It appears out of the dawn of time... caldron of life. This is the tropical forest nature at her most extravagant. Sustained by the partnership of animal and plant, it has produced more than half the species on earth. It is a sea of green... seemingly spellbound... changeless. But look again. Behind the green curtain are countless battles for survival. Into this complex world has come a rare breed of adventurer. Scientific knowledge is the treasure they seek, and to find it, they're not afraid to go out on a limb. This is a place unlike any other in the world. Panama's Barro Colorado Island, known as BCI to the scientists who journey here. A protected realm in the middle of the Panama Canal, BCI is home to the Smithsonian's Tropical Research Institute. Scientists come to this island from all over the globe to unravel the mysteries of life in the tropical forest. It is an adventure beyond the reach of one person, or one lifetime. BCI's a very special place for me just because the more I come here, the more familiar I get with the island. It's just home, it's comfortable, it's exciting. I think Barro Colorado Island offers for me a lot of things that I would not find in any other place.