The Fantastically Weird World of Photosynthetic Sea Slugs | Michael Middlebrooks | TED

Meet the fantastically colorful and astonishingly adaptable sea slugs that found a way to photosynthesize (or create energy from sunlight) like plants. Diving deep into these often overlooked creatures, invertebrate zoologist Michael Middlebrooks introduces the solar-powered slugs that lost their shells -- but gained the ability to directly harness the power of the sun.
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• The Fantastically Weir...
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[@sohovulture87]

Fascinating and a great presentation. Always gives me a buzz seeing someone who is so obviously excited by their field.

[@pietajunior3437]

It's a wonderful thing when a person is so nerdy about a very specific subject. This means that they love it with all their heart, and this guy certainly does so!

[@bottomlessinkwell]

Perfect random interesting science topic! I love it anytime animals are photosynthesizing which I imagine isn’t all that often. Unless there’s something about my skin I don’t know about.

[@odis.x]

Vitamin d3?

[@chuckybang]

When we eat leafy greens, the chlorophyll in our bodies reacts with sunlight to produce CoQ10. Not exactly photosynthesis but cool nonetheless.

[@JBplumbing12]

@@odis.x I wonder if genetically engineered photosynthesis might be possible to apply to humans. If so, then it might reduce our need for food although it may also mean we would need to be green.

[@vapormissile]

​@@JBplumbing12 indeed, and Kermit taught us that it ain't easy bein green.

[@alvaronavarro4895]

​@@odis.x Light just activates the production of that vitamin, It stimulates the cells. But light doesn't take part in the chemical reactions that synthetize vitamin D like It does in plants to synthetize glucose

[@uumlaut-]

These are my favorite slugs, and animals in general! I'm currently writing my Batchelor on kleptoplasty and planing on doing something similar for my masters! Amazing talk

[@jeffreyreed6056]

This has been the area I have considered for my PhD. I have looked for and taken many dives in Anilao, Philappines, Indonesia and Thailand. The diversity is incredible and they are so beautiful. Thank you for a wonderful presentation.

[@KJensenStudio]

Nudibranchs are so lovely, they look like they'd make great glass sculptures. We had a pet snail named 'Ruffles' once, and Ruffles was an artist of sorts. He/she was mad for eating notebook paper, very particular about which notebook, and would then commence to create elaborate designs only on the glass walls of her house, using her own supply of post-processed papier mache'. A worthy Snail indeed.

[@miriamrosemary9110]

This was awesome!!! I've always liked watching garden snails and slugs, but this is on a whole other level. Absolutely gorgeous, and it really blurs the line between what separates plants from animals. Fascinating.

[@OfficialGOD]

Beautiful example of a fascinating evolutionary adaptation. Over time, natural selection has favored individuals with the ability to retain functional chloroplasts, as it provides them with an additional energy source.

[@Anonymous18531]

I live about three hours from Anilao and dive there every month or so. Our nudibranchs are a national treasure. They're like the Hot Wheels of the sea.

[@tylerreeves8026]

Wow I really like Michael's presentation style and his passion is infectious! What fascinating creatures!

[@harisewak1]

Now I also want to photosynthesize 🥺

[@gwang3103]

Same here. :(

That explains why aliens are hairless and green 😂

[@jessewilliams102]

I feel like people do photosynthesize but they believe so deeply that it’s not possible that they program their cells to be that way but any skill can be learned with determination and without the constant “this is not real” thoughts.

[@TRAMWAJAZ1]

Love those types of TED talks.

[@michelleveronica6097]

I'm always fascinated with marine invertebrates but didn't even think why some have blue color when it's so rare for land vertibrates.

[@invox9490]

A Ted with more questions than answers... Loved it.

[@sam81811]

Mindblowing animals, thank you for your research 🙌

[@sMVshortMusicVideos]

I did not know that was possible. A new twist on life's adaptability.

[@M2164532]

Thanks for this video. Nice to know about such amazing animals. I hope in the future we can realize how they do it.

[@PoshMurder]

I usually have so much on my mind, I have to pause and rewind videos as I zone out... Yet with this one I was paying attention from beginning to end! Absolutely fascinating world indeed, and thank you for sharing your insight. I never thought I would have this sort of interest for invertebrates, yet you've really sparked curiosity within my mind. I can only imagine this effect on someone much younger than myself!

[@rottenmelodyss_]

I would absolutely love to hear more of this man's research!! i love sacoglossans and the weird things they are able to do, my favorite sea slugs!!

[@chir0pter]

The slugs must have gotten chlorophyll genes laterally transferred to them from the algae or from the chloroplast genome itself, which is kinda crazy. Since chloroplasts are themselves descended directly from bacteria (specifically different Cyanobacteria), this means the slugs acquired these genes from another Domain of life, literally billions of years after those two lineages diverged from a common ancestor!

[@newtagwhodis4535]

This piqued my curiosity the same way old computer oceanography “games”, basically visual encyclopedias for old computers (1999), from my town’s library helped me first explore the realm of aquatic diversity of life. This was amazing and I can’t wait to learn more about biology. It also fascinates me how they steal these superpowers!

[@mho...]

Fascinating! And the Fact that they figured out how to make Chlorophyll is astonishing!

[@BLOXKAFELLARECORDS]

This is amazing. What a wonderful world when you stop watching The News that's bad... and negative stuff... 😊 you really get to enjoy a magical wonderful world.

[@gwang3103]

Fascinating. Emerald sea slugs are such beautiful creatures! If only I can 'steal' all the chloroplasts from the vegetables I eat and 'implant' them in my body cells. I'll never have to worry about getting hungry anymore. All I'll have to do when there's no food is go under the sun and take off my shirt. :P

[@abhishekjha1996]

If human starts photosynthesis, there will be no shirt any more. People work to collect food. No food required, no need to work, no shirt production.😂

[@brynawaldman5790]

What a beautiful creature. I own the beauty of the photo pulled me into this clip.

[@jocelyndavalos1247]

I love sea slugs!! We have so much to learn about them. How exciting 🐌

[@brendenfullmer5573]

This is so fascinating! I love that there are people in society that can dedicate their lives to studying slugs.

[@avirichar4981]

i mean while the scifi implications are perhaps sciency fantasy more than anything with the rigorous potential to be questioned into actual problem-solvable reality, this does raise the interesting possibility for a really practical reason behind the idea that any ETs might most often be in the category of "little green men" ...if you can cut out most (to all) of the food chain entirely and go straight to living off of starlight, space travel itself becomes an entirely different animal

[@homo-sapiens-dubium]

I love your passion for slugs, its amazing to think that animals started synthesizing clorophyl!

[@patrickm100]

I need a part 2 and part 3 and 4 ASAP!

[@jo-zzz333]

I hope Middlebrooks writes a book someday! Kleptoplasty is fascinating, and I would love to learn more about these weird little guys.

[@mrslukeskywalker]

This is wild!! What an incredible thing to discover!

[@margaretmurphy9498]

Thanks for such an interesting topic. I enjoyed learning something I had no idea sxisted

[@centurionstrengthandfitnes3694]

Wow! This is exactly what I want from a TED talk. Far future humanity may, in fact, be green.

[@kisnpisn4919]

one of the most captivating animals i‘ve encountered in the wild.

[@TheBillNye]

Imagine if we fully understood kleptoplasty and could use that mechanism to power solar panels. We could have biological solar panels

[@susanjane4784]

I wandered down a slug hole just like Alice chasing her rabbit and ended up looking at sea cucumbers. All these beasties are wild and wonderful.

[@Minimaos1]

It's just so cool and interesting for me. I love this unraveled world makes me itch for more.

[@AKennethNolan]

Sea slugs have always been my favorite animal. Thanks for the fascinating talk!

[@snailhawk]

Good to see someone promoting molluscs for a change! They are really the most amazing creatures but so often overlooked. 🐌

[@chaotiqueneutreFitzMuad]

Son petit sourire en coin en dit long sur sa passion. 😊

[@SebEyes]

Very interesting ! I won't see Sea slugs the same now...

[@aguimoroni6434]

The best tedTalk I have heard so far. Very interesting!!

[@IO-zz2xy]

A wonderful presentation on a facinating topic, thank you sir. Regards from South Africa

[@amyc.513]

This couldn't be cooler. What an awesome guy and presentation!

[@vasanthr5623]

Absolutely fascinating!

[@fbouret]

I didn’t know there were so many kinds of slugs and so pretty! Now I want to explore them! So cool!

[@annekedam6846]

Thoses slugs are beautyfull! A very interresting video. I can understand your passion. Great presentation

[@KathyM1612]

Fantastic presentation! You've indeed left me curious about sea slugs now

[@AkumaQiu]

I had no idea TED was still a thing. wild

[@gabrielcampos6890]

I got that "crazy rabbit hole, lets go" feeling when i watched this

[@gabrielgonzalez1993]

Love love loved your presentation

[@Vbluevital]

Fascinating and beautiful! Thank You

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Thanks so much

[@ThingsYouMightLike]

This guy is the long haired doppelgänger of someone I know. I couldn't say who that person is. But I'm sure I know someone who this guy is the long haired doppelgänger of.

[@bautiman]

Dude Me too!

[@adhipmitra]

Excellent talk

[@rvgr12]

He lit up when he started to talk about those slugs! 😃

[@jjutt87]

So I guess Kirby was a slug who lost its shell?! Phenomenal work and study!

[@cerarobert1989]

Wonderful explanation.

[@AlexAnom420]

this guy's got me nerding out as hard as him talking about sea slugs...👍😆

[@deekay1310]

I love when people are passionate and knowledgeable about what they do

[@Rabselproduction]

Amazing!!!

[@noticedbymany3955]

This is a crazy advancement in science could we apply this to human cells? Could you imagine a world wheee people only need to stand in the sun for a while a day like a plant to feed?

[@Lulab3ll3]

Honestly I can’t even begin to imagine all the things we have yet to discover…… just at our fingertips. What’s going to be the next ground breaking, world changing discovery?

[@louisroth5941]

The information in this video made me so upset i could cry even though it IS my birthday today

[@Phoenix-np1iu]

back to my childhood obsession with sea slugs

[@Fochit8611]

I knew this is how corals got their energy but I had no clue sea slugs were also capable of doing so as well

[@MrSoiigaspi]

AMAZING RESEARCH! thank you

[@lucianamunhoz9818]

Really amazing !

[@taleandclawrock2606]

Beautiful creatures, how cool for animals to photosynthesise.

[@snehabhat4876]

Very interesting discussion. Slugs are pretty cool, who knew.

[@timbenders6989]

Fantastically fascinating!

[@FukutenshiYoufan]

The concept of a species stealing other species' skills (genes, cells) is mindblowing. 😍

[@presenceof]

They're pretty beautiful creatures. Wow.😮

[@velvetine74]

People who don't realise what their looking at here need to understand this process could one day encourage thinking or development of processes and technologies that could end world hunger or energy problems. It could even be used to colonise and terraform other worlds.

[@whirledpeas1182]

This guy's interest in slugs far exceeds my interest in life

[@Randyjj92]

Very fascinating

[@isaak8145]

solid ted talk

[@michasosnowski5918]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[@andreasreiser1069]

This was a very interesting talk. I wouldn't be surprised if these hybrids of plants and animals were going to evolve into the next dominating species on this planet. 😊

[@iamyers02]

Awesome!

[@marcmarc172]

I can't believe this bright zoologist talked for 12 minutes with his right ear folded. I could never do that! oh yeah good talk.

[@martensamulowitz347]

very nice presentation!

[@graciliraptor3990]

It really is exciting!!!

[@navypinkdesign]

Grass/Water type Pokémon are awesome

[@Neobiology]

Photosynthetic Associations in Kingdom Animalia 1. Elysia chlorotica (Eastern Emerald Elysia) Type: Sea slug (mollusk) Photosynthetic Mechanism: Elysia chlorotica incorporates chloroplasts from the algae it consumes, a process called kleptoplasty. These chloroplasts remain functional within the slug's cells and enable it to perform photosynthesis for a period. 2. Tridacna (Giant Clams) Type: Mollusk (bivalve) Photosynthetic Mechanism: Giant clams house symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) within their tissues. The algae perform photosynthesis, providing nutrients to the clams, while the clams offer the algae a safe environment and access to sunlight. 3. Cassiopea (Upside-Down Jellyfish) Type: Cnidarian Photosynthetic Mechanism: Contains symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) in its tissues. The algae perform photosynthesis, supplying the jellyfish with nutrients. 4. Coral Reefs (Various coral species) Type: Cnidarians (polyps) Photosynthetic Mechanism: Corals maintain symbiotic relationships with photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae. The algae perform photosynthesis, providing nutrients for the coral, which, in turn, gives the algae a protected habitat. 5. Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) Type: Amphibian Photosynthetic Mechanism: This salamander has a symbiotic relationship with green algae (Oophila amblystomatis) within its egg capsules. The algae perform photosynthesis, increasing oxygen availability for the developing salamander embryos.

[@MarkDoyleLuthierCat]

RESPECT!

[@sslaia]

When the scientists uncover the secret mechanism of those slugs, that would be a step to divinity. People can just incorporate chlorophyl like the slug and get their energy directly from the abundance of sunshine in a warming planet.

[@Φλωρος-Θωμασου-Ξ5Ξ]

when an ordinary person ask a scientist "why you do that", that's rather simple: for the science! we never know which research will bring the new breakthroughs, so all of them are important.

[@travisross9913]

Go you slug guy!

[@etothejtheta]

More of this. Just a nerd, sharing what they nerd about.

[@matthijsmeester293]

So interesting

[@frogchair]

My special interest 💚

[@avameza8028]

this is incredible, new creature to look into! I always knew slugs were amazing creatures

[@SwedenTomasSmile]

Interesting!

[@katrinamccollough2944]

"Why do I study slugs?" You forgot to mention how FREAKING CUTE nudibranchs are. Just lookit their little non-faces

[@karen5670]

"You are what you eat" 🐌

[@alexandermoody1946]

Nudibranchs may be some of the prettiest animals on our planet.

[@StonedtotheBones13]

... I knew Stephen Hillenburg was surprisingly accurate with Spongebob. Turns out "photosynthesis... Photosynthesis..." Was accurate too

[@the.mr.beacher]

"Mannaged to keep some of them" 😂