Color

NARRATOR: OUR WORLD IS BEAUTIFUL TO BEHOLD.

IT'S EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL TO UNDERSTAND.

FORCES OF UNIMAGINABLE POWER HAVE FORGED OUR PRECIOUS PLANET.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THEY HAVE CREATED LANDSCAPES OF ENDLESS VARIETY AND WONDER.

EARTH IS PAINTED WITH STUNNING COLORS.

COLORS THAT REVEAL DEEP TRUTHS ABOUT WHAT EARTH IS MADE OF AND HOW IT WORKS.

CLUES THAT ALLOW US TO SEARCH FOR PLANETS LIKE OUR OWN.

NARRATOR: ON THE 31ST OF AUGUST, 2014, A VAST CHASM OPENED UP IN THE EARTH.

THE BARDARBUNGA VOLCANO IN CENTRAL ICELAND.

THOUSANDS OF TONS OF MOLTEN ROCK SPEWED OUT ONTO THE SURFACE, CREATING A LAVA FIELD COVERING OVER 30 SQUARE MILES... BLAZING AT NEARLY 2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND GLOWING ORANGE-RED.

THE LIGHT WAS SO BRIGHT, IT COULD BE SEEN FROM SPACE.

6 MONTHS AFTER THE ERUPTION HAS CEASED, PARTICLE PHYSICIST PROFESSOR BRIAN COX VISITS THE LAVA FIELD.

HE EXPLAINS THAT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS MAKE LIGHT INVOLVES LOOKING AT THE WORLD ON THE SUBATOMIC SCALE.

COX: LUMPS OF MATTER, LIKE, ER, LAVA OR ME AND YOU, ARE MADE OF ELECTRICALLY- CHARGED PARTICLES AND THERE'S A FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF NATURE WHICH SAYS THAT IF YOU TAKE AN ELECTRIC CHARGE AND YOU ACCELERATE IT, SO, YOU JIGGLE IT TO CHANGE ITS DIRECTION IN SOME WAY, IT WILL EMIT LIGHT.

NARRATOR: ALTHOUGH TODAY, THE LAVA HAS LONG SINCE COOLED, INTRIGUINGLY, IT IS STILL GIVING OFF LIGHT.

COX: THE THING IS, EVERYTHING'S HOT; EVERYTHING HAS A TEMPERATURE; BUT IF IT'S COLD, IT JUST EMITS LIGHT THAT WE CAN'T SEE.

THIS CAMERA CAN SEE IT, THOUGH.

IT'S CALLED INFRARED LIGHT.

YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT THIS LAVA IS GLOWING BRIGHTER THAN THE BACKGROUND, WHICH MEANS IT'S HOTTER.

SO, ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T SEE IT, EVERYTHING SHINES.

NARRATOR: IT'S A DEEP TRUTH OF THE UNIVERSE.

EVERYTHING EMITS LIGHT.

AND THE COLOR OF LIGHT AN OBJECT PRODUCES IS RELATED TO THAT OBJECT'S TEMPERATURE.

IN THE LAVA, ATOMS VIBRATE AND PARTICLES OF LIGHT ARE RELEASED.

THESE PARTICLES ARE CALLED PHOTONS, PARCELS OF ENERGY THAT WE PERCEIVE AS COLOR.

WHICH COLOR IS DETERMINED BY THE SPEED AT WHICH THOSE ATOMS VIBRATE.

NOW, TEMPERATURE IS A MEASURE OF HOW FAST THE CONSTITUENTS IN ATOMS AND MOLECULES INSIDE SOMETHING ARE MOVING AROUND, SO, THE HOTTER IT IS, THE FASTER THEY'RE MOVING AROUND AND THE MORE ENERGY THEY'VE GOT.

NARRATOR: COLOR IS A CODE.

THE COLOR OF SOMETHING HOT CAN TELL US HOW HOT IT IS.

AT AROUND 2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, THE LAVA'S MOLECULES EMIT REDDY-ORANGE PHOTONS.

LAVA IS ONE OF THE HOTTEST THINGS ON EARTH, BUT IN SPACE, STARS BURN EVEN HOTTER AND MORE BRIGHTLY.

AT 11,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, THE SUN IS SO HOT AND ITS ATOMS MOVE SO QUICKLY THAT THEY EMIT NOT JUST RED AND ORANGE PHOTONS, BUT MANY MORE HIGHER-ENERGY GREEN AND BLUE ONES, TOO.

ALL THESE DIFFERENT-COLORED PHOTONS POURING OUT OF THE SUN COMBINE.

TOGETHER THEY CREATE THE WHITE LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES THE EARTH.

A RAIN OF COLOR PHOTONS POURS DOWN ON OUR PLANET.

WHEREVER YOU CAN FIND SUNLIGHT YOU WILL FIND THE COLOR HIDDEN WITHIN.

EVEN AFTER DARK.

IN A FEW PLACES ON EARTH... ON JUST A HANDFUL OF NIGHTS OF THE YEAR...

THE LIGHT OF A FULL MOON CAN BE CRACKED OPEN...

REVEALING THE UNIQUE CODE ALL LIGHT CONTAINS.

STEFAN VETTER IS CONSUMED BY A PASSION FOR NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY.

HE'S COME TO THIS WATERFALL IN ICELAND... TO CAPTURE A RARE PHENOMENON OF COLOR THAT CAN ONLY BE SEEN AT NIGHT--A MOONBOW.

VETTER THROUGH TRANSLATOR: THE APPEARANCE OF COLOR IN THE NIGHT IS COMPLICATED.

WHEN THE MOON IS BRIGHT AND THE LIGHT IS INTENSE... YOU CAN JUST ABOUT DISTINGUISH THE COLORS.

NARRATOR: THE SUN'S PHOTONS MAKE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY TO REACH THIS WATERFALL, TRAVELING 93 MILLION MILES THROUGH SPACE.

THEY BOUNCE OFF THE SURFACE OF THE MOON AND FINALLY RAIN DOWN ON EARTH.

THEIR HIDDEN COLORS ARE REVEALED BY THE SPRAY OF THE WATERFALL, IF THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT.

VETTER THROUGH TRANSLATOR: THE CLOUDS ARE PLAYING WITH US.

WE ARE JUST AT THE LIMIT.

THE MOON IS JUST AT THE LIMIT OF THE CLOUDS AND THEY WON'T BUDGE.

NARRATOR: TONIGHT, STEFAN IS IN LUCK.

VETTER THROUGH TRANSLATOR: WOW, THESE COLORS ARE FABULOUS.

WHAT LIGHT.

WHAT A REWARD.

JUST A FEW SECONDS, BUT WHAT A REWARD.

MAGNIFICENT, MAGNIFICENT, MAGNIFICENT!

NARRATOR: A MOONBOW IS A BEAUTIFUL RIOT OF COLOR, PRODUCED BY DELICATE MOONBEAMS.

RARELY SEEN; A FAINT ECHO OF THE SUN'S LIGHT.

VETTER THROUGH TRANSLATOR: WHEN THE MOONBOW APPEARS, YOU FEEL REALLY PRIVILEGED.

I THINK IN NORDIC CIVILIZATION THEY CALL IT A BRIDGE, A BRIDGE THAT TAKES YOU FROM THE EARTH TO THE SKY.

NARRATOR: THE COLORS ARE CREATED AS LIGHT IS SCATTERED BY THE FINE WATER DROPLETS AT THE FOOT OF THE FALLS, WHICH SPLIT THE MOONBEAMS INTO ALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW, REVEALING THE SUN'S HIDDEN SPLENDOR.

THIS NIGHTTIME BRIDGE TO THE SKY SHOWS US THAT COLOR EXISTS, NO MATTER THE TIME OF DAY.

IT'S A FEATURE OF LIGHT ITSELF.

AFTER A 93-MILLION-MILE JOURNEY, THE SUN'S PHOTONS REACH OUR WORLD.

THE PHOTONS OF EVERY WAVELENGTH INTERACT WITH WHATEVER LIES IN THEIR PATH.

SOME WILL BE INVISIBLY ABSORBED WHEN THEY STRIKE THE STUFF OF THIS PLANET: THE LAND, THE SEA, AND THE AIR WE BREATHE.

OTHER PHOTONS WILL BE REFLECTED INTO OUR EYES... AND THEY ARE REVEALED TO US AS COLOR.

THE COLORS WE SEE HAVE MEANING.

THEY ARE A CODE THAT SPEAKS TO WHAT EARTH IS MADE OF.

OF ALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW, ONE IN PARTICULAR GLOWS BACK OUT INTO SPACE, THE ICONIC BLUE OF OUR PLANET'S OCEANS, A COLOR CAUSED BY THE UNIQUE WAY THAT LIGHT INTERACTS WITH WATER.

THERE ARE FEW BETTER PLACES TO SEE WHY WATER IS BLUE THAN THIS CREVASSE IN ICELAND.

THIS IS THINGVELLIR... A RENT IN THE EARTH CAUSED BY THE PLANET'S TECTONIC PLATES DRIFTING APART.

ON THE ONE SIDE IS THE AMERICAN CONTINENTAL PLATE AND THE OTHER, THE EURASIAN PLATE.

IN PLACES, THE RIFT THAT RUNS BETWEEN THE TWO HAS OVER TIME BECOME FLOODED.

THE NATURE OF THE WATER THAT FILLS IT HAS MADE THIS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST EXCITING DIVING DESTINATIONS.

I'VE DIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD AND BEFORE I MOVED HERE, A GOOD VISIBILITY TO ME WAS 20 METERS, HOW FAR YOU CAN SEE, AND HERE IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN 100; IT REALLY IS PHENOMENAL.

NARRATOR: PROFESSIONAL DIVER TED WIGNALL HAS BEEN EXPLORING THIS SITE FOR YEARS.

WIGNALL: THE WATER'S CLEAR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN FILTERING FOR A VERY LONG TIME THROUGH THE LAVA; THE ROCK THAT WE HAVE HERE IN ICELAND COMES FROM LANGJOKULL, ICELAND'S SECOND-LARGEST GLACIER.

IT MELTS DOWN FROM THE GLACIER AND IT REALLY HAS BEEN DRIFTING THROUGH THE ROCKS FOR, FOR DECADES TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.

NARRATOR: HE KEEPS COMING BACK FOR AN UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE.

WIGNALL: WHEN YOU FIRST DESCEND, YOU ALMOST LOSE YOUR SENSE OF DISTANCE.

YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE SHALLOW.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY VERY DEEP BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST SEE FOR SO FAR THROUGH THE WATER.

VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE TO ANY DIVING I'VE EVER DONE BEFORE.

NARRATOR: THE PURITY OF THE WATER NOT ONLY INCREASES VISIBILITY, IT ALSO PROVIDES THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT TO UNDERSTAND WHY WATER IS BLUE.

WHEN THE SUN'S LIGHT HITS THE WATER, PHOTONS GET ABSORBED, BUT NOT ALL AT THE SAME RATE.

RED PHOTONS GET ABSORBED BY THE WATER FIRST.

THE REASON IS DOWN TO THE STRUCTURE OF WATER MOLECULES THEMSELVES.

A WATER MOLECULE IS MADE OF ONE OXYGEN AND TWO HYDROGEN ATOMS.

WHEN THE LIGHT STREAMS INTO THE WATER, THE RED PHOTONS HAPPEN TO HAVE JUST THE RIGHT ENERGY TO MAKE THE BONDS BETWEEN THE ATOMS VIBRATE.

AND SO, THE LIGHT ENERGY OF THE RED PHOTONS IS ABSORBED.

AS TED DIVES DEEPER, THE ENERGY OF MORE RED PHOTONS IS SOAKED UP IN THE VIBRATION OF THE WATER MOLECULES.

WIGNALL: AS YOU DESCEND, YOU SEE THE FIRST COLOR TO DROP OFF IS RED, SO, MY BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT RED, ER, SUIT HERE, VERY QUICKLY AS WE DESCEND, ER, THE COLOR BEGINS TO FADE AWAY.

NARRATOR: ORANGE, YELLOW, AND GREEN PHOTONS DON'T HAVE THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO MAKE WATER BONDS VIBRATE.

BUT EVENTUALLY, EVEN THEY WILL BE ABSORBED.

WIGNALL: WHAT HAPPENS IS, ER, THE RED EBBS OUT AND WE'RE LEFT WITH THIS SORT OF RUSTY COLOR.

NARRATOR: WATER MOLECULES MOP UP THE LIGHT ENERGY WE SEE AS COLOR.

WIGNALL: ER, THE DEEPER WE GET, IT GOES INTO A BROWN AND REALLY ANY DEEPER THAN 50 METERS, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M WEARING A BLACK SUIT.

YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE AT ALL.

NARRATOR: AT THIS DEPTH, ONLY BLUE PHOTONS HAVE SURVIVED THEIR PASSAGE THROUGH THE WATER... AND THAT'S WHY WATER LOOKS BLUE.

FINALLY, EVEN THE BLUE PHOTONS WILL BE ABSORBED.

ALL VISIBLE LIGHT HAS BEEN TAKEN UP BY WATER MOLECULES AND ALL IS DARK.

THE UNIQUE WAY THE SUN'S PHOTONS INTERACT WITH WATER IS ALSO WHAT DRIVES ONE OF THE PLANET'S GREATEST MIGRATIONS.

BECAUSE WHEN WATER ABSORBS PHOTONS, THE ENERGY CONTAINED WITHIN THEM IS ALSO ABSORBED AND CONVERTED INTO HEAT.

EVERY SPRING, MARINE BIOLOGIST OSVALDO VASQUEZ'S RESEARCH TAKES HIM OUT ONTO THE HIGH SEAS.

MAN ON RADIO: ...PORT BOW, OVER.

NOW AT 11, 11:00.

I'M SORRY, ONE, ONE... NARRATOR: HE'S IN SEARCH OF THESE WATERS' LARGEST AND MORE ICONIC SEASONAL VISITORS.

RIGHT THERE... COMING UP.

OH, LOOK AT THIS.

AMAZING.

[CHUCKLES] NARRATOR: HUMPBACK WHALES.

EVERY YEAR, SOME 10,000 HUMPBACKS MAKE THE LONG JOURNEY FROM THEIR FEEDING GROUNDS IN THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC TO THE STRIKING BLUE WATERS OF THE SILVER BANK MARINE RESERVE.

OH.

VASQUEZ: THIS IS THE GREATEST NURSERY OF HUMPBACK WHALES IN THE WORLD.

85% OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC POPULATION COMES HERE FOR BREEDING, MATING, AND GIVING BIRTH.

SO, FROM THIS PLACE DEPENDS THE SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES.

NARRATOR: THE WARM BLUE WATERS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARE A HAVEN FOR THE MOTHERS AND THEIR YOUNG CALVES.

MAN: THERE YOU GO.

NARRATOR: OSVALDO SEIZES THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THE WATER AND STUDY THEIR BEHAVIOR UP CLOSE.

VASQUEZ: FOUND IT.

OH, THERE'S ONE.

THERE'S A CALF RIGHT THERE.

RIGHT THERE.

UP AGAIN.

YOU SAW IT?

YUP [INDISTINCT CHATTER] VASQUEZ: WE BECAME PART OF THIS GROUP NOW.

FROM THE BOTTOM, WE LOOK LIKE A WHALE.

SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN, OK. NARRATOR: THE REASON THE WHALES CHOOSE THIS ONE PLACE TO GIVE BIRTH IS INTIMATELY LINKED TO THE PROCESS THAT MAKES THE SEA BLUE.

WHEN WATER MOLECULES ABSORB ALL THE DIFFERENT-COLORED PHOTONS OF LIGHT, THEY ALSO ABSORB THEIR ENERGY.

WATER TURNS COLOR ENERGY BACK INTO HEAT, JUST WHAT THE WHALE CALVES NEED.

VASQUEZ: WHALES ARE WARM-BLOODED ANIMALS, AND WHEN THEY GIVE BIRTH, THEY HAVE A VERY SKINNY CALF WITH NO BLUBBER.

NARRATOR: SILVER BANK'S WATERS ARE EXPOSED TO THE FULL POWER OF THE TROPICAL SUN.

THE SUN'S PHOTONS HEAT THE WATER TO A BALMY 80 DEGREES.

VASQUEZ: THEY NEED A WARM ENVIRONMENT AS THEY HAD INSIDE THE MOTHER.

SO, HERE IN SILVER BANK, IT'S WARM AND IT'S PROTECTED, SO, IT'S SUITABLE FOR GIVING BIRTH.

NARRATOR: MOTHER AND CALF WILL ONLY STAY HERE IN THE TROPICAL BLUE WATERS FOR A FEW MONTHS.

THE WARMTH CREATED BY WATER'S INTERACTION WITH THE PHOTONS IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE YOUNG CALF BUT IT'S NOT SO GOOD FOR ITS MOTHER.

THE WARM SURFACE TEMPERATURES CREATE A THERMAL BLANKET THAT BLOCKS NUTRIENTS WELLING UP FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR, SO, WHILE THE TROPICAL WATERS ARE A PERFECT NURSERY FOR HER CALF, THEY ARE RELATIVELY EMPTY OF THE SEA LIFE SHE RELIES ON FOR FOOD.

ONCE THE CALVES HAVE STARTED TO DEVELOP A LAYER OF BLUBBER, IT WILL BE TIME TO LEAVE.

MOTHER AND CALF WILL START THE LONG JOURNEY BACK TO THEIR FEEDING GROUND, THOUSANDS OF MILES TO THE NORTH, WHERE THE LIGHT OF THE SUN IS FAR WEAKER AND THE WATERS REMAIN FORBIDDINGLY COLD.

THE BLUE OF THE OCEANS COVERS 71% OF THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH...

GIVING OUR PLANET ITS DISTINCTIVE COLOR FROM SPACE.

FLAGGING OUR WORLD'S ABUNDANCE OF LIFE-GIVING WATER.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER DISTINCTIVE COLOR ON EARTH'S SURFACE THAT SIGNALS LIFE ITSELF, ONE WHICH WE ALL DEPEND ON: THE GREEN OF PLANTS.

EARTH IS WRAPPED IN A BLANKET OF GREEN, PRODUCED BY THE PIGMENT CHLOROPHYLL.

LIKE ALL PIGMENTS, CHLOROPHYLL ABSORBS SOME OF THE SUNLIGHT'S HIDDEN COLORS AND REFLECTS OTHERS.

BUT CHLOROPHYLL IS EXTRAORDINARY.

IT HARVESTS THE ENERGY OF RED AND BLUE PHOTONS AND TURNS IT INTO SUGAR.

THE GREEN OF CHLOROPHYLL CREATES FOOD OUT OF COLOR.

BUT ON THE PLAINS OF THE SERENGETI IN AFRICA, IT IS THE DRY SEASON.

IT'S BEEN WEEKS SINCE THE LAST RAINS.

THE GRASS HAS BEEN SCORCHED BROWN BY THE GLARE OF THE INTENSE AFRICAN SUN.

CHLOROPHYLL PRODUCTION HAS COME TO A HALT.

THE GRASS HAS BEEN DRAINED OF ITS LIFE-SUSTAINING COLOR.

ALL THAT REMAINS ARE THE BROWN PIGMENTS OF DECAYING CELLS' ANTENNAS.

IN THE SEARING HEAT, THE GRASS HAS GONE INTO DORMANCY... STORING WHATEVER NUTRIENTS IT STILL HAS UNDERGROUND.

AND THAT IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THESE ARE THE HOMELANDS OF THE MAASAI, HERDERS WHO DEPEND ON THEIR CATTLE TO SURVIVE.

FOR THE MAASAI, THE DRY SEASON MEANS MONTHS OF HUNGER AND HARDSHIP.

PARA KAPOONI, HIS SON, AND BROTHER MUST SAY GOOD-BYE TO THEIR HOME VALLEY AND DRIVE THEIR CATTLE ACROSS THE DESICCATED, BROWN PLAINS IN SEARCH OF ENOUGH GRASS AND WATER TO KEEP THEM ALIVE.

PARA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: WHEN IT'S DRY, THERE'S NO FOOD FOR OUR CATTLE.

IT TAKES 3 DAYS' TRAVEL... TO FIND PASTURE AND WATER FOR THE LIVESTOCK.

NARRATOR: THE MAASAI ARE UTTERLY DEPENDENT ON THEIR CATTLE FOR FOOD.

ONLY THE CATTLE CAN USE THE SUGARS PRODUCED BY GREEN CHLOROPHYLL TO FUEL THE PRODUCTION OF MEAT AND MILK.

PARA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: THE CATTLE ARE OUR LIFE, OUR BANK...

THEY'RE EVERYTHING TO US.

NARRATOR: AT THE END OF THEIR LONG JOURNEY, MAASAI WARRIORS FROM ACROSS THE SERENGETI GATHER ON THE BANKS OF LAKE MASEK.

PARA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I WASN'T SURE THERE WOULD BE WATER HERE.

BUT WHEN WE FOUND IT...

I WAS VERY HAPPY... AND THANKED GOD.

NARRATOR: PARA KAPOONI'S FAMILY SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON THEM SPENDING THE DRY SEASON APART.

BECAUSE WHILE HE TENDS THE CATTLE, HIS WIFE NURA KAPOONI MUST STAY BEHIND TO LOOK AFTER THOSE TOO YOUNG OR TOO OLD TO MAKE THE TRIP.

WITHOUT THE GREEN GRASS TO FEED THE COWS, THEY MUST EKE OUT AN EXISTENCE ON THE LIFELESS PLAINS.

NURA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US.

THERE IS NO WATER NEAR HERE.

OUR HUSBANDS ARE GONE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

I FEED THE CHILDREN, BATHE AND CLOTHE THEM, TAKE CARE OF THE HOME, THEN SIT AND WAIT.

NARRATOR: WITH THE COWS AWAY, PARA KAPOONI'S FAMILY MUST SURVIVE ON A MEAGER DIET OF FLOUR AND WATER.

[CRYING] [BABY CRYING] [THUNDER] NARRATOR: AFTER 4 LONG MONTHS APART, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE.

NURA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I LOVE THE FIRST DROPS OF RAIN.

THEN I KNOW OUR HUSBANDS, OLDER CHILDREN, AND ALL THE CATTLE WILL BE BACK.

NARRATOR: THE COMING OF THE RAINS TRIGGERS A DRAMATIC TRANSFORMATION.

CHLOROPHYLL CAN START WORKING AGAIN... AND THE PLAINS ARE TRANSFORMED INTO A VIBRANT GREEN.

NOW INSTEAD OF THE SUN'S LIGHT DESTROYING THE PLANTS, CHLOROPHYLL MEANS GRASS CAN HARNESS ITS ENERGY ONCE MORE, IN THE PROCESS CALLED PHOTOSYNTHESIS.

EACH GREEN BLADE OF GRASS BECOMES A FACTORY, TAKING SOME OF THE SUN'S LIGHT AND USING IT TO TURN CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATER INTO SUGAR, SUGARS THAT CAN BE USED TO BUILD NEW SHOOTS; SUGARS THAT FEED THE COWS.

THE GREENING OF THE SERENGETI MEANS PARA KAPOONI CAN BEGIN THE LONG JOURNEY HOME.

NURA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I JUST GO AND SIT SOMEWHERE LOOKING, AND WAIT THERE UNTIL THEY COME BACK.

WHEN I SEE THEM IN THE DISTANCE, I WANT TO RUN AND MEET THEM.

PARA THROUGH TRANSLATOR: IT'S A REALLY EXCITING AND HAPPY MOMENT WHEN WE ARE REUNITED, AND WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD THAT EVERYONE IS FINE AND HEALTHY.

WE PRAY THAT GOD GIVES US RAIN... AND FOR OUR LAND TO REMAIN GREEN FOREVER.

NARRATOR: PARA KAPOONI ISN'T THE ONLY ONE RETURNING TO THE PLAINS.

THE GREENING OF THE SERENGETI BRINGS WITH IT IMMENSE HERDS OF WILDEBEEST.

THE MIGRATION OF OVER A MILLION OF THESE CREATURES IS ONE OF THE GREAT SPECTACLES OF NATURE; ALL THIS POWERED BY THE GREEN OF CHLOROPHYLL.

ALL LIFE DEPENDS ON THE BLANKET OF GREEN PLANTS THAT COVERS THE EARTH.

CHLOROPHYLL FUELS THE FOOD CYCLE OF OUR PLANET.

THANKS TO THE COLOR GREEN, WE ALL EAT SUNSHINE.

WHILE PLANTS USE SUNLIGHT TO GROW, WE'VE EVOLVED TO USE PHOTONS IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAY.

TO SENSE THE WORLD, BECAUSE VISION IS OUR PRIMARY SENSE.

IN FACT, MOST CREATURES USE LIGHT TO PERCEIVE THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

MANY EVOLVE THE ABILITY TO DETECT THE COLORS HIDDEN IN LIGHT.

BEING ABLE TO SEE COLOR MADE LIFE ABLE TO USE COLOR.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS USE COLORS AS SIGNALS.

BRIGHT COLORS CAN BE WARNINGS OR INVITATIONS TO COME AND DINE.

COLORS ARE USED TO HIDE FROM PREDATORS OR PREY BY BLENDING INTO THE ENVIRONMENT, OR TO STAND OUT AND ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF A MATE.

IT IS A TIMELESS METHOD OF COMMUNICATION TO ENSURE BOTH THEIR SURVIVAL AND SUCCESS AS A SPECIES.

BENEATH THE DENSE, GREEN CANOPY OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA LIVE SOME OF THE MOST COLORFUL CREATURES ON THE PLANET.

THEIR COLORS CARRY IMPORTANT MESSAGES...

MESSAGES UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH MAN AND BEAST.

PETER KEAB OF THE YANG PANG TRIBE DREAMS OF KNOWING ALL THE SECRETS OF THE FOREST.

KEAB THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I WANT TO BECOME A GREAT HUNTER.

I WILL RECEIVE RECOGNITION AND STATUS AND RESPECT.

NARRATOR: TO BECOME A HUNTER, PETER HAS A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT LIFE'S LANGUAGE OF COLOR.

PRECIOUS KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN ONLY BE PASSED ON BY THE VILLAGE ELDERS... AND PAULUS MOULIYE, PETER'S ADOPTED GRANDFATHER, IS THE GREATEST HUNTER OF THEM ALL.

MOULIYE THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I HUNT TO PROVIDE FOR MY MOTHER, FATHER, AND MY CHILDREN...

SO WE CAN ALL SHARE IN A MEAL.

NARRATOR: NO ONE KNOWS HOW OLD HE IS, BUT HIS SKILLS HAVE MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND RESPECTED MEN IN THE VILLAGE... EVERYTHING PETER WANTS FOR HIMSELF.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: MOULIYE IS A WISE MAN... A HUNTER AND A WARRIOR AS WELL.

NARRATOR: BEYOND THE RICH GREEN OF THIS FOREST, THERE ARE OTHER COLORS TO BE FOUND THAT CONVEY MEANING.

[SQUAWKING] THE SECRET TO PETER'S SUCCESS WILL BE TO KNOW HOW TO READ THE COLORS... AND ULTIMATELY EXPLOIT THEM.

MOULIYE THROUGH TRANSLATOR: PETER, SEE THE FRUIT?

THE BIRDS ARE ATTRACTED BY THE COLORFUL FRUIT.

THEY EAT THEM ONE BY ONE UNTIL ALL IS GONE.

NARRATOR: PLANTS LURE IN BIRDS BY MAKING COLORFUL FRUITS.

RED IS PARTICULARLY EASY TO SPOT AGAINST THE ABUNDANT GREENERY.

IT'S IN PLANTS' INTEREST FOR THEIR FRUIT TO BE SEEN.

IF THE FRUIT GETS EATEN, ITS SEEDS GET DISPERSED FAR AND WIDE.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: THESE BIRDS WILL SIT ON THE BRANCH.

WHILE IT'S SITTING EATING THE FRUIT... YOU CAN TAKE AIM... AND FIRE.

NARRATOR: ORANGE ALSO STANDS OUT AGAINST GREEN AND IN THIS JUNGLE, THERE IS A RARE ORANGE ANIMAL THAT USES ITS COLOR TO SIGNAL DANGER.

LOOK OUT THERE.

CAN I SHOOT THAT BIRD?

MOULIYE: NO!

DO NOT SHOOT THAT BIRD.

DO NOT KILL IT.

IF YOU COOK THIS BIRD AND EAT IT, YOUR MOUTH WILL BE SWOLLEN AND BITTER.

I HAD ONE YEARS BACK AND REGRET EATING IT.

IT'S A DANGEROUS BIRD.

NARRATOR: THE HOODED PITOHUI IS ONE OF THE FEW POISONOUS BIRDS IN THE WORLD.

ITS BRIGHT ORANGE FEATHERS ARE AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TOXIN THEY CONTAIN.

WOULD-BE PREDATORS QUICKLY LEARN TO ASSOCIATE THE HOODED PITOHUI'S MEMORABLE COLOR WITH SOMETHING TO AVOID.

SO, THIS UNUSUAL BIRD AVERTS BECOMING PREY.

PETER AND MOULIYE ARE AFTER AN EVEN MORE COLORFUL PRIZE.

BIRDS OF PARADISE.

KEAB THROUGH TRANSLATOR: WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MOULIYE USED TO TELL ME STORIES... ABOUT HOW THE BIRDS PLAY AND SING AND DANCE IN THE TREES.

NARRATOR: MALE BIRDS OF PARADISE HAVE EVOLVED BRIGHT, COLORFUL FEATHERS TO ATTRACT A FEMALE.

THE COLORS SIGNAL THAT HE IS STRONG AND HEALTHY, THAT HE HAS AMPLE ENERGY GOING SPARE AND WILL MAKE A GOOD MATE.

AND IT'S THE COLORFUL FEATHERS THAT MAKE THE BIRDS OF PARADISE SO PRIZED BY PETER AND HIS TRIBE.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: WE NEED THE FEATHERS TO DECORATE OURSELVES FOR OUR TRADITIONAL CEREMONIES.

WE DON'T HUNT UNNECESSARILY BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIAL BIRD.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: YOU MUST BUILD A WATERING HOLE FOR THE BIRDS OF PARADISE.

THEN YOU WAIT FOR THE BIRDS OF PARADISE TO COME.

WHEN YOU SEE THE BIRD COME AND FEED, YOU CAN SHOOT IT.

I USED TO HUNT ON THIS LAND WITH THIS BOW AND ARROW.

NOW I AM GIVING IT TO YOU AS I AM GETTING OLD AND CAN'T HUNT ANYMORE.

NARRATOR: LIKE THE WILDLIFE HERE, THE LOCAL TRIBESPEOPLE USE COLOR TO COMMUNICATE.

THE VILLAGE IS ABOUT TO HOST A CEREMONY.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PETER COMMUNICATES THE RIGHT MESSAGE WITH HIS COSTUME...

PARTICULARLY TO THE OPPOSITE SEX.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE LADIES TO SEE ME WEARING THE BIRD OF PARADISE FEATHERS... BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS FAME AND WEALTH.

NARRATOR: TIME, HOWEVER, IS NOT ON PETER'S SIDE.

BIRDS OF PARADISE ARE ONLY ACTIVE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS EACH DAY.

IF ONE DOES APPEAR, HE MUST TRY TO REMAIN ABSOLUTELY SILENT.

[SHOT] PETER COMES BACK EMPTY-HANDED AND MUST TURN TO MOULIYE FOR HELP.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I FEEL EMBARRASSED TO GO TO THE CEREMONY WITHOUT THE FEATHERS.

THROUGH TRANSLATOR: BEFORE, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I USED TO DRESS UP.

BUT NOW I'M GIVING THESE TO YOU.

GO CELEBRATE!

ENJOY YOURSELF AND FIND A WOMAN.

[PEOPLE SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: AS THE VILLAGE GATHERS FOR TODAY'S CEREMONY, PLENTY OF TIME IS DEVOTED TO DRESSING UP AND LOOKING GOOD.

SPORTING MOULIYE'S GIFT IN HIS HEADDRESS, PETER HOPES IT WILL ATTRACT HIM SOME WELCOME ATTENTION.

KEAB THROUGH TRANSLATOR: I WANT 10 WIVES TO COME AND MEET ME AT THE CEREMONY.

TOGETHER WE WILL SING, THEN I WILL GET MARRIED TO ALL OF THEM.

THEN THEY WILL BEAR LOTS OF KIDS FOR ME.

NARRATOR: THANKS TO EVOLUTION, THE NATURAL WORLD HAS DRESSED ITSELF IN MYRIAD COLORS...AND SO HAVE WE.

COLOR HAS PROVIDED US WITH A PRECIOUS GIFT: A WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AND SUCCEED WITHIN IT.

HOWEVER, WE HUMANS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED A CAPACITY TO SENSE SOMETHING DEEPER IN COLOR.

AS WE LOOK AROUND US, WE SEE NOT JUST COLOR, BUT BEAUTY.

WE NEED TO GET READY TO GO, DON'T WE?

PUSH.

NARRATOR: FOR 8 YEARS, THE NATION FAMILY HAVE BEEN CONSUMED BY AN OBSESSION.

73, 98, 97, 69, 98, 100.

NARRATOR: THEY'VE LEFT THEIR HOME ON THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF ENGLAND TO LIVE IN THE COLD CLIMES OF NORTHERN NORWAY...

SPENDING THEIR WEEKENDS CHASING THE PLANET'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY AND COLORFUL PHENOMENON: THE AURORA BOREALIS, OR NORTHERN LIGHTS.

IT'S AN ADDICTION; IT'S AN ABSOLUTE FULL-BLOWN ADDICTION.

IT'S A BUZZ AND IT'S A RUSH OF ADRENALINE AND IT'S A HOLDING OF YOUR BREATH, WOW.

NARRATOR: THE AURORA BOREALIS IS A LIGHT SHOW LIKE NO OTHER.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND A CORONA, OK, THIS IS LIKE, THIS IS A CORONA.

YOU GET THIS, YOU GET THIS PURPLE OR PINK IN THE CENTER, THEN THE GREEN COMES OUT OF THE PURPLE AND THEN THE, THE WHITE PART THAT YOU CAN SEE IS WHERE IT ALMOST OVER-EXPOSES, AND THAT'S THE PART THAT TENDS TO MOVE VERY QUICK.

OUR ELDEST, AURORA, SHE'S 11.

SHE'S FASCINATED BY WHY DO THOSE DIFFERENT GASES MAKE THOSE DIFFERENT COLORS.

OSHEY, SHE LIKES THE PINK BECAUSE SHE LIKES PINK, IT'S HER FAVORITE COLOR.

AND LYRICA IS QUITE A FACT-BOX ON EVERYTHING.

SHE CAN EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT CAUSES AN AURORA, WHERE IT COMES FROM, THE TECHNICAL NAMES AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE MAGNETIC FIELD DOES AND HOW IT STOPS THE SOLAR WIND FROM HARMING US.

NARRATOR: THE AURORA'S ETHEREAL COLORS ARE CREATED WHEN ENERGETIC PARTICLES FROM THE SUN INTERACT WITH EARTH'S UPPER ATMOSPHERE.

WHEN THEY STRIKE GAS ATOMS, THE ENERGY MAKES THOSE ATOMS VIBRATE AND PHOTONS OF LIGHT ARE RELEASED TO DANCE ACROSS THE DARK NIGHT SKY.

HOWEVER, THE AURORA CAN BE ELUSIVE.

TO SEE IT FROM EARTH, CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE JUST RIGHT.

BECKI: PART OF THE FUN IS SUCCEEDING AGAINST THE ODDS AND WE'VE GONE OUT IN, IN WEATHER LIKE THIS AND, AND THEN IT'S SUDDENLY CLEARED AND THEN THE SKIES HAVE SUDDENLY OPENED UP.

[GIRLS LAUGH] BECKI: SHALL WE GO AND BUILD A SNOWMAN?

GIRL: AAH!

NARRATOR: TO GIVE THEMSELVES THE BEST CHANCE, THE FAMILY PICK A SPOT AND SET UP CAMP UNDER THE STARS.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] GIRL: ARE YOU GOING TO BURN IT?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] NARRATOR: THEY WAIT, SOMETIMES FOR HOURS.

BECKY: THAT'S THE HOTTEST PART.

GIRL: IS IT?

NARRATOR: THE CHANCES OF SEEING THE AURORA BOREALIS ARE GREATER UP HERE WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE BECAUSE THE CHARGED PARTICLES STREAMING OUT FROM THE SUN ARE DRAWN TOWARDS THE MAGNETIC NORTH POLE.

OH, OH, OH, OH, I CAN SEE SOME LIGHTS THERE.

BECKI: OH, WOW.

MAN: THERE WE GO.

LOOK AT IT.

BECKI: BEAUTIFUL.

LOOK AT IT.

BECKI: LOOK HOW BRIGHT THAT IS UP THERE, LOOK.

BECKI: YEAH, YES.

HA HA!

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

LOOK, AH, WHOA.

LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.

CORONA, CORONA.

LOOK AT IT.

MAN: LOOK AT THE REDS AT THE TOP.

BECKI: STUNNING.

WOW.

OH, OH, OH.

BECKI: IT'S, IT'S SO MUCH BETTER.

[BECKY AND MAN LAUGH] AND ON THE LEFT, ON THE LEFT, LOOK, THERE'S SOME PINK.

YAY!

IT'S GOING TO-- LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.

HA HA!

NARRATOR: BUT THE AURORA ISN'T SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL.

THE COLORS ARE A CODE TO THE PHYSICAL WORLD BECAUSE THEY REVEAL THE CHEMISTRY OF OUR SKIES.

EACH CHEMICAL ELEMENT IS UNIQUE, SO, EACH ONE GIVES OFF A PHOTON OF A DIFFERENT COLOR.

THE GREEN COMES FROM OXYGEN ATOMS; PURPLE FROM NITROGEN.

BECKI: YES!

NARRATOR: THE LIGHT SHIMMERING ACROSS THE SKY REVEALS THE OXYGEN- AND NITROGEN-RICH ATMOSPHERE THAT ENVELOPS OUR PLANET.

THIS KIND OF COLORED LIGHT DOESN'T ONLY TELL US ABOUT OUR WORLD, IT HAS ALSO SHOWN US THE UNIVERSE.

THE UNIVERSE IS UNIMAGINABLY VAST, BUT LIGHT TRAVELS FREELY TO US FROM ITS FURTHEST REACHES.

AND WHEN IT ARRIVES, IT BRINGS WITH IT COLORS THAT ARE THE CHEMICAL SIGNATURES OF THE COSMOS.

THESE ARE THE VAST CLOUDS OF A NEBULA, A STAR NURSERY HEATED UP BY A YOUNG STAR.

THEY SHINE A DEEP PINK.

THIS IS THE COLOR OF HYDROGEN, THE GAS THAT FUELS THE STARS.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, PINK CLOUDS DECLARE THE ABUNDANCE OF HYDROGEN IN THE COSMOS.

READING THE COLORS OF LIGHT TRAVELING ACROSS THE UNIVERSE MAY REVEAL THE ANSWER TO AN ETERNAL QUESTION.

ARE WE ALONE?

IS THE PRESENCE OF LIFE HERE ON EARTH UNIQUE?

IT'S A QUESTION THAT CAN ONLY BE ANSWERED BY FINDING A PLANET THAT HAS JUST THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, LIKE OURS.

AS ASTRONOMERS GAZE OUT FROM THE EDGES OF OUR HOME PLANET, THEY EXPLORE DISTANT WORLDS BY ANALYZING THE COLORS IN THE LIGHT THAT SHINES FROM THEM.

THIS PLANET IS 42 LIGHT YEARS AWAY, YET FROM THE LIGHT BOUNCING OFF IT, WE KNOW IT'S COVERED IN SWIRLING CLOUDS OF GAS.

AND 22 LIGHT YEARS AWAY IN THE CONSTELLATION OF SCORPIUS IS A SUPER EARTH, 4 1/2 TIMES THE SIZE OF OUR PLANET, ORBITING AROUND A RED DWARF STAR CALLED GLIESE 667C.

THANKS TO LIGHT TRAVELING ACROSS THE DARKNESS OF SPACE, WE KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EARTH-LIKE PLANETS FOUND SO FAR.

ALIEN PHOTONS CROSSING LIGHT YEARS OF SPACE TO OUR TELESCOPES ARE CARRYING STORIES OF DIFFERENT WORLDS.

MOST ASTRONOMERS BELIEVE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE DISCOVER A PLANET ABLE TO HOST LIFE.

THANKS TO COLOR, ONE DAY WE MAY FIND ANOTHER EARTH... ANOTHER POTENTIAL HOME, JUST AS VIBRANT AND COLORFUL AS OUR OWN.

VO: The forces of nature keep Earth on the move.

It's rotation shapes our lives... [Cheering, celebrating] MAN: That's amazing.

You can't beat that!

VO: ...drives the weather and the biology of the creatures that inhabit it.

Journey through space... to understand... Motion.