Strange Evidence (2017–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - Return of the Ice Monster - full transcript

Narrator: WORLDWIDE, SIX BILLION
CAMERAS ARE WATCHING US

ON OUR STREETS, AT WORK, AND IN OUR HOMES.

THEY CAPTURE THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE.

IT DEFIES THE LAWS OF PHYSICS.

Man: AH, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE, MAN.

Narrator: EXPERTS CARRY
OUT FORENSIC ANALYSIS

OF THESE UNUSUAL EVENTS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME
EXPLANATION FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.

[ WOMAN SCREAMS ]

Narrator: COMING UP,

A WOMAN TRAPPED IN A
SUBMERGED CAR CHEATS DEATH.



THIS GREAT ESCAPE MAKES HARRY HOUDINI

LOOK LIKE AN AMATEUR.

[ ELECTRICITY ZAPS ]

Narrator: A TERRIFYING
STRIKE IN THE DESERT,

BUT WHO OR WHAT FIRED THE SHOT?

WHAM-O! SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE.

AND A LEGENDARY MONSTER
TERRORIZES THE WATERS OF ALASKA.

THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY BIG ANIMAL.

WHAT COULD IT BE?

Narrator: BIZARRE PHENOMENA.

MYSTERIES CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

WHAT'S THE TRUTH BEHIND
THIS STRANGE EVIDENCE?

TERRIFYING FOOTAGE OF A
WOMAN TRAPPED IN A SINKING SUV.

THIS IS A RACE AGAINST TIME.



THEY NEED TO GET HER OUT BEFORE SHE DROWNS.

Narrator: TIME RUNS OUT.

I THOUGHT WE'RE GONNA
WATCH THIS PERSON DIE.

Narrator: BUT THEN, OUT OF
NOWHERE, SHE SUDDENLY APPEARS.

Khosla: SOME PEOPLE HAVE
SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT

THIS WAS A DIVINE INTERVENTION.

PEOPLE CAN'T PASS THROUGH GLASS AND METAL.

IT KIND OF SEEMS LIKE A MIRACLE.

[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]

Narrator: AUGUST 26th, 2006.

A DEVASTATING STORM HITS PUEBLO, COLORADO.

BATTLING THROUGH THE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR,

LOCAL DOCTOR ROCKY KHOSLA'S JOURNEY HOME

IS CUT SHORT BY A FLASH FLOOD.

AS I CAME RIGHT TO THE
EDGE OF THE WATER I STOPPED.

THE WOMAN WENT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,

AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING, TURNING,

SHE JUST WENT RIGHT THROUGH.

I WATCHED THE CAR MOVE PRETTY RAPIDLY

TOWARDS THE DEEPER END,

AND I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW IT STARTED TO TIP

AND SUBMERGE WAY FASTER THAN I EXPECTED.

Narrator: EVERY YEAR, AS
MANY AS 400 NORTH AMERICANS

DROWN IN THEIR CARS,

WHICH IS MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS

WHO DROWN IN BOATING ACCIDENTS.

IT IS GENERALLY THOUGHT
THAT THE FIRST 30 SECONDS

IS THE MOST CRITICAL TIME.

SO IF WE CAN GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE

WITHIN THE FIRST 30 SECONDS,

THAT'S OUR BEST CHANCE
OF SURVIVING THIS EVENT.

Narrator: AS AN EYEWITNESS FILMS,

KHOSLA AND ANOTHER BYSTANDER
TRY TO RESCUE THE DRIVER.

BUT SHE APPEARS TO BE
SEALED INSIDE WITH NO WAY OUT.

I WAS BEATING ON THE WINDOWS
TRYING TO BREAK THE GLASS.

I COULD SEE THE WOMAN IN THE CAR SCREAMING.

[ WOMAN SCREAMS ]

IT'S A SUPER TERRIFYING SITUATION TO BE IN.

Narrator: WITH THE CAR ALMOST
COMPLETELY SUBMERGED,

KHOSLA FEARS THE WORST.

I JUST THOUGHT THIS IS JUST HORRIBLE.

THIS IS NOT GONNA END WELL.

Narrator: AFTER STRUGGLING FOR
OVER A MINUTE TO RESCUE THE DRIVER,

THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS.

I JUST REFLEXIVELY KIND OF REACHED DOWN

TO SEE IF I FELT SOMETHING,

AND I FOUND THE ARM, AND SHE POPPED OUT

LIKE THE CORK ON A CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE.

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

Narrator: THE DRIVER IS SO TRAUMATIZED

SHE IS UNABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THEY THOUGHT

THIS WAS A DIVINE INTERVENTION.

I DON'T KNOW.

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED.

Narrator: CAN INVESTIGATORS
SOLVE THE MYSTERY

OF THE MIRACLE ESCAPE?

PHYSICIST JOHN DI BARTOLO
EXAMINES THE FOOTAGE.

FIRST HE WANTS TO KNOW HOW HARD IT WOULD BE

TO FORCE OPEN THE DOORS.

AS THE CAR SINKS, THE PRESSURE
THAT THE WATER IS EXERTING

ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE
DOOR IS GONNA GET HIGHER.

Narrator: HE CALCULATES HOW MUCH FORCE

THE DRIVER WOULD NEED TO
EXERT ON THE DOOR TO OPEN IT.

IT TURNS OUT TO BE ABOUT 430
POUNDS OF FORCE PUSHING IN.

Narrator: THREE TIMES MORE THAN
THE AVERAGE HUMAN CAN EXERT.

EQUIVALENT TO PUSHING
AGAINST A MALE GRIZZLY BEAR

SITTING ON THE CAR DOOR.

THE PRESSURE PUSHING THOSE
DOORS SHUT IS TREMENDOUS.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN
WITH ANY HUMAN MEANS OPEN.

BARTOLO BELIEVES THE NEXT BEST ESCAPE ROUTE

IS THROUGH THE WINDOWS,

BUT THAT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

THERE ARE COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE GONNA

KEEP A WINDOW FROM OPENING.

Narrator: THE SUV'S ELECTRIC WINDOWS

ARE UNLIKELY TO FUNCTION UNDER WATER,

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY.

Di Bartolo: WHAT THEY TYPICALLY SAY TO DO

IS TO TRY TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE WINDOW

BY BREAKING THE WINDOW.

[ GLASS SHATTERING ]

Narrator: CAR WINDOWS
ARE MADE OUT OF SPECIALLY

HEAT-TREATED TEMPERED GLASS

WHICH IS STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND

THE FORCE OF A HAMMER BLOW.

IN ORDER TO BREAK A CAR WINDOW,
YOU NEED SOMETHING VERY SHARP.

YOU NEED TO HIT IT WITH A LOT OF FORCE.

YOU NEED SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT.

Narrator: AUTO GLASS HAMMERS

HAVE SPECIALLY ENGINEERED POINTED TIPS

DESIGNED TO SHATTER WINDOWS.

Di BARTOLO: IF YOU'RE THE KIND OF PERSON

THAT WORRIES ABOUT BEING IN A SINKING CAR,

YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THESE THINGS

IN YOUR GLOVE COMPARTMENT.

Narrator: SCIENCE WRITER JEFF WISE
SPOOLS TO THE END OF THE FOOTAGE

TO CHECK ON THE STATE OF THE WINDOWS.

THEY PULLED THE CAR OUT.

WAIT A MINUTE.

THE CAR WINDOWS ARE INTACT.

IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE.

THE DRIVER HAD TO ESCAPE
BY SOME OTHER MEANS.

SCIENCE JOURNALIST JON FARROW BELIEVES

THERE IS ONLY ONE OTHER
POSSIBLE EXPLANATION,

BUT IT NEEDS THE DRIVER
TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN CALM

IN THE FACE OF EXTREME DANGER.

Farrow: SO, THERE IS ONE
KIND OF SCARY SOLUTION.

YOU NEED THE WATER PRESSURE
ON BOTH SIDES TO EQUALIZE,

AND THE ONLY WAY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN

IS IF THE CABIN FILLS WITH WATER.

Narrator: AS THE WATER FLOODS IN
FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT,

FARROW BELIEVES THE DRIVER HOLDS HER BREATH

AND WAITS FOR THE CAR TO COMPLETELY FILL UP

BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOOR.

ONCE THE WATER PRESSURE EQUALIZES

ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR,

IT'S PRETTY EASY TO OPEN THE DOOR.

Narrator: TRAUMA EXPERT RAJ PRABHU

HAS SPENT 10 YEARS
RESEARCHING HOW THE BODY REACTS

IN LIFE-AND-DEATH SITUATIONS.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN A VERY SCARY SITUATION.

SHE MUST BE PANICKING

AND WONDERING HOW LONG DOES SHE HAVE

BEFORE SHE PASSES AWAY.

Narrator: WATER-SAFETY EXPERT ANDY LONG

WANTS TO SEE IF, ON THE VERGE OF DROWNING,

A DRIVER COULD STAY CALM ENOUGH TO ESCAPE.

HE RECREATES THE
INCIDENT IN HIS TRAINING POOL.

FOR THIS TEST, LONG WILL BE THE DRIVER.

AND JUST LIKE THE WOMAN IN THE FOOTAGE,

HE MUST WAIT FOR THE
CABIN PRESSURE TO EQUALIZE

BEFORE OPENING THE DOOR.

Long: WHAT I'M GONNA ATTEMPT TO DO IS

WAIT UNTIL IT TOTALLY FILLS UP,

AND ON A BREATH HOLD
WAIT MORE THAN 30 SECONDS

BEFORE I COME OUT AND SEE
IF WE CAN MAKE THIS ESCAPE.

Narrator: IF LONG IS ABLE TO ESCAPE

AFTER HOLDING HIS BREATH FOR 30 SECONDS,

THEN HE'LL HAVE SHOWN HOW
THE DRIVER COULD HAVE ESCAPED

FROM HER SUBMERGED VEHICLE.

THE WATER IS RUSHING UP TO MY CHEST NOW.

IT'S ON MY CHEST. IT'S REACHING TO MY NECK.

IT'S UP TO MY NECK.

I NEED TO TAKE A GOOD BREATH.

HERE WE GO!

[ INHALES DEEPLY ]

♪♪

Narrator: 10 SECONDS IN,

LONG SHOWS THE FIRST SIGNS OF STRESS.

AT 16 SECONDS, HE LOSES SOME OF HIS BREATH,

STARTING A CHAIN REACTION

THAT COULD LEAD INTO FULL-BLOWN PANIC.

WHEN PANIC MODE SETS IN,
IT'S EITHER FIGHT OR FLIGHT.

ADRENALINE KICKS IN.
THE HEART RATE GOES UP.

THE BLOOD PRESSURE GOES UP,

WHICH STARTS DEMANDING EVEN MORE OXYGEN.

Narrator: WITH 30 SECONDS GONE,

LONG'S BODY IS GETTING
DANGEROUSLY SHORT OF OXYGEN.

Prabhu: THE BRAIN IS
SCREAMING FOR MORE OXYGEN,

BUT IT'S NOT THERE, AND
THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE

THAT THE BRAIN MAY ACTUALLY GET DAMAGED.

Narrator: LONG IS PANICKING,
AND NOW HIS LIFE IS IN DANGER.

COMING UP, AN ICE MONSTER
SURFACES IN ALASKA...

PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS SOME
KIND OF MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE.

Narrator: ...A TERRIFYING
NEAR-MISS WITH A PASSENGER JET...

THIS THING IS MOVING REALLY FAST.

Narrator: ...AND INVESTIGATOR ANDY
LONG PUTS HIS OWN LIFE IN DANGER

IN A BID TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY
OF THE MIRACLE ESCAPE.

Narrator: WATER-SAFETY EXPERT ANDY LONG

IS TRYING TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY

OF HOW A WOMAN MIRACULOUSLY
ESCAPES FROM A SUBMERGED CAR.

HE'S ATTEMPTING TO HOLD HIS BREATH

FOR 30 SECONDS AND REMAIN CALM

WHILE THE WATER PRESSURE EQUALIZES

ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DOOR.

ONLY THEN CAN HE MAKE HIS ESCAPE.

BUT AFTER 30 SECONDS, LONG IS PANICKING.

THE SAFETY DIVER MOVES
IN AND HELPS LONG ESCAPE.

DESPITE YEARS OF TRAINING,

HE'S NOT ABLE TO GET OUT ON HIS OWN.

AND EVEN WITH MY COMFORT LEVEL
AND MY EXPERIENCE IN THE WATER,

I CAN TELL YOU THE FIRST
THING I THOUGHT OF IS...

[ LAUGHS ] ...THE HEADLINES

THAT ANDY, THE WATER-SAFETY
EXPERT, DROWNED.

Narrator: IF LONG COULDN'T
OPEN THE DOOR AND ESCAPE,

THEN IT'S EXTREMELY UNLIKELY
THE DRIVER COULD, EITHER.

SO HOW DID SHE GET OUT?

Long: BASED ON WHAT I SEE IN THE VIDEO,

MY BEST GUESS IS SOMEBODY OPENED THE DOOR,

ALTHOUGH THE RESCUERS
DON'T MAKE THOSE CLAIMS.

IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT
IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS

YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO
THINGS AND NOT RECALL THEM.

SO IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

Narrator: LONG BELIEVES THE RESCUERS

MIGHT HAVE OPENED THE DOOR
AND FORGOT THAT THEY HAD.

NOTHING THAT WE DID LED TO THIS.

I MEAN, I DIDN'T BREAK THE WINDOW,

AND YET WE WERE IN THE
PRESENCE OF THIS WOMAN

WHO JUST GOT OUT OF THE CAR.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

Narrator: FOR MANY PEOPLE
THIS EVENT REALLY IS

A MIRACLE CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

HER SURVIVAL IS INCREDIBLE.

IT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAS BEATEN THE ODDS.

I TRULY THOUGHT THIS WAS
GONNA BE A BAD OUTCOME,

AND I WAS OVERJOYED TO
SEE THIS WOMAN MAKE IT.

[ CAMERAS WHIRRING ]

Narrator: NOW, A CREATURE UNKNOWN
TO SCIENCE APPEARS IN ALASKA.

THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY BIG
ANIMAL, SO WHAT COULD IT BE?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS RACE TO
IDENTIFY THIS TERRIFYING MENACE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING
THAT'S EASILY EXPLAINABLE.

SEEING SOMETHING THAT BIG, I
WAS GLAD I WAS UP ON THE BRIDGE.

Narrator: FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

AN ISOLATED CITY 140 MILES
SOUTH OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

OCTOBER 2016.

LOCAL RESIDENT CRAIG McCAA
TAKES A BREAK FROM WORK

AND HEADS DOWN TO THE CHENA RIVER.

McCaa: I WENT DOWN TO THE RIVER THAT DAY

BECAUSE ICE WAS STARTING
TO FORM ON THE RIVERBANKS,

AND I THOUGHT I'D GET SOME PHOTOS

OF ICE STARTING TO BUILD UP FOR THE WINTER.

I WALKED OUT ONTO THE BRIDGE
AND TURNED DOWNSTREAM...

AND I WAS CAUGHT BY THIS
MOTION BENEATH ME IN THE WATER.

AND I LOOKED DOWN AND
SAW A STRANGE OBJECT THERE.

McCAA IS STRUCK DUMB

BY A SINEWY GIANT SWIMMING UPSTREAM.

THE OBJECT WAS BENEATH
THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.

THOUGH THE WATER WAS MURKY,

I COULD SEE WHAT LOOKED
LIKE CHUNKS OF ICE ON IT.

IT ROLLED A LITTLE BIT IN THE CURRENT

AND IT ALSO UNDULATED LIKE A FISH SWIMMING.

McCAA RECORDS THE TERRIFYING CREATURE

FROM A SAFE DISTANCE.

I HAVE TO ADMIT SEEING
SOMETHING THAT BIG IN THE RIVER

I WAS GLAD I WAS UP ON THE BRIDGE.

WHEN McCAA SHARES THE FOOTAGE WITH LOCALS,

IT CAUSES A SENSATION.

I STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I SAW,

BUT PEOPLE WERE CONVINCED

IT WAS SOME KIND OF MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURE.

THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY IS BAFFLED.

WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS I
THOUGHT IT LOOKS REALLY BIG,

AND IT'S JUST BIZARRE.

SO IMAGINE SOMETHING LIKE A FAIRLY LARGE

DINOSAUR-ISH-LOOKING
CREATURE COMING AT YOU.

THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

THE FOOTAGE COMES TO THE ATTENTION

OF WILLIAM DRANGINIS,

AN IMAGE ANALYST WHO
HAS WORKED IN SURVEILLANCE

FOR OVER 22 YEARS.

Dranginis: WHAT I OBSERVE IN THIS VIDEO

IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE THE HEAD OF THE CREATURE

JUST UNDER THE WATER SURFACE
FOLLOWED BY INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS

THAT SEEM TO TAPER BACK
INTO A SMALLER PORTION

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT
COULD POSSIBLY BE A TAIL.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH DRANGINIS CAN'T MAKE OUT

THE EXACT SHAPE OF THE ICE
MONSTER BY STUDYING ITS MOTION,

HE IS ABLE TO NARROW DOWN
THE SEARCH FOR WHAT IT IS.

OBSERVING THIS MOVEMENT,
THE HEAD TURNS FIRST,

AND THEN THE BODY
FOLLOWS DIRECTLY BEHIND IT

SIMILAR TO AN ALLIGATOR
OR SOMETHING SIMILAR.

Narrator: CRYPTOZOOLOGIST SCOTT MARDIS

HAS SPENT 15 YEARS LOOKING
FOR REAL-LIFE LAKE MONSTERS

AND SEA SERPENTS.

EXAMINING THE REPTILIAN
MOTION OF THE CREATURE,

HE IS REMINDED OF AN ANCIENT
PREDATOR FROM ALASKAN LEGENDS.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF
THE TRADITIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

THE INUIT HAVE OF A MONSTER
THAT THEY TALK ABOUT

IN THE RIVERS IN THAT SAME
REGION CALLED THE TIZHERUK.

Narrator: THE TIZHERUK IS A
SEVEN-FOOT LONG SERPENT

WITH A TASTE FOR CHILDREN
IT SNATCHES FROM THE SHORE.

THE TIZHERUK HAS A REPUTATION
OF BEING A VICIOUS ANIMAL

THAT ATTACKS OTHER ANIMALS AND PEOPLE.

MARDIS BELIEVES THE ICE MONSTER

COULD BE THIS MYTHICAL BEAST.

THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF A REAL CREATURE

BEHIND SOME OF THE STORIES.

Narrator: COMING UP, A SHOCKING SCENE

AT THE UNITED KINGDOM'S BUSIEST AIRPORT.

IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT
MAKES HAIRS ON YOUR ARM STAND UP.

[ LIGHT WHIRRING ]

EXPERTS STRUGGLE TO EXPLAIN

A MASSIVE STADIUM COLLAPSE.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. THIS
IS A SOLID STRUCTURE,

AND IT'S JUST MELTING AWAY.

[ WATER SPLASHING ]

Narrator: AND IS A SUPER-SIZED VERSION

OF ONE OF NATURE'S MOST FEARSOME PARASITES

LOOSE IN ALASKAN WATERS?

THEY HAVE THIS HORRENDOUS
MOUTHFUL OF TEETH.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE
MYSTIFIED BY THE ICE MONSTER

PROWLING THE CHENA
RIVER IN FAIRBANKS, ALASKA.

SOME HAVE SUGGESTED A
CHILD-SNATCHING REPTILE

FROM INUIT FOLKLORE.

BIOLOGIST ROLAND KAYS BELIEVES REPTILES

WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME
SURVIVING SO FAR NORTH.

Kays: REPTILES... THEY'RE COLD BLOODED,

SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY
TO CREATE THEIR OWN BODY HEAT.

IF A REPTILE IS PUT IN COLD TEMPERATURES

THEIR MUSCLES JUST CAN'T FUNCTION,

AND EVENTUALLY THEY'LL DIE.

THERE'S NO WAY THAT A REPTILE COULD SURVIVE

IN A CLIMATE THIS COLD.

Narrator: KAYS SEARCHES HIS DATABASE

LOOKING FOR A COLD-WATER CREATURE

THAT MATCHES THE MONSTER'S DESCRIPTION.

HE FINDS SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.

Lays: ARCTIC LAMPREYS
ARE BIZARRE PARASITIC FISH.

THEY LOOK LIKE EELS.

THEY'RE LONG AND SKINNY.
THEY LOOK LIKE SNAKES.

BUT THEY'RE PARASITES, AND
THEY GRAB ONTO OTHER FISH.

THEY HAVE THIS HORRENDOUS
MOUTHFUL OF TEETH,

SO THEY'RE REALLY NOT SOMETHING

I WOULD PERSONALLY
WANT TO RUN INTO IN ALASKA.

Narrator: IF THE ICE MONSTER
IS ONE OF THESE GIANT

BLOODSUCKING EEL-LIKE FISH,
THEN IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

BIOLOGIST BRADLEY YOUNG

HAS STUDIED THESE OVERSIZED
PARASITES FOR YEARS.

Young: THE SEA LAMPREY
HAS A SPECIAL TONGUE,

AND ON ITS TONGUE THERE'S
TEETH THAT IT USES TO RASP.

SO IT'LL KIND OF TAKE ITS TONGUE

AND KIND OF DIG A HOLE
ON THE SIDE OF A SPECIES.

IT WON'T CHEW.

IT'LL JUST USE LIKE SANDPAPER
AND KIND OF GENTLY RUB IT AWAY

UNTIL IT BECOMES RAW.

AND THEN THAT'S HOW THEY
EXTRACT FLUIDS FROM A HOST SPECIES.

STUDIES SHOW THAT THE
SIZE OF THESE VAMPIRE FISH

VARIES ACCORDING TO THE
CREATURES THEY FEAST ON.

Young: LAMPREY TEND TO GET LARGER

AS THEIR HOST SPECIES GETS LARGER.

FOR INSTANCE, SEA LAMPREY
THAT LIVE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

TEND TO GET UP TO ABOUT
THREE FEET IN LENGTH.

Narrator: TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE MONSTER

COULD BE A LAMPREY,
INVESTIGATOR WILLIAM DRANGINIS

NEEDS TO KNOW ITS SIZE.

FROM MAPS WE DETERMINE
THE WIDTH OF THE RIVER,

WHICH WE COULD UTILIZE

TO MEASURE THE LENGTH OF THE CREATURE.

Narrator: THE RIVER AT
THIS POINT IS 55 FEET WIDE.

BY TAKING THIS MEASUREMENT,

DRANGINIS DISCOVERS SOMETHING REMARKABLE.

Dranginis: WE WERE ABLE TO PROVE

THAT THE CREATURE IS AT LEAST 10 FEET LONG.

Narrator: THE ICE MONSTER IS
FAR TOO BIG TO BE ANY LAMPREY

THAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN TO SCIENCE.

ROLAND KAYS CHECKS LOCAL RECORDS

TO SEE IF ANY OTHER LARGE CREATURES

COULD BE PROWLING THE
CHILLY WATERWAYS OF ALASKA.

ONE TYPE OF FISH THAT CAN
GROW QUITE BIG IS A SHARK,

AND THERE ACTUALLY IS A
SHARK FROM REALLY COLD WATERS

CALLED THE GREENLAND
SHARK THAT GETS REALLY BIG,

AND IT'S EVEN BEEN SEEN
IN THE MOUTHS OF RIVERS.

GREENLAND SHARKS HAVE SMALL DORSAL FINS,

GROW TO OVER 20 FEET,
AND THRIVE IN COLD WATER.

Kays: GREENLAND SHARKS ARE ONE
OF THE OLDEST-LIVING CREATURES

LIVING 300, SOMETIMES
MAYBE EVEN 400 YEARS OLD

AND ALSO HAVE THIS CHEMICAL IN THEIR BLOOD

THAT SERVES AS ANTIFREEZE

AND ALLOWS THEM TO SWIM IN THIS COLD WATER.

Narrator: THESE GIGANTIC APEX PREDATORS

CAN SWIM UP RIVER ESTUARIES

AND FEED ON ELK AND EVEN POLAR BEARS.

♪♪

KAYS REEXAMINES THE FOOTAGE

AND SPOTS ANOTHER SIMILARITY
BETWEEN THE GREENLAND SHARK

AND THE ICE MONSTER.

WHEN THEY'RE SWIMMING, THEY'RE
ACTUALLY SWIMMING REALLY SLOW.

THEY'RE ONE OF THE SLOWEST FISH OUT THERE,

SORT OF ONE TO TWO MILES AN HOUR.

SO COULD THIS BE A GREENLAND SHARK?

Narrator: WILLIAM DRANGINIS
STUDIES THE MOVEMENT

OF THE GREENLAND SHARK

AND COMPARES IT TO THAT OF THE ICE MONSTER.

THE SHARK'S FORWARD MOMENTUM IS PRODUCED

BY THE TAIL GOING BACK AND
FORTH PRODUCING THRUST.

THIS HAS A MORE SERPENTINE MOVEMENT

SIMILAR TO AN EEL OR A SNAKE.

SO IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
THAN THAT OF A SHARK.

Narrator: WITH NO OTHER LEADS,

THE INVESTIGATORS FACE TWO POSSIBILITIES.

EITHER THE ICE MONSTER
IS A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN

GIANT ARCTIC LAMPREY,

OR IT'S AN ENTIRELY NEW SPECIES.

AND HOW IT CAN SURVIVE

WITH SO MUCH ICE
ATTACHED TO IT IS A MYSTERY.

BUT WHEN CRAIG McCAA RETURNS TO THE RIVER

TO GET MORE EVIDENCE, THE MONSTER HAS GONE.

I WENT BACK A FEW DAYS
LATER AND DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING,

NOR HAS ANYONE ELSE EVER
TOLD ME THAT THEY SAW IT.

I GUESS WHAT SEEING THIS OBJECT
IN THE RIVER MADE ME REALIZE

WAS JUST HOW MANY
MYSTERIES THERE ARE OUT THERE.

I STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I SAW.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

Narrator: NOW, A WHITE-HOT
PROJECTILE ON A COLLISION COURSE

WITH THE PLANET'S SECOND-BUSIEST AIRPORT.

WHATEVER IS HAPPENING IS
CLEARLY TEARING ACROSS THE SKY

AT TERRIFIC SPEED.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FEAR
AN ATTACK FROM THE SKIES.

IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT MAKES
THE HAIRS ON YOUR ARM STAND UP.

IT'S HARD NOT TO THINK THE WORST.

Narrator: HEATHROW, LONDON, U.K.

THIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HUB

HOSTS OVER 200,000 PEOPLE
AND 1,300 PLANES EVERY DAY.

[ CAMERAS WHIRRING ]

BEHIND THE SCENES, HUNDREDS
OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

SCAN THE GROUND AND
SKIES FOR POTENTIAL THREATS.

NOVEMBER 19th, 2017, AT 8:00 P.M.

THEY CAPTURE SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.

SOMETHING FLYING THROUGH THE SKY

IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO NOT
ONLY A PLANE BUT AN AIRPORT.

OUR THOUGHTS INEVITABLY GO TO TERRORISM.

[ CAMERA WHIRRING ]

Narrator: WITH THE SAFETY OF
THOUSANDS OF TRAVELERS ON THE LINE,

EXPERTS RACE TO UNCOVER
THE NATURE OF THIS NEW DANGER.

FORMER C.I.A. OPERATIVE LINDSAY MORAN

IS TRAINED TO IDENTIFY TERRORIST THREATS.

A LOT OF TIMES, WE THINK
ABOUT AIRPORT SECURITY

AS SOMEONE COMING INTO THE AIRPORT

WITH SOME KIND OF WEAPON
OR WITH A BOMB OR SOMETHING.

WE DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT

COULD THERE BE AN OUTSIDE ATTACK?

Narrator: THIS WOULDN'T BE THE
FIRST ASSAULT ON THE AIRPORT.

IN MARCH 1994, THE IRA STRIKE HEATHROW

WITH A SERIES OF HOMEMADE MORTARS

FROM BEYOND THE PERIMETER.

ANALYSTS FEAR TODAY'S ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

COULD MAKE ANOTHER ATTACK EVEN WORSE.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

MILITARY CORRESPONDENT CARLO MUÑOZ

REPORTS FROM TERRORIST
FLASH POINTS AROUND THE WORLD.

[ GUNFIRE ]

HE EXAMINES THE FOOTAGE

AND NOTICES THAT THE MYSTERIOUS PROJECTILE

IS FAR TOO FAST TO BE A MORTAR ROUND.

LOOKING AT THE VIDEO,

THERE ARE THINGS THAT SORT OF STAND OUT.

THERE ARE VERY FEW
THINGS THAT MOVE THAT FAST.

ONE OF THEM COULD BE A
SHOULDER-FIRED ROCKET OR AN RPG.

Narrator: RPGs TRAVEL AT
OVER 650 MILES PER HOUR.

TERRORISTS USE THESE WEAPONS

TO TAKE OUT ARMORED VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT.

[ EXPLOSION ]

Muñoz: THEY ARE HIGHLY PORTABLE,
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY DESTRUCTIVE,

AND THEY CAN ALSO BE
DISPOSED OF RELATIVELY QUICKLY.

AN RPG IS PROBABLY THE PERFECT
WEAPON YOU'RE LOOKING AT

TO TAKE DOWN AN AIRLINER.

Narrator: HAVE TERRORISTS FOUND A
NEW WAY OF CAUSING MASS CARNAGE?

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

COMING UP, A GIANT STADIUM APPEARS TO MELT.

IT'S A SLOW MOTION DISASTER.

Narrator: EXPERTS ARE SHOCKED
BY A BOLT FROM THE BLUE.

WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

[ ELECTRICITY ZAPS ]

Narrator: ...AND SCIENTISTS
FACE A NEW DANGER

AT LONDON'S HEATHROW AIRPORT.

GRAPHING THE SPEED AT WHICH THIS
OBJECT MOVES ACROSS THE FRAME,

THIS THING IS MOVING REALLY FAST.

Narrator: SURVEILLANCE
FOOTAGE SHOWS A PROJECTILE

HURDLING IN FRONT OF A
400-SEAT PASSENGER JET

AT LONDON'S HEATHROW AIRPORT.

SCIENCE WRITER JEFF WISE BELIEVES

THE PROJECTILE IS FAR TOO LUMINOUS TO BE

A ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE.

WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY, VERY BRIGHT.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF ENERGY INVOLVED.

Narrator: AS A SPACE REPORTER,
HE'S SEEN THIS KIND OF THING BEFORE.

THIS LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE WHAT WE SEE

WHEN SPACE DEBRIS ENTERS
THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

Narrator: SINCE 1957,

THOUSANDS OF ROCKETS
HAVE LAUNCHED INTO SPACE.

NOW HALF A MILLION PIECES
OF USED ROCKET PARTS

AND SATELLITES ORBIT THE EARTH.

EVERY YEAR, HUNDREDS
OF CHUNKS OF SPACE DEBRIS

PLUMMET BACK DOWN TO EARTH.

MOST BURN UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

THERE ACTUALLY WAS A CHINESE SPACE STATION

THAT HAD BEEN PUT UP.

IT HAD LIVED PAST ITS LIFETIME,
AND IT WAS BEING DEORBITED.

Narrator: IN APRIL 2018,

CHINA'S NINE-TON SPACE STATION, TIANGONG-1,

PLUMMETED BACK TO EARTH
AND BURNT UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE

OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

IT'S VERY EASY TO IMAGINE
THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT

COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS FIREBALL OVER THE AIRPORT.

Narrator: HAKEEM OLUSEYI IS
A LEADING ASTROPHYSICIST.

HE STUDIES THE FOOTAGE AND
NOTICES THE PROJECTILE'S SPEED.

WHEN I SEE THIS FOOTAGE,

WE SEE THAT THIS THING
IS MOVING REALLY FAST.

Narrator: THE OBJECT IS
ESTIMATED TO BE TRAVELING

AT OVER 60,000 MILES PER HOUR.

IT CAN'T BE SPACE JUNK,

BECAUSE SPACE JUNK JUST
WOULD NOT MOVE THAT QUICKLY.

Narrator: THE TERRIFIC
SPEED OF THE PROJECTILE

IS CLOSER TO THE SPEED OF HUNDREDS OF TONS

OF METEOR PARTICLES THAT
CRASH INTO THE EARTH EVERY DAY.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SPACE JUNK AND A METEOR.

A METEOR COMES FROM MUCH FARTHER AWAY,

AND JUST LIKE DROPPING AN
OBJECT FROM A HIGHER HEIGHT,

WHEN IT HITS THE GROUND
IT HITS MUCH FASTER.

Narrator: METEORS COME FROM A REGION

BETWEEN MARS AND JUPITER
KNOWN AS THE ASTEROID BELT.

WHEN THEY FALL TO EARTH,
MOST BURN UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE

IN JUST A FEW SECONDS.

BUT OLUSEYI BELIEVES THIS PROJECTILE

IS NO ORDINARY METEOR.

SEEING A FIREBALL THAT'S
THIS BIG THAT LASTS THIS LONG

TELLS ME THAT THIS MUST BE

A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL PIECE OF ROCK.

Narrator: AND IF ONE METEOR
CAN SURVIVE LONG ENOUGH

IN THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
TO ENDANGER AN AIRCRAFT,

THEN IT OPENS UP THE TERRIFYING POSSIBILITY

THAT THESE SPACE ROCKS ARE A REAL THREAT

TO PASSENGERS IN THE SKY

AND COULD EXPLAIN A SERIES OF
MYSTERIOUS AIRPLANE DISASTERS

SUCH AS THE EGYPT AIR FLIGHT

THAT CRASHED INTO THE
MEDITERRANEAN SEA IN 2016

KILLING ALL 66 ON BOARD.

THERE HAS BEEN SPECULATION

THAT PIECES OF DEBRIS COMING
IN FROM THE SOLAR SYSTEM

HAVE ENTERED THE ATMOSPHERE

AND ACTUALLY CRASHED INTO
AIRPLANES BRINGING THEM DOWN.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO IMAGINE
WHAT WOULD RUN THROUGH MY MIND

IF WE'RE ABOUT TO LAND AND I SEE A FIREBALL

ARCING ACROSS THE SKY.

THAT WOULD REALLY FREAK ME OUT.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

Narrator: NOW SECURITY CAMERAS
CAPTURE A CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE

INSIDE A FOOTBALL STADIUM.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S JUST MELTING AWAY.

IT'S A SLOW-MOTION DISASTER.

Narrator: A MASSIVE UNKNOWN FORCE

LAYS WASTE TO A STATE-OF-THE-ART STRUCTURE.

THIS IS A SOLID STRUCTURE.
IT'S COMPLETELY UNBELIEVABLE.

THE METRODOME TURNS
INTO A POTENTIAL DEATH DOME.

Narrator: MINNESOTA'S
METRODOME FOOTBALL STADIUM.

BUILT FOR $55 MILLION IN 1982,

IT SEATS 64,000 PEOPLE

AND PLAYS HOST TO BIG SPORTS
EVENTS LIKE THE SUPER BOWL.

THE STADIUM'S CROWNING GLORY IS A VAST ROOF

BUILT TO A HIGH-TECH DESIGN.

SO THIS IS NOT A CONVENTIONAL ROOF.

THIS IS AN AIR-SUPPORTED DOME,

WHICH MEANS THAT IT GETS
ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

BECAUSE OF THE AIR PRESSURE
THAT'S INSIDE THE DOME.

Narrator: THE STADIUM'S
ROOF IS LIKE A GIANT BALLOON,

WHICH RELIES ON AIR
PRESSURE TO STAY INFLATED.

20 HUGE 100 HORSEPOWER FANS

PUMP NEARLY 250,000 CUBIC FEET OF AIR

INTO THE STADIUM EVERY MINUTE.

THE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF
AIR KEEPS THE ROOF PUMPED UP

AND MAINTAINS ITS STRONG CURVED SHAPE.

ADMIRED AROUND THE WORLD,

LIKE THE TITANIC IT IS
THOUGHT TO BE UNSINKABLE.

DECEMBER 12th, 2010,

THE DAY BEFORE A BIG GAME,
THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS.

SECURITY CAMERAS INSIDE THE HUGE STADIUM

CAPTURE A BIZARRE AND
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS EVENT.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS ROOF IS COLLAPSING.

Narrator: HUNDREDS OF
TONS OF BEAMS, EQUIPMENT,

AND AWNING FALL AS MAINTENANCE STAFF FLEE.

LUCKILY THEY MAKE IT OUT

BEFORE THE ROOF TOTALLY COLLAPSES.

Narrator: IF THIS HAPPENED DURING AN EVENT,

THOUSANDS COULD BE CRUSHED TO DEATH.

WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT
JUST TOOK DOWN A WHOLE STADIUM.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
ANALYZE SECURITY FOOTAGE

FROM THE UNBREAKABLE DOME.

SCIENCE JOURNALIST JON FARROW
BELIEVES AIR-SUPPORTED DOMES

MAY HAVE A WEAKNESS.

LOOKING AT THE FOOTAGE, THE
MOMENT WHERE THE DOME RIPS,

IS A KEY PIECE OF EVIDENCE.

Narrator: FARROW BELIEVES A TEAR

IN THE REINFORCED CANVAS
AND FIBERGLASS ROOF

COULD CAUSE THE DOME
TO DEFLATE AND COLLAPSE.

TO TEST THIS THEORY, PHYSICIST SIMON FOSTER

FROM IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

BUILDS A QUICK AND DIRTY
MODEL OF THE STADIUM.

HE USES SCALED-DOWN NINE-VOLT FANS

FOR THE STADIUM'S GIANT FANS

AND A PLASTIC SHEET TO REPLICATE

THE STRUCTURE'S CANVAS ROOF.

Foster: THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT'S
GOING ON WITH THE METRODOME.

Narrator: WHEN HE CUTS THE ROOF,

HE FINDS SOMETHING SURPRISING.

THE DOME CAN WITHSTAND HOLES IN IT.

A SMALL PUNCTURE DOES NOT
BRING DOWN THE STRUCTURE,

BUT WHEN FOSTER CREATES
A TEAR IN THE MATERIAL,

HIS SCALED-DOWN ROOF COLLAPSES.

FOR FOSTER, IT'S EVIDENCE
THAT THE METRODOME ROOF

SUFFERS THE SAME FATE.

A LARGE TEAR RIGHT ACROSS THE DOME

WOULD CAUSE THIS KIND
OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE

THAT WE CAN SEE.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

Narrator: EXPERTS CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY

THAT A MASSIVE FREAK EVENT
SOMEHOW SLASHED A HUGE TEAR

THROUGH THE STADIUM'S REINFORCED ROOF.

MECHANICAL ENGINEER DOUGLAS HOLMES BELIEVES

A METEOROLOGICAL FORCE
COULD BE RESPONSIBLE.

WIND IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA

EXERT A PRESSURE ON THAT STRUCTURE,

AND IT'S NOT REALLY A
SMALL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE.

IT CAN REALLY EXERT A
LARGE PRESSURE ON THERE.

Narrator: ON THE NIGHT THE DOME COLLAPSES,

A STORM IS BLOWING

WITH WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN
30 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER DAVID CAMPBELL

EXAMINES THE STADIUM'S BLUEPRINTS

TO SEE IF THE WIND COULD HAVE TORN THROUGH

THE STADIUM'S REINFORCED ROOF.

THE WIND ACTS OVER THE
VAST MAJORITY OF ITS SURFACE

LIKE AN AIRFOIL, WHICH MAKES
THE WHOLE ROOF STIFFER,

INCREASING THE TENSION IN THE
CABLES AND IN THE MEMBRANE.

THE DOME COULD HAVE EASILY
SURVIVED 30-MILE-AN-HOUR WINDS.

Narrator: SO WHAT DID DOOM
THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART DOME?

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

COMING UP, A STRIKE IN THE
DESERT CONJURED OUT OF THIN AIR.

THEY ARE VERY LUCKY
THAT THEY WEREN'T KILLED.

Narrator: AND INVESTIGATORS
DISCOVER A FREAK FORCE AT WORK

ON THE NIGHT OF THE
CATASTROPHIC STADIUM COLLAPSE.

IT'S AN AVALANCHE.

Narrator: METEOROLOGIST ANGELA FRITZ

EXAMINES THE FOOTAGE OF A
SUPPOSEDLY INDESTRUCTIBLE DOME

CATASTROPHICALLY COLLAPSING IN MINNEAPOLIS.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING

UNTIL WE START TO SEE THE ICE
AND THE SNOW COME THROUGH.

Narrator: FRITZ DISCOVERS
THE DAY BEFORE THE COLLAPSE,

MINNEAPOLIS EXPERIENCES ONE
OF THE MOST SEVERE SNOWSTORMS

IN ITS 200-YEAR HISTORY.

MINNESOTA DEFINITELY GOT HIT HARD.

Narrator: OVER 17 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL IN JUST 18 HOURS.

Fritz: ON THIS PARTICULAR STORM,

IT WAS VERY MOIST, SO
THE SNOW WAS VERY HEAVY.

Narrator: ON THE MORNING OF THE COLLAPSE,

FRITZ ESTIMATES THAT
OVER 900 TONS OF WET SNOW

WEIGHS DOWN ON THE METRODOME.

THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF
FOUR STATUES OF LIBERTY.

Fritz: SO YOU HAVE MULTIPLE
FEET OF VERY WET, DENSE SNOW,

THAT'S PILING UP ON TOP OF THIS ROOF,

AND SO IT'S NO WONDER THAT
THIS THING CANNOT TAKE THE LOAD.

PHYSICIST SIMON FOSTER
PUTS THIS IDEA TO THE TEST.

THE ROOF IS SO VAST,
THAT 900 TONS OF WET SNOW

SCALES DOWN TO THE WEIGHT OF A CELL PHONE.

THE ROOF HANDLES THE WEIGHT WITH EASE.

Foster: THERE IS A SMALL
AMOUNT OF SAGGING HERE,

BUT NOT THAT MUCH, AND THIS REPRESENTS

SNOWFALL LANDING ON TOP.

SO THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE,

THAT CAUSED THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

INVESTIGATORS TRAWL THROUGH
HOURS OF SECURITY FOOTAGE

HOPING TO FIND A MISSING CLUE.

Campbell: AS WE DUG INTO IT, IT
TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS

NEW SECURITY-CAMERA FOOTAGE,

AND IT SHOWED THAT THERE

HAD BEEN A SLIDE OF
SNOW THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE

DOWN ONE OF THE TRIANGLE PANELS,

ON THE SIDE OF THE DOME.

IT'S AN AVALANCHE.

AVALANCHES ARE DANGEROUS
BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY

EMBODIED IN THE MOVING MASS OF MATERIAL.

AND THIS MASS COULD BE TONS.

IT'S MOVING, AND IT'S GOT SOME VELOCITY,

AND IT BURST THE FABRIC.

ONCE A TEAR GETS BEYOND A CERTAIN LENGTH,

IT WILL DEFLATE THE ROOF.

AND IT DID.

Narrator: THE HIGH WINDS COMBINED
WITH OVER A FOOT OF WET, HEAVY SNOW

GIVE BIRTH TO A FREAK AVALANCHE.

EVEN THE SUPPOSEDLY
INDESTRUCTIBLE METRODOME

COULD NOT WITHSTAND THIS PERFECT STORM.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

NOW, IN THE DESERTS OF
ARABIA, UNDER A CLEAR BLUE SKY,

A SUDDEN ATTACK.

[ ELECTRICITY ZAPS ]

WHAM-O! SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE.

ONE-IN-A-BILLION CHANCE
THAT IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

Narrator: FEARING ANOTHER STRIKE,

SCIENTISTS SEARCH FOR ANSWERS.

THEY ARE VERY LUCKY
THAT THEY WEREN'T KILLED.

WHERE DOES COME FROM?

SAUDI ARABIA.

A MOTHER FILMING HER FAMILY

HAS NO IDEA THAT A BLAST OF PURE ENERGY

STRONG ENOUGH TO LIGHT
UP TO 42 MILLION HOUSES

IS ABOUT TO STRIKE.

[ ELECTRICITY ZAPS ]

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

[ ELECTRICITY ZAPS ]

Narrator: A DEADLY TORRENT
OF ELECTRIC CHARGE,

FLOWS INCHES FROM WHERE
THE CHILDREN WERE PLAYING.

IT'S REALLY KIND OF A MIRACLE TO SEE

THAT SOMEONE CAN LIVE
THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

A SINGLE LIGHTNING BOLT CAN
BE A HUNDRED MILLION VOLTS,

AND BURN FIVE TIMES HOTTER
THAN THE SURFACE OF THE SUN.

Narrator: THE NATURE OF THIS UNEXPECTED

AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY STRIKE IS A MYSTERY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SKY,

YOU NOTICE IT'S PRETTY
MUCH A CLEAR SKYLINE...

NO CLOUDS, NO INDICATION
OF BAD WEATHER OR ANYTHING...

AND THEN SUDDENLY OUT OF THE BLUE...

BAM!

Narrator: IF THIS IS LIGHTNING,

THEN IT'S NOT LIGHTNING AS WE KNOW IT.

[ MECHANICAL WHIRRING ]

WHEN THE FOOTAGE IS RELEASED,

IT SPARKS A WORLDWIDE INVESTIGATION.

METEOROLOGIST ANGELA
FRITZ SEARCHES FOR CLUES.

WITH NO RAIN CLOUDS VISIBLE,

FRITZ BELIEVES STRANGE FORCES

MUST HAVE CREATED THIS DEATH BLAST.

IN SAUDI ARABIA, YOU WOULD
HAVE A LOT OF DUST IN THE AIR.

AND SO, IF YOU COULD
HAVE THOSE DUST PARTICLES

CREATING THE STATIC
ELECTRICITY THAT YOU WOULD NEED

TO GENERATE THE LIGHTNING BOLT.

[ THUNDER ROLLS ]

Narrator: BLAST AND
TRAUMA EXPERT RAJ PRABHU,

CHECKS RECORDS FOR ANY EXAMPLES
OF ELECTROSTATIC DUST BOLTS.

Prabhu: IN THE 1930s, WE KNOW
OF THIS CASE IN THE MIDWEST

OF THIS DUST BOWL THAT WAS SWIRLING

AND CREATING ENORMOUS
AMOUNTS OF STATIC CHARGE.

IT WAS SO INTENSE THAT
ANYONE WHO WAS IN THEIR PATH,

WERE LITERALLY ELECTROCUTED TO DEATH.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT DUST
HAS THIS INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL

TO CREATE A VAST AMOUNT OF CHARGE.

Narrator: COULD DUST
BOLTS BE POWERFUL ENOUGH

TO EXPLAIN THIS
100-MILLION-VOLT DESERT STRIKE?

Narrator: DAVID WALLACE OF
THE HIGH VOLTAGE LABORATORY

AT MISSISSIPPI STATE

EXAMINES FOOTAGE OF THE
MYSTERIOUS BOLT FROM THE BLUE...

...TO SEE IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED

BY LIGHTNING FROM A DUST STORM.

HE NOTICES A KEY INGREDIENT IS MISSING.

Wallace: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS VIDEO,

YOU DON'T HAVE THE ATMOSPHERE MOVING.

THE RAPID ROTATIONS, THE
BIG BILLOWING DUST STORMS,

THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO
SEE TO GENERATE ENOUGH POWER

TO CREATE A LIGHTNING
STRIKE LIKE WE SEE IN THE VIDEO.

Narrator: WALLACE SPOTS
SOMETHING UNUSUAL IN THE FOOTAGE

WHICH MAY HELP SOLVE THE MYSTERY.

THE DEADLY BOLT FLOWS
EFFORTLESSLY OVER A MATERIAL

THAT SHOULD STOP IT IN ITS TRACKS.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STRIKE,

YOU FIRST GET THE INITIAL
BOLT COMING RIGHT DOWN

BEHIND THEM, BUT THEN AFTER
THAT, IT'S SORT OF TRAVELING

ACROSS THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND.

AND THAT'S RATHER ODD,

SINCE SAND IS A VERY GOOD INSULATOR.

THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE HERE
THAT IS ALLOWING THAT SURFACE

TO HAVE THE BOLT TRAVEL ACROSS IT.

Narrator: WALLACE SPOTS A
DARK CHANNEL IN THE SAND,

INDICATING THE POSSIBLE PRESENCE OF WATER.

NOW, ONE METHOD OF MAKING
THE SAND A LITTLE MORE CONDUCTIVE

WOULD BE TO ADD WATER TO IT,

WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE CONDUCTIVITY.

Narrator: WALLACE SETS UP AN EXPERIMENT

TO FIND OUT IF WET SAND COULD EXPLAIN

THE UNUSUAL FLOW OF CHARGE.

SO WHAT I WANNA DO NOW,
IS SORT OF BUILD ME A LITTLE

PIECE OF SAUDI ARABIA RIGHT
HERE IN THE LAB IN MISSISSIPPI.

WET THE SAND.

TAKE MY IMPULSE TOWER,
LET'S SHOOT US ABOUT A MILLION

VOLT IMPULSE LIGHTNING
STRIKE RIGHT INTO THE SAND.

Narrator: TO SEE IF LIGHTNING FLOWS
OVER THE SURFACE OF WET SAND,

WALLACE PLACES VOLTAGE
SENSORS IN HIS SANDPIT.

EARPHONES ON... THIS WILL BE LOUD.

STABILIZING UP.

WE'RE AT 18.

GET READY FOR THE SHOT.

[ BELL RINGS ]

Narrator: WALLACE BLASTS THE SAND
WITH A ONE-MILLION-VOLT CHARGE.

HE'S HOPING TO SEE THE CHARGE
FLOW ACROSS THE SURFACE OF THE SAND.

I DEFINITELY SAW A PATTERN
THAT GOES THROUGH THERE.

WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE ON THE CAMERA?

Narrator: THE CAMERA CAPTURES THE BOLT,

BUT FAILS TO PICK UP ANY EVIDENCE

OF THE CHARGE ACROSS THE SAND.

NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
THE SCOPE, SEE WHAT WE GOT.

Narrator: BUT THE VOLTAGE SENSORS
PICK UP WHAT THE CAMERA CAN'T.

AND YOU LOOK HERE, WHEN WE TAKE THE SHOT,

YOU SEE A MAJORITY OF THE CURRENT

NOW FLOWING ACROSS THE SURFACE.

Narrator: WALLACE'S OSCILLOSCOPE READINGS

FROM THE SENSORS CONFIRMS THE WET SAND

IS RECEIVING A STRONG CURRENT...

STRAIGHT INTO THE SAND!

BEAUTIFUL!

Narrator: ...SUPPORTING THE IDEA

THAT THE SAND IN THE SAUDI ARABIAN FOOTAGE

IS MOST LIKELY WET, TOO.

SO, YOU THINK ABOUT
IT, THIS IS SAUDI ARABIA,

WHERE IT SHOULD BE DRY.

NOW IF THERE WAS A WET CHANNEL,

THAT WOULD BE A VERY STRONG INDICATION THAT

THERE WAS POSSIBLY A RAINSTORM
THAT HAD COME THROUGH EARLIER

THAT HAD WET THE GROUND THROUGH THAT AREA.

OH, YES!

Narrator: WALLACE MAY HAVE
DISCOVERED THE MISSING LINK

THAT EXPLAINS THE BOLT FROM THE BLUE.

ALTHOUGH THE STORM HAS LONG GONE,

ANGELA FRITZ BELIEVES IT MAY
STILL BE THE SOURCE OF THE BOLT.

IT APPEARS TO COME FROM NOWHERE,

BUT IT ALWAYS COMES FROM SOMEWHERE,

AND THAT SOMEWHERE MUST BE A THUNDERSTORM.

Narrator: AS THE FOOTAGE
SHOWS CLEAR BLUE SKIES,

FRITZ BELIEVES THE THUNDERSTORM
MUST NOW BE BEYOND THE HORIZON.

THIS WAS A BOLT THAT CAME
FROM MILES AND MILES AWAY.

[ THUNDER CRASHES ]

Narrator: FRITZ SEARCHES THE RECORDS

TO FIND OUT HOW FAR A
LIGHTNING BOLT CAN TRAVEL.

A REPORT IN OKLAHOMA WHERE
THERE WAS A LIGHTNING STRIKE,

THE CLOSEST THUNDERSTORM
WAS 200 MILES AWAY.

Narrator: ON JUNE 20th, 2007,

THE LONGEST-EVER LIGHTNING
BOLT ON RECORD STRETCHES HALFWAY

ACROSS THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

THE ENERGY FROM A THUNDERSTORM
CAN TRAVEL HUNDREDS OF MILES.

THE CONDITIONS MUST BE JUST RIGHT,

BUT THIS REPORT IS
PROOF THAT IT CAN HAPPEN.

Wallace: IT'S A LITTLE CRAZY
TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT

THAT YOU COULD BE HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY

FROM A THUNDERSTORM
AND GET STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

IT SEEMS THAT THE OLD
PHRASE "A BOLT FROM THE BLUE"

MAY HAVE ITS ORIGINS IN SCIENTIFIC FACT.

LIGHTNING IS ONE OF THE
MOST BIZARRE AND FASCINATING

FORCES OF NATURE.

THERE MIGHT BE A STORM BREWING,

AND A BOLT OF LIGHTING CAN
REACH OUT FROM THAT STORM

AND STRIKE YOU AND KILL YOU DEAD.