How sea sponges are harvested in Greece. #deepsea #underthesea #spongediving

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[Fred-egsx]

For those that don't know, sponges grow extremely fast and often outcompete coral reefs. So harvesting sponges by hand won't cause extinction.

[stefanbasfalianu]

Fun fact: if you cut one sponge in palm size pieces and give it some time under water, it'll grow back up again, that's actually one of the ways they reproduce

[HasvenWorld]

"I'm ready. I'm ready."
Diver: "No you ain't." *Yoink*

[nazimk]

I've never ever thought that SpongeBob was grown in sea. I thought it was a dishwashing Spong dropped in the sea

[maecarpenter]

We can grow as many sponges as we want by planting Loofah seeds. The young squash is edible used like zucchini and when they get older we can dry and peel them for the sponge.

[xdragonk]

Sea sponge when you're bathing with it: "I'm still alive...."

[Justdoit-]

For those who don't know, sponges are actually animals. they are included in kingdom animalia. They are called as porifera. example Sycon. (More information in reply)

[kamanama]

before I ever knew these were living creatures at one point… I purchased one 20 years ago to add texture to a wall. It wasn’t trimmed it was natural. It added a really beautiful effect. And I still have it to this day. If properly kept they last forever.

[mk_rexx]

I didn't realized sea sponges are…spongy. I always just assumed they are only called sponges because of the holes but they are stiff like corals.

[zecon]

“A diver can only pick up, the amount of sponges that he can pick up. This in turn effects how many sponges he can pick up.”

[ynotchristian]

Knowing that sponges are alive & are technically animals blows my mind!

[PrincessTreasure]

if you watch the full video they do actually talk about the dwindling population of sponges and all the factors causing it. they usually leave a bit of sponge left over for it to regenerate, but with climate change it only helps so much.

[MurseSamson]

So, according to Wikipedia, these are basically alive like mushrooms.

They are composed mainly of cells, but do not have the organization trait to be considered an organism: they do not have tissues, or organs. They are a collection of cells that grows in an irregular pattern, like a Mushroom.

They have no nervous system, but it did not describe if they have any type of signaling capabilities, that most plants and mushrooms do.

🤷‍♂️ So I would say, yes, it is a living thing. But just barely. This object grows & experiences the world just as much as the dust collecting in your house, the mushrooms in the forest, the pink goop in a petri dish, or the black mold in between the walls of your home. 🤷‍♂️

I wouldn't consider this alive like other things, unless science reveals otherwise one day. - It's less "alive" than the trees we cut down to build the homes we live in. 🏠

[CherryAnime]

Huh. I had no idea people use sea sponges as ACTUAL sponges.

Edit: Let’s be civilized guys.

[ronaldoronaldo]

Sponge harvesting is actually a good thing for the environment and the people. It helps the sponges grow faster and healthier, improves the water quality, and provides income and empowerment for coastal communities. Plus, sponge harvesting is done sustainably, following simple guidelines and rotating the areas, because they rely on the sponges for their income and well-being for a long time. So, of course, they need to preserve the natural resources and avoid overexploitation; it’s kind of their future.

[KaityKat]

best part is those pieces they cut off can be put in a bowl with a bit of water and they'll fuse together into a bigger (still living) sea sponge

[m.e.h.]

Fun fact: it's impossible to cut these sponges into rectangular shape, put it under water inside a pineapple and not have it cook burgers for a living

[spiderliliez]

Haha.. ok wait. I didn't know sea sponges were the actual sponges people use at home. I thought they just named them sponges because they look like sponges. 😂

[antonibugaj]

Just imagine.
You're chillin in the ocean whole your life
and next thing you see is someone's balls you'll wash.

[tinokuzovamunahu]

I kinda feel thefe must be a whole ecosystem that rely on these sponges for survival and protection