[NGC] Explorer - Easter Island Underworld_clip1.mp4

On legendary Easter Island, a team of National Geographic explorers and scientists undertakes a groundbreaking expedition: to attempt a first-ever mapping of the vast cave system beneath this enigmatic isle. We ride along as the team rappels down sheer cliffs, crawls through narrow labyrinths, and even dons SCUBA gear to complete their task. Deep beneath the earth, in caverns that have been forgotten for centuries, these adventurers discover human remains and telltale artifacts. Together, these finds reveal an astonishing history that is brought to life in startling re-enactments. It is a tale of ingenious achievement, environmental catastrophe, and brutal social breakdown one that remains a haunting lesson for all of us, similarly trapped on an island planet of our own. MYSTERIES OF EASTER ISLAND: Easter Island has always been a mystery. Scientists and explorers know that it was once inhabited, but there is little evidence as to what happened to these original populations. Was it conflict? A lack of resources? A natural disaster? The famous giant moai statues give the island an eerie, lonely atmosphere. But these statues are not the only mysteries contained within the island's history: Recent research suggests there may have been close to 16 million palm trees on Easter Island before they disappeared sometime before 1722 when Europeans arrived. Pollen analysis and seed shells indicate the original palm forest included trees similar to a Chilean palm that can grow up to ...



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