"Narrator:" "THERE ARE GLOBAL PHENOMENA THAT SCIENCE CANNOT EXPLAIN " "TRUE STORIES THAT DEFY RATIONAL EXPLANATION." "IN SRI LANKA, A TROPICAL VILLAGE IS STAINED BY BLOOD-RED RAIN " "A FREAK MONSOON?" "OR COULD EACH DROPLET HARBOR A DANGEROUS NEW LIFE-FORM," "A CONTAGION FROM BEYOND OUR ATMOSPHERE?" "Wickramasinghe:" "THERE COULD BE A PANDEMIC THAT MIGHT WIPE OUT" "THE WHOLE OF MANKIND." "Narrator:" "ALONG THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA," "MYSTERIOUS BOOMS SHATTER THE PEACE." "DO THESE DEAFENING SOUNDS COME FROM DEEP INSIDE THE EARTH" "OR FROM FAR ABOVE IT?" "YOU THINK AN EXPLOSION HAS TAKEN PLACE RIGHT NEARBY." "Narrator:" "AND IN THE UNITED KINGDOM," "A CRYPTIC MANUSCRIPT IS BROUGHT INTO THE LIGHT" "AFTER CENTURIES IN HIDING." "Kennedy:" "THERE'S SOMETHING PROFOUND ABOUT IT," "BUT IT'S JUST SO BIZARRE." "EACH PAGE IS A RIDDLE WRITTEN IN AN ESOTERIC CODE" "THAT DEFIES LOGIC." "A MEDIEVAL HOAX?" "OR DO UNTAPPED SECRETS FROM ANOTHER WORLD LIE INSIDE?" "NEW INVESTIGATIONS QUESTION UNEXPLAINED HAPPENINGS" "AND OTHERWORLDLY EVENTS." "Woman:" "WHAT IS TH" " OH, MAN!" "IT'S HOVERING!" "IT'S NOT AN AIRCRAFT!" "Narrator:" "FIRSTHAND TESTIMONY AND FRESH EVIDENCE BUILD" "NEW POSSIBILITIES." "Man:" "NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE." "AND IT JUST DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR." "IT WASN'T FROM THIS PLANET." "MY ARMS WERE JUST ON FIRE." "Narrator:" "RETHINK EVERYTHING YOU THINK YOU KNOW." "CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS" "[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]" "THE MONSOON SEASON DESCENDS ON THE VILLAGE OF SEVANAGALA" "IN EASTERN SRI LANKA ONCE AGAIN." "THE RAIN IS TYPICALLY TORRENTIAL." "BUT THIS YEAR," "SOMETHING IS STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT." "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]" "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]" "Narrator:" "COULD THIS BE A SIMPLE TRICK OF THE EYE " "LIGHT AND SHADOWS CREATING HUES THAT AREN'T REALLY THERE?" "Silawathi:" "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]" "Narrator:" "FOR RESIDENTS OF SOUTH ASIA," "MONSOON RAINS SIGNIFY LIFE AND RENEWAL," "BUT THIS DOWNPOUR IS DIFFERENT." "IT SUGGESTS BLOOD AND DEATH." "Gurusinghe:" "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]" "Narrator:" "THE DELUGE CONTINUES, OFF AND ON," "FOR 60 TERRIFYING DAYS." "PEOPLE BARRICADE THEMSELVES INSIDE" "AND WAIT FOR THE RED RAIN TO PASS." "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]" "Narrator:" "SOON, THE GOVERNMENT IS FORCED TO INTERVENE." "WELL, A TEAM OF SIX SPECIALIST DOCTORS" "HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH" "TO INVESTIGATE THE RED RAIN EXPERIENCED" "IN THE SEVANAGALA AREA." "Narrator:" "THEIR FIRST QUESTION -- HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS WATER?" "IS IT SAFE TO DRINK OR EVEN GET ON YOUR SKIN?" "INVESTIGATORS NEXT CHECK TO SEE IF THE STRANGE PHENOMENON" "IS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE." "SIMILAR CASES ARE SOON DISCOVERED." "IN 2009, SYDNEY RESIDENTS AWAKE TO FIND" "AN AMBER FOG ENGULFING THEIR CITY." "Man:" "HOW BIZARRE IS THIS?" "Narrator:" "IT BLANKETS THE COAST FOR 375 MILES" "AND LINGERS FOR 48 HOURS." "BUT THERE'S ALSO AN EXPLANATION." "THE COLOR IS DUE TO RICH, DENSE DUST BLOWN" "FROM DRAUGHT-AFFECTED DESERTS INLAND." "IN 2001 IN KERALA, SOUTHERN INDIA," "MUDDY RED RAINFALLS FOR TWO MONTHS." "FINE DUST ONCE AGAIN SEEMS TO BE THE CULPRIT " "THIS TIME FROM THE ARABIAN DESERT." "IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE SRI LANKAN RED RAIN IS" "NOTHING MORE THAN HARMLESS DESERT DUST?" "INDIAN PHYSICIST PROFESSOR GODFREY LOUIS ANALYZES" "SAMPLES OF THE RAIN TO FIND OUT." "Louis:" "IT'S VERY CLEAR FROM THE IMAGES" "THAT THEY ARE NOT DUST PARTICLES." "DUST PARTICLES WILL NOT HAVE THIS REGULAR SHAPE." "THEY WILL NOT BE SMALL BALLS LIKE THIS," "AND THEY'RE NOT TRANSPARENT LIKE THIS." "Narrator:" "PROFESSOR LOUIS DISCOVERS" "SOMETHING FAR MORE MYSTIFYING THAN DUST." "IN HIS EYES, THESE PARTICLES APPEAR TO BE ALIVE." "Louis:" "YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY HAVE A THICK CELL WALL" "WITH RED COLOR." "THERE IS SOME MATERIAL INSIDE THE CELL," "SO IT IS VERY CONVINCING THAT THEY ARE BIOLOGICAL CELLS." "Narrator:" "SO, WHAT ARE THESE FOREIGN CELLS?" "AND IS IT POSSIBLE FOR LIVING CELLS" "TO SOMEHOW GET INTO THE RAIN?" "A RED RAINFALL IN COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA," "IN 2008 MAY PROVIDE THE ANSWER." "[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]" "[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]" "Narrator:" "A LOCAL SCIENTIST ASSERTS" "THE RAIN REALLY DID CONTAIN BLOOD." "[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]" "Narrator:" "COULD THE RED-RAIN PLAGUE IN COLOMBIA, INDIA, AND SRI LANKA" "ACTUALLY CONTAIN BLOOD?" "AND IF SO, WHERE DID IT COME FROM?" "Man:" "WHOA!" "LOOK AT THAT!" "IT'S KNOWN THAT FROGS AND FISH CAN BE" "SUCKED UP FROM THE SEA BY TORNADOS" "AND FALL BACK TO THE EARTH WITH RAIN." "FISH RAIN IS ACTUALLY RECORDED IN SRI LANKA" "A MONTH AFTER THE RED RAIN IN 2012." "BUT COULD THE BLOOD CELLS OF THESE ANIMALS DISSOLVE" "WITHIN THE CLOUDS AND FALL AS BLOOD RAIN?" "WHEN PROFESSOR LOUIS EXAMINES THE LIFE-FORMS" "IN BOTH THE INDIAN AND SRI LANKAN RAIN," "HE DETERMINES THAT THE CELLULAR STRUCTURE HAS" "VERY LITTLE IN COMMON WITH BLOOD." "THE BLOOD CELLS AND THE RED-RAIN CELLS" "MAY HAVE SOME SUPERFICIAL SIMILARITY," "BUT THIS IS THE IMAGE OF THE RED CELL CROSS SECTION," "AND YOU CAN SEE A VERY THICK CELL WALL AND, AT THE SAME TIME," "IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED BLOOD CELLS," "THEY DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF A CELL WALL," "SO STILL, THE CELLS REMAIN UNIDENTIFIED." "Narrator:" "SCIENTISTS ARE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CELLS FOUND" "IN THE RAINWATER." "FIRST DUST AND THEN BLOOD HAS BEEN RULED OUT." "NOW INVESTIGATORS AT SLINTEC," "ONE OF SRI LANKA'S MOST STATE-OF-THE-ART LABS," "BECOME INVOLVED." "THEY PLAN TO TEST AN ALTERNATIVE THEORY." "COULD PIGMENTATION FROM ALGAE SPORES BE TO BLAME?" "CYCLONES AND TORNADOS MAY HAVE SUCKED UP ALGAE" "INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AS THEY TEAR ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE." "IF IT'S NOT ALGAE, THEN WHAT IS IT?" "AND CAN IT REALLY BE ALIVE?" "PROFESSOR DE SILVA SETS OUT TO TEST IF THE RAIN IS CARRYING" "THE GENETIC CODE PRESENT IN ALL KNOWN LIFE " " DNA." "DNA IS THE ESSENTIAL BUILDING BLOCK" "FOR ALL LIFE ON EARTH." "IT ALLOWS CELLS TO REPLICATE." "BUT PROFESSOR LOUIS DISCOVERS" "THESE CELLS ARE REPLICATING WITHOUT DNA." "THESE CELLS MULTIPLY," "SO THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF THIS ORGANISM IS DIFFERENT." "IT IS A NEW KIND OF LIFE-FORM." "THIS IS SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY." "WE ARE DEALING WITH AN ORGANISM WHICH HAS COME FROM SPACE." "Narrator:" "SCIENTISTS INVESTIGATING" "A SERIES OF UNEXPLAINED RED RAINFALLS" "MAKE A STARTLING DISCOVERY." "WHATEVER IS IN THE RAIN IS REPLICATING" "EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NO DNA." "MORE PUZZLING -- IT'S DOING SO IN CONDITIONS" "THAT WOULD KILL ALL OTHER KNOWN LIFE-FORMS." "I HAVE HEATED THESE CELLS FOR 15 HOURS" "AT 300 DEGREES CENTIGRADE." "THAT WOULD KILL ANY NORMAL ORGANISM." "WE FOUND, TO OUR SURPRISE, THAT THEY DON'T JUST SURVIVE " "THEY'RE GROWING HAPPILY AT THAT TEMPERATURE." "Narrator:" "PROFESSOR LOUIS' EXAMINATION OF THE RED-RAIN CELLS LEADS HIM" "TO AN UNORTHODOX CONCLUSION." "THIS IS POTENTIALLY AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL ORGANISM." "Narrator:" "COULD THESE TINY CELLS BE ALIEN LIFE?" "PROFESSOR CHANDRA WICKRAMASINGHE" "IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING ASTROBIOLOGISTS." "HE'S A CONSULTANT FOR THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY" "AND IS AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE" "ON THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE." "THE EXISTENCE OF LIFE OUTSIDE THE EARTH IS" "AMAZINGLY REGARDED AS AN EXTRAORDINARY HYPOTHESIS." "BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE EXTRAORDINARY HYPOTHESIS IS" "TO SAY THAT THIS TINY, MINUTE BIT OF DUST" "THAT WE CALL THE EARTH IS" "THE CENTER OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE" "AND THAT NO LIFE EXISTS EVEN NEXT DOOR TO IT." "Narrator:" "FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS," "HE'S BEEN TEACHING AT BRITISH UNIVERSITIES," "BUT HE'S VISITING HIS NATIVE SRI LANKA" "TO HELP INVESTIGATE WHETHER THE RED RAIN COULD BE" "HARBORING ALIEN LIFE-FORMS." "HOW DID YOU COLLECT THE RAIN?" "YOU COLLECTED SOME?" "YEAH." "I COLLECTED THAT BASKET." "IN THAT BUCKET THERE?" "OKAY." "THIS WAS A SAMPLE?" "YEAH, A SAMPLE." "OH, MY GOD." "THIS IS REALLY RED, ISN'T IT?" "AND THAT BUCKET WAS FULL OF THIS RED RAIN " "RED-COLORED LIQUID?" "THAT'S AMAZING." "[ HORNS HONKING ]" "HE SUSPECTS THERE MAY BE A CONNECTION" "TO A MYSTERIOUS EVENT THAT OCCURRED" "ONE WEEK BEFORE THE RED RAIN FELL." "Man:" "WHAT ARE THESE UNIDENTIFIED LIGHTS?" "Woman:" "SRI LANKA AIR FORCE STATES THAT IT IS KEEPING" "A 24-HOUR VIGIL REGARDING THE UNIDENTIFIED LIGHTS" "THAT WERE WITNESSED IN THE SKIES" "OVER SEVERAL PARTS OF THE ISLAND." "Narrator:" "CHANDRA TRACKS DOWN AN EYEWITNESS" "WHO REPORTED SEEING THE PECULIAR LIGHTS." "Banda:" "[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]" "Narrator:" "TAIKIRI BANDA CLAIMS TO HAVE SEEN THE LIGHTS CRASH TO EARTH." "THE NEXT DAY, HE DISCOVERS OBSCURE DEBRIS IN HIS FIELD." "THIS IS A LARGE PIECE." "DID YOU FIND MANY LARGE PIECES?" "OH, YES." "YES." "YOU SAW THE FIREBALL," "AND YOU SAW THIS ACTUALLY FALLING FROM THE SKIES?" "YES." "THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT." "CHANDRA'S NOW CONVINCED HE KNOWS WHAT FELL TO EARTH THAT NIGHT." "ON THAT EVIDENCE ALONE," "I THINK ONE HAS TO SAY THAT IT IS A METEORITE." "EVERY YEAR, SOME 30,000 METEORITES HIT THE EARTH." "NO ONE HAS EVER FOUND LIVING CELLS" "ON THESE SPACE ROCKS," "BUT CHANDRA BELIEVES" "HE'S ON THE BRINK OF A NEW DISCOVERY." "Wickramasinghe:" "I THINK THE CELLS IN THIS RED-RAIN SAMPLE" "MAY WELL HAVE COME FROM THE METEORITE." "Narrator:" "BACK IN BRITAIN, CHANDRA BRINGS TOGETHER" "THE RAINWATER SAMPLE AND METEORITE FRAGMENTS." "BOTH FELL TO EARTH IN THE SAME PLACE" "AND JUST A WEEK APART." "COULD THE METEORITE BE HOSTING THE SAME CELLS AS THE RAIN?" "TO FIND OUT, CHANDRA USES A SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE 100 TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN A CONVENTIONAL ONE." "[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]" "IF I FOCUS IN HERE, WE SHOULD SEE..." "TRYING TO LOCATE THE TINY CELLS" "JUST 1/8,000 OF A MILLIMETER ACROSS IS" "A PAINSTAKING TASK." "IS THERE ANY ONE YOU'D LIKE TO " "HOW ABOUT THIS ONE HERE?" "THIS RIGHT IN HERE." "OKAY." "SHOULD WE ZOOM IN ON THAT ONE?" "AS THEY SEARCH DEEP INSIDE THE METEOR ROCK," "CHANDRA SPOTS SOMETHING." "THAT'S A POTENTIAL RED RAIN THERE." "IT'S A WHOLE FIELD OF SPHERICAL CARBON STRUCTURES" "THAT LOOK LIKE RED-RAIN CELLS." "I THINK THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING DISCOVERY" "THAT WE MADE RIGHT NOW, HERE." "Narrator:" "CHANDRA BELIEVES HE'S IDENTIFIED THE SAME MYSTERIOUS CELLS" "FOUND IN THE RED RAIN INSIDE THE METEORITE." "Wickramasinghe:" "WE ARE FINDING THESE CELLS" "RIGHT IN THE DEEP INTERIOR OF THE METEORITE," "SO IT MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT CONTAMINANTS." "Narrator:" "IF CHANDRA HAS FOUND MATCHING CELLS" "INSIDE THE METEORITE," "IT PROVES THE RED RAIN DIDN'T SIMPLY DEPOSIT THE CELLS" "ON THE ROCK AFTER IT HIT LAND." "THEY MUST HAVE BEEN INSIDE THE METEORITE" "AS IT HURLED TOWARDS EARTH AND EXPLODED INTO TINY PIECES." "Wickramasinghe:" "THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE NUMBER" "OF THESE RED-RAIN CELLS," "AND THE TOTAL WEIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN TONS." "Narrator:" "IF SO, THE RED CELLS MAY HAVE SETTLED INTO THE CLOUD LAYER," "WHERE THEY STAYED FOR WEEKS, GRADUALLY FALLING AS RED RAIN." "IF HIS ANALYSIS IS CORRECT," "IT WOULD NOT ONLY EXPLAIN THE RED RAIN." "IT COULD PROVE THAT LIFE EXISTS BEYOND THE EARTH." "Wickramasinghe:" "IF THE RED-RAIN CELLS CAME FROM SPACE," "IT ESSENTIALLY BELONGS TO ANOTHER WORLD." "BUT IF IT IS FROM OUTER SPACE, HOW SAFE IS IT?" "COULD WE BE CONSUMED" "BY A CONTAGION THAT CAN'T BE STOPPED?" "THERE COULD BE A SERIOUS RISK OF A PANDEMIC" "THAT MIGHT EVEN WIPE OUT THE WHOLE OF MANKIND." "Narrator:" "SINCE 2012, PROFESSOR CHANDRA WICKRAMASINGHE" "HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF BLOOD-COLORED RAINS" "THAT HAVE PLAGUED SRI LANKA." "OH, MY GOD." "THIS IS REALLY RED, ISN'T IT?" "THAT'S AMAZING." "HIS RESEARCH MAY PROVE" "THAT THE RAIN CONTAINS ALIEN ORGANISMS " "ORGANISMS HE BELIEVES FIRST ENTERED" "THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE INSIDE A METEORITE." "THE RED-RAIN CELLS CAME FROM SPACE," "AND THE METEORITES ARE JUST CARRYING THEM TO OUR PLANET." "Narrator:" "CHANDRA APPROACHES NASA" "WITH HIS BOLD DECLARATION OF ALIEN LIFE." "BUT THE AGENCY REMAINS WARY." "NASA TELLS US IT IS NOT FUNDING RESEARCH IN THIS AREA." "REPRESENTATIVES DECLINE AN INTERVIEW." "CONVERSELY, THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT IS" "INTRIGUED AND EMBRACES THE THEORY." "FOR SAMARANAYAKE, WHAT'S MOST TROUBLING IS" "THAT THESE CELLS SEEM TO BE MULTIPLYING," "AND HIS LATEST TESTS SUGGEST" "THEY COULD BE DANGEROUS TO HUMANS." "URANIUM IS RADIOACTIVE AND TOXIC IF INGESTED OR INHALED." "IT'S CANCER-CAUSING," "AND EXPOSURE TO HIGH DOSES CAN LEAD TO FATAL KIDNEY DAMAGE." "THESE CELLS, IF THEY INTERACT WITH LIVING CELLS ON THE EARTH," "MIGHT PRODUCE SOME HARMFUL EFFECTS." "NEARLY 100 TONS OF SPACE ROCK HIT THE EARTH EVERY YEAR." "COULD SOME OF IT BE CARRYING MICROSCOPIC CELLS" "SIMILAR TO THE ONES CHANDRA BELIEVES" "HE FOUND IN THE RED RAIN?" "I THINK WE HAVE TO ACCEPT" "THAT LIFE-FORMS WOULD ARRIVE ON THE EARTH" "THAT WOULD CAUSE DISEASES AND WOULD AFFECT ECOLOGIES" "OF EXISTING PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE," "SO THERE COULD BE A SERIOUS RISK OF A PANDEMIC" "THAT MIGHT EVEN WIPE OUT THE WHOLE OF MANKIND." "Narrator:" "DESPITE THE PROFESSOR'S THEORY," "NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE THE STRANGE RED CELLS CAME FROM," "WHAT THEY ARE, AND IF THEY POSE A THREAT." "UNTIL THEN, ANOTHER MONSOON SEASON DRAWS NEAR," "AND RESIDENTS OF SRI LANKA WATCH THE GATHERING CLOUDS" "AND PRAY FOR COLORLESS RAIN." "ACROSS OUR PLANET, EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENINGS" "TEASE THE BOUNDARY" "OF WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE POSSIBLE." "9,000 MILES AWAY, MYSTERIOUS, TERRIFYING BOOMS ARE" "SHAKING RESIDENTS ALL ALONG THE EAST COAST" "OF THE UNITED STATES." "CLAUDETTE AND MIKE HUSSEY HAVE JUST MOVED INTO THEIR NEW HOME" "IN A PEACEFUL SEASIDE TOWN NEAR CAPE FEAR." "THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO LIFE IN THEIR QUIET NEW NEIGHBORHOOD." "BUT THEN SOMETHING SHATTERS THEIR PEACE." "I WAS SITTING AT MY DESK IN MY OFFICE," "WORKING AWAY AT THE COMPUTER," "AND I FELT THIS LARGE BOOM." "[ BOOM ]" "IT WAS JUST SO LOUD THAT THE WINDOWS SHOOK." "IT WAS VERY LOUD." "I JUST GOT UP, AND I RAN OUTSIDE" "TO SEE WHAT HAD HIT THE HOUSE." "I WAS LOOKING FOR DAMAGE." "MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS SOMETHING FELL FROM THE SKY." "I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A METEOR" "OR A PART OF AN AIRPLANE OR SOMETHING." "Narrator:" "THE HUSSEYS HAVE JUST LEARNED WHAT LOCALS ALREADY KNOW " "THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED EVENT." "SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR," "EARTH-SHATTERING BOOMS RATTLE CAPE FEAR RESIDENTS." "I HEARD THIS BOOM." "THAT'S WHEN I TOOK OFF" "AND I HEADED FOR INSIDE THE HOUSE." "COMES OUT OF THE BLUE, OBVIOUSLY." "IT'S JUST quot;" "BOOM!" "quot;" "AND IT SCARES YOU TO DEATH." "[ RATTLING ]" "AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, 10, 20 FRIENDS ARE ALL LIKE, quot;" "WHOA!" "DID YOU GUYS -- ANYBODY ELSE FEEL THAT?" "ANYBODY ELSE'S HOUSE SHAKE?" "quot;" "YOU THINK AN EXPLOSION HAS TAKEN PLACE" "SOMEWHERE RIGHT NEARBY." "WHEN YOUR HOUSE RATTLES OR WHEN YOUR HOUSE VIBRATES" "OR WHEN YOUR OFFICE SHAKES," "OF COURSE YOU'RE GONNA BE SCARED." "Narrator:" "CAPE FEAR ISN'T THE ONLY PLACE" "ROCKED BY THESE SOUNDS." "THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF ALARMING EXPLOSIVE BOOMS" "THAT NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN." "IN ITALY, THEY CALL THEM THE BRONTIDI," "IN JAPAN, THE UMINARI," "AND IN THE PHILIPPINES, RETUMBOS." "THE TERRIFIED CAPE FEAR RESIDENTS CALL" "THE SHOCKING RUMBLE SENECA GUNS," "AFTER LAKE SENECA IN UPSTATE NEW YORK," "WHERE SIMILAR BOOMS ARE HEARD." "AFTER YEARS OF ENDURING THESE SHATTERING BOOMS," "RESIDENTS HAVE BEGUN TO ASK THEMSELVES, quot;" "ARE THE NOISES COMING FROM ABOVE?" "quot;" "Byrd:" "SOMETIMES, I FEEL THE BOOMS," "AND I'LL SEE ORANGE, GLOWING BALLS OUT OVER THE SEA." "SOME PEOPLE THINK THE ORANGE, GLOWING BALLS ARE UFOs." "Narrator:" "THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST IS" "RACKED BY DEADENING, EXPLOSIVE SONIC BOOMS." "PERPLEXED LOCALS CALL THEM THE SENECA GUNS." "SOMETIMES, THEY SOUND LIKE FIREWORKS," "BUT THE STRONGEST CAN MAKE THE EARTH RUMBLE." "COULD THIS BE A HANGOVER FROM POWERFUL STORMS?" "DENISE BRADLEY IS DETERMINED TO FIND OUT." "Bradley:" "EVERY TIME I HEAR THE SENECA GUNS" "OR I FEEL THE SENECA GUNS, I MAKE SURE I JOT DOWN THE TIME." "I JOT DOWN ALL OF THE WEATHER FOR THE DAY." "quot;" "THIS IS THE DAY IT HAPPENED ON." "IT WAS SUNNY, NOT CLOUDY.quot;" "OR, quot;" "IT WAS CLOUDY, NOT RAINY.quot;" "I KEEP A LOG OF EVERYTHING." "WE HAVE HERE MARCH 2nd AND 3rd OF OUR LAST SENECA GUN EPISODES." "FAIRLY VIOLENT." "Narrator:" "ACCORDING TO DENISE'S LOG, MARCH 2 AND 3, 2013," "WERE SUNNY, CLOUDLESS DAYS WITH NO THUNDERSTORMS IN SIGHT." "BUT THUNDER CAN BE HEARD A FULL 12 MILES" "FROM THE EYE OF A STORM," "SO COULD GIANT, OFFSHORE THUNDERHEADS" "BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SENECA GUNS?" "[ GULLS CRYING ]" "[ RADIO CHATTER ]" "METEOROLOGIST STEVE PFAFF'S JOB IS MONITORING THE WEATHER" "ALONG THE EAST COAST." "HE REVIEWS THE RADAR SCANS FOR MARCH 2 AND 3, 2013." "Pfaff:" "WELL, GIVEN THAT THERE WAS NO THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY" "WITHIN ANY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE WILMINGTON AREA," "IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THUNDERSTORMS PLAYED A ROLE" "IN THE SOUNDS THOSE DAYS." "Narrator:" "THERE IS A REMARKABLE ATMOSPHERIC EFFECT" "KNOWN AS A TEMPERATURE INVERSION." "THIS OCCURS WHEN COOL AIR IS TRAPPED UNDER WARMER AIR" "IN THE LAYER NEXT TO THE EARTH'S SURFACE." "THE COOL AIR ACTS AS A TUNNEL, CHANNELING THE SOUND," "MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO HEAR THINGS HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY." "COULD DENISE'S RECORDS OF SENECA GUNS" "ON MARCH 2nd AND 3rd BE ATTRIBUTED" "TO THE SAME ATMOSPHERIC ABERRATION?" "[ THUNDER RUMBLES ]" "[ THUNDER CRASHES ]" "PFAFF CHECKS HIS RADAR" "FOR THUNDERSTORMS FURTHER AWAY FROM CAPE FEAR." "Pfaff:" "THIS IS THE RADAR DATA FOR MARCH 3rd OF 2013." "AS THAT RADAR GOES OUT," "WE SEE NO RADAR RETURNS OF A THUNDERSTORM" "WITHIN 200 NAUTICAL MILES OF OUR RADAR SYSTEM." "Narrator:" "FROM THIS DATA, IT'S CLEAR" "THAT TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS ARE NOT TO BLAME." "ANOTHER THEORY SUGGESTS" "THAT THE SOUNDS ARE DUE TO SOMETHING MANMADE." "COULD THE SOURCE BE MORE COVERT " "PERHAPS EXPLOSIONS FROM MILITARY EXERCISES AT SEA?" "JAMIE MONCRIEF HAS LIVED IN THE AREA FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE." "Moncrief:" "THE MOST POPULAR THEORY IS THAT IT'S JUST SONIC BOOMS." "NORTH CAROLINA HAS GOT A VERY RICH MILITARY HISTORY," "AND ALL OF THOSE GUYS HAVE SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT, OBVIOUSLY," "AND DO A LOT OF TRAINING OFFSHORE." "I GREW UP ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS." "A SUPERSONIC BOOM IS A VERY ABOVE-THE-HEAD EXPERIENCE." "YOU FEEL IT FROM ABOVE." "IT'S A PERCUSSION." "IT'S A VERY DRAMATIC BOOM." "A SENECA GUN IS MORE OF A RUMBLE AND A GRUMBLE AND A ROLL." "IN MY OPINION, THEY SIMPLY JUST ARE NOT SONIC BOOMS." "Narrator:" "THE LOCAL MILITARY BASES CATEGORICALLY DENY" "THAT THEIR JETS ARE RESPONSIBLE." "Bradley:" "THIS IS HAPPENING." "IT'S HAPPENING FREQUENTLY ENOUGH" "WHERE SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER," "AND ALL THE WHILE, THE MILITARY'S SAYING, quot;" "IT WAS NOT US." "quot;" "HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO TELL YOU?" "WE DID NOT BREAK THE SOUND BARRIER.quot;" "Narrator:" "IN FACT, THE SENECA GUNS WERE REPORTED" "LONG BEFORE AIRPLANES WERE INVENTED." "JAMES FENIMORE COOPER DESCRIBED THEM" "IN A LAKE SENECA-SET NOVEL IN 1850." "THE EVIDENCE DOESN'T SUPPORT DISTANT THUNDER," "TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS, OR SONIC BOOMS." "MANY IN CAPE FEAR ARE CONVINCED THE SOUNDS DON'T COME" "FROM THE SKY AT ALL" "BUT FROM SOMEWHERE FAR BENEATH THEIR FEET." "IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT COMES FROM BELOW" "AND RESONATES FROM THE GROUND AND COMES UP." "EVEN WHEN YOU'RE IN A BOAT," "IT TRULY FELT LIKE IT HAD COME UP FROM UNDERNEATH US." "Narrator:" "IF THE TRUE SOURCE IS ROOTED DEEP IN THE EARTH," "WHAT'S THE CAUSE," "AND HOW SAFE ARE THE RESIDENTS LIVING ON TOP OF IT?" "Narrator:" "RESIDENTS OF CAPE FEAR, NORTH CAROLINA," "ARE RATTLED BY EARTH-SHATTERING AND UNEXPLAINED SONIC BOOMS." "INVESTIGATIONS SHIFT FOCUS TO SUBTERRANEAN ACTIVITY." "PROFESSOR JACK HALL IS A GEOLOGIST" "AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA." "WELL, HERE WE HAVE THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES," "AND HERE'S THE LOCATION OF WILMINGTON." "THESE RED LINES INDICATE LARGE FAULT ZONES" "ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES." "FAULT ZONES ARE A SERIES OF CRACKS IN THE EARTH'S CRUST." "AND WHEN THEY DO MOVE," "THEY WILL GENERATE AN EARTHQUAKE." "THERE IS A POTENTIAL SOURCE HERE" "FOR THE GENERATION OF EARTHQUAKES" "AND THE GENERATION OF, POTENTIALLY, SOUND." "Narrator:" "LOOKING AT THE SEISMIC DATA FOR THE AREA," "PROFESSOR HALL COMES TO AN UNEXPECTED CONCLUSION." "IF WE TURN THIS OVER, THE YELLOW DOTS ON HERE INDICATE" "THE LOCATION OF SEISMOGRAPHS." "THEY WILL PICK UP EARTH MOVEMENTS" "THAT WE CAN'T EVEN FEEL." "THE RED DOTS ON HERE ARE THE LOCATION OF EPICENTERS" "WHERE EARTHQUAKES ACTUALLY OCCURRED" "FROM 1973 TO PRESENT, SO THIS IS THE PAST 40 YEARS." "WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS PARTICULARLY AROUND WILMINGTON," "THERE'S VIRTUALLY NOTHING IN THIS AREA." "SO THESE BOOMS AND EARTHQUAKES THAT ACTUALLY OCCUR" "DON'T MATCH UP." "Narrator:" "WITH NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE SUBTERRANEAN THEORY," "ATTENTION TURNS TO THE POSSIBILITY" "OF ANALYZING THE BOOM ITSELF TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY." "THOUGH REPORTED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS," "THERE IS NO KNOWN RECORDING OF THE EXPLOSIVE SOUNDS." "IN APRIL 2012, PAUL GLASER SETS OUT TO CHANGE THAT." "HE BECOMES FIXATED ON RECORDING THE NOISE" "THAT'S BEEN SHAKING HIS PARENTS' HOUSE AND NERVES FOR YEARS." "I WAS SO INTERESTED IN IT," "I BASICALLY JUST SET MY PHONE UP," "POINTED IT WITH THE SPEAKER OUT, AND I WOULD JUST HIT RECORD." "AND THEN I'D SIT INSIDE, KIND OF LIKE A FISHERMAN." "AND IT TOOK ME A COUPLE WEEKS, BUT I HEARD THEM." "I'VE GOT IT RIGHT INSIDE." "I'LL SHOW YOU." "[ BOOM ]" "HEAR THAT?" "[ BOOM ]" "THAT WAS ON THE QUIETER SIDE." "IT DIDN'T SHAKE THE HOUSE OR RATTLE THE WINDOWS," "BUT IT DEFINITELY -- I MEAN, IT WAS LOUD ENOUGH" "THAT I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN IT HAPPENED." "Narrator:" "PAUL HAS SINCE PLAYED THIS SOUND FOR OTHER CAPE FEAR RESIDENTS." "[ BOOM ]" "EVERY PERSON THAT HAD HEARD THEM THAT I PLAYED IT FOR" "WAS LIKE, quot;" "YEAH." "THAT'S THEM." "THAT'S EXACTLY THEM.quot;" "Narrator:" "UNFORTUNATELY, THE SOUND IS SO GENERAL" "THAT IT OFFERS UP FEW NEW CLUES TO ITS ORIGIN." "WITH NO OBVIOUS SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION," "COULD THERE BE ONE THAT DEFIES RATIONAL UNDERSTANDING?" "LIKE MANY CAPE FEAR RESIDENTS," "IVY BYRD IS UNSETTLED BY THE TERRIFYING BOOMS." "Byrd:" "IF THERE'S SOMETHING UNEXPLAINED" "THAT CAN SHAKE YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE," "LET ALONE A CITY, THAT'S REALLY SCARY." "Narrator:" "BUT OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS," "IVY AND HER NEIGHBORS HAVE WITNESSED SOMETHING STRANGE" "THAT OCCURS AT THE SAME TIME AS THE BOOMS." "SOMETIMES, AT NIGHT, IF I FEEL THE BOOMS," "I'LL LOOK OUTSIDE, AND I'LL OCCASIONALLY SEE" "ORANGE, GLOWING BALLS OUT OVER THE SEA." "AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS." "THEY JUST STAY THERE." "THEY'RE IN A LITTLE PACK," "BUT IT'S NOT A PLANE OR ANYTHING," "BECAUSE IT DOESN'T BLINK." "IT'S JUST AN ORANGE, GLOWING BALL." "ONE NIGHT, THERE WERE SO MANY OUT THERE," "MY NEIGHBORS AND MY FAMILY, WE ALL GATHERED OUT THERE" "AND JUST WATCHED THEM." "Narrator:" "IVY SAYS SHE ONLY SEES THESE LIGHTS" "WHEN THE SENECA GUNS OCCUR." "Byrd:" "IT DOES FEEL LIKE THE BOOMS ARE COMING FROM THE SAME DIRECTION" "AS THE ORANGE BALLS." "Narrator:" "IF THEY ARE RELATED, WHAT COULD THEY BE?" "SOME PEOPLE THINK THE ORANGE, GLOWING BALLS ARE" "UFOs OR ALIENS." "IF IT'S SOMETHING UNEXPLAINED," "I GUESS YOU JUST MAKE UP YOUR OWN OPINION." "Moncrief:" "I THINK THE FEAR OF IT IS THAT IT'S SIMPLY NOT KNOWN." "WHY CAN'T IT BE UFOs?" "WHY CAN'T IT BE ALIENS?" "Narrator:" "AS THE THEORIES BECOME MORE OUTLANDISH," "THE SENECA GUNS CONTINUE" "TO SHOCK THE RESIDENTS OF CAPE FEAR." "IT WAS VIOLENT," "AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SHOOK UP HERE." "Narrator:" "AND THE DEEPER SCIENCE DIGS" "INTO THE CAUSE," "THE MORE PERPLEXING THE PHENOMENON BECOMES." "Mike:" "WE WERE AFRAID." "WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS." "SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT THEORIES" "ABOUT WHAT IT IS," "BUT NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN WHAT THEY ARE." "[ BOOM ]" "Narrator:" "PERHAPS ONE DAY," "SCIENCE WILL CATCH UP WITH THE SENECA GUNS" "AND THE MYSTERY OF THEIR CAUSE WILL BE REVEALED." "[ RATTLING ]" "UNTIL THEN, RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO DOCUMENT" "THE STRANGE BOOMS ON THEIR OWN" "AND HOPE THAT ALL THEIR OBSESSIVE WORK" "PAYS OFF WITH AN ANSWER AND A LITTLE PEACE AND QUIET." "ACROSS THE ATLANTIC IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IS" "A BOOK THAT HAS BAFFLED GENERATIONS" "OF SCHOLARS AND LAYMEN." "NOW MODERN SCIENCE IS FINALLY PUTTING IT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE." "CAN IT CRACK A 400-YEAR-OLD CODE?" "AND IF SO, WHAT WILL IT REVEAL ABOUT OTHER CIVILIZATIONS?" "GERRY KENNEDY, A DESCENDENT OF THE MAN" "WHO FOUND THIS EXTRAORDINARY BOOK," "IS DETERMINED TO DECIPHER THE MANUSCRIPT." "IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO GET HOOKED," "BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO BIZARRE." "IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THERE'S SOMETHING PROFOUND ABOUT IT," "BUT NOTHING IN IT HAS EVER MADE ANY SENSE." "IT IS THE MOST MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPT IN THE WORLD." "THE BOOK IS FIRST DISCOVERED IN 1912" "BY GERRY'S ANCESTOR WILFRID VOYNICH," "A DEALER IN ANTIQUE BOOKS." "HE FOUND THE MANUSCRIPT THAT CAME TO BEAR HIS NAME" "IN A JESUIT LIBRARY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF ROME." "THE MANUSCRIPT IS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY AND BIZARRE." "IF YOU JUST LEAF THROUGH THIS FACSIMILE WE HAVE HERE " "IT'S WRITTEN ON VELLUM, WHICH IS ANIMAL SKIN," "AND IT'S ROUGHLY COLORED AND RATHER AMATEURISH." "Narrator:" "VOYNICH FINDS A TATTERED LETTER TUCKED INSIDE THE MANUSCRIPT." "THE LETTER REVEALS THAT THE JESUITS HAD OWNED" "THE MANUSCRIPT FOR 250 YEARS" "AND HAD BEEN TRYING TO DECIPHER THE STRANGE TEXT" "AND IDENTIFY THE BIZARRE ILLUSTRATIONS." "Kennedy:" "THE MANUSCRIPT WAS SENT TO A SCIENTIST AND LINGUIST," "ATHANASIUS KIRCHER, HOPING THAT HE WOULD" "THROW SOME LIGHT ON WHAT THE MANUSCRIPT WAS ABOUT." "Narrator:" "KIRCHER WAS A LEADING JESUIT SCHOLAR," "ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME, AND THE JESUITS," "WHO COUNT THE CURRENT POPE AMONG THEIR NUMBER," "ARE RENOWNED AS THE INTELLECTUALS" "OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH," "DETERMINED IN THEIR PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE." "IT'S A MYSTERIOUS BOOK." "IT'S THE TYPE OF THING" "THAT WOULD HAVE ENTHRALLED KIRCHER." "HE WAS FASCINATED BY EVERYTHING." "HE WROTE ON EVERYTHING." "HE INVESTIGATED EVERYTHING." "HERE IS A MYSTERY OF THE UNIVERSE" "WHICH HAS TO BE OPENED" "BECAUSE IT WILL REVEAL SOMETHING MORE ABOUT GOD." "Narrator:" "BUT IT APPEARS GOD NEVER SPOKE TO KIRCHER" "THROUGH THE MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPT." "HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE SENSE OF IT." "WITH ITS CONTENTS A MYSTERY, PERHAPS EVEN HERESY," "THE JESUITS KEPT THE MANUSCRIPT LOCKED AWAY" "UNTIL WILFRID VOYNICH REDISCOVERED IT IN 1912." "BUT WHAT WAS THERE TO FEAR?" "COULD IT HOLD A CLUE TO WORLDS BEYOND OUR OWN?" "THE WORD quot;" "ALIENSquot;" "COMES TO MIND." "Narrator:" "IN 1912, WILFRID VOYNICH DISCOVERS" "AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT WRITTEN IN AN INDECIPHERABLE CODE." "HE ALSO DISCOVERS A LETTER INSIDE THE BOOK." "WRITTEN IN 1666," "IT REVEALS ONE OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS HAD" "A THEORY ABOUT ITS AUTHOR," "A POTENTIALLY VITAL CLUE TO THE BOOK'S MEANING." "Kennedy:" "THE SAID BOOK BELONGED TO THE EMPEROR RUDOLPH." "HE BELIEVED THE AUTHOR WAS ROGER BACON, THE ENGLISHMAN." "ROGER BACON WAS A 13th CENTURY MONK" "WITH A FASCINATION FOR ALCHEMY " "A MIX OF MAGIC AND SCIENCE" "ATTEMPTING TO TURN ORDINARY METALS INTO GOLD." "THE CHURCH CONSIDERED IT HERESY." "Kennedy:" "ROGER BACON WAS ALWAYS TREADING IN THAT AREA." "THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THE WHOLE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT IS" "SECRETS OF ALCHEMY." "SO, THE ASSUMPTION WAS, FOR VOYNICH," "THAT BACON MIGHT WELL HAVE HAD TO MASK ANY OF HIS RESEARCHES" "AND THEREFORE PUT IT INTO CIPHER." "Narrator:" "BUT CRYPTOGRAPHER GORDON RUGG," "WHO HAS A DETAILED KNOWLEDGE OF MEDIEVAL CIPHER TECHNIQUES," "IS NOT CONVINCED." "Rugg:" "LEADING MODERN CODE BREAKERS HAVE RUN THE TEXT" "OF THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT THROUGH SOFTWARE" "AND THEN THEY'VE LOOKED FOR PATTERNS" "EVERY 10, 20, 40 CHARACTERS." "AND THEY'VE FOUND NOTHING." "Narrator:" "IF THE BOOK IS WRITTEN IN CODE," "IT IS A MORE ADVANCED ONE THAN ANYTHING MODERN COMPUTERS" "OR EXPERT CODE BREAKERS CAN UNLOCK." "BUT WHAT IF THERE'S ANOTHER EXPLANATION " "THAT THE TEXT IS NOT A CODE AT ALL" "BUT SIMPLY HAS NO MEANING?" "GORDON RUGG BELIEVES THERE IS A POWERFUL MOTIVE" "TO DO JUST THAT." "Rugg:" "IN THE MIDDLE AGES," "BOOKS OF WONDERS WERE WORTH A LOT." "I THINK IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY A HOAX." "HOAXING THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT FOR MONEY" "WOULD MAKE EXCELLENT SENSE." "Narrator:" "EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THIS THEORY." "IN THE LETTER VOYNICH FINDS WITH THE MANUSCRIPT IS" "A REFERENCE TO ONE VERY WEALTHY OWNER OF THE BOOK." "Kennedy:" "THE SAID BOOK BELONGED TO THE EMPEROR RUDOLPH," "AND THAT HE PRESENTED" "TO THE BEARER WHO BOUGHT THE BOOK 600 DUCATS." "Narrator:" "RUDOLPH II WAS THE HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR" "IN THE LATE 16th CENTURY." "HE WAS OBSESSED WITH THE OCCULT" "AND A TEMPTING TARGET FOR HOAXERS." "FOR HIM, 600 DUCATS -- $80,000 TODAY " "WOULD BE A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE MANUSCRIPT" "IF HE BELIEVED IT CONTAINED" "THE ENCRYPTED SECRETS OF ALCHEMY." "PRIME SUSPECTS IN THIS HOAX THEORY ARE" "JOHN DEE AND EDWARD KELLY," "TWO ENGLISHMEN INVOLVED IN THE SCHEME" "TO TURN COPPER INTO GOLD." "KELLY LIVED IN PRAGUE," "THE CAPITAL OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE" "IN THE 1590s, WHEN RUDOLPH REIGNED." "COULD HE AND DEE HAVE FABRICATED THE MANUSCRIPT" "TO SELL TO THE EMPEROR?" "TO FIND OUT, SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA" "CARBON-DATED SAMPLES OF THE ANIMAL SKIN, OR VELLUM," "THE MANUSCRIPT IS WRITTEN ON." "BY MEASURING THE DECAY OF RADIOACTIVE CARBON-14," "IT CAN DETERMINE THE AGE OF ORGANIC MATTER," "LIKE THE VELLUM OF THE MANUSCRIPT." "WILL THE CONFIRMED DATE OF THE MANUSCRIPT ADD WEIGHT" "TO THE THEORY THAT IT IS A 1590s HOAX?" "WELL, WE DATED FOUR VELLUM PAGES" "DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK" "AND FOUND THAT ALL FOUR OF THOSE PAGES" "HAD VERY TIGHTLY CLUSTERED RADIOCARBON DATES." "AND THE RADIOCARBON AGE IS 1404 A.D. TO 1438 A.D." "AT 95% CONFIDENCE." "Narrator:" "THIS CARBON-DATING EVIDENCE BLOWS AWAY THE IDEA" "THAT DEE AND KELLY HOAXED THE MANUSCRIPT." "IT WAS WRITTEN OVER 100 YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE BORN." "IF THE BOOK IS A HOAX, IT DID NOT ARISE" "OUT OF RUDOLPH II's OBSESSION WITH THE OCCULT." "SO THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT REMAINS A 600-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY." "IN HIS MISSION TO DECIPHER IT," "GERRY KENNEDY TRIES ONE FINAL APPROACH." "CAN THE OBSCURE ILLUSTRATIONS TELL US ABOUT THE AUTHOR?" "Kennedy:" "THE BIGGEST SECTION IS RARE-LOOKING PLANTS," "BUT THEY ARE INCREDIBLY BIZARRE, VERY STRANGE-LOOKING THINGS." "Narrator:" "GERRY TAKES A COPY OF THE MANUSCRIPT" "TO KEW GARDENS IN LONDON." "AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED CENTER OF BOTANICAL RESEARCH," "IT HAS OVER 30,000 LIVING PLANTS " "THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION." "IF KEW'S SCIENTISTS CAN IDENTIFY THE PLANTS IN THE MANUSCRIPT," "IT MIGHT REVEAL CLUES TO ITS MEANING AND ORIGIN." "Simpson:" "THIS ALMOST LOOKS LIKE" "IT'S GRAFTED ONTO THE BASE OF THE PLANT," "BUT YOU WOULDN'T, IN NATURE," "SEE ANYTHING HAPPENING LIKE THAT." "SO I THINK YOU CAN SAFELY SAY THAT THESE ARE" "PLANTS OF INVENTION RATHER THAN REAL PLANTS." "LIKE NOTHING ON EARTH?" "LIKE NOTHING ON EARTH." "THERE'S ALSO A SECTION WHICH ONE WOULD WANT TO CALL" "SORT OF COSMOLOGICAL OR ASTROLOGICAL." "THERE'S A SPIRAL THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID" "CLEARLY MUST BE ANDROMEDA." "Narrator:" "ANDROMEDA IS A SPIRAL GALAXY." "IT'S THE CLOSEST ONE TO EARTH'S" "AND BEARS A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE TO THE VOYNICH DIAGRAM." "YET IT IS MILLIONS OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY." "ITS SPIRAL SHAPE IS ONLY VISIBLE" "WITH MODERN, HIGH-POWERED TELESCOPES." "IF IT DOES REPRESENT THE GALAXY," "A FAR MORE PUZZLING QUESTION IS RAISED." "HOW COULD ANYONE ON EARTH DRAW SOMETHING" "WE HAD YET TO DISCOVER?" "IT APPEARS AS IF THERE MUST BE SOME UNDERLYING SENSE TO IT." "AND THE MOST AMAZING THEORY IS THAT IT'S A CODE" "BEEN SENT DOWN FROM WAY OUT." "THE WORD quot;" "ALIENSquot;" "COMES TO MIND." "Narrator:" "FOR KENNEDY AND OTHERS, THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS" "THAT THE MANUSCRIPT IS AN INTRODUCTION TO A WORLD" "NONE OF US CAN YET IMAGINE -- ONE SO REMOTE AND UNEARTHLY" "THAT EVEN ITS SYMBOLS, WORDS, AND SIMPLE PLANT LIFE" "BAFFLE OUR BRAINS." "THE TRUTH OR WILD IMAGININGS?" "WE'LL NEVER KNOW." "BUT EVEN THE MOST REMOTE POSSIBILITY" "THAT ANOTHER SPECIES IS TRYING TO TELL US" "ABOUT THEIR WORLD IS" "TOO TEMPTING A RIDDLE TO GO UNRESOLVED," "AND SO THE MAGNETISM" "OF THE MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPT ENDURES."