Lanzarote - Land of 100 Volcanoes | In the Shadow of Volcanoes (5/5)

Born out of fire: When a new crater opens up on the green Atlantic island of La Palma in September 2021, no one suspects that it will be the largest and most destructive volcanic eruption in five centuries in Europe - and a rare chance for many scientists to watch evolution at work. For nearly three months, the volcano spews out gigantic chunks of pyroclast, lava and ash. At times, several lava flows push their way down the mountain flank. Whatever stands in their way is destroyed and buried under a layer of lava up to 60 meters high. But out of the destruction grows new life - nature around a volcano has many adaptation strategies. The volcanic eruption on La Palma is a reminder of how extreme living conditions once were on our planet. It also reminds us that throughout Earth's history, such catastrophes have also meant opportunities for new life and the adaptation of species of animals and plants that will prevail until history presents them with new challenges. ------- Chapters ▷ 00:00 - Introduction ▷ 00:59

The arc of Tyrrhenian volcanoes that stretches from Pozzuoli north of Naples to Sicily is one of the most active – and little known – in the world. The archetypal “restless volcano” is also close to one of Europe’s most densely populated areas. Though it hasn’t erupted since 1538, it has shown worrying signs on and off since the 1970s. The Campi Flegrei is an area north of Naples that occupies a 20km wide volcanic crater at sea level. Possibly more dangerous than Vesuvius but less imposing as a Volcano is the 20 km wide caldera known as the Campi Flegrei. While Vesuvius rises high out of the Campania plain the Campi Flegrei volcano is at sea level and visibly active. The area around the volcano is densely inhabited: Pozzuoli is a working class suburb of Naples. It has been a place of religious cult since the first Greek settlements. The people of Pozzuoli live with the risk of a catastrophic explosion, and yet go on with their daily lives. In the 1970s and 80s many of the inhabitants of

The Nisyros/Kos caldera complex is one of the most menacing in the whole Mediterranean basin. The main caldera is on Nisyros, where it provides a tourist attraction and over the millennia has rendered the earth extremely fertile. There are three natural spas on the island, which attracts a small number of tourists every year. The main activities are fishing and tourism, and the active caldera, with a massive lava reservoir just three kilometers below the surface, provides spectacular mini eruptions. The caldera is just 1.5 kilometers from the main town on the island, but the whole caldera complex actually extends all the way to Kos, one of Greece’s major tourist attractions. The volcano is extremely active and continues to eject gases. If it were to explode, the Nisyros/Kos volcano complex would wipe out the islands of the Aegean with a massive Tsunami. The East Aegean chain of volcanos stretches all along the adduction line between the Asian and African continents and has destroyed more than one Mediterranean civilization. We follow a family of fishermen and hear the way they feel

Since the destruction of Pompeii, Vesuvius has erupted many times, but the lava flow has followed different routes. Archaeological remains around the mountain show that for millennia the towns to the north and east of the mountain have fallen victim more often than Naples and Pompeii. Vesuvius has erupted 30 times in recorded history, and is long overdue for another eruption. The last was in 1944 and killed 26 people. Today the city if Naples and the towns that surround the mountain are inhabited by over 3 million people and the houses of the city have been built so close to the summit and with such poor urban planning that the labyrinth of roads would make escape from the lava flows and boiling ashes almost impossible. The episode is particularly focused on the urbanization of this volcanic area, the evacuation routes and what the people of the huge Vesuvius “Red Zone” might encounter. The scenario is nightmarish. On the one hand the main evacuation routes are along the coastal roads in and out of Naples (northwards and north eastwards) and

For centuries the Dutch have tamed the sea with dykes and criss-crossed their country with canals and waterways. But climate change is whipping up storms and raising the sea level. The Netherlands is now seeking a new pact with water in order to protect the low-lying country. They’re making use of state-of-the-art technologies and the power of nature – and are systematically making space for the water elsewhere. ------- Chapters ▷ 00:00 - Introduction ▷ 00:52 - The Dutch and the Sea ▷ 02:31 - Amsterdam Below Sea Level ▷ 06:11 - Battling the Waves with Sand ▷ 07:47 - The Sandmotor Experiment ▷ 11:10 - 1953 Flood Disaster ▷ 12:08 - The Delta Works ▷ 14:03 - Oysters and the Eastern Scheldt ▷ 17:44 - Oyster Reefs as Natural Defenses ▷ 19:32 - Windmills and Polders ▷ 23:06 - Living with the Risk of Floods ▷ 25:33 - Room for the River ▷ 30:17 - Farmers Forced to Adapt ▷ 35:35 - New Landscapes in the Polders ▷ 37:28 - Nature Returns - De Biesbosch Park ▷ 41:37

We’re witnessing the comeback of a small river and an entire landscape. For decades the Emscher in the Ruhr District was the most polluted river in Europe. Now it’s being returned from an industrial sewer to a natural river system. With the help of waste water treatment plants, liberated river beds and returning animal species, a unique natural region is blossoming – one with a very special industrial heritage. ------- Chapters ▷ 00:00 - Introduction ▷ 00:58 - The Emscher Becomes a Sewer ▷ 02:11 - A Plan to Restore the River ▷ 05:14 - Mining, Sewage, and Pollution ▷ 07:59 - The Filthiest River in Europe ▷ 09:54 - Fighting for a Cleaner Emscher ▷ 12:10 - Citizens' Protests Begin ▷ 16:06 - Building a New Sewage System ▷ 21:35 - A Rare Fish Returns - The Bullhead ▷ 25:25 - From Steelworks to Lake Phoenix ▷ 29:40 - Nature Comes Back to the Ruhr ▷ 33:12 - The Protected Emscher Bullhead ▷ 35:12 - A Region Reinventing Itself ▷ 37:07 - Flood Protection and Wetlands ▷ 39:02