But their beauty is not the only thing they have to offer.

Through the lenses of powerful microscopes, scientists are discovering unexpected secrets as they study butterflies and moths. These secrets can be applied to make our world more sustainable. This film is a journey into the nano dimensions of butterflies, from high-tech labs around the world to the deepest forests and lavender fields of extraordinary butterfly species.

 

 

Take the Morpho butterflies, for example. By studying this genus‘ iridescent blue wing, scientists have gained new insights into both color and light. Chunlei Guo, who is trying to replicate butterfly structures, has developed a material that can absorb all colors of the spectrum - a discovery that could revolutionize the renewable energy field.

 

 

 

He's also taking advantage of the wings' amazing hydrophobic properties to create an unsinkable metal that could be useful for building floating cities as sea levels continue to rise.

 

 

 

The blue Morpho; the industrious silkmoth; the amazing and transparent Greta Oto; the resilient Heliconius; the enigmatic Monarch; the delicate white cabbage butterfly. From their wings to their antennae, these creatures are inspiring discoveries in a range of different fields, from energy efficiency to medicine, surgery and the detection of toxins to protect human lives from chemical or gas attacks.

 

 

Researchers, biologists and geneticists share their exciting experiments, while experts explain some of the butterflies' incredible behaviors and abilities. These experts include Serge Berthier, a physicist and biomimicry expert and Jessica Ware, an entomologist at the American Museum of Natural History.

Butterflies and moths show us what’s possible in the smallest of bodies. But they also warn us about what's at stake if we don't protect these endlessly versatile animals. 

 

Broadcasting Hours: 

DW English

TUE 17.10.2023 – 01:15 UTC
TUE 17.10.2023 – 04:15 UTC
TUE 17.10.2023 – 18:15 UTC
WED 18.10.2023 – 09:15 UTC
THU 19.10.2023 – 12:15 UTC
SAT 21.10.2023 – 08:15 UTC
SUN 22.10.2023 – 13:15 UTC

Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3
Delhi UTC +5,5 I Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8
London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3
San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4

DW Deutsch+

WED 18.10.2023 – 09:15 UTC
SAT 21.10.2023 – 08:15 UTC

Vancouver UTC -7 | New York UTC -4 | Sao Paulo UTC -3