Africa episode 1

  • 3 years ago
Rise of the Continents episode 1 - Africa: Geologist Prof Iain Stewart shows how the continent of Africa was formed from the wreckage of a long lost supercontinent. Professor Iain Stewart reveals how our iconic continents were created, and how their tumultuous past has shaped our life today.
Last Nature posts on HDclump.com and ClumpHD.com:
https://hdclump.com/greta-thunberg-a-year-to-change-the-world-episode-1/
https://hdclump.com/greta-thunberg-a-year-to-change-the-world-episode-2/
https://hdclump.com/greta-thunberg-a-year-to-change-the-world-episode-3/
https://hdclump.com/shark-episode-1/
https://hdclump.com/shark-episode-2/
https://hdclump.com/shark-episode-3/
Last Science posts on HDclump.com:
https://hdclump.com/eugenics-sciences-greatest-scandal-episode-1/
https://hdclump.com/the-story-of-science-episode-3-how-did-we-get-here/
https://hdclump.com/the-story-of-science-episode-2-what-is-the-world-made-of/
https://hdclump.com/the-story-of-science-episode-1-what-is-out-there/
Transcript
00:07This is what we go on, is it?
00:09This is one of those boats the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined7
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedcanoe, like this,
00:30and set off downstream.
00:31Right, let's go.
00:35What Livingstone stumbled upon that
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined13
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedreally done before
00:55search out the clues
00:57that take us back to the key moments
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined20
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedbut also in its landscapes...
01:22That is very spectacular.
01:25And even its wildlife.
01:27It's moving.
01:30The tiniest detail can reveal
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined28
undefined:undefined29
undefined:undefined30
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedaren't they?
01:53Creating its wealth, fuelling
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined35
undefined:undefined36
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthat shaped this continent
02:17now threaten to bring about
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined40
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthe Zambezi river,
02:58Livingstone found his progress
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined45
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedputting them in danger,
03:28the explorer continued
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined50
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedas the Victoria Falls.
04:07And the ultimate way to experience
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined59
undefined:undefined60
undefined:undefined61
undefined:undefined62
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedso lovely,
05:12they must have been gazed
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined67
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedand beauty of the Falls.
05:28But what he had no way of
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined71
undefined:undefined72
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedtogether into one enormous landmass,
06:04a supercontinent called Pangaea.
06:08It was a land of extremes
06:12an enormous mountain range higher
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined79
undefined:undefined80
undefined:undefined81
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedhere 180 million years ago
06:46by looking in the vast gorge
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined85
undefined:undefined86
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedan amphitheatre of rock.
07:13The thing is, all these cliffs
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined91
undefined:undefined92
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedformation.
07:36These crystals
07:38cooled really rapidly.
07:42You see there's a... there's a slight
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined99
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedas the hot rock cooled,
07:56and their size tells you
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined104
undefined:undefined105
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedrock like basalt
08:16is to erupt it from the surface,
08:18expose it to the air,
08:20and it just solidifies very quickly
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined113
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinederuptions.
08:42I mean, that cliff there
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined118
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthought that over a kilometre of lava
08:58was erupted out in a million years or
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined122
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedin the Earth's history.
09:27They would have stretched
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined126
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthe Earth's most powerful forces
09:56huge upwellings of superheated rock
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined130
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedcausing it to thin and crack,
10:13cracks which eventually got so big
10:15that the land slowly began to
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined136
undefined:undefined137
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedwere torn from its outer edges.
10:39The eruptions at Victoria Falls
10:42led to the formation of India and
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined142
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedfor the first time in its history,
11:06Africa stood alone,
11:07a continent in its own right.
11:10And for the next
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined148
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedenvironments.
11:26And to my mind, the most remarkable
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined153
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedall are whales.
12:02WHALESONG
12:09Today these ocean giants are
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined161
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedcontinent.
12:43The first piece of evidence
12:45can be found at another of
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined166
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedundergoing
13:16really dramatic political
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined170
undefined:undefined171
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedwhich gave us the Victoria Falls.
13:36And some tiny remnants of this
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined176
undefined:undefined177
undefined:undefined178
undefined:undefined179
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedbeen dressed by the stonemasons.
14:15You've got all these chisel marks.
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined184
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedconfused people for centuries.
14:48The Greek historian Herodotus
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined189
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedbizarre, far more interesting.
15:00If Herodotus had one of these,
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined193
undefined:undefined194
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthat's living.
15:14These are actually nummulites.
15:16They're the shells, really,
15:18of the very largest single-celled
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined201
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedtheir homes
15:46with millions of photosynthesising
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined205
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedsingle block in this entire site
16:17has been quarried from just a short
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined211
undefined:undefined212
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthe African continent,
16:42to transform much of northern Africa
16:45into a shallow sea, teeming with
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined217
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedvolcanic mountains.
17:17These displaced enormous
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined221
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedcontinent in two.
17:42And it was this transformation of the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined225
undefined:undefined226
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedrocks called Wadi al-Hitan...
18:22Echo!
18:23ECHOING
18:25that once used to be full
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined233
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedto show
18:48what the sea floor
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined240
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedessentially an ancient sea floor,
19:03and these are the burrows of
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined244
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedgastropod shell.
19:21Just in here. Yeah.
19:22There's the small tooth of a
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined252
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedsculpted by sandblasting.
19:47'But it's the discovery of some
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined257
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedWhat a size!
20:03Yeah, it's impressive, isn't it?
20:05What is this, then?
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined263
undefined:undefined264
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof whale, basilosaurus.'
20:31So, how long were they, then?
20:33A big one of these could well be
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined269
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedbe here? It may well be.
20:47You can just see...
20:49'And what's so special about
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined274
undefined:undefined275
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedThis is a tooth for cutting.
21:10This isn't a tooth just for gripping
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined281
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedswallowing the bits.
21:21Basil was a bit of a fearsome thing.
21:23In what other ways
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined286
undefined:undefined287
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedsmall for that.
21:38But all the bones are there.
21:39WHALESONG
21:42Little pores around the jaw that
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined294
undefined:undefined295
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedin evolutionary terms,
22:02between a modern whale and a
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined299
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedrelative of whales
22:19are actually some of the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined303
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthese were carnivorous.
22:33The shallow seas that formed here
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined307
undefined:undefined308
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedjust spectacular.
22:58And they prove that around 50 million
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined313
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedU-turn
23:13that led to every whale in the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined317
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefineddropped, the seas dried out,
23:50and the familiar outline
23:52of the Africa we know today
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined323
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedfurther forward in time,
24:17it takes us back into an even more
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined327
undefined:undefined328
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedmost iconic landscapes,
24:38and they also explain one of the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined333
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedpeople are selling stuff.
25:17Like, this is obviously vegetables.
25:20Hi! What are these called?
25:23What are these...?
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined342
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedyou say Sierra Leone
25:43and you immediately think
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined347
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedfuels the economy round here,
26:05but you won't find it in this market.
26:09A commodity that can tell us
26:10what this part of Africa was
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined355
undefined:undefined356
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthe area work in pits like these
27:13digging their way through the deep
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined362
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthey have to remove
27:30just to get at the diamond-bearing
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined366
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedhere that do. Yes, sir. It's amazing.
27:54During Sierra Leone's civil war,
27:56these diamond fields were bitterly
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined372
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedare really dense, quite heavy,
28:19so they... they kind of sink down,
28:22and you find it glinting in amongst
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined378
undefined:undefined379
undefined:undefined380
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedBe discretional. A precious stone.
28:56For the lucky few,
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined384
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthis is about a month's salary.
29:24And for the jeweller that buys it
29:25and fashions it into something
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined390
undefined:undefined391
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof the very first continents.
29:44This diamond contains within it
29:47the secret of the earliest
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined400
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedshape, and that arrangement
30:11is because of the intense pressures
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined405
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedrock known as the mantle.
30:33But to form diamonds' distinctive
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined409
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedhigher than that.
30:50Temperatures over 1,600 degrees.
30:55So, to explain diamond formation,
30:57you need to find a place that's over
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined415
undefined:undefined416
undefined:undefined417
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof continental rock
31:19that extend way down into the mantle.
31:22Those slabs are called cratons.
31:28Cratons are incredibly thick
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined423
undefined:undefined424
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedin which to form diamonds.
31:59The diamonds here found
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined430
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinednearly three billion years old,
32:17but some of them go back
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined435
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinednearly three billion years ago.
32:36It's called the West African Craton.
32:40It's one of the very oldest
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined440
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedlandscape.
32:58In the south lies the Kalahari
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined444
undefined:undefined445
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedanother of these ancient landmasses.
33:27The cratons were formed at a time
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined449
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthey didn't move.
33:49They were static islands
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined453
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedbegan to move.
34:06Without this momentous event,
34:08there would have been no Pangaea and
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined458
undefined:undefined459
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedtrained valuers
34:39are examining diamonds from the mines
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined463
undefined:undefined464
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedsize, the clarity and the colour.
35:05So, what is...? I see a big one here!
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined468
undefined:undefined469
undefined:undefined470
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedinside or outside.Right.
35:24Or inclusions that would be inside
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined474
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedperfect, without any flaws, ideally.
35:47Without... ideally, no flaws at all.
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined481
undefined:undefined482
undefined:undefined483
undefined:undefined484
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedgeologists,
36:09because hidden in each of
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined488
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedto form the first continents.
36:26Inside every one of these
36:28is a fragment of the rock that was
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined493
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof rock that's found down there.
36:54You see, diamonds that are
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined497
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedcomposition of these inclusions
37:15to include fragments of a garnet-rich
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined502
undefined:undefined503
undefined:undefined504
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedbeneath Earth's cratons
37:43from three billion years onwards?
37:46The answer turns out to be
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined510
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedunderneath continental crust.
38:00It was a crucial turning point
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined515
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedabove,
38:28dragging the cratons together.
38:38It was this process
38:39that would eventually create the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined523
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedseparating,
39:03to create and destroy a series of
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined529
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedcontinent called Gondwana.
39:24In the half a billion years since,
39:27the planet has seen extraordinary
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined535
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof stability,
39:55the long history of this African
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined541
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedhere in the Serengeti.
40:17For the final chapter
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined546
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedspectacular migrations on the planet.
40:50This is the largest concentration of
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined552
undefined:undefined553
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedsee. Wildebeest.
41:24Some of them will start heading to
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined558
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedmovements on this planet,
41:38and here we are right in the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined563
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedThey were born in February
41:58so up till now they have
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined569
undefined:undefined570
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthousands of calves being born. Yeah.
42:16Hundreds of thousands of calves,
42:18born not only at the same time
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined575
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedground.
42:35At the start of every rainy season,
42:37one particular small patch
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined580
undefined:undefined581
undefined:undefined582
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedkilometres away.
43:09Nutrients that are crucial
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined586
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedunusual
43:35can be found looming over the herds.
43:41Towering almost 3,000 metres above
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined591
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedalmost 12 months threw a giant column
44:11of steam and ash nearly
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined596
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedso rich in minerals,
44:45that the grass around it
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined600
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedwildlife spectacle wouldn't exist,
45:12and the reason why Ol Doinyo Lengai
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined605
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedreally. You get the conical shape.
45:53You get a few parasitic little cones
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined613
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthe fresher stuff from 2007,
46:17and that's all the previous
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined617
undefined:undefined618
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedStaring into the abyss.
46:47That is just magnificent.
46:51Very simple.
46:53It's like your characteristic
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined627
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedlead me to a recent flow.
47:24So, how many times
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined634
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedThis is from the last eruption?
47:49Within this flow lies the secret to
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined638
undefined:undefined639
undefined:undefined640
undefined:undefined641
undefined:undefined
:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedsome basic chemistry.
48:28So, I want to... I want to show you
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined647
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedweak... some dilute acid.
48:43And what I'm going to do is I'm just
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined651
undefined:undefined652
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedeffervescing away.
49:03And...
49:09What's coming off here is
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined658
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedSerengeti grasses so nutrient-rich,
49:24it's also incredibly rich in carbon.
49:28And it's an indication that there's
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined666
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedrock at high pressure.
50:02And that's the same place
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined671
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedand ancient Tanzanian Craton.
50:31This part of Africa may have been
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined676
undefined:undefined677
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedforce at work.
51:00Deep below this part of Africa lies
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined684
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedkilometres across the continent
51:31with spectacular results.
51:40This super-plume beneath Africa and
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined689
undefined:undefined690
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedviolent geological struggle going on.
52:01It's one that began
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined694
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedAfrica.
52:29There it is.
52:33The Great African Rift.
52:45The Great Rift Valley
52:46is one of the most complex ecosystems
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined702
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedis not just
53:10one of the most spectacular wildlife
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined706
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedfabric of this ancient land,
53:25all of it caused by this super-plume
53:27of molten rock puncturing its
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined711
undefined:undefined712
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthe throes of violent change.
54:03Great tears are growing
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined718
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedit's sinking below sea level
54:26leading scientists to predict
54:29that the neighbouring Red Sea will
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined724
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinededge of the Tanzanian Craton.
54:53It's here that it gets tricky.
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined728
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedeither this way or round here.
55:07From there, it's possible that the
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined732
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedthrough southern Africa.
55:24Whatever course it takes,
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined736
undefined:undefined737
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof our restless planet,
55:51an epic journey that has shaped every
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined741
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedof Africa
56:16have seen the world around them rip
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined745
undefined:undefined746
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedshaped our civilisations,
56:37and the creatures around us.
56:41But now Africa's changing
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined751
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedtaking place in African society
57:01is echoed by an even bigger
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined755
undefined:undefined
undefined:undefinedAfrican map, tearing it in two.
57:16So, for all Africa's long, long
undefined:undefined00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:14,816
undefined:undefined