♪ ♪ >> Reilly: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," I'M ADAM REILLY, IN FOR JIM BRAUDE.

THE DEAN OF B.U.

'S SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH JOINS ME ON HOW THE FDA'S COVID VACCINE APPROVAL MIGHT CHANGE THE GAME AND WHETHER LOCAL COLLEGE CAMPUSES ARE READY FOR THE INFLUX OF STUDENTS, AS THE DELTA VARIANT CONTINUES TO SPREAD.

PLUS, THE WOMAN WHO JUST BESTED THE MBTA-- OR AT LEAST EVERYONE ELSE WHO'S RIDDEN IT-- SMASHING THE WORLD RECORD FOR FASTEST T SUBWAY TRAVEL.

THEN, LATER, ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE TO EVER TRAVEL TO THE DEEPEST POINT OF THE OCEAN: WAYLAND RESIDENT ROB McCALLUM, ON HIS TRIP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MARIANA TRENCH, SEVEN MILES DOWN.

♪ >> Reilly: TODAY'S THE DAY MANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE SAID, FOR MONTHS, THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

PFIZER'S COVID VACCINE IS NOW OFFICIALLY APPROVED FOR USE.

UP UNTIL NOW, IT HAD EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION ONLY.

THE F.D.A.

'S DECISION TO FULLY SIGN OFF CAME THIS MORNING AFTER REVIEWING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TRIAL PARTICIPANTS AROUND THE WORLD.

BUT BEFORE TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT THE AGENCY, UNFORTUNATELY, HAD TO MAKE THIS ONE AS WELL: "YOU ARE NOT A HORSE.

YOU ARE NOT A COW.

SERIOUSLY, Y'ALL.

STOP IT."

THAT TWEET COMES IN REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIALLY DEADLY NEW PUSH BY SOME ANTI-VAXXERS TO USE A LIVESTOCK DEWORMING DRUG CALLED IVERMECTIN TO BOTH PREVENT AND TREAT COVID.

IF ONLY THERE WERE SOME ALTERNATIVE SUITABLE FOR HUMANS TO HELP THE MULTIPLE STATES RUNNING OUT OF I.C.U.

BEDS, OR TO STOP ANOTHER AMERICAN DYING FROM CORONAVIRUS EVERY 85 SECONDS-- WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING OVER THE PAST WEEK-- AS THE PRESIDENT URGED COMPANIES TO TAKE ACTION TODAY.

>> STEP UP WITH VACCINE REQUIREMENTS.

I CALL ON YOU NOW TO DO THAT, REQUIRE IT.

>> Reilly: HOURS BEFORE THAT, NEW YORK MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO DECLARED HIS CITY WILL REQUIRE EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BE VACCINATED, FROM TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS TO CUSTODIANS AND OFFICE STAFF.

AND UNLIKE ALMOST EVERY OTHER MANDATE WE'VE HEARD SO FAR THAT LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN FOR TESTING IF SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT TO GET THE SHOT-- IN THIS ONE, THERE WILL BE NO OPTION TO OPT OUT.

OF COURSE, PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CERTAINLY AN AREA OF CONCERN AS CLASSES RESUME, BUT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE ALSO NAVIGATING TOUGH DECISIONS AS STUDENTS RETURN FOR THE FALL-- AFTER A YEAR OF NEAR-LOCKDOWNS ON MANY CAMPUSES.

I'M JOINED BY A MAN WHO'S BEEN STUDYING THIS ISSUE FOR MONTHS.

DR. SANDRO GALEA IS DEAN OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AND THE AUTHOR OF YOU "THE CONTAGION NEXT TIME," AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW.

DR. GALEA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Reilly: HOW BIG A DEAL FROM YOUR VANTAGE POINT IS THE FULL FDA APPROVE OF THE PFIZER VACCINE?

>> I THINK IT'S A BIG DEAL INSOFAR AS IT MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THIS HAS GONE THROUGH THE STRICTEST LEVELS OF SCRUTINY.

IT IS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINE AND EVERYBODY SHOULD GET VACCINATED.

THE REALITY IS, NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM WHAT WE'VE KNOWN.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM WHEN IT WAS APPROVED UNDER EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION.

BUT GIVEN IN A SITUATION THAT WE HAVE 20 TO 30% OF THE COUNTRY CONTINUING TO RESIST VACCINATION, IT FEELS TO ME THE MORE OFFICIAL WE CAN BE ABOUT IT THE MORE FORL WE CAN BE ABOUT IT IT REALLY HAS THE BEST POSSIBLE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING SEAL OF APPROVAL.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

>> Reilly: WHEN I HEARD THIS I FOUND MYSELF WORRYING, HOW MANY PEOPLE VACCINE HESITANT ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE OF THIS?

WILL THEY FIND SOME MORE REASON NOT TO TAKE IT?

I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A KAISER FOUNDATION POLL, THAT FOUND THREE IN TEN UNVACCED PEOPLE ARE UNLIKELY TO GET THE VACCINE AFTER APPROVAL.

IF THREE IN TEN ARE GOING TO SAY, UNVACCINATED PEOPLE EP DEEP LOGICALLY IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT?

>> WE DON'T KNOW.

WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW IS A NUMBER MUCH PEOPLE INFECTED AND HAVING ENOUGH TOGETHER, TO BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

THE QUESTION IS HOW BIG IS THAT POOL AND HOW BIG DO WE NEED THAT TO BE?

THE ANSWER IS, WE DON'T KNOW.

THE DELTA VIRUS IS THE SAME VIRUS AND INFECTIOUS AND PATHOGENIC WHEN IT AFFECTS PEOPLE, WE ARE IN THE THIS CONSTANT BATTLE TO HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE VACCINATED ADDED THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEN, MEANS FEWER THAN US CAN GET THE COVID-19 PANDEMICS AND IT SLOWS DOWN.

THE SOONER IT IS THE BETTER WE CAN MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES.

>> Reilly: I MENTIONED BILL DeBLASIO AND NEW YORK CITY.

NOW THAT THE FIRE DER VACCINE HAS FULL FDA APPROVAL, IS THERE REASON NOT TO SAY TO ALL STUDENTS AND FACULTIES AND STAFF YOU NEED TO BE VAXXED BEFORE YOU COME BACK THIS FALL?

>> THE QUESTION IS A MANDATE.

AT SOME LEVEL THERE IS AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE WHY SHOULD WE COLLECTIVELY TELL EACH OTHER WHAT TO DO AS ADULTS.

WE HAVE NO PRECEDENT FOR THIS.

WE DO OIN THE REQUIRE VACCINATION FOR ANYTHING ELSE, WE DO IT FOR CHILDREN, A LOT OF THINGS FOR CHILDREN.

I ACTUALLY DO APPRECIATE THE RESISTANCE AT THIS LEVEL.

THAT THERE IS A NOTION YOU ARE TELLING ME TO DID SOMETHING TO MY BODY.

AND IF IT WERE JUST ABOUT MY BODY I THINK IT WOULD BE A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED QUESTION.

THEN IT WOULD BE COULD I CHOOSE TO GET COVID AND IT'S MY PROBLEM.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST MY PROBLEM, RIGHT?

IF I HAVE COVID IT MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT I'M GOING TO INFECT YOU.

THIS IS THE SITUATION GETTING MORE COMPLICATED.

THE VACCINES THE MY MIND AND EXPERTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.

WE'RE NOT SIMPLY SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO PROTECT YOURSELF, YOU'RE GOING TO PROTECT OTHERS AND WE'RE GOING TO PROTECT EACH OTHER.

THAT'S WHY MANY OTHERS, WE ARE IN FACULTY FOR POVERTY UNIVERSITY, WE ARE REQUIRING IT.

THAT'S WHY YOU SEE MAYOR DeBLASIO REQUIRING IT FOR EMPLOYEES OF NEW YORK CITY.

IT'S TO MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT EVERYBODY ELSE.

THE MORE OF US WHO ARE VACCINATED THE MORE OF US WHO WILL BE SAFE.

WHICH IS WHY GETTING VACCINATION UP IS SO IMPORTANTLY AT THIS POINT.

>> Reilly: I KNOW B.U.

AND OTHER SCHOOLS ARE ALSO REQUIRING MASKING INDOORS IN COMMON SPACES EVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

IN YOUR MIND LEAVING POLITICS ASIDE, BECAUSE THERE ARE VAST SWATHS OF THE CURRENT THAT WON'T AHAPPEN BECAUSE OF POLITICAL REASONS, WILL MANDATORY VACCINATION BE APPROPRIATE TO TAKE HEADING INTO THE FALL?

>> TO MY MIND IT IS PRUDENT.

I USE THE WORD PRUDENT BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT WORD.

WHAT WE KNOW IS WE ARE IMPLEMENTING LAYERING OF FOR EXAMPLES, YOU HAVE VACCINATION, YOU HAVE HVAC FILTERS, DO YOU AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OUTSIDE AND YOU DO MASKING INDOORS.

THESE ARE LAYERS.

NONE OF THEM ARE 100% PROVED AND THE VACCINE ARGUMENT HAS BEEN SAYING IF YOU ARE VACCINATED YOU CAN STILL GET THE VIRUS, THAT'S TRUE OF ANY VACCINE.

BUT YOU ARE LAYERING.

I THINK GIVEN THE DELTA VARIANT, BEING MASKED INDOORS FOR INDOOR CONGREGATION MAKES SENSE.

REALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE BALANCING THE RISKS AND WHAT WE'RE GIVING UP TO MITIGATE THOSE RISKS.

>> Reilly: WHEN IT COMES TO RISK MANAGEMENT I WANT TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE REALITY OF LIFE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EVEN IF PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED, EVEN IF PEOPLE ARE MASKING IN INDOOR SPACES COLLEGE IF I RECALL ARE CORRECTLY IS A TIME WHEN YOU KNOW PEOPLE DOESN'T CONGREGATE IN LARGE NUMBERS.

THE STUDENTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY AS RISK-CONSCIOUS AS THEY MIGHT BE FIVE OR TEN YEARS LATER.

AND THERE IS A MINIMUM OF ADULT SUPERVISION.

IT'S THE STAGE THAT WE SEND YOUNG PEOPLE TO AS THEY LEAVE CHILDHOOD AND HEAD TOWARDS ADULTHOOD TRADITIONALLY.

GIVEN ALL THAT, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, I ASSUME THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE.

WHAT ELSE CAN SCHOOLS BE DOING TO TRY TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE AS THEY GO BACK?

>> WELL, LET'S START WITH THE COLLEGE KIDS THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE.

>> Reilly: OKAY.

>> I ACTUALLY WANT TO GIVE THE COLLEGE KIDS MORE CREDIT.

I'M E-I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY HOW RESPONSIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN.

STUDENTS REALIZE THIS IS A COLLECTIVE PROBLEM.

I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED BY THEM USING MASKS.

I ACTUALLY THINK THAT BY AND LARGE STUDENTS MAYBE IT HAS CHANGED, MAYBE IT HAS ALSO CHANGED IN THE PAST 20 YEARS THAT STUDENTS ARE BEING REALLY RESPONSIBLE AND I REALLY HAVE TO TIP MY HAT TO THEM.

I THINK THEY'RE REALLY DOING THEIR PART TO ACTUALLY BE SAFE IN THIS MOMENT.

NOW WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING?

THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT ACTUALLY WE ARE DOING SPECIFICALLY, I'LL TALK ABOUT BOSTON UNIVERSITY AND WE CAN TALK GENERALLY.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF ROUTINE TESTING, WE HAVE TESTED ABOUT 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE AT THIS POINT, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE TESTED POSITIVE ARE IMMEDIATELY ISOLATED, WE DO CONTACT TRACING, MAKE SURE A CASE DOESN'T BECOME A CLUSTER WHICH NEEDS THE EPIDEMIC ITSELF.

WE HAVE VENTs LAITION SYSTEMS IN ALL -- VENTILATION SYSTEMS IN ALL CLASSROOMS.

WE HAVE AN 18 MONTH EXPERIENCE WITH THAT AND MANY OTHER LARGE UNIVERSITIES HAVE SIMILAR DEGREES OF EXPERIENCE.

SO ONE HOPES THAT IT IS ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THAT GIVE YOU SUCH A CONFIDENCE IN LOW RISK OF TRANSMISSION.

WE KNOW FOR EXAMPLE THAT OUR UNIVERSITY TRANSMISSION THROUGHOUT 2020, 2021, WAS 110th OF WHAT IT WAS IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> Reilly: THAT IS A REMARKABLE STATISTIC.

>> IN A UNIVERSITY YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER A LOT OF THESE THINGS SO IF YOU DO IT RIGHT YOU CAN ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT CONTROLS THAT REDUCE TRANSMISSION QUITE A BIT.

>> Reilly: I HAVE TO SAY I'M GLAD YOU SET ME STRAIGHT ABOUT COLLEGE STUDENTS AND HOW THEY BEHAVE A BECAUSE IT MIGHT MEAN LESS ANGRY E-MAILS, AND INDEED IT IS GOOD TO KNOW IT IS A HEARTENING THING TO HEAR.

RICE UNIVERSITY AS YOU KNOW SHIFTED TEMPORARILY AS THEY BEGIN THE SCHOOL YEAR TO ONLINE ONLY EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY WERE SEEING A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF BREAK-THROUGH CASES.

IT TURNS OUT THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS WITH I THINK AT LEAST ONE FIRM THAT THEY WERE USING TO DO THE TESTING.

THE BREAK THROUGH PROBLEM WASN'T AS BAD AS THEY ORIGINALLY THOUGHT BUT THEY'RE STICKING WITH THEIR PLAN TO EASE IN TO THE YEAR.

ONLINE AT PATIENT.

HOW LIKELY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT AS WE GO DEEPER INTO THE FALL, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO AVOID HAVING TO GO BACK TO ONLINE AT LEAST TEMPORARILY, HERE IN THE BOSTON AREA BUT ALSO AROUND THE COUNTRY?

>> WELL I THINK IF THERE'S ONE THING WE'VE LEARNED DURING COVID IT'S NEVER TO SAY NEVER NEVER TO SAY NO NEVER TO SAY YES AND TO REALITY BE AWARE THAT DATA CHANGE ALL THE TIME.

SO WITH THAT CAVEAT I HOPE THAT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE IS A CRESTING OF THIS WAVE OF THE DELTA VARIANT AND WHERE WE START SEEING CASES GOING DOWN.

BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED, MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE COLLEGE EDUCATION, HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, PRIMARY EDUCATION.

THE REASON I SAY THAT IS THE DATA ARE PRETTY CLEAR TO MY MIND ABOUT HOW MUCH LOSS THERE IS TO EDUCATIONAL VALUE WHEN WE ARE DOING THINGS ONLY ONLINE.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE IS NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR ONLINE, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR HYBRID EDUCATION.

BUT IT SAYS THAT KIDS, YOUNG PEOPLE CERTAINLY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS ARE LOSING A LOT BY NOT HAVING IN-PERSON EXPERIENCE AND SIMILARLY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE IS SO MUCH OF IT IS PREDICATED ON THE NETWORKS THAT THE UNDERGRADUATES AND GRADUATES ARE FORMING, INTERACTIONS AND ON TO LEARNING THAT COMES AROUND WITH BEING IN THE COMMUNITY OF OTHER STUDENTS LIKE THEM.

SO I REALLY HOPE THAT WE ARE COLLECTIVELY ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING TO MOVE TOWARDS IN PERSON LEARNING WITH HYBRID FACILITATION, LEARNING WHAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT DIGITAL LEARNING, BUT FUNDAMENTALLY MAKE OUR LEARNING AN IN-FERN COMMUNITY OF LEARNING.

>> Reilly: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

I TEND TO BE VERY PESSIMISTIC AND I FEEL VERY MUCH HOPEFUL.

DR. SANDRO GALEA.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

AGAIN, HIS FORTHCOMING BOOK IS CALLED "THE CONTAGION NEXT TIME."

IT'S AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW AT www.sandrogalea.org.

NEXT UP, IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU HAD NO IDEA THERE'S AN OFFICIAL GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE FASTEST TIME SPENT TRAVELING TO EVERY SUBWAY STOP ON THE T. BUT AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE IS!

AND ONCE THE GOOD PEOPLE AT GUINNESS GO THROUGH ALL THE DOCUMENTATION, THERE WILL BE A NEW RECORD HOLDER AS WELL.

THIS PAST FRIDAY, MAYA JONAS-SILVER MADE IT TO EVERY SINGLE STATION ON THE GREEN, BLUE, ORANGE AND RED LINES IN SEVEN HOURS, FOUR MINUTES, AND 29 SECONDS-- SHATTERING THE OLD RECORD BY 25 MINUTES.

THE JOURNEY DOUBLED AS A BOSTON SWAN SONG FOR JONAS-SILVER, WHO GREW UP IN DORCHESTER AND IS ABOUT TO MOVE TO NEW YORK CITY WITH HER FIANCEÉ.

SHE JOINS ME NOW.

TO TELL ME HUE SHE DID IT.

MAYA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

SO I GET THE URGE TO DO SOMETHING BIG, BEFORE YOU LEAVE A PLACE.

WHY IS THIS THE BIG THING THAT YOU SETTLED ON?

>> SO, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEARS AGO AS YOU MENTIONED THOSE GUYS BROKE THE RECORD AND IT WAS BIG NEWS AT THE TIME AND I KIND OF STUMBLED ACROSS IT AGAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN RIDING THE T FOR MY WHOLE LIFE.

I THINK I KNOW IT KIND OF INSIDE AND AUTO.

I'VE SPENT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS TRYING TO GET QUICKLY FROM POINT A TO POINT B.

MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN DO.

AND SO I KIND OF MAPPED OUT WHAT I THOUGHT A GOOD ROUTE MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND, YOU KNOW, UNDER OPTIMAL CONDITIONS IT ACTUALLY WAS A DECENT AMOUNT FASTER THAN THE RECORD.

SO I WAS KIND OF TOYING WITH THAT IDEA.

I SUBMITTED TO GIVEN NEST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD KIND OF ALL THE RULES AND GOT THE FULL RULE BOOK IN AND THEN DECIDED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT MY FIANCEE AND I ARE MOVING TO NEW YORK IN A WEEK.

SO I WAS KIND OF NOW OR NEVER.

SO I KIND OF MADE THE BIG DECISION AND SET OFF FRIDAY MORNING AND THE REST WAS HISTORY.

>> Reilly: CAN YOU TALK ME AND VIEWERS THROUGH THE PERMUTATION THAT YOU SETTLED ON?

I KNOW YOU STARTED WITH THE GREEN LINE, RIGHT, ENDED WITH THE RED LINE.

CAN YOU JUST GIVE A BRIEF BROAD BRUSH ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOUR TRIP CONSISTED OF?

>> YES SO I STARTED UNRIVERSIDE OON THE D LINE, THE TRAIN WAS SUPPOSE STOWED LEAVE AT THE 5:18, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE AT 5:TBRUN IN THE MORNING.

THE B AND C LINES RUN ON THE STREET AND AS A RESULT, THEY CAN GET A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

AND I WAS TRYING NOT TO GET CAUGHT IN TRAFFIC.

SO LEAVING THAT EARLY ON A FRIDAY IN THE SUMMER, DURING COVID, I THOUGHT WAS PROBABLY A PRETTY EFFECTIVE WAY OF AVOIDING THAT TRAFFIC AND I WOO SAY THAT WORKED PRETTY WELL.

I GOT DONE WITH THE GREEN LINE GOOD AS FAST AS I WANTED TO -- WHERE AS FAST AS I WANTED TO WHICH IS SAYING SOMETHING.

>> Reilly: YES THE GREEN LINE I TEND TO THOI OF AS THE WORLD'S SLOWEST SUBWAY.

I HAVE NO DOCUMENTATION TO IMPACT IT UP BUT THAT'S HOW I FEEL.

TELL ME THE LINE SEQUENCE, GREEN, WAS IT ORANGE BLUE RED?

>> FROM THE GREEN LIVEN DID THE NORTH HALF OF THE ORANGE LINE THEN SWITCHED TO THE BLUE LINE ALL DID WAY OUT AND BACK, THE SOUTH HALF OF THE ORANGE LINE AND THEN I TOOK THE 31 BUS FROM FOREST HILLS TO MATTAPAN STATION AND THEN HOPPED ON THE TROLLEY TO THE RED LINE AND THEN FINISHED OUT FROM THERE.

>> Reilly: DID YOU RUN AT ALL BETWEEN STATIONS JUST TO PICK UP THE PACE?

>> YEAH.

SO THERE WERE A FEW DIFFERENT LEGS THAT I THOUGHT YOU COULD DO FASTER ON FOOT THAN ON TRANSIT.

THE VERY FIRST ONE WAS BETWEEN THE B AND THE C LINES, OUT IN BROOKE LIONEL -- BROOKLINK DX E, BRYANT, IT'S ABOUT A -- BRIGHTON.

I SAY THAT IS PROBABLY FASTER COMING BACK ON THE B LINE IF IT'S LEAVING RIGHT WOO BUT IN IT'S NOT WAITING FOR A TRAIN TAKES A LONG TIME.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE FIRST RUN OF THE DAY WHICH MY FRIENDS NICK AND PAUL VERY GENEROUSLY JOINED ME FOR, SO I HAD SOME CHEERLEADERS ALONG THE ROUTE.

AND THEN THE OTHER KIND OF LONGEST ONE WAS FROM ST. MARY'S STREET LINE ON THE C LINE TO THE HEAT STREET ON THE E LINE.

THAT IS ONE MY FRIEND CAROLINE SHEPHERDED ME THROUGH.

>> Reilly: I SAW ON TWITTER YOU HAD TRAINED FOR THIS.

IN ADDITION TO DESIGNING THE ROUTE YOU TAKE.

HOW DO YOU TRAIN FOR THIS?

>> I DID A TOTAL ALL IN ALL ABOUT THREE MILES OF RUNNING WHICH MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNERS WOULD SAY IS NOT THAT MUCH BUT FOR ME IT WAS GOING FROM VERY LOW CAPACITY TO RUN, TO BEING ABLE TO KINDS OF DO THAT ALL IN ONE DAY.

SO MY KIND OF GOAL WAS TO TRY TO RUN A TEN MINUTE MILE WHICH AGAIN IS NOT VERY FAST.

>> Reilly: THAT'S RESPECTABLE.

>> HA HA AND I GOT A LOT OF HELP FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE JUST ON TRAINING AND YEAH, THERE'S NICK AND PAUL AND JACK IS IN THE CORNER MY FIANCEE.

AND JACK'S SISTER ELLEN ACTUALLY LIKE TOOK ME ON A RUN.

SHE'S A VERY DRIVEN PERSON AND REALLY FELT WE COULD GET THE TIME DOWN.

SO MOSTLY JUST RUNNING.

THAT WAS THE BIG PHYSICAL TRAINING PIECE.

>> Reilly: WITH THE OBVIOUS CAVEAT THAT YOU WERE GOING FOR A WORLD RECORD AND YOUR ADRENALIN WAS PUMPING WHAT DOES IT FEEL TO SIT ON THE T FOR SEVEN HOURS STRAIGHT?

>> IT WAS NOT BORING.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY, THERE WAS A LOT OF RUNNING INVOLVED SO IT WAS DEFINITELY NICE TO HAVE THE TIMES ON THE T SO I COULD CATCH MY BREATH.

I HAD TO LOG MY STOP, I HAD TO TAKE A PICTURE AND WRITE DOWN THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIME.

THAT WAS KIND OF ACTIVITY.

ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TRANSFERS HAD TO BE COORDINATED SO I WAS CHECKING TRAIN SCHEDULES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CLOSE THE CONNECTION WAS GOING TO BE THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT'S PRETTY BUSY.

THE LAST WEEK PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME, ARE YOU LOADED UP ON POD CASTS?

I DON'T THINK I'M HAVING TIME FOR ANY POD CASTS.

>> Reilly: DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A PODCAST SITUATION.

SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO TALK OVER YOU.

>> THE LAST LEG I TOOK THE L LINE ALL THE WAY, NO TRANSFERS TO PLAN NOTHING TO DO BUT HOPE EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY AND TAKE PICTURES AND THAT WAS THE PART WHERE I STARTED TO FEEL STRESSED OUT BUT BEFORE THAT I WAS ALMOST TOO BUSY PLANNING TO BE STRESSED.

DMPLE I WANT TO CLOSE BY ASKING, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 45 SECONDS LEFT.

YOU DID IT IN JUST OVER SEVEN HOURS.

IS IT DOABLE IN UNDER SEVEN HOURS AND IF SO, COULD YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF TAKING ANOTHER CRACK AT IT?

>> SO I ACTUALLY, REPLY TRAIN FROM ASHMONT, MY TRAIN FROM ASHMONT PULLED INTO JFK AND I COULD SEE THE BRAINTREE TRAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I SPRINTED UP THE STAIRS AND DOWN AND ACROSS AND I HAD LIKE MY HAND ON THE BRAIN TREE TRAIN BUT THE DOORS WERE ALREADY CLOSED, IT WAS ALREADY HEADED OUT.

I THINK IF I COULD HAVE MADE THAT CONNECTION IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER SEVEN HOURS.

THAT ALL SAID I GOT PRETTY LUCKY, NOTHING WENT WRONG THROUGH THE RUN.

SO I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY POSSIBLE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD DO THE SAME ROUTE AND BE LIKELY TO GET UNDER SEVEN HOURS.

>> Reilly: OKAY IT DOESN'T SOUND TO ME LIKE YOU'RE PLANNING TO COME IMPACT NEXT YEAR IF YOU DO PLEASE LET US KNOW.

SO WE CAN CHECK IT OUT.

MAYA JONAS-SILVER, THANK YOU.

NEXT UP, SPACE IS KNOWN AS THE FINAL FRONTIER, BUT THERE ARE PARTS OF PLANET EARTH WE'RE STILL LEARNING ABOUT, TOO.

IN FACT, WHILE ONLY TWO DOZEN PEOPLE HAVE FLOWN TO THE MOON, EVEN FEWER HAVE EVER TRAVELED TO THE DEEPEST KNOWN POINT OF THE OCEAN.

CLOSE TO SEVEN MILES BELOW SEA LEVEL, IT'S KNOWN AS CHALLENGER DEEP, IN THE MARIANA TRENCH.

WAYLAND RESIDENT AND OCEAN EXPLORER ROB McCALLUM MADE THE JOURNEY EARLIER THIS YEAR AND JOINED JIM SHORTLY AFTER TO TALK ABOUT IT.

JKD>> Braude: ROB IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Braude: TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, YOU WENT TEMPERATURES INTO THE OCEAN, THAN FELLOW NEW ZEALANDER HAD TO GO, WITH TENSING NORDWAY.

HOW TENSE WAS YOURS?

>> IT'S ALL RELATIVE.

WE WERE CONTAINED WITHIN A TITANIUM SPHERE SIX ACROSS SO THE PRESSURE IS ALL ACROSS THE OUTSIDE OF THE SPHERE.

INSIDE THE HULL OF THE VEHICLE WE'RE NOT SUBJECTED TO ANY PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS THAT THE MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS WOULD HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO.

I HAD AN EASY ROUND COMPARED TO SIR EDMOND.

>> Braude: WHEN YOU SAY AN EASY RUN THERE IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL PART OF THIS.

TELL ME IF I GOT THIS RIGHT.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS.

TWE,000 POUNDS OF PRESSURE PER SQUARE INCH.

IS THAT -- 20,000 POUNDS OF PRESSURE PER SQUARE INCH.

IS THAT A CORRECT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESSURE YOU GO WHEN YOU GO DOWN?

>> ADDED TO 16 AND A HALF THOUSAND PSI, PER SQUARE INCH.

YOUR CAR TIRE HAS A PRESSURE OF THRIVE POUNDS.

THE PRESSURE IS IMMENSE.

TO PUT IT INTO LAY TERMS JUST ON THE HATCH THAT WE GET IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE FROM, THERE'S THE WEIGHT OF ABOUT 2200 TONS.

SO THAT'S AKIN TO FIVE FULLY LAIDEN BOEING 747s.

IT'S AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE.

>> Braude: I'D SAY SO.

WHY DID YOU DO THIS?

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE LAST FRONTIER OF EXPLORATION ON EARTH.

I MEAN FROM HERE WE GO TO MARS.

IN FACT WE ARE TAKING OUR FIRST BABY STEPS ON MARS AND YET WE HAVE THIS VAST PART OF OUR PLANET, THE HEIDEL ZONE, THE OCEAN BELOW 20,000 FEET THAT WE HAVE SCARCELY VISITED.

>> Braude: ARE YOU AS CALM WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW?

I'M SERIOUS BY THE WAY.

>> YES, I -- YES, IT'S A TRAIT.

I MEAN IT'S -- YOU KNOW, WE SAY, DON'T GET FRIGHTENED JUST THINK FASTER.

BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON.

AND YOU CAN ONLY MANAGE THEM IF YOU ARE THINKING CLEARLY.

SO IT'S -- THERE'S NO NEED TO PANIC.

WE TRUST IN THE ENGINEERING.

WE TRUST IN THE MATH AND WE TRUST IN THE SCIENCE.

>> Braude: SO I BELIEVE WHERE YOU WENT IS CALLED IN THE HUVMENTIDAL ZONE, I BELIEVE IT'S NAMED AFTER HADES APPROPRIATELY.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO US MERE MORALITIES WHO OGO KNEE DEEP ON AN ADVENTUROUS DAY, WHAT IS IT LIKE DOWN THERE?

>> FOR ME IT'S IMMENSELY CALMING.

YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE HULL IS SO THICK.

YOU CAN ONLY HEAR THE SOUND OF YOUR OWN BREATHING AND THE WHIR OF THE COMPUTER.

SO IT'S -- AND THERE'S NO SENSATION OF MOVEMENT.

SO IT'S A VERY RELAXING PLACE TO BE.

YET AT THE SAME TIME, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO COME INTO VIEW NEXT AS I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ON SCREEN THERE ARE THE SOFA MOUNDS WHICH UNTIL OUR DIVE NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA ACTUALLY OCCURRED AT THESE DEPTHS.

SO IT'S A VERY INTERESTING PLACE TO BE.

IT'S BOTH RELAMPING YET IMMENSELY EXCITING WHAT'S GOING TO COME INTO VIEW NEXT.

>> Braude: WHAT KIND OF LIFE EXISTS DOWN THERE?

>> THERE ARE NO FISH BELOW, AROUND 28,000 FEET.

>> Braude: BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE?

>> BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE.

IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR ANIMALS TO GROW STRUCTURE AS WE KNOW OIT.

BUT THERE IS LIFE -- KNOW IT.

BUT THERE IS LIFE ON THE BOTTOM AND THE STUFFER THAT WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN ASK THIS BACK TEAR YAM MATTINGS WHICH IS A VERY PRIMITIVE FORM OF LIFE.

SOME THOUGHT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY WHERE LIFE ITSELF BEGAN.

BUT THE REASON IT'S INTERESTING IS BECAUSE IT'S CALLED AN EXTREMEOPHYLE, ANG ORGANISM WHICH IS ABLE TO SURVIVE EXTREMELY HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.

AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF LIFE THAT PERCY UP ON MARS IS LOOKING FOR AND EVENTUALLY WILL LOOK FOR FURTHER OUT IN THE GALAXY.

>> Braude: SO WHAT VALUE MIGHT THERE BE TO ME AND THE REST OF THIS PLANET OF WHAT YOU AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU LEARN, AT SEVEN MILES DOWN IN THE MARIANA TRENCH?

>> I SAY TO PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW SO LITTLE ABOUT THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT WE BARELY UNDERSTAND WHAT QUESTIONS WE SHOULD BE ASKING, LET ALONE HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE ANSWERS.

I MEAN, WE WILL LEARN THE LAST LITTLE BIT OF THE KEY TO EVOLUTION BY UNDERSTANDING HOW THIS LIFE SURVIVES IN EXTREME CONDITIONS.

WE WILL LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW OUR PLANET WAS FORMED.

WE MAY FIND USEFUL COMPOUNDS, PARTICULARLY MEDICAL COMPOUNDS IN THE DEEP.

WE MAY START TO CRACK THE RIDDLE OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON IN THE ATMOSPHERE, WE MAY LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT THE DYNAMICS OF OUR OCEAN.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN.

AND YET WE'RE SORT OF IN THE -- WHERE I WENT, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 20 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN.

AND 24 PEOPLE HAVE ORBITED THE MOON SO WE ARE REALLY AT THE DAWN OF EXPLORATION.

>> Braude: YOU USED THE WORD CALM TWICE BUT CAN YOU DESCRIBE FURTHER, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GET THERE.

AND YOU KNOW AS YOU SAY YOU'RE A PLACE WHERE FEWER THAN TWO DOZEN HUMANS HAVE EVER GONE.

YOU'RE AT THE DEEPEST PART OF THE OCEAN.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE INSIDE WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT?

>> IT'S THREE PHASES TO THE JOURNEY.

THE LAUNCH AND THE VOYAGE DOWN TAKE AROUND FOUR, FOUR AND A HALF HOURS.

AND DURING THAT TIME WE ARE HE REHEARSING THE SORT OF FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL IF YOU LIKE OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ON THE BOTTOM.

AND WE'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT COSTS SUCH A LOT OF MONEY AND TAKES SUCH A HUGE INVESTMENT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE THERE, YOU DON'T WANT TO WASTE A SINGLE MINUTE OF THAT TIME ON THE BOTTOM.

ONCE WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM WE'RE VERY BUSY, WE'RE RUNNING THROUGH ALL THE MISSION OBJECTIVES, WE'RE CARRYING OUT ALL OUR TASKS AND ONCE WE LEAVE IT IS PURE EMOTION, IT IS TIME TO KICKBACK FLY THE FLAGS AND CHAT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GROG DO WITH ALL THE INFORMATION WE'VE PICKED UP.

>> Braude: AND I SAY YOU'RE SO THRILLED WITH YOUR TEAM MATE THERE THAT I'M TOLD IS AWRCHT, THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO EAT THE WORST FOOD IN THE WORLD, A VEGAMITE SANDWICH, THE WORSE.

>> IT'S SOMETHING AUSTRO ASIANS UNDERSTAND.

FOR BOTH OF US TO BE ON THE VOYAGE TOGETHER WAS A TRIP OF A LIFETIME LITERALLY.

>> Braude: ROB, CONGRATULATIONS, IT'S REALLY THRILLING AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT IT.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Reilly: THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT DO COME BACK TOMORROW.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR WATCHING.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org