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Antarctica's Air-Eating Microbes

Season 2026 Episode 3 | 3m 54s

In East Antarctica's frozen interior, Dr. Ry Holland hunts for aerotrophs: microbes that live on thin air by consuming trace gases like hydrogen, methane and carbon monoxide. Suited up like astronauts to avoid contamination, the team collects DNA from the air and tests soil for gas uptake. These microbes may anchor the food chain here and hint at how life might exist on icy moons like Europa.

Extras
The cast play a game of "What's in the vet bag?" with sentimental props from the series.
Get ready for the all-new season, coming January 17, 2027 at 9/8c.
Celebrate the legacy of Gene Wilder, the actor behind Willy Wonka and Young Frankenstein.
Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus join The Tabernacle Choir for an epic holiday celebration.
Explore the site of the Battle of Camden and its importance to the American Revolution.
Formerly enslaved Americans formed Britain's Colonial Marines unit and marched on Washington, D.C.
A metal detector survey reveals long-lost soldiers at Camden Battlefield.
A musket ball reveals the deadly reality of Revolutionary War combat.
DNA may help identify a soldier killed at the Battle of Camden.
The chimpanzees in Fongoli have adapted humanlike behaviors to survive their environment.
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