Bill Nye The Science Guy - S05E14 - Erosion - Best Quality

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Summary

In this energetic episode of "Bill Nye The Science Guy," Bill dives into the world of erosion, explaining how natural forces such as water, ice, wind, and chemicals continuously wear away the Earth's landscape. With fun experiments and creative analogies, Bill demonstrates the relentless power of these natural elements and how they shape our planet's surface over millions of years. The episode cleverly combines science with humor to make the concept of erosion accessible and entertaining for viewers of all ages.

Highlights

Fun word association game to introduce erosion—'day after day', Earth's surface changes. 👾
Bill Nye's quirky experiments show how water and ice cause erosion using a bottle and liquid nitrogen. ❄️
A creative "Erosion Spa" segment humorously compares erosion to an exfoliating scrub. 🧖‍♀️
Demystifying complex processes with simple analogies, like using quarters and sand to explain erosion under a coin. 🎲
Catchy musical segment sums up erosion's impact with a catchy tune. 🎶

Key Takeaways

Erosion is a continuous process driven by natural forces like water, ice, wind, and chemicals. 🌊
Mountains and rocks are continuously breaking down and reshaping due to erosion. ⛰️
Erosion can be slowed by using barriers and planting trees, but it's a challenging task. 🌳
Chemical erosion is caused by reactions between minerals in rocks and the atmosphere. ⚗️
Human activities can accelerate the process of erosion. 👷‍♂️

Overview

Bill Nye kicks off the episode with a lively word association game to introduce the concept of erosion. He points out how natural elements like water, ice, wind, and chemicals wear down landscapes bit by bit. Using creative experiments and props, Bill illustrates the process with a stream of water eroding a block of mineral salt and liquid nitrogen causing a soda bottle to crack — all demonstrating real-world erosion processes in a fun way.

The show takes an entertaining turn as Bill visits a fictional "Erosion Spa", humorously presenting erosion as a relaxing exfoliation process. The quirky narrative continues with segments showing how different elements like water, ice, and wind contribute to shaping the land. Bill explains these science concepts using analogies with sand blasters, household objects, and unexpected comedic skits, making science interesting for everyone.

Concluding the episode, Bill performs a catchy musical segment that reinforces the key ideas about erosion in a memorable way. He highlights the importance of understanding erosion and how it affects our environment, urging viewers to appreciate the grandeur of geological changes over time. As always, Bill Nye combines education with entertainment, ensuring the audience engages cheerfully with scientific exploration.

Chapters

00:00 - 01:00: Introduction to Erosion The chapter 'Introduction to Erosion' provides an engaging start with a word association exercise to pique the reader's interest. The narrative describes the continuous and inevitable process of erosion, where natural forces such as water, ice, wind, and chemicals wear down the Earth's surface day and night. This relentless process underscores the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our planet's landscape.
01:00 - 03:30: Water Erosion Demonstration The chapter titled 'Water Erosion Demonstration' involves a scene where someone is physically exerting themselves, possibly to demonstrate the effects of erosion, as indicated by the sounds of 'pounding on the earth' and 'breathing heavily.' There is reference to a mountain that was once larger and more jagged, suggesting a discussion or demonstration of how water erosion can change landscapes over time. The mention of someone being obsessed with erosion and a brief appearance or mention of 'Bill Nye, The Science Guy,' adds an educational and possibly humorous tone to the chapter.
03:30 - 06:00: Wind and Sand Erosion The chapter titled 'Wind and Sand Erosion' features Bill Nye, popularly known as 'The Science Guy,' who explores the dynamics of wind and sand erosion through the iconic, energetic introduction characteristic of his show. The theme of the chapter introduces viewers to the principles of how erosion works, particularly focusing on the role of wind in shaping our landscapes. This is brought to life with engaging demonstrations and explanations, typically involving real-life applications and experiments that demonstrate the power of natural forces, such as wind, that contribute to erosion.
06:00 - 09:00: Chemical Erosion Introduction The chapter introduces the concept of chemical erosion, emphasizing the transformative power of natural elements over time. It states that given enough time, elements like water, ice, wind, sand, and chemicals can erode even solid rocks. This ongoing process causes mountains to crumble and hills to flatten, illustrating the dynamic nature of the Earth's surface.
09:00 - 12:00: Erosion Impacts on Landscapes The chapter titled 'Erosion Impacts on Landscapes' discusses the continuous and relentless process of erosion and its significant effects on various terrains. It highlights how erosion contributes to the widening of valleys and the deepening of canyons. Despite the constant nature of erosion, the chapter suggests the need for better understanding and management of its impacts on our landscapes. The narrative is delivered with a sense of urgency and emphasis on the unstoppable force of erosion, potentially challenging readers to reconsider their interaction with natural environments.
12:00 - 15:00: Erosion and Human Activities The chapter titled 'Erosion and Human Activities' introduces the topic by presenting a piece of mineral salt and a hose, suggesting a demonstration or explanation related to these items might follow.
15:00 - 18:00: The Role of Trees in Erosion The chapter discusses the role of trees in preventing land erosion. It explains how water, as it flows over soil, gradually erodes the material by carrying it away. The process takes time and is demonstrated with a scientific experiment using an ice bottle to illustrate the slow but continuous nature of erosion. The presence of trees is implied to slow down this process, though the specific details of how trees help are not provided in the transcript.
18:00 - 21:00: Erosion in Action In this chapter titled "Erosion in Action," the process of erosion is demonstrated through a simple experiment. By using liquid nitrogen, liquid water is turned into solid ice, causing expansion. This expansion is powerful enough to split a bottle open. The chapter draws a parallel between this experiment and how erosion works in nature. When water enters cracks in rocks and freezes, it causes the rocks to split open, demonstrating a natural cause of erosion.
21:00 - 24:00: Natural Processes of Erosion This chapter focuses on the natural processes that contribute to erosion, specifically highlighting how rocks change gradually over time. The transformation is described as slow and subtle. The chapter then transitions to examining wind erosion, underscoring its role in altering landscapes. The narrative unfolds with a keen observation of the slow yet continual changes in nature, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the geological processes at play.
24:00 - 27:00: Discussion on Erosion Resilience The chapter titled 'Discussion on Erosion Resilience' uses a metaphor of plastic foam mountains to represent real mountains. It explores the concept of erosion by using a sand blaster as a demonstration tool. Each particle of sand in the blaster symbolizes an agent of erosion, gradually wearing away the mountain, illustrating how erosion processes can alter landscapes over time.
27:00 - 30:00: Musical Summary on Erosion The chapter titled 'Musical Summary on Erosion' discusses the concept of erosion, especially focusing on how mountains change over time due to this natural process. The dialogue indicates a casual conversation with a humorous tone about the inevitability of erosion and how it metaphorically sloughs off life's worries. The musical aspect is not explicit but may suggest a rhythmic or lyrical presentation of the topic.
30:00 - 33:00: Bill Nye's Closing Remarks Bill Nye delivers his closing remarks against the backdrop of a fictional 'Erosion Spa'. The spa is a metaphorical destination offering treatments that symbolize natural erosion processes. Services include a 'wind and sand exfoliating scrub' and an 'acid rain soak' aimed at smoothing away life's 'craggy peaks' and wrinkles, humorously illustrating the relentless and natural processes of erosion. The chapter conveys a playful connection between spa treatments and geological processes, encouraging a reflective pause to embrace natural change. As the chapter concludes, Nye invites listeners to metaphorically 'set aside lots of time' to appreciate these natural phenomena at the 'Erosion Spa'.
33:00 - 35:00: Final Thoughts on Erosion In the final chapter on erosion, the speaker uses vivid imagery to describe the sensations and surprises of observing erosion in action. The narrative begins with a sense of solitude and echoes ('HELLO?! ANYBODY?') and progresses to a physical interaction with nature ('I'M GONNA TAP REAL HARD'), suggesting an urgency and tactile engagement. The presence of sand in the mouth highlights the immediacy and personal connection to the process of erosion ('SAND IN MY MOUTH'). The speaker observes a small canyon formed by water, marveling at its depth, which serves as a metaphor for the ongoing and universal changes landscapes undergo due to erosion ('LOOK, THE WATER HAS WORN A LITTLE CANYON. SEE HOW DEEP IT IS? LANDSCAPES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE ALWAYS CHANGING.'). This reflection captures the essence of erosion as a continuous and transformative force shaping the Earth's topography.

Bill Nye The Science Guy - S05E14 - Erosion - Best Quality Transcription

00:00 - 00:30 LET'S TRY SOME WORD ASSOCIATION. I'LL SAY A WORD. YOU JUST SAY THE FIRST WORD THAT POPS INTO YOUR HEAD. READY? DAY. DAY...AFTER DAY, THE EARTH IS WORN DOWN BY WATER, ICE, WIND, AND CHEMICALS. NIGHT. NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, THE PROCESS CONTINUES, RELENTLESSLY, UNABATED,
00:30 - 01:00 POUNDING ON THE EARTH. [ BREATHING HEAVILY ] INTERESTING. DOG. DOGGONE IT... [ SOBBING ] THAT MOUNTAIN USED TO BE HIGHER AND MORE JAGGED! AHA! I THINK I SEE THE PROBLEM. WHY, IT GOES BACK TO YOUR CHILDHOOD. YOU ARE OBSESSED WITH EROSION! ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪
01:00 - 01:30 BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY. BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ SCIENCE RULES. ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ INERTIA IS A PROPERTY OF MATTER. BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY. BILL! BILL! BILL! T MINUS 7 SECONDS. BILL! BILL! BILL! ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ Announcer: BROUGHT TO YOU BY EROSION DEMOLITION, INC.
01:30 - 02:00 GIVE US THE TIME, AND WE'LL WEAR AWAY ANYTHING YOU GOT. ROCKS ARE SOLID. [ TAPPING ] THEY'RE ROCKS... BUT EVERY ROCK ON THE EARTH'S SURFACE WILL BE DIFFERENT TOMORROW FROM THE WAY IT IS TODAY. THEY'RE ERODING. WATER, ICE, WIND, SAND, AND CHEMICALS ARE CONSTANTLY CRUMBLING MOUNTAINS, FLATTENING HILLS,
02:00 - 02:30 WIDENING VALLEYS, AND DEEPENING CANYONS. EROSION NEVER STOPS. NEVER! WHOA! WRONG WAY.
02:30 - 03:00 HI, THERE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. IT'S OUR... [ FANFARE PLAYS ] IT'S A PIECE OF MINERAL SALT... AND A HOSE.
03:00 - 03:30 NOW, WATCH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A STREAM OF WATER SLOWLY FLOWS OVER IT. IT'S CHANGING. THE WATER IS CARRYING SOME OF THE SOLID AWAY. WE SAY IT'S ERODING. NOW, THIS TAKES TIME. [ CLOCK TICKING ] [ TICKING SPEEDS UP ] THIS IS OUR EXPANDING ICE BOTTLE OF SCIENCE. WHEN WE FREEZE THE WATER INSIDE WITH THIS...
03:30 - 04:00 ORDINARY HOUSEHOLD LIQUID NITROGEN... [ BUBBLING ] ...THE LIQUID WATER TURNS TO SOLID ICE, AND IT EXPANDS. IT CAN SPLIT THE BOTTLE RIGHT OPEN. SEE? NOW, WHEN LIQUID WATER GETS IN CRACKS IN ROCKS AND FREEZES, THE ROCKS SPLIT OPEN. THIS IS ANOTHER CAUSE OF EROSION.
04:00 - 04:30 WELL, IT'S COMING ALONG. HAH! SEE? THE ROCK IS CHANGING. VERY, VERY SLOWLY, CHANGING. AHH. HERE WE GO. ZIP UP. AHH. [ MUMBLING ] [ Muffled ] NOW, WE'LL LOOK AT SOME WIND EROSION.
04:30 - 05:00 THIS IS SAND. THIS IS A SAND BLASTER. LET'S SAY THAT THESE PLASTIC FOAM MOUNTAINS ARE, UH...MOUNTAINS. [ CHUCKLES ] YEAH. WATCH. [ HUMMING ] SEE, EVERY PARTICLE OF SAND CARRIES AWAY A LITTLE BIT OF MOUNTAIN.
05:00 - 05:30 SO THAT AFTER A WHILE, THE MOUNTAINS CHANGE. THEY'RE ERODING. OKAY. HMM, I THOUGHT I FIXED THAT. HMM. HELLO? HELLO? ANYBODY? Woman: GOT A CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER? SLOUGH OFF LIFE'S WORRIES THE NATURAL WAY
05:30 - 06:00 AT THE EROSION SPA. LET OUR STAFF OF SKILLED EROSIONISTS CHIP AWAY AND TAKE OFF LIFE'S CRAGGY PEAKS. ENJOY A WIND AND SAND EXFOLIATING SCRUB. RELAX IN AN ACID RAIN SOAK AND SMOOTH AWAY WRINKLES IN THE CHEMICAL EROSION CHAMBER. SO WHEN YOU'RE FEELING JAGGED AND UNSTABLE, SET ASIDE LOTS OF TIME AND COME ON DOWN TO THE EROSION SPA.
06:00 - 06:30 HELLO?! ANYBODY? HUH? HUH? HUH? OKAY. I'M GONNA TAP REAL HARD. [ POUNDING ] AHH. AHH, WHEW. AH. PHEW! SAND IN MY MOUTH. LOOK, THE WATER HAS WORN A LITTLE CANYON. SEE HOW DEEP IT IS? LANDSCAPES ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE ALWAYS CHANGING.
06:30 - 07:00 IT'S EROSION. WHEN IT RAINS, THE WATER THAT FALLS ERODES THE EARTH. HERE'S AN EXPERIMENT YOU CAN DO TO SEE HOW EROSION WORKS.
07:00 - 07:30 PUT SOME DAMP SAND IN A CONTAINER LIKE THIS. DUMP IT OUT LIKE YOU'RE MAKING A SAND CASTLE. [ SPLAT! ] Man: NICE MOVE. PUT A QUARTER FLAT ON TOP OF THE SAND. SPRINKLE SOME WATER ON TOP OF THE SAND VERY GENTLY. VERY, UM -- WHAT DID YOU SAY AGAIN? I SAID "GENTLY." OH, YEAH.
07:30 - 08:00 SEE, THE SAND WASHES AWAY IN EVERY PLACE EXCEPT UNDERNEATH THE COIN. THE COIN IS LIKE A PLANT OR A TREE IN THE FOREST OR A REALLY HIGH ROCK, WHICH HELPS PREVENT EROSION. WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING HOLDING THE SOIL IN PLACE, IT DOESN'T ERODE AS FAST. SEE THIS DARK COLOR? IT'S IRON OXIDE -- RUST.
08:00 - 08:30 THERE'S IRON IN THE ROCK. RAINWATER AND OXYGEN IN THE AIR COMBINE TO TURN IT INTO RUST. IT LEAVES THESE DARK STREAKS ON THE ROCK. LET'S SAY THIS IS A ROCK. WELL, IT IS A ROCK, AND LET'S SAY THAT THIS IS IRON. WELL, IT IS IRON. IT'S STEEL WOOL, WHICH IS MOSTLY IRON. THIS IS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, A CHEMICAL MADE OF WATER AND OXYGEN. AS IT FLOWS OVER THE ROCK AND HITS THE IRON, THE IRON RUSTS AND LEAVES STREAKS,
08:30 - 09:00 JUST LIKE THE STREAKS ON THE ROCKS OUTDOORS. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE METAL'S IN ROCKS OR IN HUMAN-MADE OBJECTS. RAINWATER AND FOG ARE HELPING THIS METAL COMBINE WITH OXYGEN IN THE AIR. IT'S TURNING THIS COPPER GREEN. IT'S SLOWLY EATING THE METAL AWAY. IT'S JUST LIKE THE ROCKS. THE IRON TURNS TO IRON OXIDE. IT'S TAKING SOME OF THE IRON OUT OF THE ROCK.
09:00 - 09:30 SOME OF THE ROCK IS GOING AWAY. IT'S A FORM OF EROSION. IT'S CHEMICAL. CHEMICAL. CHEMICAL EROSION. Announcer: TONIGHT, ON "ER" OSION... WHAT'S THIS? STATUE OF LIBERTY -- WORST EXAMPLE OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURE I'VE SEEN IN YEARS. ON MY COUNT -- ONE, TWO, THREE. MY GOSH! WITH OXIDATION, THIS COPPER IS ENTIRELY GREEN. SOMEBODY GET THE POLISH! CODE GREEN, STAT! I THINK WE CAN MAKE THIS ONE IN TIME.
09:30 - 10:00 WHEN YOU HAVE LAYERS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROCK, EROSION CAN HAPPEN FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IF SOFTER ROCK HAPPENS TO BE UNDERNEATH HARDER ROCK, WE CAN END UP WITH A SHAPE LIKE THIS. THE SOFTER ROCK ERODES AWAY FIRST, LEAVING AN ARCH.
10:00 - 10:30 QUIT MONKEYING AROUND, BILL. AS THE WIND BLOWS ACROSS THE HIGH DESERT, IT PICKS UP SAND. THE SANDY WIND ERODES THESE ROCKS. Narrator: A HIGHLY MAGNIFIED VIEW OF SEVERAL SAND GRAINS SHOWS THEIR SHARP, CUTTING EDGES. SUCH HARD, QUARTZ GRAINS CUT INTO SOLID ROCK WHEN BLOWN ACROSS ITS SURFACE. SINCE THE WIND CAN ONLY PICK THE SAND UP SO HIGH,
10:30 - 11:00 IT ONLY ERODES THE ROCK SO FAR. WE CALL THESE MUSHROOM ROCKS. THEY'RE FORMED BY WIND EROSION. A STREAM HAS CUT THROUGH THIS SANDSTONE. THE RUNNING WATER PICKS UP SAND GRAINS OFF THE STREAM BED AND CARRIES THEM ALONG. THE SANDY WATER ACTS LIKE A SCOURING PAD, WEARING ITS WAY DOWN YEAR AFTER YEAR,
11:00 - 11:30 YEAR AFTER YEAR, YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND CARVING THIS CANYON. EROSION IS THE SLOW WEARING AWAY OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE, KIND OF LIKE WHAT I'M DOING HERE, BUT FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YEARS. YES! WAVES ARE RELENTLESS. THEY POUND, POUND, POUND, POUND, POUND ON THE SHORE.
11:30 - 12:00 AND WHEN THEY DO, THE FORCE OF THE WAVE BENDS THE ROCK AND MAKES IT CRACK. THE CONTINUED FORCE OF THE WAVE MAKES THE CRACKS GET BIGGER, AND EVENTUALLY, PIECES OF THE ROCK FALL AWAY, LEAVING THESE. THEY'RE CALLED SEA STACKS. THAT ROCK -- IN FACT, ALL THE ROCKS AROUND HERE -- USED TO BE PART OF THIS HILL. BUT THE FORCE OF THE WAVES HAS KNOCKED 'EM ALL LOOSE. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT ELSE. IN ANOTHER FEW MILLION YEARS, ALL OF THESE ROCKS WILL BE REDUCED TO SAND.
12:00 - 12:30 SAND LIKE THIS. SEE, HERE AT THE BEACH, THE WAVES HAVE BEEN POUNDING ON THE PEBBLES AND MAKING THEM RUB ON EACH OTHER FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS, TURNING THEM INTO GRAINS OF SAND. NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SHORELINE, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S A NARROW STRIP OF SAND. THAT'S BECAUSE THE WAVES ONLY POUND THEIR WAY SO FAR INLAND. BUT LOOK -- THEY'RE TURNING ROCKS INTO SAND, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! IT'S EROSION. Announcer: WELCOME BACK TO...
12:30 - 13:00 TONIGHT'S EPISODE, GRANDPA SMOOTHES THINGS OUT. GRANDPA, HOW COME YOU'RE SO SMOOTH, AND I'M SO ROUGH? WHY, YOU JUST HAVEN'T UNDERGONE MUCH EROSION YET. EROSION? [ LAUGHS ] HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU. WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I WAS A LITTLE ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES, TOO,
13:00 - 13:30 BUT AFTER MILLIONS OF YEARS OF SAND, WIND, AND WAVES POUNDING ON ME, I GOT SMOOTHER. YOU WILL, TOO. WOW! YOU MEAN, I'LL BE SMOOTH LIKE YOU? [ Laughs ] RIGHTY-O! WILL I HAVE A GRAY BEARD AND RED IRON OXIDE STREAKS, TOO? IF YOU'RE LUCKY. [ BOTH LAUGHING ] NICE VIEW... BUT AT WHAT PRICE? HAH!
13:30 - 14:00 THIS HOUSE IS BUILT ON THE SIDE OF A HILL -- AN ERODING HILL, AND IT'S STEEP. WHEN THE SOIL GOT SOAKED WITH RAINWATER, IT BROKE LOOSE IN BIG SLABS. NOW, IF A HOUSE HAPPENED TO BE BUILT ON A SLAB, AND THE SLAB CAME LOOSE, WELL, THE HOUSE WENT WITH IT. NOW, PEOPLE CAN SLOW EROSION DOWN BY DESIGNING CONCRETE BARRIERS, PUTTING UP PLYWOOD FENCES,
14:00 - 14:30 AND INSTALLING DRAINAGE PIPES. THEY HAVE TO DO ALL THIS EXTRA WORK TO LIVE HERE WITH THIS GREAT VIEW. IT'S A CHOICE THEY MAKE. BUT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO MOVE BECAUSE FIGHTING EROSION CAN BE AN UPHILL BATTLE. Announcer: TONIGHT, ON A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE OF "ERHODA." OY VEY, THIS WHOLE CITY JUST AIN'T WHAT IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE. HUH! Announcer: CAN A SINGLE GIRL MAKE IT IN A BIG CITY
14:30 - 15:00 THAT'S ERODING BEFORE HER EYES? THE SEED THAT THIS TREE IS GROWING FROM LANDED IN A TOUGH PLACE A LONG TIME AGO. NOW, RIGHT NOW, THE ROOTS UP HERE ARE HOLDING BACK ROCKS AND SOIL, AND THE ROOTS DOWN HERE ARE STRONG ENOUGH THAT, AS THEY GROW, THEY CAN SPLIT ROCK APART, HELPING BREAK IT DOWN INTO SOIL FOR OTHER PLANTS TO GROW IN. SEE, THIS TREE IS HOLDING BACK SOIL, BUT THE ROCK IS STILL ERODING AWAY.
15:00 - 15:30 SO IN ONE WAY, THE TREE IS SLOWING EROSION DOWN, BUT IN ANOTHER WAY, IT'S SPEEDING EROSION UP. SEE, LIVING THINGS ARE PART OF THE PROCESS. Announcer: TONIGHT ON "MacGOOBER," MGOOBER IS TRAPPED IN AN ABANDONED WAREHOUSE, BUT DON'T THINK HE'S LICKED YET. I'M NOT LICKED YET! EROSION.
15:30 - 16:00 NOW, I JUST HAVE TO SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR... EROSION TO DIG THROUGH THE FLOOR. ♪ EROSION GRRRL, SHE'LL WEAR YOU DOWN ♪ ♪ RAIN, WIND, AND SAND OR WATER, WOW ♪ ♪ SHE'S EROSION GRRRL ♪ ♪ AND SHE'LL ROCK YOUR WORLD ♪ LOOK AT THIS! LOOK AT THIS! IT'S EROSION! E-RO-SION! WIND, RAIN, SAND, ICE. IT EATS AWAY.
16:00 - 16:30 [ CHOMPING LOUDLY ] IT ATTACKS ROCKS AND MOUNTAINS. IT TAKES MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YEARS. IT NEVER ENDS! SO SUCK IT UP AND DEAL WITH IT! Announcer: "MacGOOBER." OH, YEAH. NOW WE'RE GETTING THERE.
16:30 - 17:00 ANOTHER 10,000 YEARS OUGHTA DO IT. DON'T MISS "MacGOOBER" ON NYE TV, RIGHT AFTER -- SEE THESE LAYERS? THIS HOODOO. SEE THIS LITTLE ARCH? SEE THIS WINDOW? SEE THOSE GROTTOS? SEE THESE ROCKS? WELL, TAKE A GOOD LOOK, 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THIS YESTERDAY,
17:00 - 17:30 AND THEY WON'T LOOK LIKE THIS TOMORROW. IN FACT, THEY'LL NEVER LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THIS EVER AGAIN. HERE'S WHY. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, IT SNOWS AROUND HERE. THEN IN THE MORNING, THE SUN MELTS THE SNOW, AND THE WATER FLOWS DOWN BETWEEN CRACKS IN THE ROCK. THEN AT NIGHT, IT FREEZES AGAIN AND EXPANDS. THAT FORCES THE ROCKS APART, MAKES 'EM CRACK.
17:30 - 18:00 NOW, AS THE LIQUID WATER FLOWS OVER THE ROCK, IT DISSOLVES SOME OF THE MINERALS. THAT'S WHY WE SEE THESE DIFFERENT COLORS. THEN THIS GREEN COLOR AND THIS BLACK COLOR ARE PLANTS CALLED LICHEN, AND THEY'RE FEEDING ON CHEMICALS IN THE ROCK. SO THE FREEZING WATER, THE CHEMICALS, AND THE LIVING THINGS ARE ALL EATING AWAY AT THE ROCKS. [ CHOMPS ] MM-HMM. YOU HUNGRY, BILL?
18:00 - 18:30 IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT, BUT THIS PROCESS IS HAPPENING EVERY DAY. IT DOESN'T EVER STOP. THE WALLS OF THIS CANYON ERODE ABOUT THAT FAR -- THIS MUCH -- ABOUT HALF A CENTIMETER EVERY YEAR. HOW FAR DO YOU THINK THEY'D ERODE IN 100 YEARS? IT'D BE ABOUT THAT FAR. IN 100 CENTURIES? IT'D BE CLOSE TO A SOCCER FIELD. JUST THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN A MILLION YEARS OR 15 MILLION YEARS. YOU COULD SEE THAT ONE DAY, THIS PLACE WON'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THE WAY IT DOES NOW.
18:30 - 19:00 YOU SEE, EROSION IS A NEVER-ENDING PROCESS. WHEN WATER FREEZES, IT EXPANDS, AND THAT CAN CAUSE EROSION. TAKE SOME MODELING CLAY AND SMOOTH IT INTO A BALL. A LITTLE FASTER, IF YOU COULD. LIKE THIS. THERE YOU GO. PUT YOUR BALL IN A PLASTIC BAG AND PLACE THE WHOLE THING IN THE FREEZER OVERNIGHT.
19:00 - 19:30 ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT DAY... LET IT THAW, AND THEN PLACE IT IN THE FREEZER OVERNIGHT AGAIN. MM-HMM. THEN LET IT THAW AND FREEZE IT AGAIN. NOW I'VE FROZEN THIS PIECE THREE TIMES. I KNOW. SEE? THE CLAY CRACKS UP ALL OVER THE PLACE. WATER IN THE CLAY FROZE, EXPANDED, AND THEN SPLIT THE CLAY APART. HMM.
19:30 - 20:00 THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH ROCKS. WATER GETS IN THE CRACKS AND FREEZES INTO ICE. THE ROCK ERODES A LITTLE BIT MORE EVERY TIME THE TEMPERATURE DIPS BELOW ZERO. IT'S EROSION. SEE THE CRACK IN THAT WALL? UH-HUH. HOODOO IN PROGRESS. HOODOO. THAT'S A HOODOO -- A COLUMN OF ROCK. IT STARTED OUT AS PART OF A VERTICAL ROCK WALL, LIKE THAT ONE. THEN, YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR...
20:00 - 20:30 YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, WATER WORKED ITS WAY INTO CRACKS AND FROZE. IT MADE BIG WEDGES SLOUGH OFF, LEAVING HARD ROCK BEHIND -- THE HOODOOS. THEY'RE SPECTACULAR. HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! [ Echoing ] HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! HOODOO! [ HOWLS ]
20:30 - 21:00 ♪ EVERY MOUNTAIN, ROCK AND HILL ♪ ♪ WEARS AWAY, ERODES UNTIL ♪ ♪ IT'S SEDIMENT AND SAND CARRIED OFF BY RAIN AND WIND ♪ ♪ OOH, IT'S A CHANGE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN FAST ♪ ♪ THAT JAGGED EDGE WON'T LAST ♪ ♪ POUNDING WATER, WIND, AND ICE AND THE FALLING RAIN ♪ ♪ THEY'RE ALL CAUSING THE EROSION ♪
21:00 - 21:30 ♪ EVEN CHEMICALS WE KNOW THAT ARE IN THE AIR ♪ ♪ THEY'RE CAUSING THE EROSION ♪ ♪ THE SURFACE OF OUR PLANET EARTH ♪ ♪ EACH MOUNTAIN TOP AND ROCKY CLIFF ♪ ♪ ERODED BY THE ELEMENTS, IT'S A WELL-KNOWN FACT ♪ ♪ POUNDING WATER, WIND, AND ICE AND THE FALLING RAIN ♪ ♪ THEY'RE ALL CAUSING THE EROSION ♪ ♪ EVEN CHEMICALS WE KNOW THAT ARE IN THE AIR ♪
21:30 - 22:00 ♪ THEY'RE CAUSING THE EROSION ♪ ♪ PPOUNDING WATER, WIND AND ICE AND THE FALLING RAIN ♪ ♪ THEY'RE ALL CAUSING THE EROSION ♪ ♪ EVEN CHEMICALS WE KNOW THAT ARE IN THE AIR ♪ ♪ THEY'RE CAUSING THE EROSION ♪ WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW. THANKS FOR WATCHING. IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I'VE GOT SOME VENEFACT ABRASION CO-EFFICIENTS TO DELINEATE. SEE YA! PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH...
22:00 - 22:30 WOO-HOO-HOO! STEEP. SURE, IT'S STEEP. IT'S BEEN WASHING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. LOOK AT THIS. OH, MAN. LOOK AT THESE THINGS. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THESE THINGS! IT'S KOOKY. THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL. THEY'RE VENTIFACTION THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY IN THIS TIME OF YEAR. LOOK AT THIS -- HUGE, HUGE WEDGES OF MATERIAL THAT GET SLOUGHED OFF EVERY MORNING. I MEAN, NOT EVERY MORNING, BUT, I MEAN, SLOWLY. YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD, BUT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THOUSAND YEARS, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE.
22:30 - 23:00 NOPE, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE LONG GONE. YEAH, YOU ARE. NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT, MY FRIEND. YOU'RE A ROCK. I'M A HUMAN. YOU'LL BE HERE AFTER I'M GONE, I GUESS, BUT I CAN SEE IT COMING FOR YOU. YEAH, I CAN. LET'S LOOK OVER HERE. LOOK OVER HERE. IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW, THERE'S EROSION GOING ON. -- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISNEY EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTIONS