Watch This: An island's incredible transformation, chasing genius, and more

First, they found sharks swimming in an underwater volcano. Now, scientists are back—and they're blowing up robots. | [WATCH THOUSANDS OF VIDEOS ON OUR WEBSITE]( [WHAT’S ON TV]( ONLINE]( [TAP HERE TO EXPLORE THOUSANDS OF NAT GEO VIDEOS]( [National Geographic]( [WATCH THIS]( . [ANIMALS]( |]( See our producers’ favorite videos for the week of May 8. . [| 3:57 |]( RAW |]( [Explorers See Greenland's Glaciers Like Never Before]( When Nat Geo explorer Eddie Kisfaludy bought a helicopter in London for his California-based aviation company, he could have shipped the tiny chopper back home. Instead, he flew it back in an [8,000-mile, transatlantic adventure]( over some of the most remote regions on Earth. Flying over Greenland, Eddie captured [mind-boggling aerial footage]( that’s just as troubling as it is stunning, as you see glaciers melt before your eyes. It’s a journey many of us wouldn't dare take, but these are images we all need to see. —Nora Rappaport, producer/editor [WATCH NOW]( SHARE [F]( [T]( . [| 1:40 |]( |]( [Once, This Island Had Just One Tree—Look at It Now]( [The jaw-dropping images of Ascension Island]( were what pulled me into this video. But the story of this place is equally gripping. A 19th-century naturalist used non-native species to [turn this desolate island into a verdant landscape](. Conservationists are still working to mitigate the negative impact this had on native species. But Ascension’s artificial ecosystem is also a source of inspiration: a glimpse of how we might one day [turn Mars into a habitable second home](. ([Read more here]( —Will Halicks, senior producer [WATCH NOW]( SHARE [F]( [T]( . [| 1:18 |]( |]( [Python Eats Hyena]( In a way, this unusual battle has been fought and won before the video even starts. The footage, taken by a tourist on safari, shows [a rock python, Africa’s largest snake]( with its prey already subdued. But the spectacle is far from over, because this is a big meal: an adult hyena, normally on the other end of the predator-prey relationship. If swallowing the catch is a time-consuming task, digestion will be even slower, lasting literally months. —Jim Burch, associate producer [WATCH NOW]( SHARE [F]( [T]( . [| 3:59 |]( GENIUS |]( [Spouts of Hope]( This story sounded cool enough on the surface, but I wasn’t prepared for the serious chills I got watching Kathy Ku’s inspiring journey. When she and her host family in Uganda kept getting sick from dirty drinking water, she decided to do something. Braving rejection and rat bites, Kathy set out to make simple water filters out of clay and sawdust—[filters that are now saving lives](. This is exactly the kind of simple but powerful idea that [Chasing Genius]( is built to inspire—her matter-of-fact determination made me rethink my own ability to change the world. —Christina Nunez, editor, Chasing Genius [WATCH NOW]( SHARE [F]( [T]( [Introducing Chasing Genius]( [Sarah Parcak]( YOUR IDEA COULD CHANGE THE WORLD Chasing Genius is a new digital community designed to inspire the genius inside each one of us. Join and you could win $25,000. [Join and Learn More]( . [| 5:58 |]( FILM SHOWCASE |]( [A Day in the Life of 'The Dogist,' Pet Photographer Extraordinaire]( There’s nothing better in the world than [cute photos of dogs]( photographer Elias Weiss Friedman turned making them into a career! Friedman, the mastermind behind the Instagram account @thedogist, has millions of followers around the world, and he’s become an expert on capturing adorable dog pictures in New York City. Celebrate your Friday by watching [this funny, uplifting, irresistibly cute short documentary](. —Gabrielle Ewing, associate producer/editor [WATCH NOW]( SHARE [F]( [T]( What did you think of our picks this week? Let us know at watchthis@natgeo.com. [Shop]( [Donate]( [Subscribe]( [Travel]( [WATCH MORE VIDEOS]( [SHOP]( [DONATE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [TRAVEL]( [FB]( [Twitter]( [IG]( [YouTube]( You are receiving this email because {EMAIL} is signed up to receive National Geographic communications. If you prefer not to receive emails from us, please [unsubscribe](. [About Us]( | [Contact Us]( | [Privacy Policy]( To ensure that you receive your National Geographic emails, please add ng@e.nationalgeographic.com to your address book now. [Learn how](. National Geographic | 1 145 1 7th Street N.W. | Washington, D.C. 2 0036 Copyright © 2017 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.