(dramatic music)
- [Narrator] To date, scientists have found
over 925,000 species of insects.
And there is one man still determined to find more.
(triumphant orchestral music)
Meet Dr. Isaí.
He is an entomologist, but he doesn't always work
in your typical lab.
- [Isaí] That's right.
- [Narrator] He tracks to the Patagonian ice fields
searching for new insect species that have been hiding
for over 200 million years.
- [Isaí] Due to the frigid and drastically changing climate,
there is very little information on the insects
that inhabit the area.
Every day is different for me.
I'm looking for creatures smaller than my pinky nail,
so I'm always searching for the tiniest indication
of any insect life.
- [Narrator] This year, Isaí stumbled upon
a new pool of water among the vegetation.
- [Isaí] It's there that I found something
that I've never seen before.
The coloration on the bottom of the insect
varying from other species.
- [Narrator] Isaí took the insect back to his lab
and ended up making history.
- [Isaí] Discovering this new species
was the most amazing thing.
It felt as though all of my hard work had paid off.
I couldn't wait to share it with the rest of the world.
- [Narrator] This only motivated Isaí further.
But in order to be successful in his search for new species,
he's needed some other unexpected skills.
Sometimes, I feel like I'm an extreme athlete.
I usually carry over 80 pounds on my back.
I take my microscopes, my cameras, vials
and anything else I might need
to document these expeditions.
- [Narrator] It's also extremely important to Isaí
that he's able to get to each new location
with a low carbon footprint.
- [Isaí] I always manage to bike, hike, swim or raft.
- [Narrator] But climate change and shifting conditions
can also make his work extremely dangerous.
- [Isaí] Melting glaciers can sometimes cause
an outburst flood, which could be fatal if I'm not prepared.
And if I'm not wearing my protective gear,
my skin could burn just from being exposed to the
freezing water for more than 10 seconds.
- [Narrator] Isaí feels it is not only his mission,
but his responsibility to continue this work.
With more than 40 possible species under review,
Isaí has no plans of slowing down.
- [Isaí] I'm working against the clock
because the homes of these insects are rapidly disappearing
due to climate change and human impact.
I hope to continue studying them and to discover their
hidden worlds before our biodiversity is changed forever.
(music)