Hello, everyone! It’s been quite a while since our last Q&A session—about a year and a half, to be precise. I’m excited to dive into your questions today. Plus, I’ll be announcing the winners of the challenge question from our “Hurricanes” video, who will each receive a free IOTBS t-shirt. So, let’s get started with ASK JOE STUFF!
On Twitter, Israel Fernandez asked about my favorite video to make. Without hesitation, it was “Is Big Data Getting Too Big?” Dressing up like a 1980s cable access host was a dream come true. The graphics by Andrew were outstanding, and some viewers even thought it was an old VHS video when watched in 240p. Collaborating with Physics Girl and ArcAttack was another highlight, as I got to wear chainmail and experience lightning strikes. Working with Jake from Vsauce3 on AI was fantastic too, especially seeing him in a Star Trek uniform. Our Minecraft video was unique because we filmed most of it within the game itself. Honestly, I love all my videos!
On Instagram, @darwinning21 inquired about my favorite type of biology and my experience working with Aaron Pomerantz. Working with Aaron was incredible! He’s a brilliant insect biologist with his own YouTube channel. We traveled to the Peruvian rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, to create several videos. It was a transformative experience. As for biology, it’s impossible to choose a favorite part. My PhD in biology reflects my passion for the subject. Every field within biology is interconnected, from genetics and evolution to ecology and chemistry. Understanding these connections enriches the story of life, which I find fascinating.
Joshua Freshwater on Facebook asked about the most complicated video I’ve made. Condensing complex scientific concepts into a five-minute video is always challenging. The most intricate ones were “Why Are We Multicellular?” and “The Most Important Moment in the History of Life.” These videos explore crucial evolutionary transitions, from simple cells to complex multicellular life. The biochemistry and genetics involved are extensive, often requiring graduate-level understanding. Despite the complexity, it was worth it to highlight these pivotal moments in life’s history.
On Instagram, @ariwilliamw asked about my PhD field. I earned my PhD in cell and molecular biology, focusing on gene editing and ancient genetic elements within genomes. If you’re interested, I’ll provide a link to my dissertation for further reading.
Wong Ee Lin on Facebook asked about time travel. We all travel forward in time at a rate of one second per second. However, if you could travel near the speed of light or stay close to a massive object like a black hole, time would pass more slowly for you. This concept is explored in the movie Interstellar. As for backward time travel, it’s theoretically possible through wormholes, but creating and manipulating them is beyond our current capabilities.
Marie Goddette on Facebook asked if dogs can “tell time.” While dogs can’t read clocks, they have a sense of time through “circadian rhythms,” a biological clock present in many organisms. These rhythms, influenced by light and dark, regulate behavior. I’ve discussed similar topics in videos about plant perception and human sleep cycles.
On Instagram, @soot.soots asked if I’m a runner. Yes, I love running and have completed a marathon. For me, running is a form of meditation. I enjoy listening to podcasts or audiobooks while running, allowing my mind to wander. It’s also a great way to spend time outdoors.
Sandra Thompson on Facebook asked about the superior weapon: a lightsaber or a sonic screwdriver. While a lightsaber is a formidable weapon, the sonic screwdriver is a versatile tool, akin to a Time Lord’s Swiss Army knife. It’s about the creativity and intelligence of the user, though a lightsaber does have the advantage of working on wood!
On Instagram, @tobym13 asked for my favorite science fact. If you stacked all the viruses in the ocean end to end, they would stretch 200 million light years into space, reaching four times farther than the Virgo galaxy cluster. It’s a mind-boggling fact!
Finally, on Twitter, @onelettertooman asked if a pirate is twice as likely or half as likely to win a staring competition. Assuming the pirate uses their non-eye-patch eye, they have the same chance as anyone else. However, if they use their eye-patch eye, they might have an advantage—just ask my old friend One-Eyed Willy!
Join a workshop where you’ll create a short video on a scientific topic of your choice. Use creative elements like costumes or unique filming locations, inspired by Joe’s favorite video production experiences. This will help you understand the intricacies of video production and the importance of engaging storytelling in science communication.
Participate in a field trip to a local biodiversity hotspot. Document your observations and create a mini-documentary, similar to Joe’s experience in the Peruvian rainforest. This activity will deepen your understanding of interconnected biological concepts and the importance of fieldwork in biology.
Work in groups to simplify a complex scientific concept into a five-minute presentation, inspired by Joe’s most complicated video productions. Focus on clarity and engagement, aiming to make the topic accessible to a general audience. This will enhance your skills in distilling complex information.
Engage in a debate about the feasibility and implications of time travel, drawing from Joe’s discussion on the topic. Explore both scientific theories and popular culture references. This will encourage critical thinking and a deeper understanding of theoretical physics concepts.
Participate in a group run followed by a meditation session. Reflect on the experience and discuss how physical activity can serve as a form of meditation, as Joe describes. This activity promotes physical well-being and mindfulness, linking it to personal productivity and creativity.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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[MUSIC][INTRO]
Hello! It’s good to see you. It’s been a long time since we did a Q&A episode—about a year and a half! My apologies! I’m sure you have lots of questions, so let’s get started. I’ll also announce the challenge question winners from our “Hurricanes” video. Those five people will receive a free IOTBS t-shirt, so stay tuned for that at the end of the video. But NOW, it’s time for… ASK JOE STUFF!
On Twitter, Israel Fernandez (@israawesome) asked:
Which has been your favorite video to make, and why?
Without a doubt, my favorite video to make was “Is Big Data Getting Too Big?” because dressing up like a 1980s cable access host has always been a dream of mine. That was probably the most fun we’ve had shooting a video. Andrew did an incredible job on the graphics for that one. I hear if you watch it in 240p, some people actually thought it was an old VHS video. I also loved my collaboration with Physics Girl and ArcAttack because I got to dress up in chainmail and get struck by lightning. My collaboration with Jake from Vsauce3 about AI was awesome too because Jake is great and looks fantastic in a Star Trek uniform. And our Minecraft video was special because we shot most of it IN Minecraft. You know what? I love all of my videos!
On Instagram, @darwinning21 asked:
What is your favorite type of biology and why? Also, what was it like working with Aaron Pomerantz (@nextgenscientist)?
Working with Aaron was fantastic! He is an amazing insect biologist with his own YouTube channel, and we recently traveled to the Peruvian rainforest together to create several videos. It was a life-changing experience, being in one of the richest and most biodiverse places on Earth. It was also quite warm! Stay tuned for our videos from Peru starting in the next couple of weeks! It would be impossible to pick a favorite part of biology! Biology is my favorite subject, which is why I earned my PhD in it. I can’t choose a favorite because the more I learn about biology, the more I see that every field within it is interconnected. If you want to understand insects, you’ll eventually want to ask questions about their genetics, evolution, habitat, and ecology, as well as the physics that gives them their color and the chemistry that affects their diet. It all contributes to the larger story about how life works, and I love the whole story, not just one part.
On Facebook, Joshua Freshwater asked:
What’s the most complicated video you’ve had to make, and was it worth the effort?
Any time you’re trying to condense some of the biggest and most mind-blowing parts of science into five minutes, it’s going to be a tough job. I think the most complicated might be “Why Are We Multicellular?” and “The Most Important Moment in the History of Life.” I actually wrote these two videos to go together because they describe two of the most important transition points in evolution: how we went from bacteria and archaea to complex cells and how life became multicellular. These processes took billions of years, and the biochemistry and genetics involved could fill a whole college course. A lot of it I didn’t fully understand until I was in graduate school, so getting those concepts into a couple of videos was challenging. But it was totally worth it; those early moments in the evolution of life don’t get enough attention, and it’s some of my favorite writing and research I’ve ever done.
On Instagram, @ariwilliamw asked:
What field did you get your PhD in?
Cell and molecular biology! I studied gene editing and ancient genetic elements that move around within genomes. If you want to know more, I’ll put a link to my dissertation in the description—great for a bedtime read!
On Facebook, Wong Ee Lin asked:
Can we travel through time?
Yes! In the forward direction, at the rate of one second per second. Oh, you wanted more than that? Well, if you could travel very close to the speed of light or hang out near something massive like a black hole, time would pass more slowly for you compared to someone watching you. That’s pretty much the plot of the movie Interstellar, and also a recent video from Vsauce3. Backward time travel? Probably not. We’d need to bend spacetime back on itself to jump from one point in time to another. It’s the old “wormhole” concept. Physicists like Kip Thorne, who worked on the science for Interstellar, think wormholes might be able to do this. The math works out, but it would involve creating a wormhole and accelerating it close to the speed of light—two things we don’t know how to do and might be impossible.
On Facebook, Marie Goddette asked:
Can dogs “tell time”?
Every day, I know exactly when it’s 8 AM because my dogs look at me and start whining for breakfast, like clockwork. They can’t actually read a clock, but they can sense “time.” Most complex organisms on Earth, from plants to dogs to birds to humans, have some kind of programmed “biological clock” known as “circadian rhythms.” They work a little differently in different organisms, but there are genes and cells that respond to light and dark, adjusting the organism’s behavior accordingly. I discussed how plants sense the length of days in my recent “Do Plants Think?” video, and we talked about how our brains sensing light and dark affects our sleep cycle in “Why Do We Have To Sleep?”
On Instagram, @soot.soots asked:
Are you a runner? You ran a marathon, right?
Yes, I love running! I did run a marathon and even made a video about it. People who don’t run might think I’m crazy for saying this, but running is like my form of meditation. I put on a podcast or a good audiobook and let my mind wander while I run. It’s great! I also get a bit restless if I don’t spend enough time outdoors, which means I’m basically five years old.
On Facebook, Sandra Thompson asked:
Hi Joe! What do you think is a superior weapon: a lightsaber or sonic screwdriver?
Definitely the lightsaber! But that’s because a sonic screwdriver isn’t a weapon; it’s a tool. And that’s what makes it so much cooler than a lightsaber. It’s like a Time Lord’s Swiss Army knife. It’s about the creativity and intelligence of the person using it. Although a lightsaber does have one advantage: it works on wood!
On Instagram, @tobym13 asked:
What’s your favorite science fact?
If you took all the viruses in the ocean and stacked them end to end, they would reach 200 million light years into space. That’s about four times farther away than the Virgo galaxy cluster. Yep, it’s true!
On Twitter, @onelettertooman asked:
Is a pirate TWICE as likely or HALF as likely to win a staring competition?
Excellent question! First one to blink loses? I assume the pirate is wearing an eye patch? If the pirate is using their non-eye-patch eye for the staring contest, then they have the same chance of winning as a non-pirate. I don’t know about you, but I always blink both eyes together. But if they’re using their eye-patch eye, then they’re almost guaranteed to win—just ask my old friend One-Eyed Willy…
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a professional tone while preserving the essence of the original content.
Biology – The scientific study of life and living organisms, encompassing various fields such as structure, function, growth, evolution, and distribution. – In biology, understanding the cellular processes is crucial for developing new medical treatments.
Physics – The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy, including mechanics, heat, light, and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms. – Physics principles are essential for designing experiments that test the fundamental laws of nature.
Genetics – The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics, focusing on how traits are passed from parents to offspring. – Advances in genetics have led to breakthroughs in understanding genetic disorders and developing gene therapies.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. – The theory of evolution provides a framework for understanding the diversity of life on Earth.
Ecology – The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. – Ecology studies help scientists understand the impact of human activities on ecosystems.
Biochemistry – The branch of science that explores the chemical processes within and related to living organisms. – Biochemistry is fundamental in developing pharmaceuticals that target specific metabolic pathways.
Time – A dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them. – In physics, time is a crucial variable in equations describing motion and energy transformations.
Viruses – Microscopic infectious agents that can only replicate inside the living cells of an organism, often causing disease. – The study of viruses is essential for developing vaccines and antiviral drugs.
Cells – The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism, typically microscopic and consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a membrane. – Understanding how cells communicate with each other is vital for advancements in regenerative medicine.
Rainforest – A dense forest rich in biodiversity, found typically in tropical areas with consistently heavy rainfall. – Rainforest ecosystems are crucial for studying the interactions between diverse species and their environments.
