Could an animal live in a volcano?

Summary

Join Danny on an incredible adventure to an underwater volcano, Kavachi, near the Solomon Islands. Despite the intense conditions of heat, acidity, and eruptions, this episode explores whether life can thrive in such extreme environments. Surprisingly, scientists discover life within these hostile waters. Hammerhead and silky sharks are seen amidst the turbulent and acidic waters. Observations suggest these resilient creatures, along with certain fish, can survive and hunt in this volatile habitat, raising intriguing questions about adaptability and survival. This exploration highlights the mystery surrounding life forms in extreme conditions and ignites curiosity about the unseen wonders of nature.

Highlights

• Danny took a thrilling helicopter ride over an active volcano—talk about a hot adventure! 🚁
• Kavachi, an underwater volcano, erupts beneath the ocean surface, creating a fiery habitat. 🌊
• Surprisingly, hammerhead and silky sharks thrive in Kavachi’s acidic waters. 🦈
• Life finds a way—even in the hostile embrace of an erupting volcano. 🌋
• The cloudy waters potentially help sharks sneak up on their prey—survival at its sneakiest! 🤫

Key Takeaways

• Sharks can survive inside active underwater volcanoes like Kavachi! 🌋
• Kavachi’s water is like hot acid, yet life thrives there. 🐠
• Mysteries of nature: where there’s food, there’s survival—even in volcanoes! 🦈
• Some animals adapt and survive in extreme, hot, and acidic environments. ✨
• Curiosity drives discoveries—what wonders will we uncover next? 🔍

Overview

What a wild ride—Danny kicks off the episode with a thrilling helicopter journey hovering over a smoldering volcano. You can almost feel the heat through the screen as he describes the oven-like waves of air and the sulfuric stink surrounding the crater. But the real adventure begins when a curious question about animal life takes us to Kavachi, a fascinating underwater volcano near the Solomon Islands!

Dive deep into the steamy, acidic waters of Kavachi where scientists drop cameras to unveil a hidden world. Shockingly, amidst the bubbling chaos teeming with danger, life persists! Not just any life, but fearsome predators like hammerhead and silky sharks have taken residence here. This unexpected discovery has scientists baffled and intrigued—how do these animals survive such hostility?

It’s a delightful mystery—these tough creatures adapt and thrive where many would perish. With fish aplenty to feast on, sharks prove that survival sometimes means seizing the dart of opportunity swimming by. Kavachi’s bonded with these critters, inspiring questions and explorations about resilience. What secrets might these animals hold about thriving in challenging conditions? Let your curiosity flow just like the lava of this incredible volcano adventure!

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Volcano Experience In this chapter, Danny shares his experience of visiting a volcano, describing it as one of the most dangerous adventures he's ever undertaken. He flew in a helicopter to get a closer view of the volcano just before it erupted. Danny vividly recounts the intense experience, feeling waves of heat and a rumbling ground, along with the smells of ash, smoke, and a sulfurous odor resembling rotten eggs. He also describes witnessing lava sloshing within the volcano.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Encounter with McKenzie and Kavachi Volcano Introduction The chapter details an encounter with a volcano named Kavachi. The scene begins with a helicopter ride around the center of the volcano, described as turbulent and overwhelming due to the volcanic activity. A character named McKenzie is introduced, who poses a question about the possibility of life existing within a volcano. This leads to the introduction of Kavachi volcano, explored by scientists in 2015.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Kavachi's Underwater Eruptions The chapter discusses the underwater volcano Kavachi in the Solomon Islands. It describes how the volcano, although underwater, manifests its presence through bursts of water, steam, and smoke on the ocean surface, and likens the volcano to a seafloor mountain.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Scientist Exploration of Kavachi The chapter 'Scientist Exploration of Kavachi' details the eruption processes of an underwater volcano. It describes how the mountain is submerged except during eruptions when lava and ash are expelled from the volcano, creating explosive displays of material. This material can be seen both above water and below, causing underwater clouds and increasing water temperature. The description highlights the obscuring effect on visibility within the water due to ash and lava mixing.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Expectations vs Reality in Kavachi In this chapter, the focus is on the contrast between expectations and reality when studying the volcanic environment of Kavachi. The water surrounding the volcano is much more acidic than typical ocean water, posing risks like skin burns due to its acidity. Kavachi's frequent volcanic activity means it is usually erupting or on the verge of eruption. Scientists trying to explore the interior of Kavachi had to carefully plan their expedition, waiting for rare moments when the volcano's explosions paused to embark on their investigation.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Discoveries Inside Kavachi In this chapter titled 'Discoveries Inside Kavachi,' the narrative focuses on an exploration mission by boat to a volcanic site. The team uses a video camera lowered on a line into the water, descending all the way into the crater of the volcano. This chapter highlights contrasts between typical life-rich ocean environments, like healthy coral reefs, and the specific unique conditions found around the volcanic site.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Sharks and Survival in Kavachi The chapter titled 'Sharks and Survival in Kavachi' begins by setting the scene with an observation about the water conditions near Kavachi, suggesting they differ significantly from the typical clear, sunny waters usually associated with marine environments. Scientists approached the area with a sense of curiosity and uncertainty about what they might discover beneath the surface. Video footage from a camera deployed by the scientists invites observers to count the number of living creatures visible, emphasizing a pause for quiet observation and reflection on the underwater life around Kavachi.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Life in Adverse Conditions The chapter delves into the resilience and adaptability of living organisms in harsh conditions. It provides examples of various species that have evolved to survive in extreme environments, ranging from arid deserts to freezing tundras. The content emphasizes the importance of these adaptations for survival and how they demonstrate the incredible versatility of life on Earth.
• 06:00 - 07:00: Unanswered Questions and Conclusion In the chapter titled 'Unanswered Questions and Conclusion,' scientists are surprised to find vibrant life within the harsh environment of Kavachi, including hammerhead and silky sharks. This raises questions about how such animals can survive in these conditions while recognizing that many creatures cannot. The chapter delves into examining these unexpected findings and the adaptations that enable certain species to thrive in extreme underwater environments.
• 07:00 - 07:30: Call for Viewer Interaction This chapter discusses the adverse effects of ocean conditions such as increased temperature, cloudiness, and acidity on marine life. Despite these harsh conditions causing a lot of fish to die, some manage to survive, which is beneficial for resilient species like sharks.

Could an animal live in a volcano? Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Hi, it's Danny. One of the most dangerous adventures I've ever been on was a visit to a volcano. I flew in a helicopter to see a volcano up close just before it erupted. It was an intense experience. Waves of heat were coming out of the volcano like an oven. The ground was rumbling. I could smell ash and smoke and a stinky smell like rotten eggs. I could see lava slloshing
• 00:30 - 01:00 around inside the volcano's center. The helicopter was bumping up and down so badly it felt like the entire world was shaking. It was overwhelming. Someone named McKenzie has a question about volcanoes. Let's call McKenzie now. Hi Danny. Hi McKenzie. I have a question for you. Can an animal live in a volcano? That's a great question. In 2015, a team of scientists set out to explore a volcano named Kavachi. Kavachi is a volcano near the
• 01:00 - 01:30 Solomon Islands. That's right around here. This is Kavachi here. Except, wait, this is just ocean water, right? Where's the volcano? See that? That burst of water and steam and smoke on the surface is coming from the volcano. This whole volcano is underwater. Think of an underwater volcano like a mountain on the seafloor.
• 01:30 - 02:00 The whole mountain is surrounded and covered with water. But when the volcano erupts, lava and ash and other stuff explodes out the top. Some of that stuff explodes into the air like it's doing here. But some of it ends up in the water. Like see this cloudy patch of water here? Check out what that water looks like under the surface. It's cloudy and hard to see. The water gets hot. And all that ash and lava also make
• 02:00 - 02:30 the water a lot more like acid than regular ocean water. When a liquid is very acidic, it can burn your skin. Kavashi is a very active volcano, which means most of the time it's either erupting or about to erupt. So the team of scientists who wanted to see what was going on inside Kavachi had to plan carefully. They waited for the volcano to stop exploding, which doesn't happen very often. Then the whole team got in a
• 02:30 - 03:00 boat. They took the boat right over the top of the volcano. Then they lowered a video camera on a line into the water. The camera sank down, down, down, all the way into the crater. That's the hole at the top of the volcano. After a while, they brought the camera back up. Now, when you think of ocean water that's full of life, you think of some place like this, a healthy coral reef
• 03:00 - 03:30 with lots of sunny, clear water. That's not what the water near Kavachi is like at all. So, the scientists knew not to expect that. But they didn't know what they'd see. Let's take a look at some of the video from the camera the scientists sent down into Gavachi. Count how many living things you see. I'll be quiet for a bit so you can observe.
• 03:30 - 04:00 Great. What living things did you see? Now would be a good time to pause the video and
• 04:00 - 04:30 discuss. Okay, you ready? There's actually so much life down here. There are fish and sharks. The scientists found two different kinds of sharks inside Kavachi. Hammerhead sharks and silky sharks. How could all these animals survive here? It's definitely true many living things couldn't make it down here. In general, when the water in some parts of
• 04:30 - 05:00 the ocean gets hotter, cloudier, or more acidic, a lot of living things there don't survive. But it looks like some animals can survive in these conditions. The fish spotted here don't have it easy. When temperatures go up and acid levels rise, a lot of fish die. But it looks like not all of them die. Some of them survive. And that is good news for sharks. Sharks are tough creatures. They
• 05:00 - 05:30 can survive in conditions that would make other ocean animals sick. But no matter how tough they are, sharks still need something to eat. Luckily, the ocean waters around Kavachi still have the fish these sharks like to eat. Some scientists think that the wavy, cloudy waters near the volcano actually make it easier for sharks to sneak up on fish. As long as there are fish to snack on here, the sharks can survive here, too.
• 05:30 - 06:00 So, in summary, an animal can live in a volcano or any place as long as that place has what the animal needs to survive because these fish and sharks can stand the hot, cloudy, acidic waters inside the volcano. And because they both can find the food they need here, it looks like they can make a life here. at least for now. There's still so much we don't know about what goes on in this
• 06:00 - 06:30 volcano. Scientists took this video during a pause in the volcano's explosions. But what happens to these animals when the volcano is actually erupting? Do they leave? Do they die? They can't possibly live here when this thing is actively exploding lava. At least we don't think so. But we've been surprised by these animals before. These critters living in a volcano may still have a lot to teach us about how animals
• 06:30 - 07:00 survive and how we can help other creatures survive in changing or even difficult conditions. That's all for this week's question. Thanks for asking, McKenzie. We want to know what you're curious about. It's time to cast your vote. We picked three questions that we're thinking about answering. When this video's done
• 07:00 - 07:30 playing, click on the one you're most excited to see answered. Your vote will help us plan for future mini lessons. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious and see you next week.