0:00:07 > 0:00:09Deep in the heart of Africa
0:00:09 > 0:00:13are some of the most extraordinary volcanoes on Earth...
0:00:14 > 0:00:17..prone to violent and deadly eruptions.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24They threaten the lives of more than a million people
0:00:24 > 0:00:28in a region already shattered by decades of violence.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Now, a team of international and local scientists are here
0:00:34 > 0:00:37to investigate these rarely visited volcanoes
0:00:37 > 0:00:41to try and predict when they will next erupt.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Here, we're seeing catastrophic eruptions,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46just punching through this landscape.
0:00:46 > 0:00:52They'll explore spectacular natural wonders and discover hidden dangers.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57- It says, "Over the limit".- That's a catastrophe for everyone's health.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02They'll examine how volcanic forces influence every aspect of life here,
0:01:02 > 0:01:07from conflict to the daily struggle for survival.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18And they'll investigate
0:01:18 > 0:01:21whether the volcanoes can be more than just a force of destruction.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26So these gorillas are at the epicentre
0:01:26 > 0:01:32of everything that makes these volcanoes both good and bad.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49So far, the team have focused their efforts
0:01:49 > 0:01:54on just one volcano, the mighty Nyiragongo,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58to try and put in place a system to warn the nearby city of Goma
0:01:58 > 0:02:00before the volcano erupts again.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04DRONE BUZZES
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Now, with only a week remaining,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13the team are back in Goma for the next stage of the expedition.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19They are about to fly to one of the most active
0:02:19 > 0:02:22yet least explored volcanoes on the planet...
0:02:23 > 0:02:25..Nyamulagira.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Nyamulagira lies on the eastern border
0:02:31 > 0:02:34of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the DRC.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Professor Chris Jackson has studied volcanic landscapes
0:02:40 > 0:02:44across the planet, but he's never been to Nyamulagira.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Few people have, for good reason.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49It's actually in a fairly
0:02:49 > 0:02:51dangerous part of the area,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54so the only way to get there
0:02:54 > 0:02:57is with a military helicopter. My heart's racing,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59just at the thought of getting on that helicopter.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02Only a few years ago,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05an expedition like this would have been impossible.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12For nearly two decades, the DRC was at the centre
0:03:12 > 0:03:15of one of the bloodiest wars of modern history.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18Millions of people died...
0:03:20 > 0:03:22..and the country is still recovering.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Although the wars are officially over,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29violent militia and rebel groups are still active.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36Many operate in the forests that surround Nyamulagira.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43So, the helicopter has to fly fast at tree-top level
0:03:43 > 0:03:46to reduce the chances of being shot at.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51We're hoping to land on top of the volcano,
0:03:51 > 0:03:52right next to its active crater.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57We need to collect some fairly critical data up there
0:03:57 > 0:03:59to understand what might happen in the future.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Nyamulagira is capable of spectacular eruptions...
0:04:07 > 0:04:09..on an almost yearly basis.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16Most volcanoes this active and so close to so many people
0:04:16 > 0:04:18are covered in monitoring equipment.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24But there is nothing on Nyamulagira.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29This is a rare opportunity to gather data
0:04:29 > 0:04:31that could help predict future eruptions.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37We're really banking sharply now to get a view down into the volcano.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46It is an enormous hole. I cannot describe how big this hole is.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51I'm not seeing any lava coming out
0:04:51 > 0:04:55but there is huge amounts of gas coming from both within the crater,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57but also all the way around the edges.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03This is just, this is just phenomenal!
0:05:07 > 0:05:09HE BLOWS WHISTLE
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Back in Goma, doctor and humanitarian aid worker
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Xand van Tulleken is leading the other part of the expedition.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27I've been really focused on Goma and the immediate threat of eruption
0:05:27 > 0:05:30and now I'm heading out of Goma to see what it's like
0:05:30 > 0:05:33living in this volcanic landscape,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36to see how much effect the volcanoes have, just on people's daily lives.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Xand wants to find out what role the volcanoes have played
0:05:44 > 0:05:46in shaping life here -
0:05:46 > 0:05:48everything from day-to-day existence
0:05:48 > 0:05:51to the troubled history of the region.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57His first stop is the town of Sake, west of Goma.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01It's less than 30km from Nyamulagira
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and is right in the line of fire when the volcano erupts.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11To find out what impact eruptions have,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15he's meeting two market traders, Therese Kalume and Mama Noya.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17They've spent their entire lives here.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Nyamulagira's eruptions blanket large areas of farmland
0:06:55 > 0:06:58in scalding hot, choking ash...
0:07:01 > 0:07:02..destroying crops...
0:07:04 > 0:07:05..killing livestock
0:07:05 > 0:07:07and bringing famine.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I guess I thought it was just the eruptions, with the lava,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15but you're saying the ash also destroys the crops.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17How often does that happen?
0:07:37 > 0:07:41It's three years since Nyamulagira last erupted
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and the market is full of food.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50Between eruptions, the ash that usually causes such destruction
0:07:50 > 0:07:54breaks down, quickly releasing nutrients into the soil,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57producing incredibly rich and productive farmland.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02You have all this fantastic stuff
0:08:02 > 0:08:04that the volcanic soil is doing for you
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and yet, it's also causing all these problems.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09What's it like living with the good and the bad every day?
0:08:39 > 0:08:41They've got a very confusing sense
0:08:41 > 0:08:44of what the volcano means to people's lives here.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46It's not just about eruptions and lava
0:08:46 > 0:08:49or even clouds of ash destroying crops.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53It's that the volcano inserts itself into every single part of your life
0:08:53 > 0:08:55and every single part of your body.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58The volcano is the thing that feeds you and the thing that starves you.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Before he leaves Sake, Xand wants to investigate
0:09:04 > 0:09:07a more direct effect that the volcanoes have on the people here...
0:09:09 > 0:09:12..one that has serious implications for their health.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23The rest of the team is about to land on Nyamulagira.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28As it's been three years since the last major eruption,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30another could be imminent.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Benoit Smets is part of a European group
0:09:36 > 0:09:39working with local scientists to study the volcanoes.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41I think we should first follow
0:09:41 > 0:09:46- the cracks and then turn right, try to avoid them.- OK, cool.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Benoit discusses plans with former Royal Marine Aldo Kane,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53in charge of safety on the expedition.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Here you have the fracture network that's across the caldera.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59This is where the gas escapes, so it's quite dangerous.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02OK, all right, we'll get everyone out
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- and then we'll have a bit of a brief then.- OK.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08It's not just the volcano that worries Aldo.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Be aware there are armed groups
0:10:12 > 0:10:14operating in and around the slopes of the volcano.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16If you do see someone that's not from our group,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18then get on the radio, let me know.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23There is a path and tracks going through here, so they are using it.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27It is accessible to them, so keep your eyes peeled.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Hostile groups that saw them fly in
0:10:31 > 0:10:33could be on their way up to the summit.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36They can't stay long.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38So, we've got two hours. We need to be back here,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41everyone at the top and ready to go, in two hours.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- Cool?- Sounds good.- Thanks, Aldo. - Thanks, Aldo.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49The scientists face an almost impossible task -
0:10:49 > 0:10:53two hours to find out what state the volcano is in.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58To start, they need to find a place to see into the crater.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10Kasereka Mahinda comes from the local Goma Volcano Observatory
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and knows the summit better than anyone.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24The teams split.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27One group head to Kasereka's vantage point.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Meanwhile, American volcanologist Dr Kayla Iacovino is focusing
0:11:33 > 0:11:36on one of the best clues as to when an eruption is imminent -
0:11:36 > 0:11:39the plume of gases being given out by the volcano.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44I want to find a place where I can actually get inside the plume
0:11:44 > 0:11:45and put the gas box
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and that can tell me more about the different chemicals
0:11:48 > 0:11:49that are coming out of the plume.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Monitoring the changes in the gas chemistry
0:11:52 > 0:11:54is what tells us whether this is changing
0:11:54 > 0:11:56or whether it's moving towards an eruption,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00whether there's new magma being input at the very base.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02The gases really tell the whole story.
0:12:04 > 0:12:05Just before an eruption,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08fresh magma starts moving towards the surface.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15As it rises, the magma releases more and more sulphur dioxide gas.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18So, a sudden increase in the gas
0:12:18 > 0:12:21often signifies an imminent eruption.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Kayla wants to find out
0:12:27 > 0:12:29the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the gas plume.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32But it won't be easy.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37I feel like we're really pushed for time here.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40There is a lot of gas coming out of here.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42The problem for me is that, once it gets to the top,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45it's become pretty diffuse,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47which is why I'm having to chase the plume around.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51As Kayla tries to sample the gas plume,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54the others have reached the vantage point.
0:12:54 > 0:12:55Oh, wow!
0:12:55 > 0:12:58As you walk towards the edges of these craters, you get that feeling
0:12:58 > 0:13:01in your stomach, like you're about to go off the edge of the world.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06They need to check on the level of activity in the crater.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09When Kasereka was last here,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12there was a small cone erupting in its centre.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29It's a worrying situation.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Volcanoes erupt when pressure builds below the surface.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Whilst the cone was erupting, pressure was being released.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42With no active lava in the crater, the volcano may be blocked.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Benoit and his colleague set up a thermal camera
0:13:46 > 0:13:48to check if there is still magma
0:13:48 > 0:13:50moving between the thin crust of black rock,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54but it means getting close to the cliff.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Just go careful on that edge. This entire edge,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01even under where your camera is there, is overhanging.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04That's millions of tonnes of rock there
0:14:04 > 0:14:06and they're right on the edge of it.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09They check the temperature.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Intense heat would mean the vent is still active.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15So, what's the temperature down on the base?
0:14:15 > 0:14:18So, everything has quite the same temperature,
0:14:18 > 0:14:23- about 45 to 50 degrees Celsius. - OK.- It's totally dead.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27No activity left at all.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33And the question is now, is it just a break or is it just finished?
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- Yeah.- It means that the activity may change.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40With the crater floor solidified,
0:14:40 > 0:14:42pressure could be building deep underground.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49The volcanic activity that we see
0:14:49 > 0:14:53- is only a very small part of the real volcanic activity.- Yeah.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55There is much more happening below the surface.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01The key question is whether new lava is moving up within the volcano.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05That makes Kayla's gas measurements all the more important.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Only Aldo now realises that Kayla has moved out of sight.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16She's left without her radio.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20More disconcerting for me is obviously CO2 or carbon dioxide.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Carbon dioxide is a suffocating gas, given out by the volcano.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32At high concentrations, it can kill in moments.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Aldo can't take any chances.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40If she goes down and we're not there then,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43there's pretty much not going to be much we can do for her.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Back in Sake, Xand is investigating the impact
0:15:53 > 0:15:56of volcanic activity on people's lives.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59He's spotted something that has major implications
0:15:59 > 0:16:01for the health of the townspeople.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07One of the things that really struck me was how brown and stained
0:16:07 > 0:16:11their teeth were and that's very unusual in sub-Saharan Africa.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14People in rural Africa don't have much refined sugar in their diet
0:16:14 > 0:16:16so, normally, their teeth look pretty good.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19And what I'm seeing was not neglect, it's too much fluoride.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21It's a sign of dental fluorosis
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and the most likely source of that fluoride
0:16:25 > 0:16:26would be their drinking water.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Most homes here rely on central springs and taps.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Xand is meeting Mathieu Yalire from the Goma Volcano Observatory
0:16:39 > 0:16:42and his long-term collaborator Dario Tedesco
0:16:42 > 0:16:44to find out what causes the problem.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47It's part of our job
0:16:47 > 0:16:49to analyse water,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52all the samples we can get around the region.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54It's very strange to me
0:16:54 > 0:16:58because we deliberately add fluoride to the water in a lot of the UK
0:16:58 > 0:17:00because it strengthens people's teeth
0:17:00 > 0:17:03but you just get slightly above that threshold,
0:17:03 > 0:17:04and it destroys your teeth.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09They use a small hand-held device to measure the fluoride.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Levels below one part per million can be beneficial
0:17:17 > 0:17:19but anything over that would cause problems.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22So, what's the number here?
0:17:24 > 0:17:27The limit of this machine, this small equipment,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29is ten parts per million
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and it says, "Over the limit".
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- That's a catastrophe for everyone's health.- Yeah.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37It's a really severe health consequence.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40I mean, it's not just stained teeth, it's that your teeth stop working,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43your bones stop working, your joints, your kidneys.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45So, what's the solution?
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Presently, we don't have any solution
0:17:47 > 0:17:51because the best solution would be to bring water
0:17:51 > 0:17:55- from very far from here in... - Masisi.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Masisi, Masisi area. It's very...
0:17:58 > 0:18:03- It's 20, 30km.- 30km. - So, it's quite far.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04This is not only this village.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09It's more or less 100,000 people or more that live in the area.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Volcanoes tap the inner Earth, releasing usually rare elements
0:18:16 > 0:18:19into the environment in much higher levels than normal.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25It's what makes the volcanic soil so rich and fertile.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28But it can also lead to unusually high concentrations
0:18:28 > 0:18:32of more harmful elements, such as fluoride.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40I'm amazed at how often on this trip that I've needed a geologist
0:18:40 > 0:18:43to understand what's going on, even in health,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and I think I know a decent amount about human health.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53For the next stage of the expedition,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Xand is going to investigate the role volcanoes play
0:18:55 > 0:18:59in the violence and conflict that continue to affect this region.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08On the summit of Nyamulagira,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10the team is scrambling to gather data
0:19:10 > 0:19:12to help predict the next eruption.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17But Aldo has lost sight of Kayla.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22And it's not just the volcanic dangers that have him worried.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25All round this rim are the armed militia groups,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27which are operating all over this place,
0:19:27 > 0:19:33so there's more than one reason why Kayla shouldn't be off on her own.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34But she's a scientist.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40So, it is a relief when he does catch sight of her.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Ah, there she is.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49We've got six or seven scientists here that are all running around,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51doing their own thing.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53We've got some hanging over the edge,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56we've got some sitting in the middle of these fissures here
0:19:56 > 0:19:58and Kayla disappeared.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02They get so tunnel-visioned with what it is that they're trying to do
0:20:02 > 0:20:04that they often forget about their own safety.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Not deliberately, but they may place themselves
0:20:07 > 0:20:10in a little bit of danger, which is pretty much what I'm doing.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13I'm herding cats, trying to keep my eye on everyone.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18It's quite sulphurous now, isn't it?
0:20:18 > 0:20:20Yeah, you can smell it really strongly.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23We've got about 40 minutes left before we need to go,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27and we need to keep an eye on the weather, so quick as we can.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Reunited with her radio, Kayla continues to try
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and sample the gas, but she's struggling.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Unfortunately, the best place where the gas is coming up
0:20:39 > 0:20:41is also on, I think, the most precarious part
0:20:41 > 0:20:43of the entire crater rim.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46It's why I'm not over there, where it's gassiest,
0:20:46 > 0:20:51cos these thick layers of ash, that looks like the most unstable,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54but I'm just trying to get as close as I can without being unsafe.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Benoit is determined to squeeze in one last experiment.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09It's a technique that could reveal
0:21:09 > 0:21:12whether there is pressure building within the volcano.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18I would like you to follow the drone with the binoculars
0:21:18 > 0:21:20to be sure that I don't crash it.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33As it heads towards an eruption, the build-up of pressure
0:21:33 > 0:21:36inside a volcano can change the shape of the crater,
0:21:36 > 0:21:38making the ground swell and bulge in places.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I'm using a drone to take pictures of the pit crater
0:21:45 > 0:21:49in different viewpoints and, with this set of images,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52I will be able to create a 3-D model of the pit crater.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02Benoit's 3-D model is a snapshot of what the crater looks like today.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Comparing it to models created on future visits will allow them
0:22:06 > 0:22:09to instantly spot even small changes...
0:22:11 > 0:22:14..a crucial clue to when an eruption is brewing.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Benoit has just enough time to finish his survey.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32The two hours are up and, what's more, the weather is on the turn.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36We need to head and there's a huge bank of cloud
0:22:36 > 0:22:37that's coming our way,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40so I think we take the weather window and we bug out.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46If the storm hits, the helicopter will not be able to take off,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48leaving them trapped.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50They are too fragile to put in the bag.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53If you need me to carry anything, let me know.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55We are a long way from the helicopter
0:22:55 > 0:22:59- and we still need to pick Kayla up on the way.- Yeah, OK.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02She's still over there, doing her gas box.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's a frustrating end to the trip for Kayla.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09She hasn't been able to get any meaningful gas measurements.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It's just so hard to work in places like this,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16where access is nearly impossible. And then, when you get access,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18you have two hours. It's just not enough.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Even so, this rare visit has been invaluable.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28They've established that the volcano may be blocked
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and pressure building towards the next eruption.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37And they have a way to track changes in pressure in the volcano,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40with Benoit's 3-D model of the crater.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50On the way back, Chris shifts his attention
0:23:50 > 0:23:56to the wider volcanic landscape and the next stage of the expedition.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It's amazing from up here the view you get.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03From the ground it looks spectacular,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06but from here, it is absolutely something else.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08There's this flat land
0:24:08 > 0:24:12with these volcanoes just punching through absolutely everywhere.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Every one of these hills and peaks is an extinct volcanic cone.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25This extraordinary concentration of volcanic activity
0:24:25 > 0:24:28is related to a much bigger geological feature...
0:24:31 > 0:24:33..the East African Rift.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38It's a vast chain of volcanoes and valleys,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42stretching for round 6,000km up the eastern edge of Africa.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49The Goma volcanoes are at the midpoint of the rift.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53All along this line, the Earth's surface is being pulled apart.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01If the rifting continues, Africa will eventually be torn in two,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05creating a new ocean and a new continent.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14With such immense geological forces at work,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17there are potentially many more dangers
0:25:17 > 0:25:19that threaten the lives of the people here.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It's these threats the expedition will investigate
0:25:25 > 0:25:27in the few days remaining.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37First, the expedition reunites, back in Goma.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Xand is investigating what role volcanic activity has played
0:25:43 > 0:25:46in the violent conflicts that plague the region.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49He's taking Chris and Aldo to a boxing gym
0:25:49 > 0:25:52with a connection to a disturbing aspect of these conflicts...
0:25:54 > 0:25:57..the use of child soldiers.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02At its peak,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05around 30,000 children were involved in the ferocious fighting.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Although the wars are officially over,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15there are still armed militia and rebel groups operating around Goma.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19And they still use child soldiers.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33This gym is helping people trying to escape that life.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Many here are former child soldiers,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42including the man who runs the gym, known as Kibomango.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50- Bonjour.- Bonjour, ca va?- Oui, ca va, mon ami.- Ca va?- Oui, ca va.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Can we join in?
0:26:52 > 0:26:55KIBOMANGO SPEAKS IN FRENCH
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Kibomango just said, normally, due to a lack of discipline,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- you wouldn't be allowed to train for not bringing your PE kit.- Oh, right!
0:27:04 > 0:27:08- So, you're going to have to do it in your pants.- Did he say that?
0:27:09 > 0:27:15With his military past, Aldo is fascinated by Kibo's story.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18So, Kibo, when did you join the army?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Which is two years younger than I was when I joined up.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30How long did you serve in the army?
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Aldo joined the Royal Marines at 16
0:27:42 > 0:27:47but couldn't see frontline action until he was over 18,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50unlike Kibo and the kids here.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01I wouldn't mind betting that what Kibomango's doing here
0:28:01 > 0:28:04to run this boxing club is partly for his own therapy.
0:28:04 > 0:28:09As a child soldier, he's going to have seen some pretty nasty stuff.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21After the workout, Aldo has a chance to take on the man himself.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Kibo is a former Congolese champion.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13In a poor and job-starved area,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16it is often only the militias offering money
0:29:16 > 0:29:18and employment to the young.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25And one of the main sources of the militia's funding
0:29:25 > 0:29:27is directly connected to volcanic activity,
0:29:27 > 0:29:31thanks to a mineral that most of us have never heard of
0:29:31 > 0:29:34but which plays a crucial role in all our lives.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39There's a lot of things at play, but one of the things is this stuff,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42which you will know much more about than me,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45but I've managed to get some coltan. What does this mean to you?
0:29:45 > 0:29:48It's the kind of mineral I'd expect to find in an area like this,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50an incredibly volcanic area.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54My assumption has always been that just about any electronic device
0:29:54 > 0:29:58I have has got, maybe, may well have Congolese coltan.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02Every touch-screen phone, laptop, will have tantalum,
0:30:02 > 0:30:04which is the "tan" of the coltan.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06So places like Congo are, it sounds silly to say,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09but they're an absolute gold mine for coltan.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11- Right, right, for a coltan mine. - Yeah.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Coltan is critical to touch-screen technology,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18so it's in constant demand.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Even small mines can generate huge profits.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28Just one kilogram of coltan can sell for over 100.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Coltan deposits are found throughout the region
0:30:32 > 0:30:37but, in this lawless area, militia control many of the mines.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42The income helps them recruit young people.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47And this connection between minerals and the militia helps explain
0:30:47 > 0:30:49why the violence continues.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54We normally think about wars like a boxing match.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- You've got two sides, one side wants to win.- Yeah.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59But this is not a typical war around here.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01You've got war that, in some cases,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- lots and lots of the actors don't want to win.- Yeah.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07They just want to have enough unrest, enough instability,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10that they can run an illegal coltan mine, have child soldiers,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14- involve the whole community in it and sell it internationally.- Yeah.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16And you have this kind of terrifying picture,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19where there is no incentive to end the violence at all.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22And it's very hard to hold this in your hands,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24knowing how much we desire it
0:31:24 > 0:31:28and knowing what it leaves behind and where it comes from.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32It is a vicious cycle.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36The chaos in the region helps the gangs control the mineral wealth
0:31:36 > 0:31:39and the mineral wealth helps the gangs maintain the chaos.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51After the boxing, the expedition once again splits.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Xand is going to travel deep into the countryside
0:31:54 > 0:31:58to see if the volcanic resources can ever be a force for good
0:31:58 > 0:32:01and help break this cycle of violence.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Chris and Kayla are also heading out of the city.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12They want to investigate what other dangers
0:32:12 > 0:32:16the epic geological forces at work have created.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20I'm really interested to see some of the smaller cones
0:32:20 > 0:32:22cos we've been looking at Nyiragongo, Nyamulagira,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24you know the big boys.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27But there's so much information that the smaller cones can have too.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29That's what I'm interested in seeing.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34They're heading to one such volcanic cone calls Lac Vert,
0:32:34 > 0:32:35just outside Goma.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Wow, look at that!
0:32:49 > 0:32:51In the centre of the cone is a crater
0:32:51 > 0:32:55nearly a kilometre wide and over 100 metres deep,
0:32:55 > 0:32:59containing Lac Vert, the green lake.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Local people scramble down to the lake shore
0:33:03 > 0:33:05to wash clothes and bathe.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Lac Vert is now extinct.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20But if a similar eruption were to happen nearby,
0:33:20 > 0:33:21it could be devastating.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Chris and Kayla want to find out how likely that is
0:33:27 > 0:33:31and what it would mean for the city of Goma.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39They start by examining the rocks that make up the crater.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42They're looking for clues that will tell them
0:33:42 > 0:33:44what type of volcano this was.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51For many years, the sides of Lac Vert have been quarried,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53so, with a little effort...
0:33:53 > 0:33:56- You got to go over the head. - Over the head?- Yeah.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59..they get their hands on some samples.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Kayla is a specialist at interpreting volcanic rocks.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08None of this is actually lava. This is all ash.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11These are all ash deposits and that means this was magma
0:34:11 > 0:34:14that came up through the ground, was exploded under the surface
0:34:14 > 0:34:17and absolutely ripped apart into very, very fine pieces
0:34:17 > 0:34:19- that you can see here.- Yeah.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23Imagine how much energy it would take to take solid rock
0:34:23 > 0:34:26and just explode it into these tiny, tiny bits.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29That screams to me that there was an interaction with the water
0:34:29 > 0:34:31when this actually erupted.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35When a volcano erupts through water,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38it creates a powerful and sudden explosion...
0:34:38 > 0:34:40EXPLOSION
0:34:40 > 0:34:43..known as a phreatomagmatic eruption.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50They generate huge amounts of fine-grained ash...
0:34:54 > 0:34:57..just like the deposits found here.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59So, Lac Vert was formed
0:34:59 > 0:35:02by an explosive phreatomagmatic eruption.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08The sides of the crater reveal something else.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11The eruption wasn't just a single event.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14What strikes me, as someone who's interested in sedimentology,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17is how many layers of rock there are like this.
0:35:17 > 0:35:18The layering in the rock behind us,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20I wouldn't want to go over there and count them,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23but there's clearly hundreds and hundreds of giant explosions
0:35:23 > 0:35:26associated with this catastrophic eruption.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32Goma sits in the middle of a string of extinct phreatomagmatic cones
0:35:35 > 0:35:38The problem is new eruptions are possible
0:35:38 > 0:35:40because they are driven by the rifting
0:35:40 > 0:35:42that is pulling Africa apart.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46As the rifting stretches the land,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49it causes magma to well up from deep underground.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53When it hits a layer of water-saturated ground,
0:35:53 > 0:35:55just below the surface,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58the magma vaporises the water into steam,
0:35:58 > 0:36:03causing an instantaneous explosion of enormous destructive power.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08We've still got lots of volcanism here.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10We're still right next to the lake.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14We can see, in Lac Vert, the water table is right here.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17There's all the ingredients there for this to happen again.
0:36:20 > 0:36:21A new phreatomagmatic eruption,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25happening in the middle of the city, could be a catastrophe.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29The good news is there would be warning signs.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34As magma moves up, it forces the ground apart,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37creating mini earthquakes that can be detected
0:36:37 > 0:36:39by instruments called seismometers.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43A network of seismometers has been installed
0:36:43 > 0:36:45to help predict future volcanic activity.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Josh Shabira is a specialist in seismology,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52working at the Goma Observatory.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28The network should be able to detect magma on the move.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32But the key is to work out where an eruption might happen.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35The more seismometers in the network,
0:37:35 > 0:37:37the more precisely they can do that.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42A few days earlier, Josh was working with the expedition
0:37:42 > 0:37:45to install the latest seismometer in the network.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05As the seismic network grows,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08the hope is the Observatory will be able to warn
0:38:08 > 0:38:11of an impending phreatomagmatic eruption,
0:38:11 > 0:38:14potentially saving thousands of lives.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19But there is another danger that threatens Goma
0:38:19 > 0:38:21and the area around it.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27It comes from the one place the expedition has yet to explore...
0:38:29 > 0:38:31..Lake Kivu.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Xand is on the road, far outside the city.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43He is investigating whether the natural resources,
0:38:43 > 0:38:47created by the volcanoes, can be exploited in a sustainable way.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53I think there's one place that is really the best example
0:38:53 > 0:38:58of all the good and bad things that these volcanoes throw up
0:38:58 > 0:39:00and that's the National Park and, in particular,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03the mountain gorillas that live there.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08Meeting the gorillas means heading into forests
0:39:08 > 0:39:10on the flanks of the dormant volcano Mikeno,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13inside the Virunga National Park.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20The park dominates the area,
0:39:20 > 0:39:25covering nearly 8,000 square kilometres of volcanic landscape.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31It includes both the volcanoes Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira
0:39:31 > 0:39:33that the expedition has visited.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37The volcanoes help make it
0:39:37 > 0:39:40one of the most spectacular nature reserves on the planet.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45But this is also a dangerous part of the country.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Xand couldn't travel without the protection of Martin
0:39:52 > 0:39:53and his fellow park rangers.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01There are over 20 different armed groups in the area,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04drawn to the lucrative resources found in the park.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11I always used to think of the crisis in the DRC as a political crisis
0:40:11 > 0:40:14and what's very clear to me now
0:40:14 > 0:40:19is that it is a crisis driven by this volcanic landscape
0:40:19 > 0:40:22and you can kind of see the tension right here.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26These volcanoes produce almost too much riches.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30There are too many amazing things to exploit - incredible farmland here,
0:40:30 > 0:40:33amazing National Park there, with incredible wildlife.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36You've got minerals, you've got timber,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38you've got all kinds of things here
0:40:38 > 0:40:41that everyone wants to get a piece of.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43That's the bit that I hadn't understood,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45that the geography plays such a big role in it.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50But the National Park is trying to break the cycle of violence
0:40:50 > 0:40:52and use the resources
0:40:52 > 0:40:55to transform the local economy and benefit everyone.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05Oh, wow! I mean, Martin, this is amazing!
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- Yeah, amazing.- Yeah.- Amazing.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10And we've gone from this sort of field
0:41:10 > 0:41:13into primary forest in about ten steps.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18One of the key elements in the plan
0:41:18 > 0:41:22is the income generated by tourists coming to see the gorillas.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Masks limit the chances
0:41:30 > 0:41:33of the gorillas catching any human infections.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36GENTLE GROWLING
0:41:36 > 0:41:39This is completely terrifying.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48All I can hear is growling and shaking bushes.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57We can hear gorillas all around us, so it feels...
0:41:57 > 0:41:59It's very magical and quite frightening
0:41:59 > 0:42:03cos there is obviously some more gorillas behind us there
0:42:03 > 0:42:07and, whenever they move, you can feel the whole forest shaking.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18This is the Humba family.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29I've always been fascinated by these animals
0:42:29 > 0:42:31but I've never seen them before in the wild.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35It's the most human non-human face I've ever seen.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41There are fewer than 900 mountain gorillas left in the world
0:42:41 > 0:42:45and over half of them live in the Virunga National Park.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51XAND LAUGHS
0:42:53 > 0:42:54Oh, wow.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56That's very funny.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00And she's gone from being incredibly dignified great ape
0:43:00 > 0:43:04to being exhausted, harassed parent in about one second.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07HE LAUGHS
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Oh, yes.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14Mountain gorillas only appeared around half a million years ago.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18They evolved in the unique habitats created by the volcanoes.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25The rich volcanic soils have produced a forest
0:43:25 > 0:43:28diverse enough to support the giant apes.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35They eat more than 100 different species of plant
0:43:35 > 0:43:38and to get an animal that big eating plants,
0:43:38 > 0:43:40you need a very, very fertile system
0:43:40 > 0:43:43and that can really only happen on a volcano like this.
0:43:45 > 0:43:50The draw of seeing the gorillas brings nearly 3,000 visitors a year,
0:43:50 > 0:43:54generating around 600,000.
0:43:56 > 0:43:57The park invest that money
0:43:57 > 0:43:59in community and infrastructure projects,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02supporting jobs throughout the area.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08But the armed groups simply want to plunder the park
0:44:08 > 0:44:10for its timber and minerals.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14That makes the gorillas a target.
0:44:17 > 0:44:24In 2007, the Rugendo gorilla family were brutally slaughtered.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31It was a calculated attempt to destroy the National Park...
0:44:34 > 0:44:37..by removing their treasured inhabitants.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41It failed.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Thanks to the efforts of the rangers,
0:44:45 > 0:44:49this part of the park is now the most secure it's been for years
0:44:49 > 0:44:51and the gorillas are thriving.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55The ambition is to build on this foundation,
0:44:55 > 0:44:59increase income and create thousands of local jobs.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04It's magical seeing the gorillas.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07They are an incredibly valuable asset for this park
0:45:07 > 0:45:09and you get a sense of the huge potential.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12That's something you can't see anywhere else in the world.
0:45:12 > 0:45:17And, if this place can tap into those kind of resources effectively
0:45:17 > 0:45:18and make them work for everyone,
0:45:18 > 0:45:21you can imagine a very different future for Congo.
0:45:24 > 0:45:29But for the park to reach its full potential requires long-term peace.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Only a fraction of the park is currently safe to visit
0:45:33 > 0:45:36and the rangers are under relentless attack.
0:45:36 > 0:45:42More than 160 have been killed in the last two decades.
0:45:42 > 0:45:43To try and get a sense
0:45:43 > 0:45:46of whether this fight can deliver a better future,
0:45:46 > 0:45:48Xand is going to visit the people
0:45:48 > 0:45:51who have to live with the human cost of the struggle.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00Chris and Kayla are meeting with Mathieu and Dario
0:46:00 > 0:46:03on the waters of Lake Kivu.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07They're here to investigate a danger
0:46:07 > 0:46:10on a scale far larger than anything they've seen so far.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16The hazard exists because the volcanic activity doesn't stop
0:46:16 > 0:46:18at the shore of the lake.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21It continues underneath the water.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27That's created a hidden killer in the depths of the lake.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32The only way to check on it is through samples
0:46:32 > 0:46:34taken from deep beneath the surface.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37- Let's do it. - Let's try not to lose everything.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Dario and Mathieu send an open sample bottle
0:46:42 > 0:46:44down to a depth of 55 metres.
0:46:46 > 0:46:4850 metres.
0:46:51 > 0:46:55And here we are, at 55.
0:46:55 > 0:46:58- If you want to see it... - I'll stand up.
0:46:58 > 0:46:59There it goes. We'll leave it.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02A heavy weight is then sent down on the rope
0:47:02 > 0:47:05to trigger the mechanism that closes the bottle.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09You can feel the weight of that.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11I can feel, as I'm dragging it up,
0:47:11 > 0:47:14pushing the water out of the way, as I bring this thing up.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17I think... Yes, here it is. Look.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20Wait, wait, wait, look at the gas coming out.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22- Come here.- Oh, my gosh.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27- You see?- Yeah, the bubbles.- Wow. - You see the bubbling?
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Those bubbles are not trapped air.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34They are gas coming from within the water sample.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37Now, let's take it out.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40- When you open... - WATER FIZZES
0:47:40 > 0:47:42- You can hear it.- It's like opening a bottle of pop.
0:47:42 > 0:47:47- Yeah, exactly.- It looks like a soda. It's all completely carbonated.
0:47:47 > 0:47:51- 99% is carbonated.- 99%.- Yeah.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56The bottom of the lake is full of the potentially lethal
0:47:56 > 0:47:59suffocating gas carbon dioxide.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05The presence of the gas is a genuine concern
0:48:05 > 0:48:08because of what happened at a similar lake in Cameroon.
0:48:10 > 0:48:15Lake Nyos also has volcanic carbon dioxide trapped in its depths.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22On the night of August 21st, 1986,
0:48:22 > 0:48:26a landslide caused a giant pulse of the gas to escape
0:48:26 > 0:48:29out of the lake and into the surrounding countryside...
0:48:32 > 0:48:34..killing everything in its path.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41Over 1,700 people suffocated as they slept.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49Lake Kivu is far bigger than Nyos.
0:48:50 > 0:48:54All the lake has a huge amount of CO2,
0:48:54 > 0:48:59about 256 cubic kilometres.
0:49:02 > 0:49:07That's enough gas to cover an area 25 times the size of London
0:49:07 > 0:49:11in a suffocating layer, five metres deep.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15It could kill tens of thousands of people around the lake.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20But there are efforts underway to try and prevent such a disaster.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31We're in this glass-flat bay and, all of a sudden,
0:49:31 > 0:49:34you come to this platform and it's just... All hell is breaking loose.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39It's a massive amount of pressure. It's almost like a geyser.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41- It IS a geyser.- It is a geyser.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45It is a geyser and you don't see the geyser itself,
0:49:45 > 0:49:47just because there is something on top,
0:49:47 > 0:49:53a core that is just 50 metres, in order not to let the geyser blow.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58The carbon dioxide is trapped at the bottom of Lake Kivu
0:49:58 > 0:50:01by a layer of dense salty water that acts like a lid.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08The aim is to slowly release the trapped gas
0:50:08 > 0:50:12at concentrations that aren't a danger to human health.
0:50:14 > 0:50:19A pipe runs down from the platform into the carbon dioxide-rich layers.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24The gas-saturated water shoots up the pipe.
0:50:24 > 0:50:28This controlled small-scale release allows the carbon dioxide
0:50:28 > 0:50:31to quickly mix with the air, making it harmless.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34This is a pilot to see
0:50:34 > 0:50:39if there is a way to degas this part of the lake.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43If it succeeds, we will make a very big one
0:50:43 > 0:50:49to put a very big amount of CO2 in the air.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53A controlled release of the carbon dioxide reservoir
0:50:53 > 0:50:57at the bottom of the lake could prevent a future disaster.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02And it shows how studying these hazards can help reduce
0:51:02 > 0:51:04the threat from the volcanic landscape.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16Xand has one place left to visit.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18He's in the Virunga National Park.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23The rangers are in a fierce struggle to preserve the park
0:51:23 > 0:51:25and transform the local economy.
0:51:27 > 0:51:29Many have died in the fighting
0:51:29 > 0:51:31and the battle is far from won.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35With the outcome in the balance,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39Xand wants to find out if the people most directly affected think
0:51:39 > 0:51:41the fight can deliver a better future.
0:51:56 > 0:51:59I've forgotten it. I forgotten again. What is it?
0:52:01 > 0:52:03Oh, couture. OK.
0:52:03 > 0:52:07The women here are widows of rangers, killed in the line of duty.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13To help support their families, the National Park has created
0:52:13 > 0:52:16a sewing cooperative to bring in extra income for the widows.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Hippopotamus?
0:52:31 > 0:52:33Oh, amazing!
0:52:35 > 0:52:37This is fantastic!
0:52:37 > 0:52:40Noella Wimena is one of the senior members
0:52:40 > 0:52:44and takes on the task of giving Xand his first sewing lesson.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46Are you ready? I'm going to start. Here we go.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54Whoa! This is like a Formula 1 car
0:52:54 > 0:52:57of sewing machines! This is...
0:53:03 > 0:53:05I did not think sewing would be a high-adrenaline sport.
0:53:05 > 0:53:07OK, here we go.
0:53:08 > 0:53:09Argh!
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Noella, how long have you been sewing for?
0:53:14 > 0:53:17- Huit mois.- Eight months?- Oui.
0:53:17 > 0:53:21- Had you ever used this machine before?- Oui, oui.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24- Yeah?- No.- No?- No. - You started eight months ago.
0:53:24 > 0:53:28And were you as bad as me when you began?
0:53:28 > 0:53:29Yes.
0:53:29 > 0:53:34- LAUGHTER - Yes! Great! OK, redemption.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41Xand wants to hear
0:53:41 > 0:53:46if these remarkable women think the fight is worth the terrible cost.
0:53:48 > 0:53:49This is me.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52Do you mind me asking what happened to your husband?
0:54:04 > 0:54:09- Is that true for the other people who are working here as well?- Yes.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16Would you want your children to be rangers when they grow up?
0:54:16 > 0:54:18OTHER WOMEN AGREE
0:54:18 > 0:54:22- Everyone seemed to agree about that. - Yes.- Really?
0:54:29 > 0:54:32Is the park very important for your future
0:54:32 > 0:54:34and for the future of the community around here?
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Yes.
0:54:40 > 0:54:44For the widows, the park is the key to the future,
0:54:44 > 0:54:48which makes the room next door all the more special.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55Green stars have been painted on the walls,
0:54:55 > 0:54:58one for each ranger who has died protecting the park.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05It's an absolutely astonishing wall, isn't it?
0:55:05 > 0:55:08You'd have thought, talking to a bunch of women
0:55:08 > 0:55:10who've just lost their husbands,
0:55:10 > 0:55:14that would be the bit that I'd feel choked up about.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22The stars are deliberately bright.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27This is a place for children to come
0:55:27 > 0:55:30to see the memorial to the fathers they've lost.
0:55:34 > 0:55:38You could imagine it on a child's bedroom wall, couldn't you? But...
0:55:40 > 0:55:45Yeah, maybe it's that, um, there's no attempt to make it...
0:55:49 > 0:55:52It's the most modest memorial I've ever seen.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57There isn't very much in the history of this region recently
0:55:57 > 0:55:58to make you feel optimistic
0:55:58 > 0:56:01but there's something about being in this place with these people
0:56:01 > 0:56:05that they're building something for the future, I guess.
0:56:05 > 0:56:09Park's one of the few places where I can see the possibility
0:56:09 > 0:56:13that all these amazing resources that exist here
0:56:13 > 0:56:15could benefit everyone,
0:56:15 > 0:56:17rather than simply causing division and chaos.
0:56:19 > 0:56:21Is that right, little man?
0:56:34 > 0:56:38After a gruelling three weeks, the expedition has come to an end.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44The team can reflect on some significant achievements.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52At Nyiragongo, they tested a new system
0:56:52 > 0:56:56that could one day warn Goma before the volcano erupts.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Whilst on Nyamulagira,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03they laid the groundwork for predicting future volcanic activity.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09If you live in this amazing, amazing place,
0:57:09 > 0:57:10you can live with the hazards,
0:57:10 > 0:57:13but those hazards cannot be at the front of your mind all the time.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16It would just stop you from doing anything, I guess.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20The knowledge gained by the expedition,
0:57:20 > 0:57:22combined with the work of local scientists,
0:57:22 > 0:57:25means that the people here will be better prepared
0:57:25 > 0:57:27for future eruptions.
0:57:29 > 0:57:31That's never been more vital.
0:57:52 > 0:57:56But these volcanoes can never be truly controlled.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59This will always be one of the most extraordinary places
0:57:59 > 0:58:01to live in the world...
0:58:02 > 0:58:06..a landscape of both deadly hazards and incredible wonders.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11We have this absolutely vast volcanic landscape here
0:58:11 > 0:58:14and the people living right on top of it.
0:58:14 > 0:58:19It's my hope that people can learn to understand that landscape better,
0:58:19 > 0:58:21in order to not only protect themselves,
0:58:21 > 0:58:24but also to reap the benefits from it.
0:58:26 > 0:58:28Hey!