of all the islands in the oceans of the world
world
world one group more than any other has
one group more than any other has
one group more than any other has changed the way people look at the
changed the way people look at the
changed the way people look at the planet and the forces that shape it the
planet and the forces that shape it the
planet and the forces that shape it the Galapagos Islands the enchanted islands
Galapagos Islands the enchanted islands
Galapagos Islands the enchanted islands the islands of fire located in the
the islands of fire located in the
the islands of fire located in the Pacific Ocean about a thousand
Pacific Ocean about a thousand
Pacific Ocean about a thousand kilometers offshore from Ecuador as a
kilometers offshore from Ecuador as a
kilometers offshore from Ecuador as a young man Charles Darwin visited there
young man Charles Darwin visited there
young man Charles Darwin visited there in 1835 and was amazed by the creatures
in 1835 and was amazed by the creatures
in 1835 and was amazed by the creatures he saw giant tortoises
flightless cormorants guano’s all living
flightless cormorants guano’s all living side by side with fur seals and penguins
side by side with fur seals and penguins
side by side with fur seals and penguins right on the equator it became his
right on the equator it became his
right on the equator it became his laboratory for the study of origins of
laboratory for the study of origins of
laboratory for the study of origins of life
[Music]
[Music] but Darwin did not see the love of the
but Darwin did not see the love of the
but Darwin did not see the love of the silence underwater
if you fly over you can see 19 big
if you fly over you can see 19 big islands and dozens of Rocky pilots
islands and dozens of Rocky pilots
islands and dozens of Rocky pilots projecting above the water surface
if you could hitch a ride on a turtle or
if you could hitch a ride on a turtle or will or can imagine draining away the
will or can imagine draining away the
will or can imagine draining away the surrounding Pacific Ocean you would see
surrounding Pacific Ocean you would see
surrounding Pacific Ocean you would see the real Galapagos Islands a chain of
the real Galapagos Islands a chain of
the real Galapagos Islands a chain of undersea mountains a submerged
undersea mountains a submerged
undersea mountains a submerged archipelago that stretches for hundreds
archipelago that stretches for hundreds
archipelago that stretches for hundreds of miles and hosts a lively assemblage
of miles and hosts a lively assemblage
of miles and hosts a lively assemblage of underwater plants and animals
of underwater plants and animals
of underwater plants and animals including many that live there and only
including many that live there and only
including many that live there and only there
deep cold ocean currents converge under
deep cold ocean currents converge under the equatorial Sun a natural living
the equatorial Sun a natural living
the equatorial Sun a natural living laboratory on the land and in the
laboratory on the land and in the
laboratory on the land and in the surrounding sea
in 1977 northeast of the Galapagos
in 1977 northeast of the Galapagos Islands and about 2,000 meters down
Islands and about 2,000 meters down
Islands and about 2,000 meters down scientists discovered hot water vents
scientists discovered hot water vents
scientists discovered hot water vents connected to the core of the earth a
connected to the core of the earth a
connected to the core of the earth a discovery that brought radical new
discovery that brought radical new
discovery that brought radical new insight into how the world is formed
insight into how the world is formed
insight into how the world is formed amazingly the hydrothermal vents
amazingly the hydrothermal vents
amazingly the hydrothermal vents supported a food chain not dependent on
supported a food chain not dependent on
supported a food chain not dependent on the energy of the Sun but on chemical
the energy of the Sun but on chemical
the energy of the Sun but on chemical energy from the heart of the earth
energy from the heart of the earth
energy from the heart of the earth specifically hydrogen sulfide microbes
specifically hydrogen sulfide microbes
specifically hydrogen sulfide microbes gather near the vents on the sea floor
gather near the vents on the sea floor
gather near the vents on the sea floor and feed off the warm mineral rich water
and feed off the warm mineral rich water
and feed off the warm mineral rich water welling up from the Earth’s mantle the
welling up from the Earth’s mantle the
welling up from the Earth’s mantle the microbes thrive in the deep blackness of
microbes thrive in the deep blackness of
microbes thrive in the deep blackness of the sea surrounded by creatures that in
the sea surrounded by creatures that in
the sea surrounded by creatures that in turn feed off them dozens of small
turn feed off them dozens of small
turn feed off them dozens of small medium and rather large creatures not
medium and rather large creatures not
medium and rather large creatures not previously known to exist
when Darwin arrived on the Galapagos no
when Darwin arrived on the Galapagos no people lived on the islands but whalers
people lived on the islands but whalers
people lived on the islands but whalers and pirates had already depleted the
and pirates had already depleted the
and pirates had already depleted the tortoises Turtles and many of the birds
tortoises Turtles and many of the birds
tortoises Turtles and many of the birds that had no fear of humans and could
that had no fear of humans and could
that had no fear of humans and could easily be picked up and eaten
by the 1960s a few thousand people had
by the 1960s a few thousand people had settled there and efforts were underway
settled there and efforts were underway
settled there and efforts were underway to protect the nature of the islands as
to protect the nature of the islands as
to protect the nature of the islands as something important not only to the
something important not only to the
something important not only to the people of Ecuador but to the world the
people of Ecuador but to the world the
people of Ecuador but to the world the land and surrounding ocean are now
land and surrounding ocean are now
land and surrounding ocean are now recognized as world heritage sites and
recognized as world heritage sites and
recognized as world heritage sites and 97% of the land above the ocean surface
97% of the land above the ocean surface
97% of the land above the ocean surface is protected as a national park
is protected as a national park
is protected as a national park [Music]
in 1998 some of the surrounding scene
in 1998 some of the surrounding scene was also designated as a Marine Reserve
was also designated as a Marine Reserve
was also designated as a Marine Reserve the pressures from the now 30,000
the pressures from the now 30,000
the pressures from the now 30,000 residents in more than 100,000 annual
residents in more than 100,000 annual
residents in more than 100,000 annual visitors and an international market for
visitors and an international market for
visitors and an international market for its marine wildlife for causing problems
its marine wildlife for causing problems
its marine wildlife for causing problems for all of the creatures on the islands
for all of the creatures on the islands
for all of the creatures on the islands including its people
there’s still a chance here to glimpse
there’s still a chance here to glimpse the past and to plan a future where
the past and to plan a future where
the past and to plan a future where people can find ways to take care of the
people can find ways to take care of the
people can find ways to take care of the natural world
natural world
natural world that takes care of us
that takes care of us
that takes care of us [Music]
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