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				Spider Canyon A 30-year study in Arizona shows that aggressive spiders thrive in the harsh desert environment, while cautious ones do best in the cool canyons.
		Select text to jump ahead in the clip: AFTER THE BRIEF SUMMER RAINS, THE DESERT'S DECEPTIVELY GREEN BUT THIS IS A HARSH ENVIRONMENT, POSING EXTREME CHALLENGES TO THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT LIVE HERE. Woman: USUALLY WHAT WE HAVE IS A SORT OF A PERMANENT SHEET THAT'S KIND OF LARGE BECAUSE THESE ARE HUNGRY SPIDERS. COULD THEY BE ANYWHERE? COULD THEY BE IN ANY ONE OF THESE LITTLE PLANTS? THEY'RE GOING TO NEED SHELTER FROM THE HEAT. THERE'S A WEB. YEP, SEE, YOU DID BETTER THAN I DID. Alda: I DOUBT IT. SUSAN RIECHERT, A BIOLOGY PROFESSOR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HAS BEEN STUDYING THE DESERT FUNNEL WEB SPIDER FOR 30 YEARS. Riechert: THEY'RE TOUCHING THE WEB AND THEY'RE FEELING THE VIBRATION OF ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE COMING DOWN THE WEB. IN ADDITION, THEY'RE PICKING UP AIRBORNE VIBRATION OF FLYING INSECTS THAT ARE MOVING THE AIR. SO THEY CAN TELL WHAT KIND OF INSECT THAT IS THAT'S IN THE VICINITY AND WHETHER THEY WANT TO COME OUT AND ATTACK IT. THEY CAN TELL JUST BY THE VIBRATION ON THE WEB, OR IN THE AIR WHAT KIND OF INSECT IS SITTING ON THEIR TRAP, HUH? Alda: THESE ARE FIRE ANTS. THEY'RE TOUGH AND AGGRESSIVE WITH A NASTY BITE. HERE WE GO. I'M DROPPING THE ANT. Alda: THE SPIDER ATTACKS WITHOUT HESITATION. IT'S A FEMALE. SUMMER IS BREEDING SEASON, SO SHE HAS TO EAT EVEN THOUGH SHE'S RISKING HER LIFE IN THE PROCESS. SHE GRABS AT IT AND PULLS BACK. WHAT'S SHE DOING WHEN SHE DOES THAT? SHE'S TRYING TO AVOID THE JAWS OF THAT ANT. SHE'S TRYING TO INJECT VENOM. NOW, SHE HAS TO TRY AND GET HER LITTLE FANGS THAT ARE VERY SMALL IN THROUGH THAT HARD CASING OF THE ANT. Alda: BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE ANT THAT COULD KILL HER. THE HOT DESERT SUN COULD, TOO. SHE'D BE PROTECTED BACK IN THE SHADE BUT SHE CAN'T TAKE HER PREY IN UNTIL IT'S SUBDUED AND SAFE TO MOVE. FIVE MINUTES INTO THE STRUGGLE THE SUN COMES OUT. AS THE WEB RAPIDLY HEATS UP THE SPIDER IS FORCED TO RETREAT TO ITS SHADY FUNNEL. IT'S NOW OVER 100 DEGREES OUT ON THE WEB. HOW DOES SHE KNOW THE ANT WILL STILL BE THERE? SHE DOESN'T, BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE IF SHE HEATS UP AND SHE GOES INTO A STUPOR, SHE'LL DIE. SHE'LL COOK. BUT THEY'RE HUNGRY, SO THEY TRY FOR EVERYTHING. Alda: SHE'S BACK WITHIN A MINUTE FOR A QUICK CHECK ON HER VICTIM. NOW IT SEEMS SAFE TO TAKE IN. SUSAN THOUGHT SHE HAD HER DESERT SPIDERS PRETTY WELL FIGURED OUT UNTIL ONE DAY SHE DISCOVERED THE SPIDERS WHO LIVE UP IN THIS CANYON. THE CANYON'S A LUSH OASIS, SO BIOLOGISTS WOULD EXPECT THE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES LIVING HERE TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES COPING WITH DESERT EXTREMES BUT TO SUSAN'S SURPRISE, THE SPIDERS WERE THE SAME. THIS LAUNCHED HER ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY THAT'S STILL CONTINUING AND THAT MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A GLIMPSE OF EVOLUTION ITSELF IN ACTION. WELL, THIS IS A LOT NICER HERE. I MEAN, I CAN SEE HOW THE SPIDERS FEEL ABOUT THIS. IT'S BETTER FOR US, ISN'T IT? YEAH, BUT I CAN... IT'S COOLER. Alda: SUSAN FIRST NOTICED THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S COOL HERE RIVER SPIDERS OFTEN STAY IN THEIR FUNNELS. THEY'RE TIMID AND FEARFUL, UNLIKE THEIR DESERT COUSINS. THAT MAKES SENSE, SHE REALIZED, BECAUSE UNDER THE TREES THE ENEMY'S NO LONGER THE SUN-- IT'S HUNGRY BIRDS. BUT SEEING THE SAME SPECIES CHANGING ITS BEHAVIOR LIKE THIS TO FIT A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT WAS A BIG SURPRISE AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN BIOLOGY. LET'S TRY AN ANT, SHALL WE? LET'S SEE, DO YOU SEE HER AT ALL? IF SHE'S THERE, SHE'S BACK PRETTY FAR. I SEE SOMETHING IN THE TUNNEL. Alda: THE THREAT OF BIRDS STOPS THE RIVER SPIDERS FROM COMING OUT TO FIGHT A TOUGH ANT. ANYWAY, THERE ARE PLENTY OF SOFTER INSECTS AROUND. Alda: THERE'S A DEFINITE LACK OF INTEREST IN THIS ANT HERE. THEY'RE GOING TO IGNORE HER. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME OUT. NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE BECAUSE YOU COULD GET KILLED THAT WAY. Alda: SUSAN SET UP A NATURAL LABORATORY-- AN EIGHT-ACRE ENCLOSURE RUNNING FROM THE RIVER UP THE CANYON SIDE. AT THE TOP, THE LUSH RIVER ENVIRONMENT GIVES WAY TO DRY WOODLAND WHERE THE SPIDERS ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE LIKE THOSE IN THE EXTREMES OF THE DESERT. FOR SUSAN, THE QUESTION WAS: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TOUGH GUYS ABOVE MEET THE SOFTIES BELOW? THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IS ANY SPIDERS HEADING DOWN INTO THE CANYON ARE STOPPED BY THE BORDER PATROL. THEY COME UP AGAINST THE STUDY AREA'S BOUNDARY AND GET CAUGHT IN PITFALL TRAPS. I'LL CHECK THE ONES COMING FROM THIS SIDE. WE'LL SEE WHO FINDS THE FIRST ANIMAL. Alda: BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE ARE CHECKED BUT MOST SPIDERS ARE HEADING DOWNHILL TOWARD THE EASY LIFE ON THE RIVER. AH, THERE'S SOMETHING IN HERE! OH, GEEZ, WATCH OUT! THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE! YEAH, A CRICKET OR SOMETHING. A CRICKET? A CRICKET AND AN ITSY-BITSY SPIDER... YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A SCORPION. I DON'T WANT IT BACK! I EMPTIED IT. YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO EMPTY ALL THE INSECTS OUT. BY THE WAY, THERE ARE SCORPIONS. THERE ARE OR AREN'T? THERE ARE. WHAT DO YOU THINK I WAS SCREAMING ABOUT? SO WATCH YOUR FINGERS WHEN YOU REACH IN. NOTHING. SOMETHING, SOMETHING. AHA, A SPIDER. YEAH, PROBABLY ANOTHER CRICKET. NO, NO, A SPIDER. WHAT KIND? A VERY AGGRESSIVE SPIDER. THAT'S A SPIDER. WHAT IS IT? WELL, THAT IS AN AGELENOPSIS APERTA. I TOLD YOU. Alda: EVERY DAY, TRAPPED SPIDERS ARE BROUGHT TO THE LAB CLOSE TO THE ENCLOSURE. THEY'LL BE RETURNED TO THE WILD JUST ACROSS THE FENCE AT THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE CAUGHT TO CONTINUE THEIR JOURNEY. BUT FIRST, THEY'RE PUT THROUGH THEIR PACES. THIS IS A TEST FOR AGGRESSION. TWO MALES ARE PLACED ON A WEB BUILT BY A FEMALE WHO'S BEEN REMOVED. IMMEDIATELY, ONE MALE TAKES POSSESSION OF THE WEB FUNNEL LOOKING FOR THE FEMALE. SUSAN HAS SEEN THIS KIND OF FACE-OFF MANY TIMES IN THE WILD. THE RESULT CAN BE ANYTHING FROM ONE SPIDER'S RUNNING AWAY TO A FIGHT TO THE DEATH. THESE ARE BOTH AGGRESSIVE DRY-LAND SPIDERS SO NEITHER IS PREPARED TO BACK DOWN. IN FACT, AFTER HE'S FIRST DRIVEN OFF THE ATTACKER HEADS RIGHT BACK TO THE WEB FUNNEL. INSIDE THE FUNNEL THE DEFENDER SLOWLY EDGES TOWARD THE ATTACKER WHO'S LURKING JUST OUTSIDE. THEY'RE BOTH LOOKING FOR A FIGHT. WHEN IT FINALLY ERUPTS, IT'S FEROCIOUS. IN A SURPRISE REVERSAL, THE ATTACKER, NOW ON THE LEFT BITES THE DEFENDER'S LEG AND HANGS ON. IT COULD ALL BE OVER. BUT THEN THE DEFENDER PULLS FREE SCARES THE ATTACKER OFF AND PAUSES TO NURSE HIS LEG. HE ONCE AGAIN TAKES POSSESSION OF THE FUNNEL. BUT IT'S NOT OVER YET. THE DEFENDER WANTS THE ATTACKER WELL CLEAR OF THE AREA. BUT THE ATTACKER STAYS LURKING NEARBY. THIS PARTICULAR CONFRONTATION TOOK ABOUT TWO HOURS ALTHOUGH SUSAN HAS SEEN THEM RUN FOR AN ENTIRE DAY. THE END CAME LIKE THIS, WITH A VICIOUS TANGLE THAT WAS GOING TO LEAD TO DEATH UNTIL THE REFEREE STEPPED IN. I'VE GOT THEM SEPARATED. Alda: SUSAN DOESN'T WANT TO LOSE ANY OF HER SPIDERS. THE AIM IS TO SCORE THEM FOR AGGRESSION, MARK THEM AND THEN SEE HOW THEY DO BACK IN THE ENCLOSURE. THE CONTESTANTS WILL BE RETURNED WITHIN THE HOUR. THERE ARE ABOUT 1,500 SPIDERS WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE AND SUSAN HAS CAUGHT AND TESTED EVERY ONE. FEMALES ARE KEPT IN THE LAB UNTIL THEY BUILD WEBS IN THEIR PLASTIC BOXES THEN THEY AND THE BOXES GO BACK INTO THE FIELD WITH THE MALES. NOW THE STUDY MOVES TO THE NEXT STAGE. Alda: YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT IS? UH, YES. IT'S LIKE THERE'S A FAVORITE NIGHT SPOT? NO, WELL, POTENTIALLY ANY ONE OF THESE SPIDERS THAT IS IN A BOX COULD BE MATING. NOW, I THINK IF YOU WERE TO LOOK INSIDE THAT FUNNEL YOU WILL SEE... DOWN IN HERE? YES, YOU WILL SEE TWO SPIDERS. OH, OH, YEAH, YEAH. Alda: THERE'S A MATING GOING ON BETWEEN AN AGGRESSIVE, DRY-LAND MALE WHO CAME DOWN THE HILL AND A TIMID RIVER FEMALE. IT WOULD HAVE GONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH THE MALE CAUTIOUSLY APPROACHING WHILE DOING HIS MATING DANCE TO SIGNAL HIS INTENTION TO THE FEMALE. BOTH SPIDERS HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THINGS CAN TURN UGLY PRETTY QUICKLY. A FIGHT COULD START ESPECIALLY IF MALE AND FEMALE ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE OR IF ONE'S TOO AGGRESSIVE AND THE OTHER'S TOO TIMID. THEN THE TIMID ONE MIGHT SIMPLY RUN AWAY. BUT IN THIS CASE, WEDDING BELLS RING OUT AND THE TOUGH DRY-LAND MALE WINS HIS SHY BRIDE FROM THE RIVER. THE HAPPY COUPLE WILL BE BLESSED WITH ABOUT 300 KIDS. SUSAN'S BEEN FOLLOWING THE SPIDERS IN HER ENCLOSURE FOR 20 YEARS NOW, AND SHE'S RUN INTO A PUZZLE-- THE SPIDERS JUST AREN'T BEHAVING RIGHT. DID YOU SEE THAT ONE THAT WAS... RIGHT THERE? Alda: MANY SPIDERS ARE MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN MAKES SENSE HERE. SUSAN'S FIGURED OUT THEY'RE THE HYBRID OFFSPRING OF AGGRESSIVE, DRY-LAND MALES AND TIMID RIVER FEMALES. THAT REALLY SEEMS AGGRESSIVE. YOU THINK THAT'S A HYBRID? IT'S GOT TO BE. I MEAN, HERE'S A SPIDER THAT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T HUNGRY. SHE TAKES THESE ANTS THAT COULD KILL HER INTO HER FUNNEL AND SHE LETS THEM GO. JUST CATCHING THEM FOR NO REASON? AND THEY'RE DANGEROUS? AND SHE PROBABLY WON'T EVEN EAT IT. Alda: HERE'S THE KIND OF SUPER-AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR BY THE HYBRIDS THAT SUSAN DISCOVERED. DANGEROUS FIRE ANTS ARE PULLED INTO THE FUNNEL WITHOUT FIRST BEING SUBDUED. NOT EVEN A HUNGRY DESERT SPIDER WOULD TAKE THIS RISK AND SURE ENOUGH, SUSAN'S FOUND MOST HYBRIDS DON'T MAKE IT. MANY ARE TAKEN BY BIRDS. MANY DON'T BREED BECAUSE THEY SCARE OFF THEIR PARTNERS. SO NOW SUSAN PREDICTS A NEW BEHAVIOR WILL EVOLVE AMONG RIVER FEMALES THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM MATING WITH AGGRESSIVE MALES. THE OFFSPRING OF THOSE FEMALES WOULD SURVIVE, UNLIKE HYBRIDS. IF SHE'S RIGHT, SHE'LL SEE MUCH MORE OF THIS-- A MALE WITH NO PARTNER. Riechert: HEY, TERRY? Terry: YOU GOT SOMETHING, SUSAN? YEAH, I'M AT A-134, AND I HAVE A MALE. IT LOOKS LIKE WHITE, YELLOW, PINK. Terry: HE WAS THERE LAST CHECK. THE FEMALE IS NOT HERE. SO HE MUST HAVE CHASED HER OFF. Alda: SUSAN EXPECTS THAT SOMEWHERE THERE'S A TIMID RIVER FEMALE WHO WON'T MATE WITH AN AGGRESSIVE MALE FROM UP THE HILL. HER OFFSPRING WILL INHERIT THAT BEHAVIOR, THEY'LL THRIVE AND EVENTUALLY THEY'LL TAKE OVER THE CANYON. THEY'LL NEVER MIX WITH THE GUYS UP THE HILL AGAIN. IT'LL BE A SHIFT TO A NEW SPECIES OF SPIDER-- EVOLUTION IN ACTION. TO MAKE THAT DISCOVERY, SUSAN RIECHERT'S PREPARED TO PUT IN ANOTHER FEW DECADES. Alda: DO YOU EVER, AT NIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP SAY TO YOURSELF, "WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT "IF IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I STARTED TO SEE THIS SHIFT AND I WAS THERE TO EXPERIENCE IT? " OH, WE'D ALL LOVE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF EVENT HAPPEN BUT THAT'S NATURE. IT DOES WHAT IT WANTS, AND WHATEVER HAPPENS HAPPENS AND WE CAN JUST FOLLOW IT. Alda: BENEATH THE WATERS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC AS NOVEMBER COMES

				Frozen Alive Marine biologists find a natural antifreeze that helps deep sea fish survive the winter, and may help donated organs last longer.
		Select text to jump ahead in the clip: LIFE FACES A CONUNDRUM: HOW TO SURVIVE AT A TEMPERATURE THAT TURNS BLOOD TO ICE? HERE TO FIND OUT IS BIOLOGIST SALLY GODDARD. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IN CLOSE TO THE HEADLAND AND THE DIVERS WILL GO OUT IN 20, 30 FEET OF WATER AND THEY SHOULD FIND QUITE A FEW FLOUNDER THERE, HOPEFULLY. Alda: THESE DIVERS, WARM-BLOODED ANIMALS SURVIVE THE COLD BY BURNING BODY FAT TO GENERATE HEAT AND BY WEARING ELABORATE PROTECTIVE GEAR. BUT THE CREATURES BELOW ARE COLD-BLOODED LIVING AT THE TEMPERATURE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS WHICH HERE MEANS THEIR COLD BLOOD GETS VERY COLD INDEED. MOST FISH BLOOD FREEZES AT ABOUT MINUS . 7 AND THE WATER AROUND HERE CAN GO DOWN TO MINUS 1. 8 SO YOU CAN TELL THEY'D HAVE A REAL PROBLEM. Alda: AT MINUS 1. 8 DEGREES CELSIUS, SEAWATER ISN'T YET FROZEN. HIDDEN BUT FOR THEIR EYES UNDER A LAYER OF SAND THESE FLOUNDER AREN'T FROZEN EITHER THOUGH THEIR BLOOD IS ALSO AT MINUS 1. 8 DEGREES. AS LONG AS THE WATER ITSELF DOESN'T FREEZE THE FLOUNDER SURVIVE THANKS TO AN ANTIFREEZE PROTEIN IN THEIR BLOOD MANUFACTURED TO ORDER FOR THE LONG WINTER MONTHS. Goddard: THE PRODUCTION OF ANTIFREEZE PROTEIN IN THE FLOUNDER IS REALLY TRIGGERED BY THE DAYS GETTING SHORTER. SO THE FLOUNDER CAN SENSE THAT THE DAY LENGTH IS SHORTENING AND WINTER'S APPROACHING AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM FOR MAKING ANTIFREEZE PROTEIN IS TRIGGERED ROUND ABOUT NOVEMBER TIME. Alda: ALIVE AND WELL, BACK AT SALLY GODDARD'S LAB AT MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY IN ST. JOHNS, NEWFOUNDLAND THIS FLOUNDER BECOMES A BLOOD DONOR. THE FISH WILL SURVIVE TILL ANOTHER DAY AND ITS BLOOD WILL DEMONSTRATE THE PROPERTY THAT MAKES IT SO REMARKABLE AND POTENTIALLY VALUABLE. Goddard: BACK INTO THE WATER. HE'S PLEASED TO BE BACK ( laughs ). Alda: AS WELL AS THE BLOOD SAMPLE SHE'S JUST TAKEN SALLY HAS SOME BLOOD FROM A FLOUNDER CAUGHT DURING THE SUMMER. I'M GOING TO SET THE TEMPERATURE OF THE BATH TO REALLY COLD SEAWATER, WINTER TEMPERATURE WHICH IS ABOUT MINUS 1. 8-- THAT'S AS COLD AS SEAWATER GETS BEFORE IT FREEZES SOLID. THIS IS BLOOD TAKEN FROM A FISH IN SUMMER. THIS FISH DOESN'T HAVE ANY ANTIFREEZE IN ITS PLASMA. NOW, ONCE I DISTURB THE BLOOD ICE CRYSTALS START TO FORM IN THE BLOOD AND THEY PROPAGATE VERY QUICKLY, SPREAD THROUGH THE BLOOD AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING LOOKING LIKE A RED SLUSH PUPPIE. IF THIS WAS A FISH WITH BLOOD LIKE THIS THE FISH WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BREATHE BLOOD WOULDN'T CIRCULATE AROUND THE FISH. YOU'D HAVE A DEAD FISH FOR SURE. Alda: BUT AT THE SAME LOW TEMPERATURE THE WINTER FLOUNDER'S BLOOD STAYS LIQUID THANKS TO THE ANTIFREEZE PROTEIN. Goddard: THE PROTEINS HAVE A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR ICE CRYSTALS SO AT THE FIRST HINT OF AN ICE CRYSTAL FORMING THESE PROTEINS BIND ONTO IT AND EFFECTIVELY LOWER THE FREEZING POINT. SO A FISH WITH HIGH LEVELS OF ANTIFREEZE IS JUST ABOUT PROTECTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN NEWFOUNDLAND WATERS. Alda: SALLY GODDARD NOW HAS A SMALL BUSINESS PURIFYING THE FISH ANTIFREEZE ANTICIPATING THE DAY WHEN IT COULD BE USEFUL TO HUMANS AS WELL AS FLOUNDER. ONE OF HER BEST CUSTOMERS IS ACROSS THE CONTINENT IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA. HERE, BORIS RUBINSKY LOOKS AT WHAT FREEZING DOES TO LIVING CELLS. HE'S HOPING TO RADICALLY IMPROVE THE AVAILABILITY OF HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANT SURGERY. ONE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE ORGANS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN ORDER TO FACILITATE ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION. THERE ARE MANY ORGANS AVAILABLE BUT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF COMPATIBILITY IN TERMS OF TIME AND PLACE ONE CANNOT REALLY IMPLANT ALL THE AVAILABLE ORGANS. IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PRESERVE ORGANS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME THEN OBVIOUSLY WE COULD RESOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. LEARNING HOW ANIMALS SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS, PROBABLY IN MY OPINION IS THE BEST WAY TO ACTUALLY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF ORGAN PRESERVATION FOR TRANSPLANTATION. Alda: THE BIG PROBLEM WITH PRESERVING HUMAN ORGANS IS THAT FREEZING DESTROYS THE CELLS IT'S MEANT TO SAVE. THIS IS HUMAN BLOOD. AS IT FREEZES, THE BLADE-LIKE CRYSTALS TRAP AND SQUEEZE THE RED BLOOD CELLS. MOST OF THE CELLS ARE BEING PUSHED TO THE SIDE BY THE ICE CRYSTALS AND ALL THE CELLS ARE BEING PUSHED INSIDE THESE CHANNELS AND COMPRESSED AND THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE DESTROYED. THE WALLS BECOME LEAKY. THE CELLS ARE NOT NICE AND ROUND ANYMORE AS THEY WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FREEZING PROCESS. Alda: ADDING SALLY GODDARD'S FISH ANTIFREEZE TO THE CELLS NOT ONLY HOLDS BACK FREEZING. EVEN AT VERY LOW DOSES-- NOT ENOUGH TO PREVENT ICE CRYSTALS GROWING-- IT HELPS KEEP RED BLOOD CELLS ROUND AND INTACT. BUT THE FISH ANTIFREEZE ALONE WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF PRESERVING HUMAN ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION. SO BORIS RUBINSKY'S CONVICTION THAT NATURE WILL TEACH HIM HOW TO FREEZE, THEN BRING BACK TO LIFE HUMAN TISSUE HAS LED HIM BEYOND FISH TO AN EVEN MORE REMARKABLE WINTER SURVIVAL. IT'S HUNTED IN THE WOODS OF ONTARIO EVERY YEAR BY CARLTON UNIVERSITY BIOLOGISTS JANET AND KENNETH STOREY. K. Storey: IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK. IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHY A MIDDLE-AGED SCIENTIST IS WANDERING AROUND THE WOODS KICKING LEAVES. IT'S LIKE MY MOTHER SAYS THAT THE GOOD NEWS IS MY SON IS A DOCTOR AND THE BAD NEWS IS HE'S THE WRONG KIND. I END UP LOOKING FOR FROGS. J. Storey: THERE'S ONE. OH! Alda: THEY'RE HERE TO CATCH, OR ATTEMPT TO CATCH, WOOD FROGS. OH, IT'S A BEAUTY. WHOOPS. Alda: OBVIOUSLY STILL QUITE ACTIVE IN THE LATE FALL THE FROGS ARE APPROACHING A LONG, HARD CANADIAN WINTER. THIS IS AN ADULT WOOD FROG. THIS LOOKS TO BE A FEMALE. YOU CAN SEE THAT HER ABDOMEN IS QUITE EXTENDED-- SHE'S ALREADY GOT THE EGGS IN PLACE THAT SHE WILL LAY IN THE SPRING AT THE BREEDING PONDS. IN THE JAR WITH HER. Alda: AND DURING THAT WINTER LIKE EVERYTHING AROUND THEM, THEY'LL SIMPLY FREEZE SOLID. K. Storey: THIS IS PROBABLY A YOUNG OF THE YEAR-- THAT IS, HE WAS A TADPOLE ONLY MONTHS AGO. HE'S BEEN EATING FLIES AND THINGS EVER SINCE AND NOW, IF WE DIDN'T DISTURB HIM WOULD JUST BURROW DOWN AND LIVE FROZEN ALL WINTER UNDERNEATH THE LEAVES. IF YOU'RE FROZEN, YOUR METABOLISM SLOWS DOWN TO NOTHING AND YOU CAN LIVE IN A STATE OF SUSPENDED ANIMATION. INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GROW HUGE AND EAT A LOT OF FUELS AND THEN USE THEM UP IF YOU'RE FROZEN FOR MANY MONTHS YOU'RE NOT USING YOUR FUELS. IN THE SPRING, THEY COME OUT BEFORE THERE'S ANY INSECTS TO EAT AND THEY MATE AND LAY EGGS IN PONDS THAT ARE STILL FROZEN. Alda: FOR THESE FROGS, WINTER IS COMING A LITTLE EARLY THIS YEAR. J. Storey: WE'RE GETTING READY TO FREEZE THE FROGS AT WHAT IS A NATURAL TEMPERATURE TO THEM ABOUT 25 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. Alda: THE FREEZER MAY NOT BE AS COMFORTABLE AS A FOREST FLOOR BUT ONCE THE TEMPERATURE STARTS FALLING THE FROGS SETTLE DOWN, TUCK THEMSELVES IN AND OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL HOURS, FREEZE SOLID. K. Storey: FROSTY, HARD FROGS. THE ANIMAL IS COMPLETELY FROZEN NOW. ABOUT 67% OF THEIR BODY IS TURNED INTO ICE. THE HEART HAS TRULY STOPPED. THE BLOOD IS ALL FROZEN IN A BIG POOL IN THE CENTER OF THE FROG. THERE'S NO BLOOD IN THE ARMS OR LEGS AT ALL, AND THEY'RE HARD. THERE'S ICE CRYSTALS ON THE SKIN AND THE FROG CAN'T EVEN BE FLEXED AT ALL. Alda: FOR KEN AND JANET STOREY ONLY ONE THING IS MORE ENTRANCING THAN WATCHING A FROG FREEZE, AND THAT'S WATCHING IT THAW. K. Storey: FIRST THING THAT YOU CAN SEE IN A NEWLY THAWED FROG IS THE HEART BEGINNING TO PUMP BLOOD. THE THICKENED BLOOD IS NOW BEING PUSHED BACK INTO THE EXTERIOR LIMBS AND AROUND THE BRAIN TO GET THE FROG RE-OXYGENATED AND BACK TO WORK. HE SEEMS TO BE DOING FINE. NO NEED TO NOTIFY HIS NEXT OF KIN. Alda: IT'S A SIGHT RIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION-- THE FROZEN BODY COMING BACK TO LIFE... WHICH IS WHY THIS WOOD FROG IS NOW IN BORIS RUBINSKY'S LAB WHERE IT'S ABOUT TO BE FROZEN WHILE ITS INSIDES ARE IMAGED BY AN M. R.I. SCANNER OF THE TYPE USUALLY USED IN HOSPITALS. AS SOON AS ICE FORMS ON ITS SKIN A WOOD FROG STARTS PUMPING OUT HUGE QUANTITIES OF THE BLOOD SUGAR GLUCOSE FROM ITS LIVER. LIKE THE FISH ANTIFREEZE GLUCOSE SEEMS TO BOTH LOWER THE FREEZING POINT AND PROTECT CELLS FROM DAMAGE WHEN ICE DOES START FORMING. AND IN THE M. R.I. IMAGES, WHERE FROZEN TISSUE APPEARS DARKER IT'S THE TRIANGULAR-SHAPED LIVER, THE SOURCE OF THE GLUCOSE THAT FREEZES LAST. BUT WHAT RUBINSKY IS ESPECIALLY INTRIGUED BY IS HOW THE FROG UNFREEZES BECAUSE IF IT THAWS AS YOU'D EXPECT, FROM THE OUTSIDE IN THEN ITS LIMBS AND HEAD WOULD UNFREEZE BEFORE THE HEART AND SO BEGIN TO DIE THROUGH LACK OF BLOOD. THE M. R.I. EXPLAINS THE MYSTERY AS IT REVEALS THAT THE FROG THAWS EVENLY THROUGHOUT ITS BODY. NOW, NATURE HAS SOMEHOW ENSURED-- ESSENTIALLY THROUGH GLUCOSE, AS WE FOUND LATER-- IT HAS ENSURED THAT THE WHOLE FROG THAWS SIMULTANEOUSLY THROUGHOUT ALL ITS TISSUES AND THEREFORE, AS SOON AS IT THAWS THE BLOOD CIRCULATION PERFUSES ALL THE TISSUES AND BRINGS THEM BACK TO LIFE SIMULTANEOUSLY AND THE FROG CAN BEGIN HOPPING. Alda: COPYING NATURE'S SOLUTIONS TO SURVIVING EXTREME COLD PERHAPS ONE DAY HUMAN ORGANS WILL FREEZE AND COME BACK TO LIFE WITH THE SAME UNCONCERN

				Ultimate Speed Scientists study the biomechanics of the cheetah, the world's fastest land animal, as well as that of its prey.
		Select text to jump ahead in the clip: THAN A RACE BETWEEN HUNTER AND PREY. IT'S A RACE BETWEEN TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BIOLOGICAL DESIGNS EACH FINE-TUNED THROUGH EVOLUTION TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST SPEED LAND ANIMALS CAN REACH 60, EVEN 70 MILES PER HOUR. IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NATURE AT THE EXTREME. HOW ANIMALS RUN IS A FASCINATION OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, PHYSIOLOGIST RODGER KRAM. Kram: I GOT INTERESTED IN STUDYING LOCOMOTION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I ENJOY DOING. I ENJOY EXERCISING AND RUNNING MYSELF BUT I THINK WHAT THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT ANIMALS IS IS THAT THEY MOVE. Alda: KRAM IS ESPECIALLY INTRIGUED BY THE EXTREMES OF ANIMAL LOCOMOTION AND THE LIMITS, LIKE GRAVITY, THAT SET THOSE EXTREMES. Kram: THE ANT IS A VERY SMALL ANIMAL. IT'S NOT VERY FAST IN ABSOLUTE TERMS EVEN THOUGH IT MOVES ITS LEGS VERY QUICKLY-- IT HAS SHORT LITTLE LEGS. ANTS, HOWEVER, ARE IN NO DANGER OF BREAKING THEIR LEGS. THEY'RE SO SMALL, GRAVITY'S NOT AN IMPORTANT FORCE FOR THEM. THE ELEPHANT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS REALLY DOMINATED BY GRAVITY. IT'S HUGE. IT CAN TAKE ENORMOUS STRIDES BUT IT CAN'T RUN, BECAUSE IF IT STARTED TO RUN AND LEFT THE GROUND AND LANDED IT WOULD LITERALLY BREAK ITS BONES. Alda: THE CHEETAH IS A SPECTACULARLY SUCCESSFUL COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE LIGHTNESS OF THE ANT AND THE POWER OF THE ELEPHANT. HERE AT THE PHOENIX ZOO, RODGER IS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF A RESEARCH PROJECT THAT HE HOPES WILL REVEAL THE SECRET OF THE CHEETAH'S SPEED. HE'S ABOUT TO FILM A CHASE NOT BETWEEN A CHEETAH AND AN ANTELOPE BUT BETWEEN A CHEETAH AND A RABBIT'S FOOT AT THE END OF A VERY LONG LINE. FOR THE ZOO'S CHEETAHS EVEN A RABBIT'S FOOT IS A WELCOME REMINDER OF THE THRILL OF THE HUNT THOUGH ON THE FIRST TRIAL RUN, IT'S DISAPPOINTINGLY EASY PREY. Kram: HE CAUGHT IT. Alda: ONE RABBIT'S FOOT DOWN BUT FORTUNATELY, PLENTY MORE TO GO AND ON LATER RUNS, THE RABBIT'S FEET POSE MORE OF A CHALLENGE ENOUGH TO GIVE THE CHEETAHS A WORKOUT AND RODGER SEVERAL SECONDS OF HIGH-SPEED VIDEO. FOR BOTH CHEETAHS AND SCIENTIST, IT'S BEEN A REWARDING MORNING. Kram: I FEEL REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY CHEETAHS. I'VE SPENT BUILDING MY CAREER ON STUDYING HOW ANIMALS RUN AND CHEETAHS ARE THE FASTEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD. NOT ONLY ARE THEY THE FASTEST BUT THEY'RE ENDANGERED AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTIST MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO STUDY HOW CHEETAHS RUN SO FAST. Alda: AT FULL TILT, THE CHEETAH TAKES SUCH ENORMOUS STRIDES THAT IT'S LITERALLY FLYING HALF THE TIME. ITS SECRET, RODGER BELIEVES IS ITS EXTRAORDINARILY FLEXIBLE BACK. Kram: IT FLEXES AND THEN EXTENDS ITS BACK TO LENGTHEN ITS STRIDE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A DIP IN HIS BACK AT ONE PART OF THE STRIDE. Alda: THE CHEETAH'S FLEXIBLE SPINE MAY GIVE IT ANOTHER ADVANTAGE. Kram: IT NOT ONLY ALLOWS IT TO LENGTHEN ITS STRIDE BUT IT ALSO MAY BE USED AS A SPRING TO STORE ENERGY WHEN THE ANIMAL LANDS AND GIVE IT BACK AS IT TAKES OFF. Alda: SO RODGER'S RESEARCH WILL AIM TO FIND OUT IF THE CHEETAH OWES AT LEAST SOME OF ITS SPEED TO SPRING POWER. WHAT'S CERTAIN, THOUGH, IS THAT THE CHEETAH PAYS A PRICE FOR ITS ABILITY TO ACCELERATE FROM ZERO TO 45 MILES AN HOUR IN TWO SECONDS. LIKE ANY SPRINTER AFTER A FEW HUNDRED FEET, IT'S EXHAUSTED AND TAKES A FULL HALF HOUR TO RECOVER. COMPLETELY UNCHEETAH-LIKE IN DESIGN AND ENDURANCE ARE THESE PRONGHORN ANTELOPE HERE RUNNING AT OVER 50 MILES AN HOUR IN COLORADO. ONCE ENDANGERED, THERE ARE NOW OVER A MILLION PRONGHORN IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES... AND TWO HERE IN THE BOSTON SUBURBS WHERE I RECENTLY HELPED OUT AT A MINI-ROUNDUP AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S FIELD STATION. Alda: HOW DID THEY GET THE ABILITY TO GO THIS FAST IN THE FIRST PLACE? WELL, UP UNTIL THE TIME OF THE PLEISTOCENE ABOUT 10,000 YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CHEETAH IN NORTH AMERICA AND WE COULD ARGUE THAT THEY CO-EVOLVED SUCH THAT PREDATION FROM THIS VERY FAST CAT THEN LED TO THEIR ESCAPE MECHANISM BEING DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH SPEED THEMSELVES. WHEN DID THE CHEETAH CHECK OUT? ABOUT 10,000... SO FOR 10,000 YEARS THEY'VE HAD THIS ABILITY... THEY'RE ALL DRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO. Alda: JIM JONES, LIKE RODGER KRAM IS SETTING OUT TO ANSWER THE BASIC QUESTION. Jones: HOW ARE THESE ANIMALS ABLE TO ACHIEVE SPEEDS AS DOES THE CHEETAH THAT ARE SIMPLY FAR, FAR IN EXCESS OF WHAT ALMOST EVERY OTHER MAMMAL IS ABLE TO DO? WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND SO FAR? HOW CAN THEY RUN SO FAST? WELL, WE LOOK AT IT IN A VERY GENERAL SENSE AS TWO POSSIBILITIES: ONE IS EITHER THE ANIMALS HAVE A VERY LARGE MOTOR WHICH IS THEIR METABOLISM AND HOW MUCH ENERGY'S AVAILABLE TO FUEL THE RUNNING OR ALTERNATIVELY MAYBE THEY HAVE A SPECIALIZED TRANSMISSION. Alda: IT'S THE PRONGHORN'S TRANSMISSION-- THE WAY IT CONVERTS ITS MOTOR POWER TO SPEED-- THAT'S ABOUT TO BE CHECKED OUT TODAY. JUDAH IS BEING CHASED DOWN A CORRIDOR PAST AN OBSERVATION PORT MANNED BY JIM JONES' STUDENT, SETH WRIGHT. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD. WE GOT HER RIGHT REAR. Alda: THE AIM IS TO GET JUDAH TO STEP ON A PLATE THAT WILL MEASURE THE FORCE BEHIND EACH STRIDE AT THE SAME TIME THAT A HIGH- SPEED VIDEO CAMERA RECORDS IT. LET'S GO, GIRL. Alda: FINALLY THEY GET A PERFECT SHOT OF A REAR LEG IN ACTION. Wright: ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC FEATURES IS THAT THEY HAVE THESE HUGE EXTENSIONS AT THE ANKLE WHICH IS IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE KNEE ON A HUMAN. IT'S THE FIRST MAJOR JOINT UP FROM THE GROUND. SO THE MUSCLE ACTS VERY FAR FROM THE JOINT GIVING IT A GREAT DEAL OF LEVERAGE AKIN TO PUSHING ON THE SIDE OF A DOOR FAR FROM THE HINGE GIVES YOU GOOD LEVERAGE FOR OPENING THE DOOR. Alda: THE ANKLE LEVER ALLOWS THE PRONGHORN TO LEAP INTO ITS RUN WITH THE ACCELERATION IT ONCE NEEDED TO KEEP ONE STEP AHEAD OF NORTH AMERICAN CHEETAHS. IN MARKED CONTRAST TO THE CHEETAH'S STRONG, SINUOUS BACK THE PRONGHORN'S IS RIGID AND LIGHT AS ARE ITS LONG, DELICATE-LOOKING LEGS. BUT AS THE HIGH-SPEED VIDEO REVEALS ITS GAIT MINIMIZES THE RISK OF BREAKING ITS BONES. YOU CAN SEE THAT, AS THE ANTELOPE LANDS ITS SKINNY FORELIMB IS PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. THAT'S THE STRONGEST ARRANGEMENT FOR A BONE. IT'S NOT UNDERGOING ANY BENDING AS IT STRIKES SO THESE ANTELOPE DON'T COMPROMISE SAFETY TO ACHIEVE HIGH SPEEDS. Alda: WALK THIS WAY. Alda: JUDAH'S COMPANION "4 x 4" WILL ALSO BE GETTING A WORKOUT TODAY. IN HER CASE, THOUGH, NOT TO TEST HER TRANSMISSION WHICH SEEMS IN FINE SHAPE BUT TO RUN A DETAILED CHECK ON HER MOTOR. YOUR TREADMILL IS READY, GRACE. WE WILL PUT THIS MASK ON HER, WHICH WILL COLLECT THE GASES THAT SHE'S EXPIRING AS SHE'S RUNNING. SO... THIS IS THE MASK. Alda: THIS MUST BE THE ULTIMATE IN RECYCLING. AN OLD WISK BOTTLE. Alda: THE TREADMILL IS CRANKED UP AND 4 x 4 IS OFF AND RUNNING... WITH A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT. FLUFF IT BEHIND HER TO CHILL... BEHIND HER? SHE CAN SEE THAT, HUH? HER EYES ARE LOOKING BEHIND HER. I SEE. HOW LONG CAN SHE KEEP GOING LIKE THIS AT THIS SPEED? AT THIS SPEED, FOREVER. SHE'D JUST GO ON AND ON? THIS IS SO EASY FOR HER. THIS IS ONE-TENTH OF WHAT SHE CAN DO. Alda: A FORCEPLATE UNDER THE PRONGHORN'S FRONT LEGS RECORDS HER GAIT WHICH IS DISPLAYED AS SHE TROTS BY THE RED LINE. THE GREEN LINE IS HER BREATHING-- ONE BREATH FOR EVERY THREE STEPS. Jones: NOW SHE'S GOING UP TO EIGHT. THIS'LL BE ABOUT 18 MILES PER HOUR. Alda: AT THIS SPEED, 4 x 4 BREAKS INTO AN EASY GALLOP. BUT TO KEEP GOING AT OVER 20 MILES AN HOUR SHE REALLY NEEDS TO FEEL THERE'S A CHEETAH ON HER TAIL. GO, GIRL, GO, GIRL! ( whooping ) Alda: BY NOW HER BREATHING PATTERN HAS CHANGED. INSTEAD OF THREE STRIDES PER BREATH AT A GALLOP, HER STRIDE AND BREATHING RATES SEEM TO BE LOCKED TOGETHER. THE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN RAISED ABOUT THAT IS MIGHT IT BE THAT EVERY TIME THE ANIMAL'S BODY GOES FORWARD IN THE STRIDE HITS DOWN AS IT BEGINS TO MOMENTARILY SLIGHTLY DECELERATE BEFORE THE NEXT STRIDE GOES FORWARD AND THE INERTIA, THE MOMENTUM OF THE GUTS GOING FORWARD WOULD PUSH THE AIR OUT OF THE LUNGS A LITTLE BIT AND THEN AS THE ANIMAL ACCELERATES FORWARD THE INERTIA CAUSING THOSE GUTS TO MOVE BACKWARD A LITTLE BIT MIGHT HELP IT TO INSPIRE. Alda: FOR AN ANIMAL ITS SIZE, THE PRONGHORN HAS HUGE LUNGS AND IT COULD BE, THEN, THAT THE GALLOP ITSELF IS HELPING HER TAKE THE GREAT GULPS OF AIR SHE NEEDS TO KEEP GOING. TO RUN THE PRONGHORN'S MOTOR EVEN HARDER THE ANGLE OF THE TREADMILL IS CRANKED UP TO A GRADE OF 20%. NOW IT'S JUDAH'S TURN AND SHE SEEMS TO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AS JUDAH SETS OFF UPHILL JIM JONES SUMMARIZES WHAT MAKES HER AND HER KIND SUCH EXTRAORDINARY ATHLETES. Jones: THE LARGEST SINGLE PART OF IT IS THAT, INDEED, THE ANIMAL HAS A HUGE MOTOR. SHE HAS GOT MUSCLES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO UTILIZE OXYGEN AT A RATE THAT'S ABOUT FIVE TIMES AS MUCH AS A NOT HIGHLY AEROBIC ATHLETIC ANIMAL LIKE A GOAT. TO SUPPORT THAT, SHE HAS TO HAVE A VERY HIGH ABILITY TO PUMP BLOOD FROM THE LUNGS TO THE MUSCLE SO SHE'S GOT AN EXTREMELY LARGE HEART VERY, VERY LARGE FOR HER SIZE AND, IN TURN, TO GET THE OXYGEN FROM THE AIR INTO THAT BLOOD SHE'S GOT THE LUNGS, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT ARE MUCH, MUCH LARGER-- ABOUT 2½ TIMES LARGER THAN THOSE OF A LESS AEROBIC ANIMAL. Alda: IN AFRICA, UNLIKE NORTH AMERICA THE RACE BETWEEN EXTREME SOLUTIONS FOR SPEED-- ONE EMPHASIZING ENDURANCE THE OTHER LIGHTNING SPRINTS-- STILL GOES ON EVERY DAY. SOMETIMES ONE WINS... SOMETIMES THE OTHER. Alda: EARLY MORNING FOG SHROUDS THE HARBOR OF MOSS LANDING 75 MILES SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO AS THE RESEARCH VESSEL POINT LOBOS HEADS OUT TO SEA. OPERATED BY THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE

				Hidden Depths A remote sub dives to the unexplored middle depths of the ocean off Monterey, California, revealing a spectacular variety of new life forms.
		Select text to jump ahead in the clip: AS THE RESEARCH VESSEL POINT LOBOS HEADS OUT TO SEA. OPERATED BY THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE ITS DESTINATION IS THE EDGE OF THE LAST GREAT UNEXPLORED REGION ON EARTH. JUST TEN MILES OUT, THE OCEAN FLOOR PLUNGES INTO A CANYON BIGGER THAN THE GRAND CANYON POISING THE POINT LOBOS OVER WATER AS DEEP AS ALMOST ANY IN THE WORLD'S OCEANS. BELOW THE TOP FEW HUNDRED FEET THESE DEPTHS WERE UNTIL RECENTLY ALMOST ENTIRELY UNKNOWN THOUGH BY VOLUME THEY MAKE UP MORE THAN 90% OF THE EARTH'S LIVING SPACE. ON BOARD THE POINT LOBOS IS ONE OF THE FIRST REGULAR VISITORS TO THESE HIDDEN DEPTHS, THE SUBMARINE VENTANA. WHAT IS ALL THIS STUFF HERE? WELL, WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF TOOLS THAT WE USE AT DEPTH. THESE ARE SAMPLERS THAT WE USE TO COLLECT THE MORE FRAGILE AND DELICATE ANIMALS. DOWN HERE IS THE BIG EYE. UP HERE ALONG THIS MIDDLE BAR ARE FOUR METAL HALOGEN LIGHTS. THE DEPTHS WE'LL BE WORKING AT TODAY ARE VERY DARK. LESS THAN 1/100th OF A PERCENT OF THE SUNLIGHT WHICH REACHES THE SURFACE PENETRATES AS DEEP AS WE'LL BE WORKING TODAY. IF YOU WERE DOWN THERE WITHOUT A LIGHT WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE? WOULD IT BE LIKE BEING IN A ROOM THAT JUST HAS A TINY CRACK SOMEWHERE UNDER A DOOR, OR...? EVEN LESS THAN THAT. ABOUT THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SEE IS THAT LOOKING UP TOWARDS THE SURFACE IS LESS DARK THAN LOOKING DOWN. Alda: BRUCE ROBISON HAS BEEN USING THE VENTANA TO EXPLORE THE DARKNESS BELOW FOR SOME SIX YEARS NOW. THE SUBMARINE ISN'T PILOTED. BRUCE AND HIS CREW OPERATE IT FROM THE SURFACE WHERE THE OCEAN SWELL IS MAKING LIFE DISTINCTLY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME AND OUR CAMERA CREW. UNFORTUNATELY, GOING BELOW ONLY MAKES THINGS WORSE. THE CONTROL ROOM IS SMALL, DARK, HOT AND CONSTANTLY PITCHING. AS I MUNCH SALTINES TO SETTLE MY STOMACH THE PILOT TAKES THE VENTANA ON A DIVE THAT WILL PENETRATE A HALF MILE INTO THE DARKNESS. THE VIEW FROM VENTANA'S CAMERA IS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF STAR WARS... Alda: SO WE'RE JUST TRAVELING THROUGH SPACE HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE... OOP! WHAT... WHAT WENT BY? Alda: COMPLETE WITH ALIENS. OH... PERALIA, PERALIA. WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S THAT? THESE ARE GREAT, BIG, BROWN-COLORED MEDUSAE. OH, THAT'S GORGEOUS. Alda: IN A SENSE, THE CREATURES DOWN HERE ARE LIKE ALIENS... LOOK AT THIS GUY. Alda: ADAPTED TO AN ENVIRONMENT QUITE UNLIKE THE ONE THE REST OF US INHABIT. BUT THIS HAS THIS BIG PLATE AT THE END OF IT. Alda: THIS CREATURE IS CALLED A SIPHONOPHORE. THIS IS THE PROPULSIVE END AND THERE ARE SWIMMING BELTS ON EITHER SIDE THAT ALLOW THE ANIMAL TO PULL ITSELF THROUGH THE WATER. Alda: IN FACT, THE SIPHONOPHORE MAY NOT BE A SINGLE ANIMAL AT ALL BUT AN ASSEMBLY OF MANY. UNTIL IT WAS SEEN HERE IN ITS HABITAT NO ONE KNEW MUCH ABOUT IT. YOU COULDN'T HAVE EVER BROUGHT THIS UP IN A NET, COULD YOU? NO, WE WOULD HAVE HAD ONLY BITS AND PIECES. WE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN HOW MANY SIPHONOPHORES WERE THERE WHETHER IT WAS ONE OR 100. THESE ANIMALS GET TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE. WE HAVE MEASURED THEM UP TO 120 FEET LONG. THAT'S A VERY BIG SURPRISE. Alda: AND IT MAKES IT ONE OF THE LONGEST CREATURES ON EARTH. CAPTURING SIPHONOPHORES AND THE DEEP'S OTHER GELATINOUS CREATURES IN ONE PIECE IS A JOB FOR ONE OF VENTANA'S SPECIALIZED COLLECTION DEVICES. YOU'RE GOING TO PUT HIM UP THE VACUUM CLEANER THERE? THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO DRAW THIS SIPHONOPHORE INTO THE SUCTION SAMPLER SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT ITS STOMACH CONTENT. YOU CAN GET A BIG GUY LIKE THAT INTO ONE OF YOUR CONTAINERS? SURE. AND HE WON'T BREAK? IT WILL BE, UM... WHAT'S THE POLITE TERM? WADDED UP. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT SOME... THIS IS WHY I DON'T BELIEVE IN FLYING SAUCERS COMING DOWN AND TAKING SAMPLES OF HUMANITY. I DON'T WANT TO BE "WADDED UP" BY ONE OF THEM. Alda: THE SIPHONOPHORE IS GENTLY SUCKED ABOARD IN ONE PIECE ACCOMPANIED BY SOME OF THE DUSTLIKE PARTICLES THAT ARE EVERYWHERE DOWN HERE. WHAT'S ALL THIS SNOWLIKE STUFF WE'RE SEEING AROUND THE ANIMAL? YOU CALLED IT BY THE RIGHT NAME. WE REFER TO IT AS MARINE SNOW. IT'S SORT OF ALL OF THE... ALL OF THE JUNK AND DETRITUS AND DUST OF THE UPPER LAYER OF THE OCEAN. SO THAT'S STUFF FALLING OFF OF ANIMALS UP ABOVE AND IT PASSES THROUGH THIS REGION AND CONTINUES ON ITS WAY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM? THAT'S RIGHT. AND ANIMALS ARE FEEDING ON IT ALL THE TIME? YES, CERTAINLY BACTERIA FEED ON IT WHILE IT DESCENDS BUT THERE ARE OTHER ANIMALS, FILTER FEEDERS THAT OCCUR IN MIDWATER AND THEY PROCESS THESE PARTICLES BUT EVENTUALLY, THEY ALL REACH THE SEA FLOOR. Alda: SINCE BRUCE ROBISON AND HIS COLLEAGUES BEGAN THEIR DEEP WATER EXPLORATIONS THEY'VE IDENTIFIED DOZENS OF NEW SPECIES. CREATURES DOWN HERE RANGE FROM THE GRUESOME FANGTOOTH... TO THE ANGELIC-LOOKING RIBBONFISH. SOME 2,100 FEET DOWN THE VENTANA PASSES THROUGH A LAYER WHERE OXYGEN LEVELS ARE VERY LOW. AMONG THE CREATURES ADAPTED TO HANGING OUT HERE IS THE SPLENDIDLY NAMED VAMPYROTEUTHIS INFERNALIS A DISTANT COUSIN TO OCTOPUS AND SQUID. IT GLARES AT US BALEFULLY THROUGH A HUGE BLUE EYE. OH, BOY, TIME OUT! THIS IS A PARALEPIDID A VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FISH THAT WE DON'T SEE ALL THAT OFTEN. ITS NOSE IS UP. IT'S KEEPING ITSELF ALMOST VERTICALLY IN THE WATER COLUMN. IT'S LOOKING UP, TRYING TO SEE ITS PREY SILHOUETTED AGAINST THE SURFACE. VERY SOON IT'S GOING TO TAKE OFF AND IT'LL BE GONE JUST LIKE IT VAPORIZED. THERE HE GOES, HE'S HISTORY. Alda: TO EVADE SHADOW-STALKERS LIKE THE PARALEPIDID POTENTIAL PREY ARE OFTEN TRANSPARENT. OR LIKE THIS LITTLE FISH THEY GENERATE THEIR OWN INTERNAL LIGHT. WHEN VIEWED FROM BELOW THIS MAKES THEM LESS VISIBLE AGAINST THE LIGHTER SURFACE. BIOLUMINESCENCE IS USED A LOT DOWN HERE. THE OTHERWISE-BLACK ANGLER FISH HAS A LUMINOUS BEARD TO ATTRACT PREY. BUT WHY SO MANY ANIMALS GLOW IN THE DARK IS STILL A MYSTERY. THIS IS A RED-BELLIED TOMACHTARID. IT'S A TYPE OF POLECHITE WORM THAT LIVES DOWN HERE. THIS ANIMAL HAS BIOLUMINESCENT ORGANS AT THE ENDS OF ALL ITS LEGS. WHAT A GOOD SHOT THAT IS! IT'S LIKE HAVING GLOWING TOES. Alda: THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS DOWN HERE. THIS CATCHER'S-MITT-SHAPED CREATURE SEEMS TO PROPEL ITSELF ALONG WITH SHIMMERING HAIRS ALONG ITS EDGE BUT OTHERWISE IS UTTERLY MYSTERIOUS. HOW DOES THIS ANIMAL REPRODUCE? GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW. WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WONDERFUL IS HOW MUCH THERE IS TO LEARN DOWN HERE. OH, SURE. IT'S A WHOLE OTHER UNIVERSE. THAT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES IT SO EXCITING BECAUSE EACH DIVE CAN, AND OFTEN DOES BRING US SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING UNEXPECTED. Alda: UNFORTUNATELY, MY OWN CURIOSITY HAD BEGUN TO LOSE ITS BATTLE FOR ATTENTION WITH MY STOMACH. I THINK I HAVE TO GO UP AND GET SOME AIR. OKAY. IT'S NOT THAT THIS ISN'T FASCINATING. BUT I THINK STAYING IN ONE PIECE WILL BE MORE FASCINATING. ( laughs ) CERTAINLY MORE ENJOYABLE. Alda: COMING UP INTO THE AIR AND SEEING THE OCEAN AGAIN FROM A MORE FAMILIAR PERSPECTIVE IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE SO MUCH LIFE LAY BELOW ITS SURFACE. EVEN IN THE BLACK DEPTHS OF AN OCEAN CANYON NATURE COMES UP WITH A TRULY FANTASTIC VARIETY OF CREATURES AND THEY ALL COME ABOUT IN THE SAME WAY. CHANGES IN ORGANISMS ARE CONSTANTLY TESTED AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENT AND AGAINST PREDATORS. JUST UP THE CALIFORNIA COAST FROM HERE THERE'S ONE SCIENTIST WHO HAS HAD TO DEVELOP HIS OWN UNIQUE WAY OF OBSERVING THIS NATURAL BATTLEGROUND. LOW TIDE AT PILLAR POINT A SCENIC SPOT ON CALIFORNIA'S COASTAL HIGHWAY.

				High Anxiety Physiologists attempt to identify who will adapt to high altitudes and who might succumb to mountain sickness.
		Select text to jump ahead in the clip: Beautiful. Enticing. And all too often... deadly. Hardly able to move this climber is a victim of mountain sickness. Here at 15,000 feet, thin air is starving her body of oxygen. One in ten climbers get so sick their lives are in danger. She could become one of them. It's an all too common sight for the mountain guides. ( asking climber questions in French ) ( coughs ) It's mostly from the high altitude why they get very tired. Sometimes they vomit in the snow and... they walk like drunken people. But mostly they don't like any help but they don't like to go down also, they... strange... It's difficult to say why they don't go back. Alda: Going back would clear the symptoms. But like most climbers, she goes on. Getting to the top despite the risks is what mountaineering is all about, of course. Nowadays, more and more people are taking the risks. On distant peaks around the world we're seeing the tragic consequences. The problem is we're not all super people. We can't all be brilliant mountaineers. This story is about trying to predict the basic attribute that mountaineers need: not to get altitude sickness on their way to the top. There is a big population that exposes itself to high altitude. If you look at the Rocky Mountains all the resorts you have there. If you look at the Andes. If you look around here and see how popular mountaineering is. This is, I think an important question to these people that we find measures how to predict and how to treat and how to prevent these illnesses. Alda: Here in Heidelberg, Germany Peter Bartsch is trying to develop a test to predict which climbers will get altitude sickness. He's recruited volunteers willing to push their bodies to the limit in the lab and then go mountain climbing. This is Arndt. His testing begins by finding out how fit he is. As he works harder his body responds by increasing his heart rate pumping more blood to his muscles and so supplying them with more oxygen to burn. ( technicians speaking excitedly in German ) Alda: To get that extra oxygen into his blood he breathes faster and more deeply. ( technicians encouraging him in German ) Alda: Now the real test begins. Arndt's oxygen is cut back, simulating high altitude. The idea is to see how he responds when there is less oxygen available. Again, his heart rate increases and again, his breathing gets faster and deeper. At the equivalent of 15,000 feet Arndt is breathing five times more air than usual even at rest. This is Michael, another volunteer for the test. On the fitness test, he's as good as Arndt. ( all speaking excitedly in German ) Alda: But when Michael's oxygen is reduced there's a striking difference. At a simulated 15,000 feet Michael's breathing is little different from what it was at normal altitude. Even during moderate exercise his body, unlike Arndt's, seems to be ignoring the fact that his oxygen supply is dropping. ( technician speaking in German ) Alda: The Heidelberg researchers wondered if people like Michael whose bodies don't seem to recognize they're getting into trouble when oxygen is scarce might be the ones most susceptible to mountain sickness. There was one way to find out. Perched at 15,000 feet on the Italian-Swiss border is the perfect laboratory a 100-year-old mountain hut, the highest building in Europe. Peter Bartsch, the leader of the Heidelberg team is heading there now. He's taking it slowly, giving his body time to acclimate. But the subjects in his experiment don't have that luxury. They climb fast rising two miles in elevation in just over a day. The experiment is designed so that neither Bartsch nor his subjects know how they performed in their lab tests. So Arndt, for instance doesn't know his test suggested he'd cope with mountain air by breathing much harder. Man: How you feeling? I feel good, very good, good air. Alda: Michael, who didn't adapt his breathing in the lab test is finding the going rough. As the test predicted his body isn't getting the message that the air up here is thinner. But then there's a third subject, Udo who like Arndt, adapted fine in the lab but may be having the first hint of a problem. Udo: I've just a little bit of a headache very little bit. Except for this I'm feeling really good and I'm lucky to do this now. Alda: We're going to see what happens to Arndt, Michael and Udo once they reach Peter Bartsch's mountaintop laboratory. Night falls, the most dangerous time for those vulnerable to mountain sickness. During the shallow breathing of sleep blood oxygen levels can drop steeply. Six hours after arriving Arndt, whose test suggested he'd do well at high altitude is absorbed in a murder mystery. But Udo, whose test results also suggested he'd cope is in trouble. When I came up I was feeling quite good. But then it was developing a big headache. And it was a stomachache and wasn't good. I had to vomit. Alda: All he wants to do now is rest. Udo: My body is exhausted and I have to sleep. So I hope that I will have a good night. Alda: Knowing the dangers of the night Bartsch makes regular checks. At 5:30 a. m., the only one complaining is Udo. ( speaking in German ) Bartsch: Udo has a lot of problems. He was vomiting once at night and he had headache. I gave him some drugs. His symptoms went away. He didn't feel nauseated anymore but he couldn't sleep. Just an incredible headache the whole night. I got some pills, some drugs but they didn't help so I didn't sleep the whole night. I think another night like this and I'm going crazy. It's just, you can't sleep and there's all this banging the whole night. Alda: To make this a scientifically, unbiased experiment neither Udo nor Bartsch knows that his test predicted his breathing should adjust. But it hasn't prevented his worsening symptoms. Arndt, meanwhile, is doing fine, as predicted. His balance is good, his blood oxygen normal. Now, I feel me good. Only mude, in German, tired. Bartsch: He would love to climb the Dufourspitze or any other mountain here. I think he's actually enjoying himself here. That's my impression. Alda: Which leaves Michael, who is definitely not enjoying himself. Of course, Bartsch doesn't know his pre-climb test suggested he wouldn't adjust his breathing to high altitude. He's now very sick. The problem with him was he didn't call us last night. When he went to bed, he already realized that something was wrong and no one called us. And when I saw him this morning he was really in a severe condition. I think if we had caught him earlier we could have stopped the process at an early level. Alda: Michael's decision to tough out the night could have been a fatal error. I didn't notice quite that I was getting worse and worse. So just this morning at half past 5:00 they wake me up and I couldn't do anything. Alda: X rays show Michael has advanced pulmonary edema. The lacelike pattern in his lungs, especially on the right is accumulating fluid. This means that we have a very severe illness. If we do not treat Michael he's most likely going to die. Fluid will accumulate in all his lung and he will eventually drown. And we have to immediately install treatment by giving oxygen now, and fly him down as soon as possible. Alda: The oxygen will stabilize Michael's condition for a while but the only way to clear the fluid from his lungs is to get him off the mountain, fast. A rescue helicopter is called in from Zermatt, Switzerland. For Michael, the experiment is over. As it turned out, the breathing test Peter Bartsch hopes might help predict mountain sickness was accurate in Michael's case and by not admitting he was having problems he got into serious trouble. Fortunately, after a few days at low altitude he'll make a complete recovery. Back at the hut, there's a farewell dinner. Tomorrow, all the subjects will be heading down. Feeling fine to the end is Arndt whose pre-climb test also proved accurate. But Udo, whose test results suggested he'd cope got sick, at least temporarily. So the breathing test alone isn't a perfect predictor. I'm feeling good now. It's okay. I have no more headache and I'm fine now. Alda: And as things turned out Udo's acclimation and Michael's rescue had come in the nick of time. A fierce blizzard means no helicopter could have made it in today. For Udo and Arndt, it's going to be a difficult climb down. While the experiment was promising the mystery of why altitude illness devastates some but leaves others unaffected isn't solved yet. These young people now know if they want to be super mountaineers the best advice is the old advice: climb slowly, heed the warning signs and you'll be back to climb another day. Alda: We're 250 miles above the Earth. It's May 16, 1997. The American space shuttle Atlantis