0:00:00 > 0:00:06Our planet is the greatest living puzzle in the universe.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09A collection of worlds within worlds.
0:00:09 > 0:00:14Each one a self-contained ecosystem bursting with life.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19But how do they work?
0:00:21 > 0:00:24The intricate web of relationships
0:00:24 > 0:00:28and the influence of natural forces,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31makes each microworld complex and unique.
0:00:33 > 0:00:40So to discover their secrets, we need to explore them one by one,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44untangle their interlocking pieces
0:00:44 > 0:00:47and ultimately reveal the vital piece -
0:00:47 > 0:00:50the key to life itself -
0:00:50 > 0:00:53hidden deep within each of nature's microworlds.
0:01:03 > 0:01:09In the heart of the Australian continent lies a vast red desert.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Isolated for millions of years,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15its timeworn landscapes are instantly recognisable.
0:01:19 > 0:01:25Most of its animals and plants do not exist anywhere else on Earth.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29It is a world of extraordinary beauty and diversity,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31but also a land of surprises.
0:01:36 > 0:01:3970 per cent of Australia is classed as desert -
0:01:39 > 0:01:42an area larger than Europe.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44At the very heart of this vast arid region
0:01:44 > 0:01:46is an area known as the Red Centre.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Millions of years of baking sunshine
0:01:51 > 0:01:54have oxidized iron deposits in the soil, turning them red.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58It is - in effect - rust.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02The Red Centre's most iconic landmark is Uluru,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05previously known as Ayers Rock,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08but the vast majority of this microworld
0:02:08 > 0:02:11consists of spinifex grass and sand dunes.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17It is a harsh, hot, dry place, parched by the sun,
0:02:17 > 0:02:22scorched by fire and prone to unpredictable flooding.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30The first explorers to travel here thought it a godforsaken place
0:02:30 > 0:02:32where no life could possibly exist.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36How wrong they were.
0:02:39 > 0:02:4122 species of mammal,
0:02:41 > 0:02:4460 species of lizard,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46200 species of bird
0:02:46 > 0:02:52and countless insects inhabit the arid centre of this continent.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56For somewhere so remote and dry, it teems with life.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01A whole host of marsupial mammals live here,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05from the tiny planigale
0:03:05 > 0:03:09to Australia's largest herbivore - the red kangaroo.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14But it is the reptiles that dominate.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Thorny devils, goannas, dragons, skinks and geckos
0:03:18 > 0:03:23all thrive in the Red Centre as does the world's most venomous snake -
0:03:23 > 0:03:26the inland taipan.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Even more extraordinary is that here
0:03:28 > 0:03:30in one of the world's driest deserts,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34water-loving amphibians live and breed.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35The question is why?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40How come so many unique animals thrive in a place
0:03:40 > 0:03:45where the odds are so clearly stacked against them?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55To answer that, we must travel back in time.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Before it became an island,
0:04:02 > 0:04:07Australia was part of a supercontinent called Gondwana.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11This enormous landmass consisted of Africa, South America,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14India and Antarctica.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16When Gondwana broke up,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Australia drifted away and its plants and animals
0:04:19 > 0:04:24were left to evolve in complete isolation for 50 million years.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28The results speak for themselves.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Take a look at the red kangaroo. There is nothing like it on Earth.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44They're the largest of all marsupials.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Males can stand up to two metres tall and weigh almost 90 kilos.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54It's an unusual mode of transport,
0:04:54 > 0:04:59but red kangaroos can hop at speeds of over 56 kilometres an hour.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03With a single bounce, they can cover eight metres of ground
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and leap over two metres into the air.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15Red kangaroos are mostly active early and late in the day.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19Temperatures here regularly exceed 40 degrees,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22so they conserve energy by resting in the shade.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29They also have a unique trick of licking their forelegs
0:05:29 > 0:05:34allowing their blood to cool through a special network of capillaries.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41As the day comes to an end, they move out into the open again.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Play-fighting is common among males.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52They are constantly jostling for dominance.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59To show who's boss, they push themselves up on their strong tail
0:05:59 > 0:06:03to make themselves look as tall as possible.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07However, if that doesn't intimidate an opponent,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09then a fight breaks out.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19Their powerful back legs and claws could easily inflict serious injury,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21but most of these bouts are friendly.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28As well as kangaroos, there are many other unique animals
0:06:28 > 0:06:33living in the microworld of the Red Centre.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Not only are they unique, they're amazingly diverse.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Why is this?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43To understand this, we have to look at a series of events
0:06:43 > 0:06:47that have had a profound effect on Australia,
0:06:47 > 0:06:48making it what it is today.
0:06:51 > 0:06:57We can see evidence for one of these 300 kilometres from Uluru itself.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01These are the MacDonnell Ranges,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05the remains of mighty mountains eroded to little more than hills.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11On the rare occasions that rain falls,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15it is soaked into these porous rocks and at their base,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17permanent springs form,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21creating oases in the middle of this vast desert.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26Here in an isolated gorge, it's wet enough for palm trees to flourish -
0:07:26 > 0:07:29red cabbage palms.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31The only other populations of these trees
0:07:31 > 0:07:33are found 1,000 kilometres away
0:07:33 > 0:07:36in a rainforest on another part of the continent.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42But their seeds cannot disperse over large distances.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46So how could these palms possibly have colonized areas
0:07:46 > 0:07:49so far from each other?
0:07:49 > 0:07:53The clue is in their age.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Cabbage palms have been in Australia for tens of millions of years.
0:07:57 > 0:08:03The isolated pockets found today were once all part of the same population.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11Australia was at one time completely covered in lush forest.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15But as the continent travelled north,
0:08:15 > 0:08:20it moved into a zone south of the equator dominated by high pressure,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24and the once plentiful rains stopped,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26creating the desert we see today.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35The ancestors of all the animals now living in the Red Centre
0:08:35 > 0:08:37came from this ancient rainforest.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41That is why there is such a big variety here.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But why didn't they just die out as the land dried?
0:08:45 > 0:08:46How do they all survive here?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53The water holes around the central ranges are a haven for life.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00For flocks of birds, desert water is a lifesaver.
0:09:00 > 0:09:06Corellas, galahs, budgerigars and zebra finches flock here.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14But it is not without risk.
0:09:15 > 0:09:21Thirsty zebra finches find safety in numbers, but they have to be wary.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23To increase their chances of catching a meal,
0:09:23 > 0:09:28these brown falcons work in pairs to cause panic and confusion.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Even so, a meal is hard won...
0:09:40 > 0:09:44..and in this case lost to a white-necked heron.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50Trees lining the banks attract
0:09:50 > 0:09:54large numbers of red-tailed black cockatoos.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59Travelling in flocks, these sociable birds are intelligent and long-lived.
0:09:59 > 0:10:0250 years is not an unusual lifespan.
0:10:05 > 0:10:11The characteristic hollows found in red gum trees make excellent nesting sites.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19Every year, a pair of black cockatoos rears just a single chick.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Both parents are kept very busy.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25It will be three months before it can leave the nest.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33The ancestors of Australia's birds lived in the large lush forest
0:10:33 > 0:10:37that covered the continent more than 20 million years ago.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42As the continent dried, they have evolved into different forms
0:10:42 > 0:10:45specialising in feeding on different fruit and seeds.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Permanent desert springs are a welcome oasis
0:10:51 > 0:10:54but they only make up a tiny area of the Red Centre.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Elsewhere in our microworld, things are very different.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06The Red Centre is dominated by high pressure.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11Skies are cloudless and water is a very precious commodity.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13However, it does rain here.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18But there is no way of predicting when that might happen.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Australia is under the influence of El Nino from the Pacific.
0:11:30 > 0:11:37And El Nino is responsible for dramatic and random changes in pressure over the continent.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40The results can be spectacular.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Rain - and a lot of it.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50So unlike most deserts with a predictable wet season,
0:11:50 > 0:11:56the wet periods in the Red Centre can be years apart and completely unpredictable.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Even in the face of such uncertainty,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04animals have evolved to cope.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Some you would never even know are there until it rains.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09Spadefoot toads.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16The ancestors of these toads were tied firmly to water...
0:12:19 > 0:12:22..but over millions of years of drying, they have adapted
0:12:22 > 0:12:24to live in the most hostile of places.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33They have only a short time to find food and mate
0:12:33 > 0:12:37before the relentless sun bakes the desert soil hard again.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Kangaroos, too, take advantage of the good times.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50During intense periods of drought, kangaroos do not breed at all.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53All their energy is put into survival.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56But when the rain falls and there is plentiful greenery to feed on,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58their minds turn to breeding.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09During the good times, a female kangaroo might be attending
0:13:09 > 0:13:11to three young at one time.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14A joey out of the pouch,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17a young joey in the pouch, and one in her womb.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Because events can turn so quickly,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24a female kangaroo can keep an embryo in suspended animation in her womb
0:13:24 > 0:13:26until a good food source comes along.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35When Europeans arrived and started pumping well water to the surface,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39the kangaroo population exploded out of control.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44The number of kangaroos is currently estimated to be approaching 30 million -
0:13:44 > 0:13:46larger than Australia's human population.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Despite the lack of desert water
0:13:51 > 0:13:55there's a surprising amount of vegetation in the Red Centre.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Like the animals, the plants found here are very unique.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09A quarter of Australia is covered in spinifex grass.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17European settlers thought it represented a fantastic opportunity to graze livestock.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20They were sorely mistaken.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26In other deserts of the world,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29plants have evolved water storage mechanisms
0:14:29 > 0:14:31to survive between rainy seasons.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Such plants are known as succulents, cactus being a typical example.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40There are no succulents in the Red Centre.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Because of the sheer unpredictability of rainfall,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51storing water is out of the question,
0:14:51 > 0:14:56so plants here are dry, tough and fibrous.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59WIND HOWLS
0:15:02 > 0:15:06The baking sun and wind also means that nutrients are not recycled
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and are leached away.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12It is a dusty, impoverished environment.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16So not only are the desert plants tough -
0:15:16 > 0:15:19they contain very little in the way of nutrition.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Spinifex is a typical Australian plant -
0:15:25 > 0:15:30indigestible and nutrient poor. No good for grazing livestock.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Elsewhere in the world, great grasslands
0:15:36 > 0:15:40are associated with herds of large grazing mammals -
0:15:40 > 0:15:44wildebeest and zebra in Africa, or bison and reindeer in North America.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47A vital link in the food chain.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52In the Red Centre, large herds of grazing mammals
0:15:52 > 0:15:54are conspicuous by their absence.
0:15:58 > 0:16:03Australia's biggest grazer, the red kangaroo, won't touch spinifex.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Instead it lives a nomadic life roaming large areas
0:16:07 > 0:16:09looking for patches of fresh green shoots
0:16:09 > 0:16:12and the leaves of desert shrubs.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16And this requires fuel economy on a grand scale -
0:16:16 > 0:16:22solving one of Australia's great mysteries - why kangaroos hop.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Hopping is the most energy efficient way of getting around.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Tendons in the legs act like large pieces of elastic,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44so that once they are moving, less energy is needed per hop.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49In this way kangaroos can cover huge distances
0:16:49 > 0:16:52while expending the minimum of energy.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59So for kangaroos, spinifex is like fool's gold.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04It looks like the real thing, but it doesn't deliver the goods.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Despite this, spinifex grass is home to a surprising number of creatures.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14To escape the burning heat of the day,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17most of them only ever come out at night.
0:17:17 > 0:17:23They are generally small but all very unusual in their own way.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26They all have very Australian names too -
0:17:26 > 0:17:28spinifex hopping mouse...
0:17:30 > 0:17:32..bandicoot...
0:17:32 > 0:17:34and mala wallaby.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42One of the most unusual is the bilby -
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Australia's very own version of the rabbit.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52During the day, it lives in a cool burrow under the sand
0:17:52 > 0:17:54but at night, it comes out to forage.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02The mulgara lives almost entirely on a diet of insects.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07Like many desert mammals, it has developed specialised kidneys.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11It never has to drink, gaining all the moisture it needs from its food.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23The planigale is tiny, weighing only 11 grams,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26but will happily take on prey as large as itself.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31It is almost completely fearless.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34Well, almost.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38The inland taipan.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40The most venomous snake on Earth.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44One bite carries enough venom to kill several humans.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Highly efficient venom has evolved here
0:18:49 > 0:18:51because meals can be few and far between.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57A swift-acting venom makes sure that nothing gets away.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Being so small, the planigale is able to squeeze
0:19:04 > 0:19:07into tiny cracks in the ground.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13A lucky escape.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15The taipan will have to look elsewhere.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24Venomous snakes aren't the only challenge to life in the Red Centre.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Dry spinifex is a perfect place for fires to start.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Occasionally large areas of desert burn,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37reducing the vegetation cover to cinders.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44While the fires blaze, everything runs for cover -
0:19:44 > 0:19:46back to the safety of their burrows.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Paradoxically, the destructive force of fire
0:19:54 > 0:19:57is a good thing for the Red Centre.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Many desert plants release their seeds after fire
0:20:04 > 0:20:05and sprout fresh shoots.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10The ash left behind by fires puts vital nutrients back into the soil.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Some creatures rely on frequent burning.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21The mala wallaby needs fresh green shoots to live
0:20:21 > 0:20:26and bilbies flourish after fires, thanks to the abundance of seeds.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37When humans first arrived in Australia 40,000 years ago,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41they soon learned that animals were attracted to recently burned areas.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46So they started lighting fires deliberately.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50This practise is known as fire-stick farming,
0:20:50 > 0:20:54and has been shown to increase numbers of desert animals such as bilby.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03And this animal - the desert skink.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Researchers found that the desert skink thrived in areas
0:21:08 > 0:21:11where fire-stick farming was a regular occurrence.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19The desert skink is unique among lizards in that it lives communally with its siblings.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27They cooperate as a family to dig a complex series of tunnels safe from predators and fires.
0:21:31 > 0:21:36Such social interaction is very unusual behaviour for a lizard.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Desert skinks aren't the only lizard living here.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43There are more lizards per square metre of the Red Centre
0:21:43 > 0:21:45than anywhere else on Earth.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Lizards are built for the Australian desert.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53They regulate their metabolism very differently to mammals
0:21:53 > 0:21:57and as a result, do not have to eat constantly.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04They are really good at switching off almost completely and can live on next to nothing.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09In the tough and uncompromising Australian desert,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12economy is everything.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18The goanna is the largest Australian lizard.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24There are over 20 species of these monitor lizards in Australia.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26They can reach lengths of over two metres.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Goannas are active and intelligent hunters.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Their powerful front legs allow them to dig in search of food
0:22:36 > 0:22:39and they will eat almost anything. Even scorpions.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49But this has to be the most unusual desert lizard.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51The thorny devil.
0:22:53 > 0:23:00The thorny devil has evolved a unique way of coping with the lack of water.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04The thorns on its back are not only a deterrent to predators,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08they are interspersed with complex ridges and channels that act
0:23:08 > 0:23:10as a capillary mechanism,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13enabling it to literally suck up moisture from the ground.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Thorny devils exist entirely on a diet of ants.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25They have a leisurely approach to feeding.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Sitting alongside an ant trail,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29its food is delivered straight to the door.
0:23:29 > 0:23:35To prevent the ants picking up on its presence, it holds its breath between meals.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38In this way, it can eat thousands of ants in one sitting.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52The large number of mammals and lizards living amongst the vast areas of spinifex
0:23:52 > 0:23:56are tiny compared to the countless numbers of insects.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02There are over 1,000 species of ant in the Red Centre.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Meat ants get their name from their ability to pick a carcass clean.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14They are the most numerous species of ant in the desert
0:24:14 > 0:24:16and also the most aggressive carnivore.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Insects are high on their menu.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23A large grasshopper is quickly dismembered
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and carried into an underground nest.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Their interconnected nests are huge
0:24:30 > 0:24:34and can extend for hundreds of metres under the desert floor.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44For an indigestible plant containing very little nutrition,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47spinifex supports a huge number of animals.
0:24:47 > 0:24:54Far more than can possibly be explained through unpredictable periods of fire and flood.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58So what is the key to all the abundance in our microworld?
0:24:58 > 0:25:02What converts all this plant energy into animals?
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Well, there are spinifex eaters here.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08Millions and millions of them,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12and their handiwork litters the Red Centre.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16You just have to think small.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Termites.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Termites make short work of spinifex,
0:25:27 > 0:25:32converting a huge amount of plant material into body tissue.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Termites are crucial to the health of the desert.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47They act as bioengineers constantly turning over the soil,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51excavating, building, breaking down and aerating.
0:25:51 > 0:25:57This increases the turnover of precious nutrients and improves the soil's water-holding properties.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Their gut bacteria also fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07This ultimately ends up in the soil,
0:26:07 > 0:26:12encouraging the growth of more plant material - including spinifex.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18So termites and spinifex are dependent upon each other.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25Termite mounds are a fortress against desert extremes.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29In the face of this unpredictable environment, they remain constant.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35The carefully crafted network of tunnels maintains a steady temperature.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41There's a myriad of squatters and freeloaders living
0:26:41 > 0:26:44in the complex tunnel system of the mound.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Spiders enjoy the cool conditions.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Centipedes enjoy a diet of termites
0:26:52 > 0:26:56and the knob-tailed gecko enjoys a diet of centipedes.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07So, termites are the basis of the food chain.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10They support a huge number of animals.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15It's not just about food either.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Goannas lay their eggs in termite mounds.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22A perfect incubator and a safe haven from predators.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31When the time is right, they just break out.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41In all likelihood, the total number of termites in Australia
0:27:41 > 0:27:43weigh more than all the kangaroos.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48This is environmental engineering on a vast scale.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Without the unique relationship between termites and spinifex,
0:27:52 > 0:27:56our microworld would be nothing more than sand.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Instead, life thrives here.
0:28:02 > 0:28:09Millions of years of isolation, drying and uncertainty have shaped the Red Centre.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11It is the most extraordinary of environments,
0:28:11 > 0:28:16home to a cast of equally extraordinary animals and plants.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Despite having all the odds stacked against it,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25the red heart of Australia continues to beat
0:28:25 > 0:28:29through heat, drought, fire and flood,
0:28:29 > 0:28:34bringing us a unique collection of awe-inspiring landscapes and wildlife.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd