The Microscopic Circle of Life

Life is chemistry. From diatom to Diana, life is not a magical imbued trait, is a process of the physics of our universe. The precise and convoluted chemistry of life requires specific physical and chemical situations. And this planet has a dizzying variety of such circumstances that, over millions or even billions of years, living chemical systems have evolved to thrive in.
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Instagram: / jam_and_germs
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Hosted by Hank Green:
Twitter: / hankgreen
KZbin: / vlogbrothers
Music by Andrew Huang:
/ andrewhuang
This video features the track "Spirula" by Andrew Huang, which you can find for sale at www.andrewhuang.bandcamp.com
Journey to the Microcosmos is a Complexly production.
Find out more at www.complexly.com
Sources:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...
www.pbs.org/newshour/science/...
psycnet.apa.org/record/1926-0...
jcs.biologists.org/content/s3...
www.nature.com/scitable/conte...
oceanservice.noaa.gov/educati...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
jcs.biologists.org/content/s2...
books.google.com/books?id=K2Y...
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...
pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9c34...
www.plantphysiol.org/content/6...
discovermagazine.com/2000/dec/...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

[@JamsGerms]

I might be biased because I recorded it but that Oscillatoria clip is just amazing! 😂

[@massimookissed1023]

Keep up the good work, dude :)

[@thisnicklldo]

No, not bias - it is spell-binding. I'd like to understand more about exactly what is going on, but then if it wasn't spell-binding, I probably wouldn't want to know. It all has to start with the inspiration to learn.

[@Insan1tyW0lf]

I've never recorded (or even previously seen) Oscillatoria, but that clip really is amazing. 😁

[@claytonpaisley9721]

I love your work

[@guy3nder529]

they almost look like futuristic space machines, only they are microscopic life forms.

[@imanuelbaca2468]

This is why KZbin is so good. We can have channels like this that are on the level of professional tv and highly educational with far less ads and more direct support for content creators!

[@barbarahouk1983]

Unless they offer a political opinion anti traditional media (no matter how verifiable the information is) . KZbin is run by leftists and things they don’t like is being thrown off. This censorship must end!

[@sophiaglass2000]

@@barbarahouk1983 Even leftists are effected. Even simply mentioning certain words can get you demonitized. I don't agree with how youtube handles these issues, but in a way I understand (can't scare away them advertisers). Even so they have the right to manage their platform how they like. I don't like it but it's how things are here... I hope there is a rise in more egalitarian and considerate content platforms than KZbin. Despite all this I agree with the original comment, KZbin certainly allows for far more creativity and free expression than traditional media distribution methods (such as cable TV).

[@Nutcrackercs]

@@barbarahouk1983 I agree with youtube that we should eliminate chauvinism, racism, fascism and harmful behaviors, but hate it for variety different reasons.

[@PaulPaulPaulson]

The main advantage of KZbin vs TV: Availability. If this was on TV in the US, I wouldn't even be able to see it. Maybe it would get to my country years later. With a new localized voiceover and no way to switch to the original. Maybe it wouldn't be available at all, if those people responsible for TV decide that other content would be better at making their dumb target audience watch their ads. And I would have to watch this at a specific single point in time or miss it.

[@Szolrykor]

@@Nutcrackercs Your aversion to dealing with things you don't like is a harmful behavior.

[@vlogbrothers]

Best I've ever felt about death. -John

[@sarah3796]

Haha! 😆

[@spacemanspiff2137]

You’re the bob ross of microbiology

[@deadleaves58]

+++++++++

[@rotifer]

*Welcome to my realm, mortal humans.*

[@bagochips1208]

Hank better pin this comment!

[@Jack-vo7yf]

Silence wheel bearer

[@LegoClone17]

*hydra has entered the chat*

[@underthecanopy1093]

😂😂

[@eypick6987]

Oh shit Rotifer is here! Scatter!!!

[@TheRogueWolf]

I know tardigrades are practically the series mascot, but that Turbellarian at 6:14 is almost ridiculously adorable.

[@pixazelz]

It's face : > .

[@wiwaxiasilver827]

Looks straight out of an adorable children’s picture book ^^

[@matthewstewart5566]

This whole channel is so poetic and beautiful. Singlehandedly made me interested in microbiology

[@RobertMilesAI]

Huh, I came to the comments expecting to find a bunch of people who think they understand entropy better than they really do trying to argue with you about the relationship between life, energy, and randomness. But no! This channel has a pretty chill community :)

[@djaries2]

Robert Miles , something from nothing.

[@djaries2]

razgriz, lol 😂

[@skwozies3083]

But the Universe couldn't have made evolution happen from nothing because the beginning of life would decrease entropy. Since I don't understand how that would work it clearly is my super specific God who made everything by speaking magic universe creating words. (Sarcasm intended)

[@TankEpidemic]

No matter if I look up or down, I always end up feeling so small.

[@Calliopa_22]

Would you mind if I steal this quote? xD

[@patstaysuckafreeboss8006]

Sounds like a quote from an emo teenage bitch

[@user-zm8vl4ts7r]

@@patstaysuckafreeboss8006 you sound like a really pleasant person

[@patstaysuckafreeboss8006]

@@user-zm8vl4ts7r Well I'm not so stop being a dick

[@G4m3G3ni3]

@@patstaysuckafreeboss8006 edgy

[@ultimateo621]

The narration was especially excellent on this one.

[@mixiekins]

It's like Alan Watts did an audiobook for biology class 😍

[@Nekonymous]

I was just thinking the same as i watched the episode.

[@commenter3287]

I literally came to the comments to say the opposite. I enjoy these videos, but the narration was terrible on this one. The narration on all the others was an interesting commentary on what was happening. The narration on this one began with the stuff about the uniqueness of life being an error when it is actually just chemistry (what a stupid contrast to draw, and DNA is pretty unique. Nothing like it exists anywhere outside of life). Then we get to the stupid stuff about "you will probably be surprised to find out that it is sugar" which made me come down to comment. We are not 3 minutes in yet, but if the narration continues to be this stupid I will have to start watching these videos with the sound muted.

[@Lyle-xc9pg]

Commenter, alas! Finally a smart person

[@StephenGillie]

He's gotta beef up the meagre script with heavy ASMR to get past KZbin's bonus monetization runtime.

[@deltahunter2674]

Let me tell you- watching any of these episodes on 720p is a hell of fucking trip

[@anotherplatypus]

Sometimes I wonder if a personal hero would've liked something created after they passed away. [Ex. would Disney have liked the movie Frozen?] But sometimes nobody has to wonder, like with this series it's obvious: Carl Sagan would've loved it. Greet work guys. = )

[@saturnsounds8063]

twitter.com/hankgreen/status/1184170376743411712 :)

[@devinward461]

Agreed, this is absolutely Sagan's style of content. Easily one of my favorite KZbin series that I've ever seen, and I've seen a probably unhealthy amount of KZbin.

[@anotherplatypus]

​@@saturnsounds8063 Thank you, and omg I can understand why he felt that way, because I got choked up writing that comment every time I thought about Sagan watching Hank's show and realizing it's exactly what he would've wanted.. 😂

[@agustinvenegas5238]

I wonder how Darwin would have felt about this

[@1MSally1965]

Walt would be turning over in his grave at the cesspool of filth that Disney has turned into with child grooming, pedophilia and satanic movies created under his name.

[@raduantoniu]

Unbelievable content for KZbin! Some of the best work I've ever seen. I'm thoroughly enjoying every video of yours

[@AGDinCA]

Beautiful way of conveying the importance of the food chain, from a microscopic perspective.

[@fartzinwind]

One of my favorite examples of chaos that you shouldn't feel so bad about fighting against is the tangled cable. There's many more ways for a cable to be tangled than untangled, and the math of the universe loves making tangled messes more than structure and well kept loops.

[@tsarmi9864]

This gave me so much comfort.

[@theunkillable1000]

*"They are still surviving on that stored energy originally flung out from* _two atoms_ *fusing in the core of the sun"* That really gives you prospective.

[@alveolate]

not to be pedantic _but_ .... that energy was technically expended in the first photosynthetic reaction that the photon participated in. 'stored' energy is just a chemical change in stability.

[@xKapnKrunch]

@@alveolate I dont get what your trying to say... So you think the energy came from some other place? Not matter how many reactions or chemical changes occur the point is the same.

[@Blucario90]

i think he was referring to the energy stored within the microrganisms, not something stored within the sun

[@clairebarrett97]

while we're at it shouldn't it be perspective and not prospective

[@theunkillable1000]

Claire Mika yes I think it should

[@sarahneu8349]

I feel like I just entered an intimate relationship with Hank Green.

[@user-ge8yn4ql4i]

Getting nourished by his words

[@projectmalus]

One big happy family.

This channel gives you way more than it appears to be giving. *THANK YOU, JOURNEY TO THE MICROCOSMOS!!!!!*

[@flamencoprof]

Life is a fine balance between order and randomness. Too little order and we have chaos, too much order and we have crystals. It is the old dichotomy between soldiers and saints, innovation and conservatism, stasis and change. You are going pretty deep with this one.

[@Boogers32150]

Ahh, time to visit my favorite micro-zoo.

[@albejaine]

Hello pretty lady

[@Boogers32150]

Albern Newton - I will demolish you.

[@ejenglin]

"Fighting randomness: That is the cause of life." Well, that is just profound. *leaves to think deep thoughts

[@pikiwiki]

@@osmosisjones4912 ??????

[@michaelbuckers]

/r/im14andthatsdeep

[@alveolate]

i've always thought that a better definition for life would be "reverses entropy".

[@ejenglin]

@@alveolate More like fighting entropy. Life is the quest to defeat entropy and maintain order with physical and chemical processes. 😀

[@ArawnOfAnnwn]

To give credit where it's due, it's not his idea. Credit for the concept goes to this guy - www.quantamagazine.org/a-new-thermodynamics-theory-of-the-origin-of-life-20140122

[@JeevasJerico13]

This channel didn't receive the attention and traction it deserved. Thank you so much for this amazing educational content.

[@covodex516]

Life is chemistry, chemistry is life. - sincerely, a chemist

[@r-gart]

"[...] preventing you from simply falling into randomness". Woah, this ending gave me shivers, awesome videos, they keep getting better and better.

[@scottlypuff]

I love this channel and I love the way Hank narrates too. I feel like this should be a planetarium show or an IMAX documentary. But I'd settle for a feature length documentary or limited series haha.

[@6alecapristrudel]

Not to worry, Mother Entropy will collect what She is owed. With interest.

[@Dwumper]

These are not the type of videos that I can just watch in a hurry on the bus or with breakfast, these videos need to be savored like the wonder they are. I almost ritualize them at this point, but they really feel special to me.

[@pear2369]

I enjoy how it’s so easy to understand and so informative at the same time.

[@barbarahouk1983]

Yes, this is the best introduction to microbiology I have seen.

[@sshippeee]

You have a serious Carl Sagan vibe going

[@LuisAldamiz]

Do you mean that they smoke pot before recording?

[@smol_chilli_pepper]

For real. I feel like that's what they were going for

[@MrOdsplut]

But looking at small stuff not big stuff

[@AstronautaVerdadeiro]

@@MrOdsplut You mean... *Fear of Nuclear War*?

[@fangugel3812]

Scientific poetry and living art. Beautiful and true.

[@juchipratt]

Prigogine's notion of life as dissipative structure has been around since the 70's, and Schodinger used negentropy to explain "what is life" thirty years before that, so it's fascinating to see their ideas creeping into the mainstream. JttM, you guys have done a fantastic job of encapsulating this conception of life in a way that is both accessible and profound.

[@LEDewey_MD]

Another amazing, hypnotic, wondrous journey to the Microcosmos! Schrodinger once said, "Life extracts negative entropy from its environment.". (1944 - "What is Life?")

[@just_some_dude019]

Dont hurt me, Dont hurt me, No more.

[@TranscendingPolygons]

Randomness creates order then order succumbs to more randomness. Like a rhythmic pulse

[@metealpaslan9176]

The best explanation of life combining physics, chemistry and biology.

[@Self-replicating_whatnot]

As my lecturer once said: "Life as a process may've originated long before the first thing that we would call a living organism"

[@newkkl]

Did anyone else here grow up with Gaylord Johnson’s book “Hunting With the Microscope”? I no longer have my childhood scope, but I still have the book! Full of charming drawings, it gave me my first interest in the world of little creatures.

[@purplefire2834]

The videos are so interesting that I get too focused on them and zone out what Hank's saying. I love this series.

[@jseligmann]

Masterfully presented-exactly the kinds of things I think about when peering into my microscope at these tiny blind, deaf and dumb, relentlessly energetic creatures..."and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

[@vivianeb90]

I watch these videos to relax after a stressful day. Microcosmos and philosophy combined in one.

[@padrehousecat]

This one was deep. I feel strangely at peace with the universe when I watch these videos ⭐️

[@nfactorial4074]

It is so hard to believe these shots are real they look so beautiful like CGI

[@dartiel6892]

Got to appreciate all these 1080p videos of microorganisms.

[@TCDooM]

All the season is great, but this episode is a really good explanation for people who think it's all magic🤪😎

[@Gamer3172]

By watching your videos i m becoming more and more serious about studying m. Sc. microbiology

[@guy3nder529]

there are subjects which sound interesting on a video level but become really tedious to actually study. ive heard that microbiology is one of the more interesting subjects however.

[@guy3nder529]

@@lvk104 and still people ive heard that went to microbiology enjoyed it more than those on many other bio/chemical subjects.

[@David-bc4rh]

@@guy3nder529 Perhaps the other subjects are unenjoyable because they purposefully avoid the highly relevant biology aspect.

[@guy3nder529]

@@David-bc4rh idk I'm more of a physics guy myself

[@MatthewCahn]

Either everything is a miracle, or nothing is.

[@murielvaillancourt3855]

Life is a so wonderful miracle and it’s to see all these dead planets, unable to begin the cycle or no more able to sustain it. Like cosmos microcosmos carries around this sens of sadness in the middle of wonder. All my life, i was very sensible to this feeling and it affects me deeply.

[@gray42069]

I was looking at the thumbnail out of the corner of my eye and misread it as "Life is misery" and I consciously agreed

[@michaelbuckers]

It prevents me from falling into randomness, or rather is trying to in an uphill battle against KZbin algorithm.

[@simone222]

These videos complete that unfulfilled part of me. I think I would've been a happier individual if I were a scientist: microbiologist or botanist. Anyway, thank you so much yet another super-edifying and interesting video.

[@urquizabr]

The scripts on this channel are poetic.

[@JonathanAdami]

I don't know if I'm the only one getting constant mindblown moments watching these videos having to stop to just let my brain swallow the meaning of it all... "surviving on that stored energy originally flung out from 2 atoms fusing in the core of the sun..." OMFG! the amount of variables to keep in your head to fathom the complexity of all of it... Anyway, thanks for all these videos, I'll be sharing them with everyone haha

[@CodingDragon04]

Can you please put a scale on the screen like how much is one micro meter on the screen. To me this is a lot more clear than the 400x or 100x

[@David-bc4rh]

I believe the 100x refers to an area governed by lens physics, and there's conversion equations necessary to find a linear measurement inside that 100x. Maybe a slide jockey develops an intuitive feel for it after years of practice. In any case, what you describe is on every map that's worth looking at, and it would be a welcome addition here.

[@Cubelarooso]

That would also help since screens can be different sizes.

[@David-bc4rh]

Check this out. Its actually quite simple. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmLHXmNorremiKc

[@justintime970]

You can't describe life in just over 10 minutes! MiCo: hold my microscope 👉🔬

[@Psychol-Snooper]

Cohesion.

[@Szolrykor]

Consciousness

[@Psychol-Snooper]

@@Szolrykor Auto-cohesion!

[@Szolrykor]

@@Psychol-Snooper Consciousness disproves their definition of life, I mean.

[@Psychol-Snooper]

@@Szolrykor How? I've never seen consciousness in any definition of life.

[@mobiustrip1400]

The mystery is so deep and so wide it's awe inspiring.

[@eSKAone-]

Everything is alive. I can see nothing random in the universe. Everything is connected. A system of systems intertwined in each other.

[@alephkasai9384]

I've heard all of this before but hearing it from you makes it a lot better

[@rafaelemil7481]

Life? Ah yes enslaved energy

[@minghuachen1900]

God I hate this meme... But in this case it fits.

[@shoulders-of-giants]

What a journey

[@Niinkai]

Life is music to universe's noise.

[@aroguespartan7627]

Now this is my kind of ASMR

[@patrickturner6878]

Me: *taking a nap on day off* Phone: *bling!* Me: *groggily looks at phone* Phone: *New Microcosmos on KZbin* Me: *Instantly awake and over at the PC*

[@penguasakucing8136]

Notified by the phone and watch it on the PC? You're one of the dying breed in the world that become increasingly mobile.

[@patrickturner6878]

@@penguasakucing8136 Microcosmos deserves a large screen for the small critters to be clearly visible!

[@nicholasking3171]

@@patrickturner6878 HDMI THAT SHIT

[@LorenzoChiaveriniDBTF]

On my top 10 best KZbin videos ever. Incredible quality

[@KawaiiFlandre495]

This show is awesome.

[@dovahkiin_brasil]

Chemistry is real world magic change my mind

[@blizzforte284]

the whole universe is ultimately indescribable

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

Ok that's it... You guys are now officially in my top three channels. So randomly awesome...

[@yogidemis8513]

Daaang, this was deep.

[@mrchordstriker]

Its all about assembling and disassembling hydrocarbons (sugars). Makes great sense. Awesome article.

[@faxtrax4569]

Ah yes the things that crawl in my eye.

[@AstronautaVerdadeiro]

Well...those are fibers and sugars that float up your eye liquid...

[@tanya292]

Wow! I've never been here so early. Love this channel so much. It's informative and oddly relaxing.

[@ChilledfishStick]

It felt like the point of the video (at least the first few minutes) was to invoke emotions of awe and amazement rather than to be informative. If what you show is awe inspiring and amazing, there is no need for that.

[@Th3EpitapH]

that oscillatoria shot is a real winner.

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

1:09 - The gastrotrich is in the Jenova Chen game _flOw_ .

[@rdbury507]

Earth is struck by high energy photons from the Sun, and emits low energy photons as thermal radiation. Life is just a particularly interesting path the energy takes in between.

[@PunishedV]

I love this channel so much

[@supercussion6590]

This video is Philosophical gold

[@marcmarc172]

Quality content!

[@KlaudiusL]

The Meaning of Life .. on 10 minutes

[@LordofDragns]

Meaning is something that is ascribed. Nature is the objective reality.

[@Szolrykor]

@@LordofDragns Which is also ascribed, as far as our consideration of it goes.

[@fourleafclover2064]

This is my favorite episode

[@srp4551]

Thank you for giving us something so beautiful and profound.

[@saratwiss5993]

i love this series so much!!

[@abhayshah8517]

That voice is Soo soothing! I could fall asleep to that haha

[@wolfwoodx15]

Diggin' that trippy music.

[@justinwmusic]

Such a beautifully presented explanation of life. The Big Perspective.

[@BrilliantShadows]

I'm so early it hasn't even popped up on their channel page yet xD

[@panzerkampf92]

Omg, this was so random

[@Ag-ry7hi]

this video is worth more than years of physics, biology and chemistry in schools

[@andrewsmith1590]

This episode has a special place in my heart, thank you

[@shadbakht]

..says your belief in physicalism

[@shadbakht]

razgriz oh sorry man. I just meant the philosophy of “physicalism” which is “the doctrine that the real world consists simply of the physical world.” It’s related to scientific materialism. Not sure why he’s wedging in his physicalist philosophy on a video on microbiological organisms.

[@SmokesOnMe]

Are you arguing that we don't understand the chemistry of life? The things discussed in this video are not meant to disprove spiritual beliefs, just to explain what we can observe in our small view of the universe.

[@tomspencer1364]

Says the guy using quantum physics to send data to KZbin.

[@tomspencer1364]

@@shadbakht He isn't wedging anything but Biochemistry and Thermodynamics. Simple stuff really. What do you expect from a science program? Mystic mush?

[@Szolrykor]

@@RazgrisFloob Microorganisms don't exhibit them but if that's supposed to mean they're of a fundamentally different nature to us, then the definition of "life" needs to be adjusted accordingly.

[@fugithegreat]

This one was surprisingly philosophic

[@badmanners7652]

I didn't know I like the microcosmos so much before finding this channel.

[@huynhviettien]

I will never look at sugar the same way... and I'm truly grateful. Thank you and keep up the amazing work.

[@gen0megen0me93]

Briliant explanation of reasons behind world entropy relation to life

[@johnmolenaar3810]

Well made. Beautiful to watch.

[@Stimm002]

"Life is Chemistry"... and Chemistry is Physics!... Ahhh Physics envy!... Great video as always btw.

[@bonnitaclaus2286]

As always wonderful.....

[@kelsqi-books4835]

This channel is the best for waking up with my coffee. So reassuring and calm, and pretttyyyyy....

[@wizzardofpaws2420]

Truly the most fascinating Channel on KZbin

[@toddzaske]

Life is chemistry...is physics...is math...is information. Information is not random. When information is random it is not information, it is noise. When there is no information, there is no life. The immense complexity of the the life on this planet is unfathomable and the incalculable complexity of this highly specific universe is enough to convince me from a scientific viewpoint that purpose is behind the system. Not randomness.

[@N3ur0m4nc3r]

Life is chemistry, I mean, that's just physics.

[@MelissaPennyArcaid]

Exactly! And best described with math!