Why Do Microbes Explode Under UV Light?

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[journeytomicro]

This episode is sponsored by Wren, a website where you calculate your carbon footprint. Go to @t to sign up to make a monthly contribution to offset your carbon footprint or support rainforest protection projects.

[GordonFreechmen]

This is pretty much "A single death is a tragedy, but a million is a statistic" in the microbial world.

[Frstbite]

There's a sense of cosmic dread from knowing that a being of unknowable scale can just pick you up, along with a huge chunk of your world, and then melt you with a beam of light for the enjoyment of its peers.

[grey]

It feels weird, killing microorganisms is normal when you do it without the microscope, but with the microscope it feels personal

[TheMattastic]

Imagine being scrutinised without your knowledge by organisms so vast and complicated that you can't even begin to percieve their existence, and then they decide, out of curiosity, to fill you with so much light that you explode.

[ikabubu]

The microcosmos has got it all: love, drama, comedy... microbial snuff films...

[SaszaDerRoyt]

I know that killing these microbes is morally no different than washing hands or using a cleaning spray, but seeing it so close and intimate really gives a different perspective on it

[alacer]

This video is very. . . Morbid, in a way. I appreciate that you guys aren't too afraid to present it either way, and won't shy away from the realities of life. This is just as educational as all the rest of your content, and I thank you for it. <3

[treelineresearch]

I never would have guessed UV disinfection was dramatic. Always figured it was more like DNA gets zapped and the cell just dies, not explodes like it was hit with a Martian death ray.

[radagastwiz]

Hank really sat us down today to watch a murder spree. Cold, Mr. Green, cold.

[tiffanymarie]

The "kid burning ants with a magnifying glass" vibes are strong here

[kevinleven]

Journey to the microcosmos: * shines light *

Blepharisma: *explodes*

Journey to the microcosmos: “let’s watch that again”

[houselemuellan]

Hank Green is slowly turning into a Microcosmic Supervillain

[jasepoag]

"If you are an organism, and...you are..." Good, good...they suspect nothing.

[KamikazeIce]

7:45 Homalozoon minding their own business when suddenly a jerk with a lightsaber cuts off any of their limbs. Fetal position clutching severed limb scene is kinda morbid.

[victoriawilliams]

Thank-you! Now I understand how the light kills off germs.

[supercussion]

This makes cosmic rays even scarier than they already are…

[willops]

This is such a beautiful and calming channel... even when you're blowing up microbes with lasers. Love your videos guys!

[MattJett]

I could be wrong in this observation, but the organism at the end of the video just balled-up tumbling around and around, seems like it was a possible adaptation or defense mechanism to harsh UV light. By balling up, it creates distance for the light to travel through it, then to prevent prolonged exposure on one side, it tumbles over to expose the underside leaving it's previously exposed side protected to heal or cool down. I could be wrong. It just looked like it was swimming around, got hurt by the UV light, leaked a little, then balled up.

[Bhatt_Hole]

This is a cruel video. Maybe not to most people, but if you've owned and raised a pet blepharisma since its division you'd view this content differently. Ours was named Bepis, and it was the sweetest of all the ciliates we've kept as pets. They are like family to us. And every bit as affectionate as a furry mammalian pet. Bepis learned many tricks, and loved to play fetch, hide and seek, and the sausage game app. We even potty-trained it. Sadly, Bepis was consumed by a larger ciliate during a play-date with other pets from our club. A dreadful and ill mannered blepharisma named Brutus did it. And the owners of Brutus didn't even punish or ground it for what it did. We were heartbroken. How do you explain something like this to the children?! How!? ANSWER ME!