How Do Microbes Make Decisions?

Summary

The video script introduces Microcosmos Microscopes, an entry-level microscope designed for beginners, available at microcosmos.store. It explains the importance of plan achromatic objectives for better viewing. The script narrates James Weiss's journey from a novice to a master of microscopes, highlighting the fascinating behaviors of microbes like bacteria and protists. It explores the mysteries of microbial learning and memory, such as Stentors' habituation and slime molds' response to environmental changes, prompting philosophical questions about the nature of thought and consciousness. The video also invites viewers to join the exploration of the microscopic world and supports the creators through Patreon.

Takeaways

• 🔬 The Microcosmos Microscopes are designed as entry-level microscopes for beginners, available with plan achromatic objectives for better image quality.
• 👨‍🔬 James Weiss, the master of microscopes, collaborated in developing these microscopes and shares his expertise through educational content.
• 📖 For those unfamiliar with microscopy terms, additional information and videos are provided to explain concepts like 'objectives' and the benefits of plan objectives.
• 🛒 Microcosmos.store offers a four pack of plan objectives and individual 20x and 60x plan objectives for those looking to upgrade their microscopes.
• 🐛 James Weiss's journey in microscopy began with a lab course where he observed bacteria behaving in unexpected ways, sparking his interest in the microcosmos.
• 🏃‍♂️ Bacteria use flagella, a helical filament, to move towards or away from certain chemicals in their environment, demonstrating complex behavior at a microscopic level.
• 🧠 Microbes are not just simple organisms; they are highly evolved and can exhibit behaviors similar to more complex organisms, challenging the notion of them being mere blobs.
• 🐙 The Euplotes, a trumpet-shaped protist, shows a high level of awareness and responsiveness, suggesting a level of cognition and memory in single-celled organisms.
• 🌿 Stentors, large protists, have developed a defense mechanism of curling into a ball when touched, but they also exhibit learning through habituation to distinguish threats.
• 🍄 Slime molds demonstrate the ability to remember and anticipate environmental changes, such as temperature, even when the conditions no longer warrant such behavior.
• 🤔 The script raises philosophical questions about the nature of thought and memory in organisms, and whether humans are fundamentally different from these microscopic life forms.

Q & A

What is the purpose of Microcosmos Microscopes?

Microcosmos Microscopes are designed to be an entry-level microscope for those starting their microscopy journey, providing an accessible tool for exploring the microcosmos.

What types of objectives are available with Microcosmos Microscopes?

Microcosmos Microscopes can be equipped with either plan achromatic objectives or regular achromatic objectives.

What is the difference between plan and regular achromatic objectives?

Plan objectives are designed to provide a flatter field of view and better correction for chromatic aberration compared to regular achromatic objectives, offering superior image quality.

Can existing Microcosmos microscope owners upgrade their objectives?

Yes, Microcosmos offers a four pack of plan objectives for sale separately, as well as new 20x and 60x plan objectives that can be purchased individually for upgrades.

What educational resources are available for users of Microcosmos Microscopes?

Microcosmos provides a series of videos and information to help users understand how to use their microscopes and explore the microscopic world effectively.

How did James Weiss's experience in a microscopy lab course influence his view of microbes?

James Weiss's experience in a microscopy lab course shattered his previous image of microbes as amorphous blobs, revealing them as complex and responsive entities.

What is the function of the flagellum in bacteria?

The flagellum is a long helical filament that allows bacteria to move towards or away from certain chemicals in their environment, controlling their locomotion.

What is habituation, and how does it relate to the behavior of Stentors?

Habituation is a learning process where an organism reduces its response to a repeated stimulus. Stentors use habituation to differentiate between threatening and non-threatening contacts, allowing them to relax in their environment.

How do slime molds demonstrate memory in their behavior?

Slime molds have shown the ability to remember and anticipate environmental changes, such as temperature drops, even when the stimulus is no longer present, indicating a form of memory.

What philosophical questions does the exploration of the microcosmos raise?

The exploration of the microcosmos raises questions about the nature of consciousness, memory, and the definition of 'thinking' in organisms, challenging us to consider whether we are just complex machines or something more.

How can viewers support the creation of content about microscopic organisms?

Viewers can support the creation of this content by becoming patrons on Patreon, which helps fund the production of educational and engaging videos about the microcosmos.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Introduction to Microcosmos Microscopes

The script introduces Microcosmos Microscopes, designed as an entry-level tool for beginners in microscopy. It offers two types of objectives: plan achromatic and regular achromatic, available for purchase at microcosmos.store/microscope. The script also addresses common questions about microscopes and their components, such as objectives, and provides resources for learning how to use the microscope effectively. Additionally, it mentions the possibility of upgrading objectives for those who have previously purchased a Microcosmos microscope. The narrative includes a personal anecdote about James Weiss, the 'master of microscopes,' who started as a novice and had a transformative experience in a microscopy lab course, observing bacteria behaving in a manner that defied his initial perceptions of them as simple, amorphous entities.

05:05

🐛 Behavioral Complexity in Microorganisms

This paragraph delves into the fascinating behaviors of microorganisms, such as bacteria and protists, which exhibit complex responses to their environment. It discusses the flagellum, a filament that bacteria use to move towards or away from certain stimuli, demonstrating a level of 'awareness' and decision-making. The script also compares these behaviors to those of more complex organisms like Euplotes, which, despite lacking human senses, can assemble behavior from proteins, ions, and signals. The narrative then explores the concept of habituation in Stentors, a large protist that curls into a ball when touched, and how they learn to distinguish between threatening and non-threatening contacts. Another example is slime molds, which show the ability to 'remember' and anticipate environmental changes even when they are no longer occurring. The script ponders the philosophical and scientific questions these observations raise about the nature of consciousness, memory, and the fundamental similarities between microorganisms and more complex life forms, including humans.

Keywords

💡Microscopy

Microscopy is the practice of using microscopes to observe objects and living organisms that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. In the video, microscopy is central to the theme as it is the method used to explore the microcosmos. The script discusses the journey of starting out in microscopy and the types of microscopes suitable for beginners.

💡Microcosmos Microscopes

These are entry-level microscopes developed in partnership with James Weiss, a master of microscopes. They are designed to be user-friendly for those new to the field of microscopy. The video script introduces these microscopes as a tool for viewers to start their own exploration of the microscopic world.

💡Objectives

In microscopy, objectives are the lenses on a microscope that are closest to the specimen. They are crucial for magnification and image quality. The script mentions plan achromatic objectives, which are a type of high-quality objective designed to reduce chromatic aberration, providing clearer images.

💡Plan Objectives

Plan objectives are a type of microscope objective that provides a flat field of view, which is particularly useful for observing large areas of a specimen. The video suggests upgrading to plan objectives for better image quality, indicating their importance in advanced microscopy.

💡Flagellum

The flagellum is a whip-like appendage on some bacteria that allows them to move. In the video, the flagellum is used as an example of the complex biological machinery within microbes, highlighting their ability to respond to environmental stimuli.

💡Microbes

Microbes are microscopic organisms, including bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. The video emphasizes that microbes are not just passive blobs but are highly evolved and capable of complex behaviors, challenging the viewer's perception of these tiny organisms.

💡Euplotes

Euplotes is a genus of ciliate protozoa mentioned in the video. It is used as an example of a more complex microorganism that exhibits behavior suggesting a level of awareness, blurring the line between simple machines and living organisms.

💡Habituation

Habituation is a learning process where an organism reduces its response to a repeated stimulus over time. In the video, habituation is described as the mechanism by which Stentors learn to differentiate between threatening and non-threatening contacts, demonstrating a form of memory in these microorganisms.

💡Slime Mold

Slime molds are simple organisms that can exhibit complex behaviors, such as learning and memory. The video describes an experiment where slime molds appear to remember and anticipate environmental changes, suggesting a level of cognitive ability in these organisms.

💡Stentor

Stentor is a genus of large freshwater protozoa that have a unique defense mechanism. When threatened, they curl into a ball. The video uses Stentors to illustrate how microorganisms can adapt and learn to survive in their environments, showcasing their complex behaviors.

💡Patreon

Patreon is a platform where creators can receive financial support from their audience, or patrons. In the video, Patreon is mentioned as a way for viewers to support the creation of content about the microcosmos, highlighting the community aspect of scientific exploration and education.

Highlights

The Microcosmos Microscopes were created to help beginners start their microscopy journey, developed in partnership with James Weiss, a master of microscopes.

The microscope is available with either plan achromatic objectives or regular achromatic objectives, providing options for different levels of clarity and precision.

For those unfamiliar with microscopy terminology, the Microcosmos store provides detailed information on objectives and the benefits of upgrading to plan objectives.

James Weiss began his microscopy journey in a lab course where he observed bacteria behaving in unusual ways, sparking his curiosity in microbes.

The behavior of bacteria using flagella to move based on chemical signals in their environment demonstrates how microbes use complex biological mechanisms.

Euplotes, a type of microbe, exhibits behavior that seems aware of its surroundings, highlighting the complexity of microbial behavior.

Microbes, like bacteria and Euplotes, utilize proteins, ions, and signals to assemble behavior, similar to how larger organisms, including humans, use these elements.

Stentor coeruleus, a large trumpet-shaped protist, uses a defense mechanism of curling up into a ball when touched, to protect itself from predators.

Stentors can learn and adapt their behavior through a process called habituation, where repeated, non-threatening contact results in a reduced response.

Scientists remain unsure of the exact mechanisms behind memory and learning in simple organisms like Stentors and slime molds, presenting an area of ongoing research.

Slime molds can anticipate environmental changes, as demonstrated in experiments where they slowed their movement in anticipation of a recurring cold, dry condition.

The behavior of organisms like Stentors and slime molds raises questions about the nature of memory, cognition, and what it means to think.

The discussion explores whether humans, like microbes, are just machines governed by chemical reactions or something more.

Microcosmos encourages exploration of the microscopic world, offering resources and tools, like their beginner-friendly microscope, to aid newcomers.

The content is supported by Patreon patrons who believe in the importance of sharing accessible, educational content about microscopic organisms.

Transcripts

One of the most common questions I see in the comments of these videos is,

“Where do I start my microscopy journey?

What kind of microscope should I get if I'm just starting out?”

Well, that is the very question we were trying to answer when we created

the Microcosmos Microscopes.

Developed in partnership with our master of microscopes, James Weiss, they are a fantastic

entry level microscope and it is available with either plan achromatic objectives or

regular achromatic objectives over at microcosmos.store/microscope.

And you might be thinking,

“I don't know what an objective is, and I sure don't know what a plan objective is

or why you want to upgrade your microscope with them.”

Well, we have a bunch of information about that over there as well, and also a bunch

of videos about how to use your microscope when it arrives.

Also, if you previously purchased a Microcosmos microscope and would like to upgrade your

objectives, we have a four pack of plan objectives for sale separately as well as brand new 20x

and 60x plan objectives that can be purchased individually.

You can get all of that and more at Microcosmos.store.

Our master of microscopes, James, was not in fact always a master.

Like everyone else, he had to start somewhere, and that “somewhere” was a microscopy

lab course where he saw a scene similar to this one.

There were thousands and thousands of teeny tiny things that he didn’t know well enough

to identify.

And these minuscule unknown creatures were behaving oddly.

They were gathering together on the slide so tightly that it looked like they were trapped

by invisible walls.

Any time one of them tried to swim away and escape those walls, it would quickly reverse

its direction and swim right back, like you're leaving the house, and then you realize

that it's raining and cold and immediately turn back inside.

In that comparison, you are making an active decision to turn back.

But for James, new to the wondrous world of microbes, it was hard to imagine why the creatures

would act like that.

So he asked his instructor what was going on, but the teacher just said he was

looking at some bacteria and didn’t elaborate.

As you can imagine, this was not a very helpful answer.

But it wasn’t completely un-helpful either.

After all, before this,

James had just imagined microbes as amorphous blobs that sit around and get you sick.

But seeing something like this quickly shatters that image.

It makes bacteria and the other residents of the microcosmos seem so much more alive

and aware than you’d expect, from you know, a blob.

Well that’s because microbes are not just blobs.

They are very well-evolved biological machinery, the product of eons of evolution that have

exposed their ancestors and them to different homes and foods and threats.

The machine that James was watching in action there, was the flagellum, a long helical filament

that either drives the bacteria towards an area or tumbles it away based on the chemical

it senses in the environment.

The bacteria does this with proteins on its surface, which then send a signal through

the cell to control the flagellar motor.

This motor then controls the movement of the flagella, which controls the movement of the cell.

And as we watch more complex organisms, we can see a similar behavior, like this Euplotes.

It feels wrong to even compare them to a machine because they seem so cognizant of everything

around them, even without access to all of the senses that we have available to us.

But they don't have those senses, because they don’t need them.

These microbes that we are watching have the same underlying capacity to assemble behavior

out of proteins and ions and signals that our bodies do.

In fact, our senses and awareness are built with those same fundamental pieces, they're just

assembled on different scales of size and time, and complexity.

So even though the pieces are always same,

the scale of behavior and decisions are vast when you consider all

the organisms out there and all the choices they must be facing every single day.

But we journeyers though the microcosmos are fortunate that scientists have been very curious

about a few species in particular and the choices they seem capable of.

One species that has been particularly interesting to learn from is our favorite trumpet-shaped

protists, the Stentors.

Stentors have a kind of odd problem for the microcosmos:

they are very big.

So big that they have to contend with non-microcosmos predators, like fish and worms and insect larvae.

To deal with that challenge, Stentor coeruleus has an ingenious solution:

if it touches something, it curls up in a ball.

It’s a great solution.

Lovely.

Even a little bit cute.

If a threat approaches you, curl up into a ball, and what can it really do to you then?

Except that there’s a problem.

A bunch of them really.

When you’re living in a pond surrounded by other organisms that aren’t fish, how

do you survive if you’re constantly curling up into yourself?

Wouldn’t that get tiring?

We can see our stentors here are mostly relaxed, so how do they do that?

How do they figure out what contact is non-threatening?

They learn through a process called habituation.

If something touches the Stentor, it will contract away from the force.

But if that force happens again and again and again, and especially if the force is

not that strong, the stentor becomes less and less likely to contract.

And stentors are able to remember this for several hours.

But as much as scientists have watched Stentors learn and remember, the mechanism that makes

them capable of this is still mysterious to us.

Another organism that scientists love to watch learn is slime mold.

In one set of experiments, scientists watched slime mold move towards food through different

temperature and humidity conditions.

Once an hour, the scientists would expose the slime to cold, dry air, during which the

slime mold would slow down.

When they were done with the cold exposure and returned to moist, warm conditions, the

slime mold would pick its speed back up

The scientists repeated this three times, and then they left the slime molds alone,

keeping them in the warm temperatures that the organisms prefer.

But even though the scientists were no longer switching things back to cold, the slime molds

would, an hour later, slow down again as if they remembered what had happened and expected

it to get cold.

Some would even do it again two and even three hours later.

Like Stentors, we don’t know the machines that make this memory and behavior possible.

But we are of course drawn to that mystery, like bacteria drawn towards an invisible gradient,

we return again and again to the question that we have not yet answered.

Can these organisms think and remember? What does it mean to think at all?

Are these organisms just machines?

And if so, are we just machines? The result of chemical reactions that we do not control.

Or are we something more?

The answers to that probably can not be found in the microcosmos alone,

but that is no reason not to look.

Thank you for coming on this journey with us as we explore the unseen world that surrounds us.

And if you are interested in exploring that world on your own, I will remind you there's

a link in the description to the Microcosmos Microscope, a microscope we made specifically

for people who are starting off on their journey.

It can be a little bit complicated and intimidating at first, but that microscope comes along

with a few things to help you on your journey, including a mount for your phone so you can

video whatever you're seeing, and also a series of videos that we made to help you get the

best out of your microscope.

The people on the screen right now are our Patreon patrons.

They're a bunch of people who think that there should be weird, chill content about microscopic

organisms on YouTube.

Obviously, we agree with them, but we could not do this on our own.

So we are so grateful to all of the people who help us out at Pareon.com/JourneytoMicro.

If you'd like to see your name up here, that is the place to go.

If you want to see more from our master of microscopes, James Weiss.

You can check out Jam and Germs on Instagram.

And if you want to see more from us, there's probably a subscribe button somewhere nearby.