Obsessed With The Quest

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Bicycling With Butterflies

20240104

20240704 (R4)

When Sara Dykman set out to bicycle with the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada, she didn't think about the 10,201 miles that she would cover. Climbing onto her beater bike every morning, with panniers made from cat litter buckets, she just focused on the miles that she would attempt that day. Coping with headwinds, heavy rain storms, and everything from dirt roads to busy highways were not the challenge for Sara though. It was seeing how little of the Monarch's only food plant, milkweed, was left for them to feed on during their amazing, multigenerational, multinational migration. Not only that but, after her glorious first day of cycling along within a stream of butterflies, Sara typically only saw one or two monarchs per day on the rest of her trip.

However, Sara found solace in the many conservationists and backyard butterfly gardeners she met along the way, and in the 9000 schoolchildren she gave talks to en route. Always on the lookout for milkweeds, Sara danced on the side of the road if she found a plant where monarchs had laid their eggs. She would then desperately attempt to relocate them if she saw a lawn mower approaching, as she did on many occasions. The most emotional part of the journey for Sara was the last three miles - arriving successfully back at the monarch's overwintering site in Mexico.

Produced by Diane Hope

Credits:

Monarch butterfly recordings - Robert Mackay

(Image: Flock of butterflies cover a tree branch. Credit: Douglas Sacha/Getty Images)

Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada.

Bicycling With Butterflies

20240104

Produced by Diane Hope

Credits:

Monarch butterfly recordings - Robert Mackay

(Image: Flock of butterflies cover a tree branch. Credit: Douglas Sacha/Getty Images)

Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada.

When Sara Dykman set out to bicycle with the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada, she didn't think about the 10,2001 miles that she would cover. Climbing onto her beater bike every morning, with panniers made from cat litter buckets, she just focused on the miles that she would attempt that day. Coping with headwinds, heavy rain storms, and everything from dirt roads to busy highways were not the challenge for Sara though. It was seeing how little of the Monarch's only food plant, milkweed, was left for them to feed on during their amazing, multigenerational, multinational migration. Not only that but, after her glorious first day of cycling along within a stream of butterflies, Sara typically only saw one or two monarchs per day on the rest of her trip.

Sara Dykman reecounts her 10,2001 mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration.

Sara Dykman reecounts her 10,2001 mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada.

Descending The Five Deeps

20240105

20240705 (R4)

Victor Vescovo was born an adventurer. After being given his first bicycle, his family hardly saw him until he'd ridden that bicycle into the ground - he was too busy exploring his home city of Dallas, Texas. Since those early days, Victor has expanded his horizons. Having reached the highest peaks on all five continents, he then set out to dive to the deepest parts of all five oceans. Victor's longest dive was solo to the lowest point on Earth - the Challenger Deep at the bottom of the Marianas trench in the western Pacific. On reaching the bottom, some 35,853 feet below the ocean surface, should something have gone wrong, there was no hope of rescue. Victor describes his feelings before making this historic descent and on the way down. As Victor's titanium submarine descended - a journey of several hours - he was encased in almost complete silence, ever alert for even the tiniest crack or groan that might indicate there was a problem. Touching down on the sea bed, he was astounded. There was much more marine life than he had expected. Victor describes how he hopes that the mapping, observations and sample collections he has made on his dives will advance scientific understanding of the deep oceans. And where his eternal quest to explore might take him next.

Produced by Diane Hope

(Image: Bubbles in deep water. Credit: seawaters/Getty Images)

Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans, including the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific.

Descending The Five Deeps

20240105

Produced by Diane Hope

(Image: Bubbles in deep water. Credit: seawaters/Getty Images)

Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans, including the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific.

Victor Vescovo describes his longest solo dive to the lowest point on earth.

Victor Vescovo describes his longest solo dive to the lowest point on earth, the Challenger Deep at the bottom of the Marianas trench in the western Pacific.

Exploring Violent Volcanoes

20240103

20240703 (R4)

When Dario Tedesco was 25, two years into his PhD, he went on his first big field trip to study volcanic gases. After some time on Mount Saint Helens in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, he flew to Hawaii. That's where he met George, an experienced volcanologist, who would show him the ropes, and help him get samples from an active volcano.

One early morning, an eruption occurred. Within half an hour, Dario and other researchers were in a helicopter, flying to a base camp. He was immediately struck by the awesome brightness and power of the volcano. George and Dario set out to take samples, which required them to get close to the lava flows. After they finished the work, George decided to get one more sample. Dario had already taken his suit off, when he sensed something behind him. There was an accident...

Produced by Florian Bohr

(Image: USA, Hawaii, Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea erupting. Credit: Art Wolfe/Getty Images)

Volcanologist Dario Tedesco recounts his first encounter with an active volcano.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Dario Tedesco details his experience of retrieving samples from an active volcano.

Volcanologist Dario Tedesco details his experience of retrieving samples from an active volcano.

Humpback Heat Run

20240102

20240702 (R4)

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns set himself and his team an incredible challenge. In 2008, they set out to Tonga to film the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom, the humpback heat run, for the very first time underwater and up close.

In the first few days, Roger had intimate encounters with humpback mothers and their calves. He captured their interactions, and marvelled at how gracefully they move their fins. But most of the time, he was sat on the back of the boat, next to his safety diver Jason. They spent 12 hours a day looking at the endless blue ocean, waiting to find a heat run. After two unsuccessful weeks, he started to wonder whether they would ever see one. He questioned whether this had been a good idea in the first place.

A few days later, somebody spotted a heat run, and everything sprang into action. Roger got in front of the whales, and dove down ten meters underwater on a single breath. From then on, his job was just to wait and hold his camera ready. In a moment that seemed to stretch out time, he waited, nervously, for a group of 40-ton bus-sized whales to speed past him -

Produced by Florian Bohr

Credits:

Humpback whale mother and calf sounds - Acoustic Communications CNRS team & CETAMADA

Humpback whale calf sounds - Lars Bejder (MMRP Hawaii), Peter T. Madsen (Aarhus University) & Simone Videsen (Aarhus University)

(Image: Humpback whale heat run with multiple whales in pursuit close to the ocean surface. Credit: Philip Thurston/Getty Images)

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run, the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom.

Humpback Heat Run

20240102

Produced by Florian Bohr

Credits:

Humpback whale mother and calf sounds - Acoustic Communications CNRS team & CETAMADA

Humpback whale calf sounds - Lars Bejder (MMRP Hawaii), Peter T. Madsen (Aarhus University) & Simone Videsen (Aarhus University)

(Image: Humpback whale heat run with multiple whales in pursuit close to the ocean surface. Credit: Philip Thurston/Getty Images)

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run, the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom.

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his 2008 quest to film the humpback heat run.

Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his 2008 quest to film the humpback heat run, the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom.

Inside The Minds Of Chimpanzees

20240101

20240701 (R4)

Primatologist Catherine Hobaiter has spent more of her adult life in the rain forests of Uganda, with family bands of chimpanzees, than she has with her own human family members. For more than 20 years now she has spent 6 months every year at a remote field station, getting up before dawn every day to observe and collect behavioural data on family bands of chimps as they wake up and go about their daily lives. What is she trying to find out, that has gripped her for so long? It turns out that life in a chimpanzee troupe is every bit as gripping as a soap opera. We hear about Nambi - a high status female and the family matriarch who, in controlling the lives and social status of her offspring, has been the quintessential helicopter parent, actively intervening to help her layabout son, Musa, climb up the rungs of the male hierarchy. And about the tragic fate of Lola - a young female who becomes caught up in what seems to be a tragic case of miscommunication. Maintaining her scientific objectivity, Catherine can only look on as Lola tries to hide behind her for protection, as she is beaten by an older male, later dying of the resulting injuries. But there are many more moments of beauty, revelation and the joy of discovery, as Catherine pursues her continuing, multi-decadal quest to understand what it means to be a chimpanzee.

Produced by Diane Hope

(Image: Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. Credit: Yannick Tylle/Getty Images)

Catherine Hobaiter pursues a quest to understand what it means to be a chimpanzee.

Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists.

Primatologist Catherine Hobaiter pursues her continuing, multi-decadal quest to understand what it means to be a chimpanzee.

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
Bicycling With Butterflies	20240104	20240704 (R4)	When Sara Dykman set out to bicycle with the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada, she didn't think about the 10,201 miles that she would cover. Climbing onto her beater bike every morning, with panniers made from cat litter buckets, she just focused on the miles that she would attempt that day. Coping with headwinds, heavy rain storms, and everything from dirt roads to busy highways were not the challenge for Sara though. It was seeing how little of the Monarch's only food plant, milkweed, was left for them to feed on during their amazing, multigenerational, multinational migration. Not only that but, after her glorious first day of cycling along within a stream of butterflies, Sara typically only saw one or two monarchs per day on the rest of her trip. However, Sara found solace in the many conservationists and backyard butterfly gardeners she met along the way, and in the 9000 schoolchildren she gave talks to en route. Always on the lookout for milkweeds, Sara danced on the side of the road if she found a plant where monarchs had laid their eggs. She would then desperately attempt to relocate them if she saw a lawn mower approaching, as she did on many occasions. The most emotional part of the journey for Sara was the last three miles - arriving successfully back at the monarch's overwintering site in Mexico. Produced by Diane Hope Credits: Monarch butterfly recordings - Robert Mackay (Image: Flock of butterflies cover a tree branch. Credit: Douglas Sacha/Getty Images) Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada.
Bicycling With Butterflies	20240104		When Sara Dykman set out to bicycle with the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada, she didn't think about the 10,201 miles that she would cover. Climbing onto her beater bike every morning, with panniers made from cat litter buckets, she just focused on the miles that she would attempt that day. Coping with headwinds, heavy rain storms, and everything from dirt roads to busy highways were not the challenge for Sara though. It was seeing how little of the Monarch's only food plant, milkweed, was left for them to feed on during their amazing, multigenerational, multinational migration. Not only that but, after her glorious first day of cycling along within a stream of butterflies, Sara typically only saw one or two monarchs per day on the rest of her trip. However, Sara found solace in the many conservationists and backyard butterfly gardeners she met along the way, and in the 9000 schoolchildren she gave talks to en route. Always on the lookout for milkweeds, Sara danced on the side of the road if she found a plant where monarchs had laid their eggs. She would then desperately attempt to relocate them if she saw a lawn mower approaching, as she did on many occasions. The most emotional part of the journey for Sara was the last three miles - arriving successfully back at the monarch's overwintering site in Mexico. Produced by Diane Hope Credits: Monarch butterfly recordings - Robert Mackay (Image: Flock of butterflies cover a tree branch. Credit: Douglas Sacha/Getty Images) Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Sara Dykman recounts her 10,201-mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada. When Sara Dykman set out to bicycle with the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada, she didn't think about the 10,2001 miles that she would cover. Climbing onto her beater bike every morning, with panniers made from cat litter buckets, she just focused on the miles that she would attempt that day. Coping with headwinds, heavy rain storms, and everything from dirt roads to busy highways were not the challenge for Sara though. It was seeing how little of the Monarch's only food plant, milkweed, was left for them to feed on during their amazing, multigenerational, multinational migration. Not only that but, after her glorious first day of cycling along within a stream of butterflies, Sara typically only saw one or two monarchs per day on the rest of her trip. Sara Dykman reecounts her 10,2001 mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration. Sara Dykman reecounts her 10,2001 mile journey following the monarch butterfly migration, from the mountains of central Mexico, across the USA to Canada.
Descending The Five Deeps	20240105	20240705 (R4)	Victor Vescovo was born an adventurer. After being given his first bicycle, his family hardly saw him until he'd ridden that bicycle into the ground - he was too busy exploring his home city of Dallas, Texas. Since those early days, Victor has expanded his horizons. Having reached the highest peaks on all five continents, he then set out to dive to the deepest parts of all five oceans. Victor's longest dive was solo to the lowest point on Earth - the Challenger Deep at the bottom of the Marianas trench in the western Pacific. On reaching the bottom, some 35,853 feet below the ocean surface, should something have gone wrong, there was no hope of rescue. Victor describes his feelings before making this historic descent and on the way down. As Victor's titanium submarine descended - a journey of several hours - he was encased in almost complete silence, ever alert for even the tiniest crack or groan that might indicate there was a problem. Touching down on the sea bed, he was astounded. There was much more marine life than he had expected. Victor describes how he hopes that the mapping, observations and sample collections he has made on his dives will advance scientific understanding of the deep oceans. And where his eternal quest to explore might take him next. Produced by Diane Hope (Image: Bubbles in deep water. Credit: seawaters/Getty Images) Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans, including the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific.
Descending The Five Deeps	20240105		Victor Vescovo was born an adventurer. After being given his first bicycle, his family hardly saw him until he'd ridden that bicycle into the ground - he was too busy exploring his home city of Dallas, Texas. Since those early days, Victor has expanded his horizons. Having reached the highest peaks on all five continents, he then set out to dive to the deepest parts of all five oceans. Victor's longest dive was solo to the lowest point on Earth - the Challenger Deep at the bottom of the Marianas trench in the western Pacific. On reaching the bottom, some 35,853 feet below the ocean surface, should something have gone wrong, there was no hope of rescue. Victor describes his feelings before making this historic descent and on the way down. As Victor's titanium submarine descended - a journey of several hours - he was encased in almost complete silence, ever alert for even the tiniest crack or groan that might indicate there was a problem. Touching down on the sea bed, he was astounded. There was much more marine life than he had expected. Victor describes how he hopes that the mapping, observations and sample collections he has made on his dives will advance scientific understanding of the deep oceans. And where his eternal quest to explore might take him next. Produced by Diane Hope (Image: Bubbles in deep water. Credit: seawaters/Getty Images) Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Explorer Victor Vescovo describes his journey to the deepest points in our oceans, including the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific. Victor Vescovo describes his longest solo dive to the lowest point on earth. Victor Vescovo describes his longest solo dive to the lowest point on earth, the Challenger Deep at the bottom of the Marianas trench in the western Pacific.
Exploring Violent Volcanoes	20240103	20240703 (R4)	When Dario Tedesco was 25, two years into his PhD, he went on his first big field trip to study volcanic gases. After some time on Mount Saint Helens in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, he flew to Hawaii. That's where he met George, an experienced volcanologist, who would show him the ropes, and help him get samples from an active volcano. One early morning, an eruption occurred. Within half an hour, Dario and other researchers were in a helicopter, flying to a base camp. He was immediately struck by the awesome brightness and power of the volcano. George and Dario set out to take samples, which required them to get close to the lava flows. After they finished the work, George decided to get one more sample. Dario had already taken his suit off, when he sensed something behind him. There was an accident... Produced by Florian Bohr (Image: USA, Hawaii, Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea erupting. Credit: Art Wolfe/Getty Images) Volcanologist Dario Tedesco recounts his first encounter with an active volcano. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Dario Tedesco details his experience of retrieving samples from an active volcano. Volcanologist Dario Tedesco details his experience of retrieving samples from an active volcano.
Humpback Heat Run	20240102	20240702 (R4)	Underwater cameraman Roger Munns set himself and his team an incredible challenge. In 2008, they set out to Tonga to film the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom, the humpback heat run, for the very first time underwater and up close. In the first few days, Roger had intimate encounters with humpback mothers and their calves. He captured their interactions, and marvelled at how gracefully they move their fins. But most of the time, he was sat on the back of the boat, next to his safety diver Jason. They spent 12 hours a day looking at the endless blue ocean, waiting to find a heat run. After two unsuccessful weeks, he started to wonder whether they would ever see one. He questioned whether this had been a good idea in the first place. A few days later, somebody spotted a heat run, and everything sprang into action. Roger got in front of the whales, and dove down ten meters underwater on a single breath. From then on, his job was just to wait and hold his camera ready. In a moment that seemed to stretch out time, he waited, nervously, for a group of 40-ton bus-sized whales to speed past him - Produced by Florian Bohr Credits: Humpback whale mother and calf sounds - Acoustic Communications CNRS team & CETAMADA Humpback whale calf sounds - Lars Bejder (MMRP Hawaii), Peter T. Madsen (Aarhus University) & Simone Videsen (Aarhus University) (Image: Humpback whale heat run with multiple whales in pursuit close to the ocean surface. Credit: Philip Thurston/Getty Images) Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run, the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom.
Humpback Heat Run	20240102		Underwater cameraman Roger Munns set himself and his team an incredible challenge. In 2008, they set out to Tonga to film the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom, the humpback heat run, for the very first time underwater and up close. In the first few days, Roger had intimate encounters with humpback mothers and their calves. He captured their interactions, and marvelled at how gracefully they move their fins. But most of the time, he was sat on the back of the boat, next to his safety diver Jason. They spent 12 hours a day looking at the endless blue ocean, waiting to find a heat run. After two unsuccessful weeks, he started to wonder whether they would ever see one. He questioned whether this had been a good idea in the first place. A few days later, somebody spotted a heat run, and everything sprang into action. Roger got in front of the whales, and dove down ten meters underwater on a single breath. From then on, his job was just to wait and hold his camera ready. In a moment that seemed to stretch out time, he waited, nervously, for a group of 40-ton bus-sized whales to speed past him - Produced by Florian Bohr Credits: Humpback whale mother and calf sounds - Acoustic Communications CNRS team & CETAMADA Humpback whale calf sounds - Lars Bejder (MMRP Hawaii), Peter T. Madsen (Aarhus University) & Simone Videsen (Aarhus University) (Image: Humpback whale heat run with multiple whales in pursuit close to the ocean surface. Credit: Philip Thurston/Getty Images) Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his quest to film the humpback heat run, the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom. Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his 2008 quest to film the humpback heat run. Underwater cameraman Roger Munns recounts his 2008 quest to film the humpback heat run, the biggest courtship ritual of the animal kingdom.
Inside The Minds Of Chimpanzees	20240101	20240701 (R4)	Primatologist Catherine Hobaiter has spent more of her adult life in the rain forests of Uganda, with family bands of chimpanzees, than she has with her own human family members. For more than 20 years now she has spent 6 months every year at a remote field station, getting up before dawn every day to observe and collect behavioural data on family bands of chimps as they wake up and go about their daily lives. What is she trying to find out, that has gripped her for so long? It turns out that life in a chimpanzee troupe is every bit as gripping as a soap opera. We hear about Nambi - a high status female and the family matriarch who, in controlling the lives and social status of her offspring, has been the quintessential helicopter parent, actively intervening to help her layabout son, Musa, climb up the rungs of the male hierarchy. And about the tragic fate of Lola - a young female who becomes caught up in what seems to be a tragic case of miscommunication. Maintaining her scientific objectivity, Catherine can only look on as Lola tries to hide behind her for protection, as she is beaten by an older male, later dying of the resulting injuries. But there are many more moments of beauty, revelation and the joy of discovery, as Catherine pursues her continuing, multi-decadal quest to understand what it means to be a chimpanzee. Produced by Diane Hope (Image: Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park. Credit: Yannick Tylle/Getty Images) Catherine Hobaiter pursues a quest to understand what it means to be a chimpanzee. Stories of dangerous expeditions, told first-hand by adventuring, tenacious scientists. Primatologist Catherine Hobaiter pursues her continuing, multi-decadal quest to understand what it means to be a chimpanzee.