How Do Monster Sinkholes Form? | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS

The catastrophic collapse of the ground beneath our feet is a growing worldwide hazard. (Aired January 28, 2015) In a leafy suburb near Tampa, Florida, on February 28, 2013, a giant hole opened up under the bedroom floor of Jeffrey Bush, swallowing him as he slept. His body was never found. Bush was a victim of a sinkhole—a worldwide hazard that lurks wherever limestone and other water-soluble rocks underpin the soil. When carbon dioxide from the air dissolves in rainwater, it forms a weak acid that attacks soft rocks, riddling them with holes like Swiss cheese. Sinkholes can occur gradually when the surface subsides into bowl shaped depressions or suddenly when the ground gives way. These geological hazards have swallowed highways, apartment buildings, horses, camels, even golfers, with monster-size holes cracking the earth from Siberia to Louisiana. Filled with compelling eyewitness video of dramatic collapses, and following scientists as they explore the underlying forces behind these natural disasters, NOVA travels the globe to investigate what it's like to have your world vanish beneath your feet. Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3TI4m3LR | #novapbs Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:23 Florida's Deadly Sinkholes 09:24 How Do Sinkholes Form? 18:47 Sinkhole Hot Spots 29:56 Human-Created Sinkholes 43:31 How to Protect Communities from Sinkholes 51:42 Conclusions © 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation All rights reserved This program was produced by GBH, which is solely responsible for its content. This program is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station here: https://pbs.org/donate/ Enjoy full episodes of your favorite PBS shows anytime, anywhere with the free PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2QbtzhR 🗞️ Stay up to date on the latest science discoveries, full episodes, articles, videos, and more by signing up for NOVA's newsletter here: https://to.pbs.org/4brCC7Y FOLLOW US: NOVA YouTube:    / novaonline   Facebook:   / novapbs   ​ X:   / novapbs   ​ Instagram:   / novapbs   TikTok:   / ucjhz5svhemt0avicyzvsgda   #sinkholes #sinkhole PBS Facebook:   / pbs   X:   / pbs   Instagram:   / pbs   YouTube:    / pbs   TikTok:   / ucgyejxd05ynodqurmnbfbqw   Calling all NOVA superfans to join our new community! Get access to exclusive content, badges, emojis and more:    / @novapbs   Shop official NOVA 50th anniversary merch: https://nova-shop.org/