124 --> 00:14:38,421
* *
269
00:14:38,463 --> 00:14:40,757
Several tourists were
injured and taken
270
00:14:40,798 --> 00:14:44,010
to the hospital with
broken bones, severe burns,
271
00:14:44,052 --> 00:14:46,095
and even toxic gas inhalation.
272
00:14:46,137 --> 00:14:50,391
Residents near the fissure are
advised to close their windows
273
00:14:50,433 --> 00:14:55,063
and stay indoors until the
noxious gases and the ashes
274
00:14:55,104 --> 00:14:56,689
have blown clear.
275
00:14:56,731 --> 00:14:59,275
People living in Bozeman
and the surrounding areas
276
00:14:59,317 --> 00:15:01,861
wonder how worried
they should really be.
277
00:15:01,903 --> 00:15:04,989
Do they need to drop everything
and finally get out?
278
00:15:05,031 --> 00:15:07,784
Some experts are saying
that Yellowstone letting off
279
00:15:07,825 --> 00:15:11,537
some steam is a good thing,
and the worst is probably over.
280
00:15:11,579 --> 00:15:15,833
Besides, there are some things
you just can't put on hold.
281
00:15:17,293 --> 00:15:19,462
Wait.
282
00:15:19,504 --> 00:15:22,632
You're not serving Merlot
with chicken.
283
00:15:22,673 --> 00:15:25,385
- While there are scattered
reports of some tourists
284
00:15:25,426 --> 00:15:26,761
and residents
leaving the region,
285
00:15:26,803 --> 00:15:28,846
no evacuation orders
have been given.
286
00:15:28,888 --> 00:15:30,640
Most people are
fascinated by this
287
00:15:30,681 --> 00:15:31,974
once-in-a-lifetime eruption,
288
00:15:32,016 --> 00:15:34,811
and large sections
of the park remain open.
289
00:15:34,852 --> 00:15:37,188
[engine roars]
290
00:15:40,650 --> 00:15:43,611
- Now, you might be thinking,
Bill, what is it with us?
291
00:15:43,653 --> 00:15:48,408
We humans tend to believe that
normal situations stay normal.
292
00:15:48,449 --> 00:15:51,327
Since a certain disaster
has not happened before,
293
00:15:51,369 --> 00:15:53,913
it will probably never happen.
294
00:15:53,955 --> 00:15:56,958
Psychologists have a name
for this way of thinking.
295
00:15:56,999 --> 00:15:59,335
It's called normalcy bias.
296
00:15:59,377 --> 00:16:01,671
And it can make people ignore
a warning sign,
297
00:16:01,713 --> 00:16:03,715
even when
it's right in front of them.
298
00:16:03,756 --> 00:16:07,301
Normalcy bias can explain why
the people living in Pompeii
299
00:16:07,343 --> 00:16:09,345
watched the volcano, Vesuvius,
300
00:16:09,387 --> 00:16:12,390
erupt for hours
without evacuating.
301
00:16:12,432 --> 00:16:14,684
It's why people refused
to leave New Jersey
302
00:16:14,726 --> 00:16:17,603
as Hurricane Sandy
was bearing down on them.
303
00:16:17,645 --> 00:16:21,441
It's why people on the Titanic
didn't take immediate action,
304
00:16:21,482 --> 00:16:24,193
even while
the so-called unsinkable ship
305
00:16:24,235 --> 00:16:26,404
was obviously, sinking.
306
00:16:26,446 --> 00:16:28,197
[ground rumbling]
307
00:16:28,239 --> 00:16:31,492
[all clamoring]
308
00:16:31,534 --> 00:16:33,703
Yellowstone hasn't had
a major eruption
309
00:16:33,745 --> 00:16:36,581
for hundreds
of thousands of years.
310
00:16:36,622 --> 00:16:39,792
I mean, what are the odds?
311
00:16:39,834 --> 00:16:42,837
[dramatic music]
312
00:16:42,879 --> 00:16:46,382
[indistinct chatter]
313
00:16:46,424 --> 00:16:49,093
Some experts
are taking the odds
314
00:16:49,135 --> 00:16:51,012
of a bigger eruption
seriously,
315
00:16:51,054 --> 00:16:52,722
but what to do about it?
316
00:16:52,764 --> 00:16:55,600
Top government officials
decide to step in,
317
00:16:55,641 --> 00:16:58,186
and they're suggesting
a bold experiment.
318
00:16:58,227 --> 00:17:01,439
Drill down into the rock and
pump millions of gallons
319
00:17:01,481 --> 00:17:03,941
of cold water around
the magma chamber
320
00:17:03,983 --> 00:17:06,652
to relieve pressure
and cool it down.
321
00:17:06,694 --> 00:17:09,405
But drilling quickly
and deeply into the crust
322
00:17:09,447 --> 00:17:11,532
poses a major challenge.
323
00:17:11,574 --> 00:17:13,326
Is it even possible?
324
00:17:13,367 --> 00:17:14,744
For better or for worse,
325
00:17:14,786 --> 00:17:16,996
we humans are good
at drilling into the Earth
326
00:17:17,038 --> 00:17:19,749
and dressing up
our pets like people,
327
00:17:19,791 --> 00:17:22,835
but we're really good
at drilling.
328
00:17:22,877 --> 00:17:25,963
We already have the technology
to drill and pump water
329
00:17:26,005 --> 00:17:28,049
miles deep,
fracturing the ground
330
00:17:28,091 --> 00:17:30,718
to release the oil and gas
trapped there.
331
00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,054
It's called
hydraulic fracturing,
332
00:17:33,096 --> 00:17:35,098
better known as fracking.
333
00:17:35,139 --> 00:17:38,434
Now, our volcanologist thinks
this is a reckless idea
334
00:17:38,476 --> 00:17:41,521
that could just
make things worse.
335
00:17:41,562 --> 00:17:44,107
Fracking a volcano
has never been attempted,
336
00:17:44,148 --> 00:17:47,485
and with good reason,
but it has been studied.
337
00:17:47,527 --> 00:17:50,113
A few years back,
a group of scientists
338
00:17:50,154 --> 00:17:52,073
at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
339
00:17:52,115 --> 00:17:55,785
investigated the possibility
of relieving pressure
340
00:17:55,827 --> 00:17:58,955
in a Yellowstone magma chamber
using drilling techniques
341
00:17:58,996 --> 00:18:01,707
similar
to hydraulic fracturing.
342
00:18:01,749 --> 00:18:03,751
It was considered too radical.
343
00:18:03,793 --> 00:18:06,629
Our volcanologist agrees
with that assessment
344
00:18:06,671 --> 00:18:08,965
and recommends
a mass evacuation
345
00:18:09,006 --> 00:18:12,593
of everyone in harm's way,
right away.
346
00:18:12,635 --> 00:18:14,178
But that would take weeks.
347
00:18:14,220 --> 00:18:15,972
They need to act now.
348
00:18:16,013 --> 00:18:18,975
So the drilling operation
gets a green light.
349
00:18:19,016 --> 00:18:21,978
[machinery whirring]
350
00:18:22,019 --> 00:18:24,188
* *
351
00:18:24,230 --> 00:18:27,108
[machinery creaking, whooshing]
352
00:18:35,700 --> 00:18:37,744
The wells are
drilled in pairs,
353
00:18:37,785 --> 00:18:39,996
and their placement is critical.
354
00:18:40,037 --> 00:18:43,332
This truck is drawing cold water
from a nearby stream
355
00:18:43,374 --> 00:18:45,501
and sending it down
the first well.
356
00:18:45,543 --> 00:18:48,337
When it comes up the other well,
it's super hot.
357
00:18:48,379 --> 00:18:51,883
That's how they're drawing heat
away from the magma chamber.
358
00:18:51,924 --> 00:18:54,677
Now, our volcanologist thinks
that this drilling rig
359
00:18:54,719 --> 00:18:57,013
is too close to a fault line.
360
00:18:57,055 --> 00:18:59,682
Fracking's been known
to trigger seismic activity
361
00:18:59,724 --> 00:19:01,684
in the past,
and that is the last thing
362
00:19:01,726 --> 00:19:03,519
they need right now.
- It won't work.
363
00:19:03,561 --> 00:19:06,314
- The drill chief disagrees.
364
00:19:06,355 --> 00:19:08,024
He's been in this business
20 years
365
00:19:08,066 --> 00:19:11,194
and he knows a thing or two
about fault lines, thank you.
366
00:19:11,235 --> 00:19:14,739
- Go back to your lab, egghead.
Leave the drilling to daddy.
367
00:19:18,284 --> 00:19:19,869
- What's about
to happen here
368
00:19:19,911 --> 00:19:23,289
is what I like to call
an act of cow.
369
00:19:23,331 --> 00:19:25,333
[dramatic music]
[cow moos]
370
00:19:25,374 --> 00:19:28,378
Act of cow symbolizes
the human negligence
371
00:19:28,419 --> 00:19:31,756
that can trigger a disaster
or make one worse.
372
00:19:31,798 --> 00:19:33,841
It's inspired by
a bovine named Daisy
373
00:19:33,883 --> 00:19:36,886
who, as legend has it,
kicked over a lantern
374
00:19:36,928 --> 00:19:38,971
and started
the Great Chicago Fire.
375
00:19:39,013 --> 00:19:41,140
[cow moos]
376
00:19:41,182 --> 00:19:45,520
After several hours of
drilling through volcanic rock,
377
00:19:45,561 --> 00:19:48,981
our frackers accidentally
disrupt a fault
378
00:19:49,023 --> 00:19:52,652
near the edge
of the magma chamber.
379
00:19:52,693 --> 00:19:56,030
By pumping water
into this particular fault,
380
00:19:56,072 --> 00:20:00,660
they make the rock faces
slippery, and they slip.
381
00:20:00,701 --> 00:20:02,328
[machinery creaking]
382
00:20:02,370 --> 00:20:04,664
The ceiling of
the magma chamber,
383
00:20:04,705 --> 00:20:06,582
which has been
holding back millions
384
00:20:06,624 --> 00:20:11,295
of years of volcanic energy,
is cracked open!
385
00:20:11,337 --> 00:20:13,005
[workers scream]
386
00:20:14,590 --> 00:20:17,677
[indistinct shouting]
387
00:20:18,970 --> 00:20:21,806
- Come on, come on!
Come on!
388
00:20:23,015 --> 00:20:25,143
[man screams]
389
00:20:25,184 --> 00:20:28,813
[alarms blaring]
390
00:20:31,065 --> 00:20:34,026
[dramatic music]
391
00:20:34,068 --> 00:20:40,992
* *
392
00:21:06,517 --> 00:21:10,104
- Dearly beloved
and honored guests,
393
00:21:10,146 --> 00:21:12,899
we are gathered here today
to join this couple.
394
00:21:12,940 --> 00:21:14,942
- It's a day after the second,
395
00:21:14,984 --> 00:21:19,113
more powerful eruption along
the northern rim of Yellowstone.
396
00:21:19,155 --> 00:21:21,574
A giant column
of turbulent clouds
397
00:21:21,616 --> 00:21:24,118
is called an eruption plume.
398
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,662
It goes up 25 miles,
40 kilometers,
399
00:21:26,704 --> 00:21:30,208
all the way
into the stratosphere.
400
00:21:30,249 --> 00:21:32,752
Most of the people here
know that a second,
401
00:21:32,794 --> 00:21:35,755
more massive volcanic eruption
is taking place.
402
00:21:35,797 --> 00:21:38,508
Others, mainly guests
from out of town,
403
00:21:38,549 --> 00:21:40,593
aren't sure what it means.
404
00:21:40,635 --> 00:21:41,844
[camera shutter clicks]
405
00:21:41,886 --> 00:21:44,222
Sure, it's big
and scary looking,
406
00:21:44,263 --> 00:21:46,849
but it's a safe distance away,
right?
407
00:21:46,891 --> 00:21:50,019
That's gotta be 20 miles.
408
00:21:51,437 --> 00:21:53,106
Stay or go?
409
00:21:53,147 --> 00:21:55,108
Your gut's telling you
to hop in your car
410
00:21:55,149 --> 00:21:58,069
and drive like hell,
but it would be so rude.
411
00:21:58,111 --> 00:22:00,571
And as the bride's mother
keeps saying,
412
00:22:00,613 --> 00:22:03,282
it's Courtney's big day.
413
00:22:04,784 --> 00:22:06,160
That poor bird.
414
00:22:06,202 --> 00:22:08,121
She's a harbinger
of things to come.
415
00:22:08,162 --> 00:22:10,164
When we think
of volcanic eruptions,
416
00:22:10,206 --> 00:22:12,417
we tend to focus
on the fireworks,
417
00:22:12,458 --> 00:22:15,503
but there are other,
invisible dangers as well.
418
00:22:15,545 --> 00:22:18,089
Magma releases
carbon dioxide,
419
00:22:18,131 --> 00:22:20,883
sulfur dioxide,
and hydrogen sulfide.
420
00:22:20,925 --> 00:22:23,636
Any one of those can kill you.
[volcano booms]
421
00:22:23,678 --> 00:22:25,304
We're witnessing
the biggest eruption
422
00:22:25,346 --> 00:22:29,809
of the Yellowstone supervolcano
in over half a million years.
423
00:22:29,851 --> 00:22:31,936
There's no stopping it now.
424
00:22:31,978 --> 00:22:35,857
[ground rumbling,
thunder crashing]
425
00:22:35,898 --> 00:22:37,316
[guests shout]
[thunder booms]
426
00:22:37,358 --> 00:22:40,153
[camera shutter clicking]
427
00:22:40,194 --> 00:22:42,989
Collisions between those
jagged bits of volcanic ash
428
00:22:43,030 --> 00:22:45,825
create huge static
electric discharges.
429
00:22:45,867 --> 00:22:47,869
It's volcanic lightning...
430
00:22:47,910 --> 00:22:49,871
[guests gasp]
[shutter clicking]
431
00:22:49,912 --> 00:22:52,331
Terrifying, but a great photo.
432
00:22:56,502 --> 00:23:00,298
Normalcy bias is about
to go up in smoke.
433
00:23:06,888 --> 00:23:10,016
[alarms blaring]
434
00:23:21,319 --> 00:23:24,238
[all screaming]
435
00:23:31,370 --> 00:23:32,371
- Hang on!
436
00:23:32,413 --> 00:23:35,374
[ominous music]
437
00:23:35,416 --> 00:23:42,340
* *
438
00:23:54,352 --> 00:23:57,313
[all screaming]
439
00:24:00,608 --> 00:24:03,319
[glass, materials shattering]
440
00:24:07,281 --> 00:24:10,159
- Emergency evacuation orders
have been issued
441
00:24:10,201 --> 00:24:13,079
for Wyoming, Montana,
Idaho, and North Dakota.
442
00:24:13,121 --> 00:24:15,706
The eruption continues
to grow in magnitude.
443
00:24:15,748 --> 00:24:20,294
* *
444
00:24:20,336 --> 00:24:23,464
- Right now, I'm being chased
by a 1,000-degree avalanche
445
00:24:23,506 --> 00:24:28,177
of ash and gas,
a pyroclastic death cloud,
446
00:24:28,219 --> 00:24:31,472
the most hazardous thing
a volcano can unleash.
447
00:24:31,514 --> 00:24:34,559
It's incinerating
everything in its path.
448
00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,437
Cities within 500 miles
of the caldera
449
00:24:37,478 --> 00:24:40,815
will be buried or burned
to the ground within hours.
450
00:24:43,776 --> 00:24:45,653
Volcano night.
451
00:24:45,695 --> 00:24:48,072
It's a blast.
452
00:24:48,114 --> 00:24:50,116
The cloud is gaining on us.
453
00:24:50,158 --> 00:24:52,744
It's going about as fast
as a fighter jet,
454
00:24:52,785 --> 00:24:55,246
maybe 500 miles an hour.
455
00:24:55,288 --> 00:24:57,582
This car doesn't go
quite that fast.
456
00:25:02,587 --> 00:25:05,506
[coughing]
457
00:25:07,842 --> 00:25:10,970
[continues coughing]
458
00:25:17,977 --> 00:25:20,980
[wind whooshing]
459
00:25:21,022 --> 00:25:23,941
[somber music]
460
00:25:23,983 --> 00:25:31,115
* *
461
00:26:05,983 --> 00:26:13,074
* *
462
00:26:21,999 --> 00:26:24,919
[dramatic music]
463
00:26:24,961 --> 00:26:30,425
* *
464
00:26:30,466 --> 00:26:32,635
- I'm back from my own demise
465
00:26:32,677 --> 00:26:36,180
as our disaster simulation
comes to its fiery end.
466
00:26:36,222 --> 00:26:39,267
When magma reaches
the surface, we call it lava.
467
00:26:39,308 --> 00:26:41,561
Right now, lava is flowing.
468
00:26:41,602 --> 00:26:43,604
And that's a good sign,
actually.
469
00:26:43,646 --> 00:26:46,482
Molten rock, magma,
is being released.
470
00:26:46,524 --> 00:26:50,403
That means the most violent part
of the eruption is over.
471
00:26:50,445 --> 00:26:52,905
But the climate catastrophe
has only just begun.
472
00:26:52,947 --> 00:26:56,200
Those sulfur compounds get
blasted into the upper reaches
473
00:26:56,242 --> 00:26:59,120
of the atmosphere and
winds carry the particles
474
00:26:59,162 --> 00:27:00,872
around the world.
475
00:27:00,913 --> 00:27:03,791
The particles scatter
sunlight back into space,
476
00:27:03,833 --> 00:27:05,877
cooling the entire planet.
477
00:27:05,918 --> 00:27:08,629
We call it volcanic winter.
478
00:27:08,671 --> 00:27:11,966
And it's a season
the world never saw coming.
479
00:27:12,008 --> 00:27:14,218
No preparations
were ever conceived
480
00:27:14,260 --> 00:27:16,888
for such
a global catastrophe,
481
00:27:16,929 --> 00:27:18,222
no way to handle ash
482
00:27:18,264 --> 00:27:20,141
contaminating
the water supplies,
483
00:27:20,183 --> 00:27:22,602
no food stockpiles, nothing.
484
00:27:22,643 --> 00:27:24,270
Whew.
485
00:27:24,312 --> 00:27:25,438
I don't know about you,
486
00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,649
but I could use a shower
and some science.
487
00:27:28,691 --> 00:27:34,280
Let's hit the lab, where it's
a lot cooler and a lot cleaner.
488
00:27:39,118 --> 00:27:40,828
So what can we do?
489
00:27:40,870 --> 00:27:42,580
It might seem impossible.
490
00:27:42,622 --> 00:27:45,249
I mean, volcanoes have been
here since Earth was formed,
491
00:27:45,291 --> 00:27:47,126
and they're not going anywhere.
492
00:27:47,168 --> 00:27:49,253
But there are ways
to live with them,
493
00:27:49,295 --> 00:27:51,631
and there are even ways
to love them.
494
00:27:51,672 --> 00:27:53,549
I know this is true
because we've also
495
00:27:53,591 --> 00:27:55,885
been benefiting
from volcanoes
496
00:27:55,927 --> 00:27:58,096
for a long, long time.
497
00:27:58,137 --> 00:27:59,889
You see,
volcanoes are unique
498
00:27:59,931 --> 00:28:02,558
in this Disaster Institute
of ours.
499
00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,561
Along with their astonishing
destructive power,
500
00:28:05,603 --> 00:28:08,356
they also bring life
to landscapes.
501
00:28:08,398 --> 00:28:12,360
It's what I call
the volcano paradox.
502
00:28:12,402 --> 00:28:15,696
To understand this Jekyll
and Hyde geological conundrum,
503
00:28:15,738 --> 00:28:20,576
we'll need to find out why
volcanoes exist at all.
504
00:28:20,618 --> 00:28:24,956
As a kid, I thought volcanoes
were amazing and cool.
505
00:28:24,997 --> 00:28:27,917
As a grown-up,
I feel the same way.
506
00:28:27,959 --> 00:28:29,961
They're amazing and hot.
507
00:28:30,002 --> 00:28:32,088
It makes me wanna
go prospecting
508
00:28:32,130 --> 00:28:33,965
to see where all that energy
comes from.
509
00:28:34,006 --> 00:28:37,635
What makes rock hot enough
to flow and melt like water?
510
00:28:37,677 --> 00:28:40,805
It's this heat that gives
volcanoes their power
511
00:28:40,847 --> 00:28:43,266
to destroy and to create.
512
00:28:43,307 --> 00:28:46,269
They're our OG frenemy.
513
00:28:46,310 --> 00:28:50,314
The deeper you go inside
the Earth, the hotter it gets.
514
00:28:50,356 --> 00:28:53,067
All of that heat had
to come from somewhere.
515
00:28:53,109 --> 00:28:55,611
Let's track it
to its source,
516
00:28:55,653 --> 00:28:59,157
which goes back
a few billion years.
517
00:28:59,198 --> 00:29:02,118
[gentle music]
518
00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:09,292
* *
519
00:29:13,212 --> 00:29:17,925
This is, near as we can tell,
how our solar system formed.
520
00:29:17,967 --> 00:29:21,012
Cosmic gas and dust
were blown into the void
521
00:29:21,054 --> 00:29:25,349
when distant stars exploded
and spewed their guts out.
522
00:29:25,391 --> 00:29:28,811
Gravity drew the dust
into a spinning disk.
523
00:29:28,853 --> 00:29:32,690
Dust gathered into pebbles,
which became boulders,
524
00:29:32,732 --> 00:29:35,234
some of which
became our Earth.
525
00:29:35,276 --> 00:29:37,737
When you
or the force of gravity
526
00:29:37,779 --> 00:29:41,407
crush all that dust down to
a ball the size of our planet,
527
00:29:41,449 --> 00:29:44,285
that crushing motion
generates a lot of friction
528
00:29:44,327 --> 00:29:46,120
that becomes heat.
529
00:29:46,162 --> 00:29:47,622
Some of that heat
is still stored
530
00:29:47,663 --> 00:29:50,875
in Earth's core,
along with radioactive elements
531
00:29:50,917 --> 00:29:53,419
from those exploding stars.
532
00:29:53,461 --> 00:29:55,380
Earth is a nuclear furnace.
533
00:29:55,421 --> 00:29:58,174
It's why we still have
volcanoes popping off
534
00:29:58,216 --> 00:30:00,760
4 and 1/2 billion years later.
535
00:30:00,802 --> 00:30:02,970
[mystical music]
536
00:30:03,012 --> 00:30:05,556
And Earth is not the
only place this happens.
537
00:30:05,598 --> 00:30:08,393
No, my friends,
volcanoes are everywhere
538
00:30:08,434 --> 00:30:10,103
in our solar system.
539
00:30:10,144 --> 00:30:13,314
The largest one
is Olympus Mons.
540
00:30:13,356 --> 00:30:14,857
It's on Mars,
541
00:30:14,899 --> 00:30:18,319
but the volcanoes on Mars
are dead today.
542
00:30:18,361 --> 00:30:21,406
Mars is also
one big, desert planet.
543
00:30:21,447 --> 00:30:23,074
That's no coincidence.
544
00:30:23,116 --> 00:30:25,410
No volcanoes, no life--
545
00:30:25,451 --> 00:30:29,038
which brings us back
to the volcano paradox.
546
00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,458
Sure, volcanoes are
temperamental and toxic,
547
00:30:32,500 --> 00:30:35,253
but we also owe
our very existence
548
00:30:35,294 --> 00:30:37,547
to these volatile beasts.
549
00:30:37,588 --> 00:30:39,590
You can see the
paradox in action
550
00:30:39,632 --> 00:30:43,344
right now
in the aptly named town
551
00:30:43,386 --> 00:30:46,889
of Ashfall, Nebraska.
552
00:30:46,931 --> 00:30:49,475
Ashfall is known for its soil.
553
00:30:49,517 --> 00:30:51,894
It's part of what's
called America's breadbasket
554
00:30:51,936 --> 00:30:54,313
because so much
of the food we humans eat
555
00:30:54,355 --> 00:30:55,982
is grown here.
556
00:30:56,023 --> 00:30:59,777
This fertile grassland was once
buried in ash
557
00:30:59,819 --> 00:31:03,030
from an earlier eruption
of the Yellowstone volcano,
558
00:31:03,072 --> 00:31:08,119
which is 900 miles,
1,500 kilometers from here.
559
00:31:08,161 --> 00:31:09,579
It was blown here--
560
00:31:09,620 --> 00:31:13,791
no, wait, it was blasted here
from what is now Wyoming.
561
00:31:13,833 --> 00:31:15,376
[imitates explosion]
562
00:31:15,418 --> 00:31:18,671
The volcano left
quite a calling card.
563
00:31:20,506 --> 00:31:22,842
12 million years ago,
that eruption
564
00:31:22,884 --> 00:31:26,304
smothered and preserved
these ancient creatures,
565
00:31:26,345 --> 00:31:27,764
thousands of them.
566
00:31:27,805 --> 00:31:32,060
It's like Pompeii
in northeastern Nebraska.
567
00:31:32,101 --> 00:31:33,853
Here at
the Ashfall Fossil Beds,
568
00:31:33,895 --> 00:31:36,773
scientists are reading
the skeleton map,
569
00:31:36,814 --> 00:31:39,650
sorting through the remains
of rhinoceroses,
570
00:31:39,692 --> 00:31:44,072
three-toed horses,
and saber-toothed deer.
571
00:31:44,113 --> 00:31:46,699
That's right,
Bambi with fangs--
572
00:31:46,741 --> 00:31:49,118
totally different movie,
by the way.
573
00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,413
They were minding their own
vampire deer business,
574
00:31:52,455 --> 00:31:54,999
taking a meeting at their
local watering hole,
575
00:31:55,041 --> 00:31:56,667
and blam!
576
00:31:56,709 --> 00:32:00,296
They were buried and mummified
under hot, dry ash.
577
00:32:00,338 --> 00:32:02,507
We can even see
the seeds of the plants
578
00:32:02,548 --> 00:32:06,052
they had for lunch
in their ancient tummies.
579
00:32:06,094 --> 00:32:08,388
It's a little creepy.
580
00:32:08,429 --> 00:32:09,847
And amazing.
581
00:32:09,889 --> 00:32:13,684
Okay, here's the death part
of what volcanoes can do.
582
00:32:13,726 --> 00:32:16,521
You might ask,
what about the paradox,
583
00:32:16,562 --> 00:32:20,024
the part where volcanoes
are bringers of life?
584
00:32:20,066 --> 00:32:22,026
Volcanoes feed us.
585
00:32:22,068 --> 00:32:25,947
Ash from volcanoes
is made of ancient molten rock,
586
00:32:25,988 --> 00:32:29,617
which was even more ancient
exploded stardust.
587
00:32:29,659 --> 00:32:33,204
It's loaded with
phosphorus and potassium.
588
00:32:33,246 --> 00:32:35,623
Check out this
bucket of fertilizer.
589
00:32:37,583 --> 00:32:40,211
These minerals are
listed on the label.
590
00:32:40,253 --> 00:32:42,588
Plants need them
to thrive and reproduce.
591
00:32:42,630 --> 00:32:45,842
We need plants to eat.
592
00:32:48,928 --> 00:32:52,724
With time, volcanic deposits
become among the richest
593
00:32:52,765 --> 00:32:54,892
agricultural lands
on Earth
594
00:32:54,934 --> 00:32:57,562
because they contain
these essential nutrients
595
00:32:57,603 --> 00:32:59,981
and they hold water
really well.
596
00:33:00,022 --> 00:33:03,276
The American Midwest
is the world's breadbasket
597
00:33:03,317 --> 00:33:07,947
precisely because Yellowstone
erupted millions of years ago
598
00:33:07,989 --> 00:33:12,368
and dumped all that ash
right here.
599
00:33:12,410 --> 00:33:14,996
[dramatic music]
600
00:33:17,081 --> 00:33:20,043
All over the planet,
wherever we find a volcano,
601
00:33:20,084 --> 00:33:23,838
we find lush ecosystems
and thriving agriculture
602
00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,924
made possible
by volcanic eruptions.
603
00:33:26,966 --> 00:33:29,761
That's the price of admission
for living in a paradise.
604
00:33:29,802 --> 00:33:31,721
Hell could be right
around the corner
605
00:33:31,763 --> 00:33:33,806
or right up the mountainside.
606
00:33:33,848 --> 00:33:36,059
More than a few
scientists believe
607
00:33:36,100 --> 00:33:40,897
that volcanoes may have
given rise to life itself.
608
00:33:40,938 --> 00:33:42,398
[gentle music]
609
00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:46,611
To grow and thrive and
reproduce, life needs energy.
610
00:33:46,652 --> 00:33:49,614
Biologists have suggested
that life on our planet
611
00:33:49,655 --> 00:33:52,283
may have gotten its
start near volcanic vents
612
00:33:52,325 --> 00:33:54,035
on the ocean floor.
613
00:33:54,077 --> 00:33:56,662
That heat shot up
from Earth's insides
614
00:33:56,704 --> 00:33:59,624
and supercharged the
nutrient-rich seawater,
615
00:33:59,665 --> 00:34:02,960
creating the primordial
chemical reactions
616
00:34:03,002 --> 00:34:05,129
that gave rise
to complex molecules
617
00:34:05,171 --> 00:34:07,840
that could make copies
of themselves.
618
00:34:07,882 --> 00:34:11,135
And four billion years later,
here we are.
619
00:34:11,177 --> 00:34:12,720
Wild.
620
00:34:12,762 --> 00:34:15,765
But the volcano's greatest gift
621
00:34:15,807 --> 00:34:20,686
may prove to be the greatest
natural resource ever known.
622
00:34:25,608 --> 00:34:29,195
[gentle music]
623
00:34:29,237 --> 00:34:32,532
- Here, in the beautiful
Italian countryside in Tuscany,
624
00:34:32,573 --> 00:34:35,410
people have enjoyed
sulfuric hot springs
625
00:34:35,451 --> 00:34:37,703
since ancient times.
626
00:34:37,745 --> 00:34:41,040
Another gift from volcanoes,
hot mineral baths
627
00:34:41,082 --> 00:34:44,752
are known for their supposed
health-giving properties.
628
00:34:44,794 --> 00:34:47,880
Until one day,
somebody realized
629
00:34:47,922 --> 00:34:50,675
that the underground
reservoirs of heat
630
00:34:50,717 --> 00:34:55,805
could provide more than
a relaxing day at the spa.
631
00:34:55,847 --> 00:34:59,559
An Italian aristocrat named
Prince Piero Ginori Conti
632
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:01,644
got the idea to dig wells
633
00:35:01,686 --> 00:35:03,730
to access the steam
and hot water,
634
00:35:03,771 --> 00:35:06,983
driving a turbine
connected to a generator.
635
00:35:07,024 --> 00:35:10,987
Conti's generator was able to
produce 10 kilowatts of power.
636
00:35:11,028 --> 00:35:13,906
From these humble beginnings,
the geothermal potential
637
00:35:13,948 --> 00:35:16,117
deep inside the Earth
was expanded,
638
00:35:16,159 --> 00:35:18,494
and the world's
first geothermal power plant
639
00:35:18,536 --> 00:35:22,498
was completed in 1913.
640
00:35:22,540 --> 00:35:24,834
That roiling fire
inside Earth
641
00:35:24,876 --> 00:35:27,628
can spin turbines
to power generators
642
00:35:27,670 --> 00:35:29,714
that make electricity.
643
00:35:29,756 --> 00:35:32,175
Geothermal is
a clean source of energy
644
00:35:32,216 --> 00:35:33,843
that we will never deplete.
645
00:35:33,885 --> 00:35:37,263
It will be available
for as long as Earth exists,
646
00:35:37,305 --> 00:35:39,849
and it never shuts down.
647
00:35:39,891 --> 00:35:42,560
Geothermal power plants
produce electricity
648
00:35:42,602 --> 00:35:45,521
24 hours a day,
seven days a week,
649
00:35:45,563 --> 00:35:48,399
regardless of the weather.
650
00:35:48,441 --> 00:35:52,028
Unlike fossil fuels
and their toxic emissions,
651
00:35:52,070 --> 00:35:57,158
geothermal's only byproduct
is steam, harmless water.
652
00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:00,036
Now geothermal provides
a little electricity
653
00:36:00,078 --> 00:36:02,371
in California,
a lot in Iceland,
654
00:36:02,413 --> 00:36:06,375
and yet, globally,
it's less than half a percent.
655
00:36:06,417 --> 00:36:08,044
So what are we waiting for?
656
00:36:08,086 --> 00:36:11,214
Geothermal is Earth's
own nuclear power
657
00:36:11,255 --> 00:36:12,548
without the waste.
658
00:36:12,590 --> 00:36:14,217
It's down there.
659
00:36:14,258 --> 00:36:15,551
Let's go get it.
660
00:36:15,593 --> 00:36:19,013
Let's harness
that volcanic fire.
661
00:36:22,266 --> 00:36:25,561
In order to tap into the
full potential of geothermal,
662
00:36:25,603 --> 00:36:27,563
we'll have to go
beyond the places
663
00:36:27,605 --> 00:36:29,649
where nature has
already sent hot water
664
00:36:29,690 --> 00:36:31,484
bubbling up to the surface.
665
00:36:31,526 --> 00:36:34,070
We have to drill down
over a mile,
666
00:36:34,112 --> 00:36:36,280
a couple of kilometers
into the hot Earth.
667
00:36:36,322 --> 00:36:39,200
Fortunately, we know
exactly how to do that.
668
00:36:39,242 --> 00:36:42,912
Our primary fossil fuels
are oil and natural gas,
669
00:36:42,954 --> 00:36:45,415
which we pump up
from deep underground.
670
00:36:45,456 --> 00:36:49,377
Like I said, we're really good
at drilling for stuff.
671
00:36:49,419 --> 00:36:53,589
Fracking and geothermal
drilling are the same concept,
672
00:36:53,631 --> 00:36:55,800
but with very
different outcomes.
673
00:36:55,842 --> 00:36:57,802
Both technologies
involve pumping
674
00:36:57,844 --> 00:37:01,264
high-pressure water into
underground rock formations.
675
00:37:01,305 --> 00:37:05,351
Fracking unlocks fossil fuels,
while geothermal drilling
676
00:37:05,393 --> 00:37:09,230
unlocks the heat trapped
deep inside the Earth--
677
00:37:09,272 --> 00:37:12,358
clean, limitless energy.
678
00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,153
The geothermal heat
from Yellowstone alone
679
00:37:15,194 --> 00:37:17,697
could provide
all the energy we need
680
00:37:17,739 --> 00:37:19,907
in the continental
United States.
681
00:37:19,949 --> 00:37:23,077
And it can be done safely,
away from fault lines
682
00:37:23,119 --> 00:37:25,413
and other
geologic instability
683
00:37:25,455 --> 00:37:30,001
so we can preserve the natural
beauty of places like this.
684
00:37:33,004 --> 00:37:36,090
So what about the dangerous
part of volcanoes?
685
00:37:36,132 --> 00:37:39,719
How do we stop those big,
unpredictable eruptions
686
00:37:39,761 --> 00:37:43,514
that could threaten
our civilization?
687
00:37:43,556 --> 00:37:47,435
The fact is,
we can't kill volcanoes.
688
00:37:47,477 --> 00:37:51,147
But we can be better at
predicting future eruptions.
689
00:37:51,189 --> 00:37:53,816
Geothermal drilling
would give scientists
690
00:37:53,858 --> 00:37:55,818
a deeper look
at fault lines
691
00:37:55,860 --> 00:37:58,029
and other
subterranean features.
692
00:37:58,071 --> 00:38:00,865
By mapping the inner Earth,
we could detect
693
00:38:00,907 --> 00:38:03,159
significant magma build
up weeks,
694
00:38:03,201 --> 00:38:05,912
or maybe even years
in advance.
695
00:38:05,953 --> 00:38:08,164
Geologists can also
get a deeper look
696
00:38:08,206 --> 00:38:11,459
at the magma's chemistry
and its physical properties.
697
00:38:11,501 --> 00:38:13,544
We could forecast
a future eruption
698
00:38:13,586 --> 00:38:15,004
with far more accuracy.
699
00:38:15,046 --> 00:38:17,507
So along with clean
electrical power,
700
00:38:17,548 --> 00:38:19,926
we'd get better
predictive power.
701
00:38:19,967 --> 00:38:22,845
But none of that matters
if we're not prepared.
702
00:38:22,887 --> 00:38:25,473
We can get past
our normalcy bias
703
00:38:25,515 --> 00:38:29,143
and put systems in place,
like immediate disaster relief
704
00:38:29,185 --> 00:38:31,687
and longer-term plans
to deal with the impact
705
00:38:31,729 --> 00:38:34,482
on agriculture
and the economy.
706
00:38:34,524 --> 00:38:38,486
Let's develop new methods for
growing crops more efficiently
707
00:38:38,528 --> 00:38:40,279
with less water and energy,
708
00:38:40,321 --> 00:38:43,574
along with better ways of
storing substantial supplies
709
00:38:43,616 --> 00:38:45,493
for long-term emergencies.
710
00:38:45,535 --> 00:38:46,911
[phone blares]
711
00:38:46,953 --> 00:38:49,205
Predictive algorithms
will enable
712
00:38:49,247 --> 00:38:52,208
smartphone apps to warn
of impending eruptions
713
00:38:52,250 --> 00:38:54,502
days in advance.
714
00:38:54,544 --> 00:38:57,672
There would be a nationwide
plan for food stockpiles
715
00:38:57,714 --> 00:38:59,048
and seed banks,
716
00:38:59,090 --> 00:39:01,884
and we'd have methods
of filtering ash out
717
00:39:01,926 --> 00:39:03,678
of the water supply,
718
00:39:03,720 --> 00:39:07,181
a wide-scale doomsday prep
for everyone.
719
00:39:07,223 --> 00:39:10,727
The fertile soil created
by erupting volcanoes
720
00:39:10,768 --> 00:39:14,230
would continue
to feed the world.
721
00:39:14,272 --> 00:39:21,237
* *
722
00:39:21,279 --> 00:39:24,282
[birds chirping]
723
00:39:24,323 --> 00:39:27,243
[indistinct chatter]
724
00:39:29,495 --> 00:39:31,164
For 4 billion years,
725
00:39:31,205 --> 00:39:33,458
the Earth has been doing
its own thing.
726
00:39:33,499 --> 00:39:35,460
Now, with a little effort,
727
00:39:35,501 --> 00:39:38,087
Earth can help us do our thing.
728
00:39:38,129 --> 00:39:41,340
We can take some of that
bottled up furious heat
729
00:39:41,382 --> 00:39:44,093
and turn it into clean energy.
730
00:39:44,135 --> 00:39:46,429
We're ready
to face the future...
731
00:39:46,471 --> 00:39:49,807
- And kiss the bride.
- For better or for worse.
732
00:39:49,849 --> 00:39:52,977
[cheers and applause]
733
00:40:05,656 --> 00:40:08,868
It's just--it's a little ash.
734
00:40:10,536 --> 00:40:13,081
I'll be okay.
[sniffles]
735
00:40:18,252 --> 00:40:20,046
- So what have we learned?
736
00:40:20,088 --> 00:40:22,799
Volcano night is the
original hot mess.
737
00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:26,427
When they erupt, volcanoes
unleash hell on Earth,
738
00:40:26,469 --> 00:40:29,222
but they can also
create paradise.
739
00:40:29,263 --> 00:40:31,849
It's the volcano paradox.
740
00:40:31,891 --> 00:40:33,393
The key to living
with it lies in
741
00:40:33,434 --> 00:40:35,978
our scientific understanding
and our willingness
742
00:40:36,020 --> 00:40:38,606
to act based on
hard-earned knowledge.
743
00:40:38,648 --> 00:40:41,025
We can learn to
minimize the danger.
744
00:40:41,067 --> 00:40:42,568
We can even harness
the otherwise
745
00:40:42,610 --> 00:40:44,946
catastrophic forces
of our planet
746
00:40:44,987 --> 00:40:47,156
to power civilization itself.
747
00:40:47,198 --> 00:40:49,283
How cool is that?
748
00:40:49,325 --> 00:40:52,036
So far, our species has had
a funny blind spot
749
00:40:52,078 --> 00:40:54,330
when it comes
to these kinds of things.
750
00:40:54,372 --> 00:40:57,542
We can know about a grave
danger and live in denial.
751
00:40:57,583 --> 00:40:59,752
We can know about
a priceless resource
752
00:40:59,794 --> 00:41:01,629
and look the other way.
753
00:41:01,671 --> 00:41:04,841
It's the human paradox.
754
00:41:04,882 --> 00:41:07,385
Let's figure it out.