The Microbial Basis of Life

[@genier7829]

This was a very interesting summary, I look forward to catching up with the other episodes. I studied paleontology and evolution about 35 years ago, and we knew a lot of this but the progress is impressive.

[@fchimself]

Brilliant, engaging, playfully teaching. Loved it all

[@GreshamCollege]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aaaaaa-qn8ol]

Excellent. Looking forward to the next episode.

[@nicholasayres3265]

May I suggest an alternative to the "eating events". It seems reasonable that the archaea and bacteria originally formed an exo-symbiotic relationship and evolutionary pressure meant that staying together was vitally important and so evolved a mechanism to do so.

[@jhb1493]

Excellent lecture full of valuable information, amusingly presented.

[@spacelemur7955]

Hmmmm. A very slow start covering very basic stuff those interested in the topic surely know. But by the halfway point, he hits his stride and it becomes quite interesting. I have now seen videos 2 and 3, and each is engaging. These are more than just a review of microbes, but an intro into new ways to apply what evolution as done in the microorganism world, and how we are on the verge of developing new technologies to make use of it. I am eagerly looking forward to the remaining three lectures.

[@agxryt]

Basic stuff is important for those who don't know this topic. These are free lectures - public outrage - in an area when anti-intellectualism is increasing, and enlightenment values are fading.

[@tombouie]

Thks

[@katarinavidakovic4718]

Beutiful lecture as always enjoy it every minute of it

[@sentientflower7891]

The simplest cell can afford to operate with only 580,000 DNA nucleobases only because it lives in an environment which provides essentially everything it needs whereas the first cell would have had to manufacture all of its own components and therefore would need much more DNA.

[@heatherheadley1704]

Isn't science amazing? As much as we discover the best scientific principles in biology, chemistry ⚗️ physics, geology anthropology etc. We see scientific creation which no species ever created. Divine Creation and its scientific reality ✨️ how beautiful.

[@freeheeler09]

“Divine creation?” Whish mythology are you trying to sell us? I’m partial to the Hopi creation myth myself!

[@agxryt]

I think there's room for "divine creation" - as long as it is in line with the reality of science, and doesn't adhere to the nonsense written by ignorant desert men Millenia ago. Personally, I think the idea of an entity sparking the big bang possible. 7000 year old creation, by an omniscient, present god, who is, despite having no chromosomes, certainly male (for some totally non-misogynistic reason)... Now that's a bunch of horseshit. I wish there was a church for people to believe in a higher power, without arrogantly presuming they understand it's desires, wishes or nature. Because all of that shit is made up by man.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

If I were present in the lecture I would have asked: In the Earth's first mass extinction, caused by oxygen, were the species all microbial? I was aware that free oxygen killed most living things when it appeared, but had poor context. I imagined the things killed by oxygen would be things I could see, and if I was Doctor Who I would see living things if I got the date right.

[@sentientflower7891]

No, the Earth was entirely microbial at that time and for long afterwards.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

@@sentientflower7891 Thanks for answering. Is there a fossil record of the mass extinction? Are there any internet sources for the event, do you know?

[@sentientflower7891]

@@glynwelshkarelian3489 it is the first mass extinction event and there are entire lectures dedicated to it, along with books and articles and all sorts of scholarly articles.

[@Tacit_Tern]

Mushrooms are also an integral part of a healthy biome. I love shrooms.

[@davemojarra2666]

Ikr. Great on pizza.I😂