Earth’s History Is Hidden in These Strange Maps

The Channeled Scablands of the Pacific Northwest hide an astonishing secret. Evidence of a massive flood that shaped the entire region lies just beneath its landscape. But it can only be seen with cutting edge LIDAR technology. Join Joe as he learns how scientists are using lasers to reveal details that may help us predict the paths of potential megafloods of the future.

Hosted by Joe Hanson from Be Smart, Overview uses stunning 4k drone footage to reveal the natural and human made marvels shaping our planet--from a 10,000-foot view--literally.

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[kidmohair]

if this has piqued your interest,
may I suggest you hunt out Prof Nick Zentner from Central Washington Uni.
he has a tube'y'all channel in his name and has been telling the story of PNW geology
for almost a decade.
all the names you heard here and many others are part of that story.

[thefrub]

I'm always baffled when I see people building buildings in river bends in what are very visibly floodplains. Farms I get, that's fertile soil. But then sometimes you see very expensive multistory buildings being built on temporarily dry riverbed. Castles built on sand.

[TheElvenheart]

The Channeled Scablands are one of my favorite subjects. And I absolutely loved that you discussed Joel Gombiner's work with LIDAR and Skye Cooley!

[mho...]

might be off-topic, but the fact that drones are now basically standart for "cheap" filming is amazing!

[carlag]

I initially learned about the scablands from @TheRandallCarlson . Fascinating place!

[aadesh_kale]

As a Geophysics and Geomorphology student, it's very fascinating. Thanks for the informative ride!

[RWho-bbqg]

In about 1970 I was briefly involved with a bridge design in Papua New Guinea lowland rainforest over a river that had meandered over aeons. Choice of crossing point was done by finding old channels below canopy using visual aerial photography. Bridge was placed where all the old channels went through a single pinch point near an outcrop. LiDAR would have been useful.

[mossyhollow]

Nick on the rocks! He taught us this a few years ago. Looks amazing through lidar.

[AvanaVana]

Good to see Joel Gombiner presenting his research and Skye Cooley mentioned!

[H.O.P.E.]

Please refer to the work of Randall Carlson regarding floods from Canada.

[jeffarmfield]

My mom grew up right on the edge of the channeled scablands and then met my dad moved literally across the country to GA and NC but she always told me how amazing they are and I really hope to take my kids out there one day and see them for myself

[azilbean]

LIDAR is opening our eyes to literal history in every respect. How awesome!

[v.e.]

Love maps and would love to get a set of LIDAR prints of the entire globe. Looks like it may be a while before those images will be compiled. Every country needs its own LIDAR Dept. . . . "So let it be written. So let it be done!"

[alankjosness]

Along with the macro topography of the area, I found the potholes surprising. Usually about 20 feet wide and 6 to 10 feet deep with a large rock sitting at the bottom. My time working in the scablands was fascinating. I spent a good portion of my work life in the Pacific Northwest and the time along the northern border of Washington and Idaho has stuck in my memory. Much more topographic insight has been provided concerning where I grew up -- along the lower Columbia River. Thank you for this story.

[throrth]

Ditto to the previous comments. Folks should be aware that these were a series of floods and not a single event. See Nick Zentner's A to Z programs on the history of the floods and J Harlan Bretz. 😎🦋 Namaste

[pollytiks]

It would be very interesting to find out what’s under the dunes in the Sahara Desert.

[benmcreynolds]

I live in The Willamette Valley. Where the Missoula flood occurred. This video is amazing. I truly believe LIDAR will unlock so much information & allow us to advance our knowledge like never before

[ARabidPie]

I'm from WA and have visited the area, including Dry Falls. If any of you ever get the chance to pass through the region I'd suggest taking a stop to check it out. It's very cool to see in person. There's even a neat little visitors center that covers the history of the site. The region also has some great reservoir lakes in these valleys courtesy of Grand Coulee Dam. The lakes are great for camping and boating with amazing views, and the dam is a sight to see too. They do this cool laser light show on the spillway at night, or at least they used to, it's been a good long while since I visited.

[allangibson]

The glacial lake Missoula outbreak wasn’t a once off. Geological research indicates that it happened at least forty times.

[ThisIsATireFire]

Super wish you would have had Nick Zentner in this. He's incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the formation of the scab lands.

Other than that, this was great, and it was wonderful to see where I grew up shared with others. It looks barren and dead, but it's really a beautiful, awesome place.