|
[ti:] |
|
[ar:] |
|
[al:] |
| [00:00.61] |
Larger insects and animals need more than a breeze to carry them away. |
| [00:05.34] |
Vast tracts of warm water are a perfect environment for cyclones. |
| [00:09.87] |
Over half the cyclones on the planet |
| [00:12.11] |
- around 30 a year - |
| [00:13.23] |
form in the Pacific Ocean. |
| [00:15.67] |
Heated by the warm tropical sun, |
| [00:17.75] |
water evaporates and forms massive thunderstorms, |
| [00:21.11] |
fuelling a whirling vortex, |
| [00:23.51] |
in some cases up to 500 miles wide. |
| [00:26.92] |
When they collide with islands, |
| [00:28.80] |
they unleash their fury. |
| [00:30.89] |
Winds in excess of 100 miles an hour can uproot a forest. |
| [00:35.32] |
Large insects can be sucked up into the sky, |
| [00:38.18] |
so why not birds, bats and lizards? |
| [00:42.45] |
In fact, all these creatures are known to have been carried hundreds of miles out to sea by cyclones. |
| [00:48.19] |
When the storm subsides, |
| [00:50.22] |
most will meet a watery grave. |
| [00:53.24] |
But a very, very lucky few will land on firm ground. |
| [00:57.51] |
And from these survivors, |
| [00:59.24] |
a whole island dynasty may be born. |
