hidden a thousand feet beneath the
surface of the earth a natural wonder a
scientific mystery a place as deadly as
it is beautiful
nothing like it has ever been discovered
but it’s so hot
exploring it could cost lives these
crystals may determine if life exists on
other planets but only if science can
unlock the secrets of the crystal came
[Music]
April 2000 what starts as an ordinary
workday for two miners transforms into a
remarkable discovery
the attention of the world scientists
turns to the mine
a stunning cave a thousand feet down the
cave is filled with crystals and now
these experts in biology space
exploration and geology will attempt to
shed light on the discovery the
newcomers have unique skills to help
unravel this mysterious discovery Chris
McKay NASA scientist Mars mission
planner penny Boston expert in finding
life in extreme environments Stein Eric
Lauritzen specializing in geological
time it’s a half-hour winding drive a
thousand feet down toward the center of
the earth five
it’s almost 104 degrees here humidity
60% the sight that greets them isn’t
what you’d expect in a mind a busy
high-tech nerve center
Gonzalo Infante heads up the operation
it’s taken his team years to invent life
support systems and safety protocols
that make exploring the cave possible
his team has also invented camera
equipment that can hold up in the
punishing heat beyond this critical
mission control is a tunnel and the
newcomers are eager to see what lies
beyond
[Music]
you
[Music]
nothing can prepare the scientists for
what lies before them their first look
at the magical crystal cave these
stunning pillars are made from the same
common mineral as drywall called gypsum
but there’s nothing common about these
crystals they’ve grown five times larger
than any previously discovered this is a
an order of magnitude of difference that
is astonishing
the giant crystals are extremely rare
because gypsum takes a long time to grow
to critical ingredients are needed
submersion in water and heat in excess
of 120 degrees so conditions inside the
cave must have been stable and under
water for a very long time to create
such massive crystals please look to
this rosette the Roses gypsum Rosalie is
de candy in normal caves are all those
ten centimeters in diameter
note this astonishing the crystal cave
isn’t just hot it’s deadly the crystals
are sealing hot to touch razor sharp but
also soft like human fingernails here
the Sahara meets the Amazon all in one
claustrophobic cavern
and temperatures above 113 degrees the
body tries to shed heat but in 100%
humidity that sweat can’t evaporate and
the heat is trapped inside the body the
vital signs of the explorers are closely
watched in Mission Control because cells
can die and organs can fail it’s time to
return they’ve stayed ten minutes twice
as long as the safe limit okay let’s go
see okay respect the order please okay
they’re torn between their bodies which
are screaming for them to leave and the
sight that compels them to stay okay
please don’t stop okay
dr. Giovannucci vital signs blood
pressure and pulse are dangerously high
and with mission controls temperature
hovering near 104 degrees their body’s
core temperatures take a long time to
cool down the scientists now understand
the obsession of the Nike explorers the
crystal cave is breathtakingly beautiful
and deadly it’s a unique scientific
enigma that they’re determined to
unravel
surface of the earth a natural wonder a
scientific mystery a place as deadly as
it is beautiful
nothing like it has ever been discovered
but it’s so hot
exploring it could cost lives these
crystals may determine if life exists on
other planets but only if science can
unlock the secrets of the crystal came
[Music]
April 2000 what starts as an ordinary
workday for two miners transforms into a
remarkable discovery
the attention of the world scientists
turns to the mine
a stunning cave a thousand feet down the
cave is filled with crystals and now
these experts in biology space
exploration and geology will attempt to
shed light on the discovery the
newcomers have unique skills to help
unravel this mysterious discovery Chris
McKay NASA scientist Mars mission
planner penny Boston expert in finding
life in extreme environments Stein Eric
Lauritzen specializing in geological
time it’s a half-hour winding drive a
thousand feet down toward the center of
the earth five
it’s almost 104 degrees here humidity
60% the sight that greets them isn’t
what you’d expect in a mind a busy
high-tech nerve center
Gonzalo Infante heads up the operation
it’s taken his team years to invent life
support systems and safety protocols
that make exploring the cave possible
his team has also invented camera
equipment that can hold up in the
punishing heat beyond this critical
mission control is a tunnel and the
newcomers are eager to see what lies
beyond
[Music]
you
[Music]
nothing can prepare the scientists for
what lies before them their first look
at the magical crystal cave these
stunning pillars are made from the same
common mineral as drywall called gypsum
but there’s nothing common about these
crystals they’ve grown five times larger
than any previously discovered this is a
an order of magnitude of difference that
is astonishing
the giant crystals are extremely rare
because gypsum takes a long time to grow
to critical ingredients are needed
submersion in water and heat in excess
of 120 degrees so conditions inside the
cave must have been stable and under
water for a very long time to create
such massive crystals please look to
this rosette the Roses gypsum Rosalie is
de candy in normal caves are all those
ten centimeters in diameter
note this astonishing the crystal cave
isn’t just hot it’s deadly the crystals
are sealing hot to touch razor sharp but
also soft like human fingernails here
the Sahara meets the Amazon all in one
claustrophobic cavern
and temperatures above 113 degrees the
body tries to shed heat but in 100%
humidity that sweat can’t evaporate and
the heat is trapped inside the body the
vital signs of the explorers are closely
watched in Mission Control because cells
can die and organs can fail it’s time to
return they’ve stayed ten minutes twice
as long as the safe limit okay let’s go
see okay respect the order please okay
they’re torn between their bodies which
are screaming for them to leave and the
sight that compels them to stay okay
please don’t stop okay
dr. Giovannucci vital signs blood
pressure and pulse are dangerously high
and with mission controls temperature
hovering near 104 degrees their body’s
core temperatures take a long time to
cool down the scientists now understand
the obsession of the Nike explorers the
crystal cave is breathtakingly beautiful
and deadly it’s a unique scientific
enigma that they’re determined to
unravel
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