The wonderful world of life in a drop of water | Tom Zimmerman and Simone Bianco

Summary

Tom Zimmerman and Simone Bianco introduce us to 'Elders,' the microscopic plankton that produce two-thirds of our oxygen. They share alarming findings of a 40% decline in global phytoplankton due to climate change since 1950, affecting fish populations and human food sources. Using Zimmerman's 3D microscope, they reveal the intricate world of plankton, urging a shift to renewable energy to save these vital creatures and secure our future.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Plankton, referred to as the 'Elders', are ancient creatures that significantly increased the Earth's oxygen levels half a billion years ago, contributing to the explosion of life forms.
• 🔬 Tom Zimmerman and Simone Bianco, a physicist and an inventor, collaborated to study plankton using Zimmerman's 3D microscope, which could measure plankton movement in 3D.
• 🌍 The global phytoplankton population has decreased by up to 40% between 1950 and 2010 due to climate change, which affects the oxygen they produce and the food chain.
• 🐟 The decline in plankton threatens the fish populations that over a billion people rely on for their primary source of animal protein.
• 🌳 Plankton's ancestors' bodies form a significant part of the carbon resources we use today, and current plankton help clean carbon from the air.
• 🌡️ The increase in Earth's surface temperature by one degree Celsius since 1950 has had a substantial impact on plankton, which are sensitive to such changes.
• 🌐 The speakers argue that our large carbon footprint is harming the very organisms that sustain us, and the loss of plankton could lead to asphyxiation or starvation.
• 👀 The script suggests that the invisibility of plankton makes it hard for people to care about them, drawing a parallel to 'The Little Prince' quote about the essential being invisible.
• 🤿 Zimmerman's invention allows for a virtual 'scuba diving' experience with plankton, aiming to raise awareness about their importance by showing their world up close.
• ☀️ The speakers advocate for a shift to renewable energy from the sun to create a sustainable future, beneficial for both plankton and humans.

Q & A

Why are plankton referred to as 'Elders' in the script?

Plankton are called 'Elders' because they played a crucial role in the past by tripling the amount of oxygen in the air half a billion years ago, which led to an explosion of life forms, including humans.

What was the problem Simone was trying to solve with the help of Tom's 3D microscope?

Simone needed a way to measure the movement of plankton in 3D quickly enough to mathematically model their sensing and behavior.

How does the decrease in plankton population affect the oxygen supply and food chain?

Plankton generate two-thirds of our oxygen using the sun. A decrease in their population, as much as 40 percent between 1950 and 2010 due to climate change, could lead to less oxygen and also starve the fish that eat them, affecting the food source for about a billion people who depend on fish as their primary source of animal protein.

What is the significance of plankton's ancestors' bodies in relation to today's carbon consumption?

The bodies of plankton's ancestors make up a lot of the carbon we burn today in the form of fossil fuels, which is ironic since current plankton help clean carbon from the air.

Why do the speakers believe that people are not taking action to protect plankton?

The speakers theorize that people are not taking action because plankton are tiny and it's hard to care about something you cannot see.

How does Tom Zimmerman's invention allow for the exploration of the microscopic world?

Tom Zimmerman's invention uses an image sensor, a tray of plankton water, an LED light, and an XY plotter to track plankton movements. It also includes a tilt sensor on a helmet to control the microscope with head movements, allowing users to explore the microscopic world.

What is the role of rotifers in the water ecosystem as described in the script?

Rotifers are described as the garbage collectors of our waters. They break down organic matter, allowing it to be reclaimed by the environment.

What unique characteristic does the Stentor, a type of plankton, have?

The Stentor is unique because it is a single-celled organism that can sense and react to its environment, swimming forward when happy and backward to avoid toxic chemicals.

How are algae, a type of plankton, contributing to the oxygen in the air?

Algae convert solar light and carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis, which fills our lungs.

What is the connection between ancient plants and plankton mentioned in the script?

About a billion years ago, ancient plants got their photosynthesis capability by incorporating tiny plankton into their cells, similar to how we use solar panels for energy.

What are the three greatest concerns of people globally according to the script, and how does the shift to renewable energy address these?

The three greatest concerns are jobs, violence, and health. Renewable energy can create jobs, reduce violence by decentralizing energy sources, and improve health by reducing pollution from fossil fuels.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Importance of Plankton

Tom Zimmerman introduces the audience to the 'Elders,' a term used to describe plankton due to their role in increasing the Earth's oxygen levels half a billion years ago, which led to the explosion of life forms. He, an inventor, and Simone, a physicist, collaborate to study plankton using a 3D microscope. They reveal the alarming decline in global phytoplankton populations due to climate change, which has decreased by as much as 40% between 1950 and 2010. This decline not only affects oxygen production but also the food chain, as a billion people rely on fish that feed on plankton. The irony is highlighted that plankton ancestors' bodies contribute to the carbon we burn today, while current plankton clean the carbon from the air but are overwhelmed by our carbon emissions.

05:02

🔬 Scuba Diving with Plankton

Tom Zimmerman and Simone Bianco demonstrate a unique invention that allows virtual 'scuba diving' with plankton, showcasing the microscopic world. The device uses an image sensor, plankton water, and an LED light to cast shadows of plankton, which are then tracked by an XY plotter. A tilt sensor on a helmet allows for navigation, enabling viewers to explore the world of plankton in real-time. They introduce various plankton species, such as rotifers, which act as water's garbage collectors, and Stentor, single-celled organisms capable of sensing and reacting to their environment. Algae are highlighted as primary oxygen producers. The speakers emphasize the vital role of plankton in our ecosystem and the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions to protect them.

10:04

🌞 Transitioning to Renewable Energy

The speakers conclude by emphasizing the need to act on global warming, which has been understood for over a century. They advocate for a shift from fossil fuels to renewable solar energy, which would benefit both the environment and society by addressing concerns of jobs, violence, and health. The analogy is made that fossil fuels are akin to a global cigarette, with coal being the unfiltered version, and the best time to quit is now. The audience is encouraged to use their reasoning to protect the 'Elders,' the plankton, and harness solar energy for a sustainable future.

Keywords

💡Elders

In the context of the video, 'Elders' is a term used metaphorically to refer to plankton. The explanation of 'Elders' highlights their ancient existence and crucial role in increasing the oxygen levels on Earth half a billion years ago, which led to the explosion of life forms, including humans. The term is used to emphasize the importance and the foundational position of plankton in the history of life on Earth.

💡Plankton

Plankton are microscopic organisms that float in the ocean and are a fundamental part of marine ecosystems. The video emphasizes their role in generating a significant portion of the Earth's oxygen and serving as the base of the marine food chain. The script uses the term to draw attention to the environmental threats facing plankton, which in turn affects the entire planet.

💡3D Microscope

A 3D microscope, as mentioned in the script, is an invention that allows for the observation of plankton movement in three dimensions. This technology is crucial for the study of plankton behavior and their sensing mechanisms. The script uses the 3D microscope as a plot device to demonstrate the collaboration between science and technology in understanding and preserving plankton.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is a central theme in the video, discussed in relation to its impact on plankton populations. The script cites indirect measurements showing a decrease in global phytoplankton populations due to rising temperatures, which is a direct consequence of increased carbon dioxide levels. The term is used to illustrate the interconnectedness of human activities and the health of marine ecosystems.

💡Oxygen Generation

Oxygen generation is a process highlighted in the video, where plankton, through photosynthesis, produce oxygen using sunlight. The script emphasizes that plankton are responsible for generating two-thirds of the Earth's oxygen, making them indispensable for life as we know it. This term is used to underscore the critical role of plankton in sustaining life on Earth.

💡Carbon Footprint

The term 'carbon footprint' refers to the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions caused by human activities. In the video, it is discussed in the context of the negative impact of these emissions on the environment, particularly on plankton. The script uses this term to highlight the urgency of reducing our carbon emissions to protect the delicate balance of ecosystems.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is presented in the video as a solution to the problem of carbon emissions and climate change. The script advocates for a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, such as solar power, to create a more sustainable future. This term is used to encourage viewers to consider alternative energy sources that can help preserve the environment and support life.

💡Stentor

Stentor is a type of plankton mentioned in the script, described as 'ice-cream-cone-shaped' and remarkable for being a single-celled organism capable of complex behaviors. The video uses Stentor as an example to demonstrate the diversity and adaptability of plankton, and also mentions its potential use in sensing contamination in food and water.

💡Algae

Algae are another type of plankton discussed in the video, noted for their role in photosynthesis and oxygen production. The script uses algae to illustrate the vital contribution of plankton to the oxygen in our atmosphere, emphasizing that 'we all got algae breath,' which is a poetic way of saying that our very breath is dependent on these microscopic organisms.

💡Sustainable Future

A sustainable future is a concept discussed in the video as a goal to strive for in order to protect the environment and its inhabitants, including plankton. The script suggests that by adopting renewable energy sources and reducing our carbon footprint, we can create a more sustainable and secure future for both humans and the planet.

💡Global Warming

Global warming is a key concept in the video, referring to the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases. The script uses global warming to explain the threats facing plankton and the broader implications for the planet's ecosystems and human society.

Highlights

Plankton tripled the amount of oxygen in the air half a billion years ago, leading to an explosion of life.

Tom Zimmerman is an inventor who created a 3D microscope.

Simone Bianco, a physicist, recognized the potential of the 3D microscope to measure plankton movement.

Plankton generate two-thirds of our oxygen using the sun, emphasizing their importance to life.

Global phytoplankton population may have decreased by as much as 40 percent between 1950 and 2010 due to climate change.

The decrease in plankton is starving the fish that billions of people rely on for their primary source of animal protein.

Plankton's ancestors' bodies make up a lot of the carbon we burn today, creating an ironic cycle.

Plankton clean carbon out of the air but struggle to keep up with the amount we emit.

Our carbon footprint is harming the very creatures that sustain us.

Plankton are tiny and hard to care about, which may be why we aren't doing enough to protect them.

The quote from 'The Little Prince' is used to illustrate the invisibility of what is essential.

Zimmerman's invention allows us to 'scuba dive' with plankton by shrinking us 1000 times in scale.

The machine Zimmerman invented uses a light and image sensor to cast shadows of plankton for observation.

Plankton's vital role in producing oxygen and the food chain is emphasized through the presentation.

Rotifers, a type of plankton, are described as the garbage collectors of our waters, breaking down organic matter.

Stentor, a single-celled plankton, is used to sense contamination in food and water.

Algae, another type of plankton, are the primary source of oxygen in the air.

Ancient plants got their photosynthesis capability by incorporating tiny plankton into their cells, similar to solar panels.

Zimmerman calls for a shift to renewable energy from the Sun for a more sustainable future.

The three greatest global concerns—jobs, violence, and health—are all connected to our reliance on fossil fuels.

Zimmerman encourages using our neocortex to save the Elders and harness solar energy.

Transcripts

Tom Zimmerman: We'd like to take you on a fantastic journey

to visit the creatures we call the Elders.

We call them the Elders because a half a billion years ago

they tripled the amount of oxygen in the air,

which led to an explosion of life,

which led to all of us.

We call them the Elders, but you probably know them as plankton.

(Laughter)

Now, Simone is a physicist, and I'm an inventor.

A couple of years ago,

I was giving a talk about an invention I made --

it was a 3D microscope.

And Simone was in the audience.

He realized that my microscope could solve a big problem he was having.

Which was, how to measure the movement of plankton in 3D fast enough

so he could mathematically model their sensing and behavior.

And I frankly needed an application for my microscope, so ...

(Laughter)

It was like peanut butter meets chocolate.

(Laughter)

So we started working together, studying these amazing creatures.

And then we were alarmed to discover something.

And that's why we're here today.

And I just want to do something with you.

Now, please, just hold your breath for a second.

Yes, literally hold your breath.

This is the world without plankton.

You see, plankton generate two-thirds of our oxygen using the sun.

OK, now you can breathe, because they're still here.

For now.

Simone Bianco: As many of you know,

since 1950, the average surface temperature of the earth

has increased by one degree Centigrade

due to all the carbon dioxide we are pumping into the air.

Now, while this temperature increase may not seem like a big deal to us,

it is to plankton.

Indirect measurements have shown that the global phytoplankton population

may have decreased by as much as 40 percent between 1950 and 2010

because of climate change.

And you see, this is a problem

also because it's starving the fish that eat them.

And about a billion people around the world

depend on fish as their primary source of protein from animals.

So you see, this isn't just about breathing.

No plankton means no fish.

And that is a lot of food we will need to replace.

There's something else that is interesting.

The bodies of plankton's ancestors

actually make up a for lot of the carbon we burn today.

Which is kind of ironic, if you ask me.

Because the plankton that are here today clean that carbon out of the air.

But you see, they don't really hold a grudge.

(Laughter)

The problem is they cannot keep up

with the tremendous amount of carbon we are dumping into the air.

So what does all of this mean?

Well, it means that our big carbon footprint

is crushing the very creatures that sustain us.

And yes, like Tom said,

killing almost half of the creatures that allow us to breathe

is a really big deal.

So you're probably asking yourself:

Why aren't we doing something about it?

Our theory is that plankton are tiny,

and it's really, really hard to care about something you cannot see.

You see, there's a quote I really like in "The Little Prince" that goes,

"What is essential is invisible to the eye."

We really believe that if more people could come

face to ... cilia with plankton,

there is a greater chance we could all rally together

and save these creatures

that are so important to life on our planet.

TZ: Exactly, Simone.

So to do this,

we're going to bring you scuba diving with plankton.

But I just need to shrink you by a factor of 1000,

to a scale where the diameter of a human hair is as big as my hand.

And I happen to have invented a machine to do just that.

SB: Anyone here remember "Fantastic Voyage"

or "Innerspace?"

Yeah, yeah.

Martin Short is one of my all-time favorite actors.

And now this -- this is just like that.

TZ: Indeed, yes.

When I was a boy, I saw "Fantastic Voyage,"

and I really loved how I could travel through the bloodstream

and see biology work on a cellular level.

I've always been inspired by science fiction.

As an inventor, I try and turn fantasy into reality.

And I once invented this glove

which let me travel and help people like you explore the virtual world.

So now I've invented this machine

to let us explore the microscopic world.

It's not virtual, it's real.

Just really, really tiny.

It's based on the microscope that got Simone's attention.

So, here's how it works.

I have an image sensor

like the kind in your cell phone, behind the lens.

And then I have a little tray of plankton water

like you might find from a river

or my fish tank, which I never change the water on.

(Laughter)

Because I love plankton.

(Laughter)

And underneath I have a light, an LED,

which is going to cast shadows of the plankton on the image sensor.

And now this silver thing is an XY plotter,

so I can move the image sensor to follow the plankton as they swim.

Now comes the fantasy part.

(Laughter)

I put a tilt sensor on this helmet

so I can control the microscope with my head.

And now let's look at the video from this image sensor.

These are all plankton.

This is in that little tray,

and with my head, I can move the microscope.

So now we're ready to go scuba diving with plankton.

My head will be the navigator,

and Simone will be our tour guide.

SB: Yes.

(Laughter)

So welcome all to the wonderful world of life in a drop of water.

Actually, as you can see,

with this instrument, we are not at all limited to a single drop.

Alright, let's find something.

The little creatures you see in the center of your screen,

they are called rotifer.

They are the garbage collectors of our waters.

They break down organic matter

and allow it to be reclaimed by the environment.

Now, you know, nature is an amazing recycler.

Structures are continuously built, they are decomposed and recycled,

and all of that is powered by solar energy.

But just think.

Think about what will happen if, you know, our garbage collectors

didn't come anymore, if they disappeared.

Something else? Let's look for something else.

Oh, look at that.

You see the big ice-cream-cone-shaped things?

Those are called Stentor, those are amazing creatures.

You know, they are big, but they are a single cell.

You remember the rotifer we just met?

That's about half a millimeter, it's about 1,000 cells --

it's typically 15 for the brain, 15 for the stomach

and you know, about the same for reproduction,

which is kind of the right mix, if you ask me.

(Laughter)

But ... right?

TZ: I agree.

SB: But a Stentor is only a single cell.

And it's able to sense and react to its environment.

You see, it will swim forward when it's happy;

it will swim backward when it's trying to get away from something

like, you know, a toxic chemical.

With our friends in the Center for Cellular Construction

and the help of the National Science Foundation,

we are using Stentor to sense the presence of contamination in food and water,

which I think is really cool.

Alright, last one.

So the dots that you see there that are, let's say, behind everything,

they're algae.

They are the creatures that provide the majority of oxygen in the air.

They convert solar light and carbon dioxide

into the oxygen that is filling your lungs right now.

So you see, we all got algae breath.

TZ: (Exhales)

SB: Yay! (Laughter)

You know, there's something interesting.

About a billion years ago, ancient plants got their photosynthesis capability

by incorporating tiny, tiny plankton into their cells.

That's exactly like us putting solar panels on top of our roofs.

So you see, the microscopic world is even more amazing than science fiction.

TZ: Oh, indeed.

So now you've seen how vital plankton are to our lives

and how much we need them.

If we kill the plankton, we will die

of asphyxiation or starvation, take your pick.

Oh, yes, I know it's sad, yes.

(Laughter)

In the game of plankton, you win or you die.

(Laughter)

Now, what amazes me is, we have known about global warming

for over a century.

Ever since the Swedish scientist, Arrhenius,

calculated the effect of burning fossil fuel

on the earth's temperature.

We've known about this for a long time, but it's not too late if we act now.

Yes, yes, I know, I know, our world is based on fossil fuels,

but we can adjust our society to run on renewable energy from the Sun

to create a more sustainable and secure future.

That's good for the little creatures here, the plankton,

and that good for us -- here's why.

The three greatest concerns of people all around the globe

typically are jobs, violence and health.

A job means food and shelter.

Look at these creatures, they're swimming around,

they're looking for a place to eat and reproduce.

If a single cell is programmed to do that,

it's no surprise that 30 trillion cells have the same agenda.

Violence.

Dependence on fossil fuels makes a country vulnerable.

Which leads to conflicts all around the oil resources.

Solar energy, on the other hand, is distributed around the whole globe,

and no one can blockade the sun.

(Laughter)

And then, finally, health.

Fossil fuels are like a global cigarette.

And in my opinion, coal is like an unfiltered type.

Now, just like smoking, the best time to quit is when?

Audience: Now.

TZ: Now! Not when you get lung cancer.

Now I know if you look around, some people may abandon facts and reason.

Only until suffering --

(Laughter)

Yes, they will abandon facts and reason.

But suffering will eventually and inevitably force change.

But let's instead use our neocortex, our new brain,

to save the Elders, some of the oldest creatures on the earth.

And let's apply science to harness the energy

that has fueled the Elders for millions of years --

the sun.

Thank you.

(Applause)