TIL: Whale Poop Freshens Our Air | Today I Learned

[Music]

[Music] did you know that every time you breathe

did you know that every time you breathe

did you know that every time you breathe you need to be grateful to whale poop

you need to be grateful to whale poop

you need to be grateful to whale poop it’s true whales dive to the depths to

it’s true whales dive to the depths to

it’s true whales dive to the depths to feed and then they come back after the

feed and then they come back after the

feed and then they come back after the surface as they come back up to breathe

surface as they come back up to breathe

surface as they come back up to breathe they poop and when they poop they bring

they poop and when they poop they bring

they poop and when they poop they bring out this limiting nutrient that becomes

out this limiting nutrient that becomes

out this limiting nutrient that becomes this fertilizer for this tiny tiny tiny

this fertilizer for this tiny tiny tiny

this fertilizer for this tiny tiny tiny microscopic plants called phytoplankton

microscopic plants called phytoplankton

microscopic plants called phytoplankton [Music]

[Music]

[Music] phytoplankton use these nutrients to

phytoplankton use these nutrients to

phytoplankton use these nutrients to photosynthesize when you photosynthesize

photosynthesize when you photosynthesize

photosynthesize when you photosynthesize you’re releasing oxygen now 50 to 70% of

you’re releasing oxygen now 50 to 70% of

you’re releasing oxygen now 50 to 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced in the

the oxygen we breathe is produced in the

the oxygen we breathe is produced in the oceans historically we killed a lot of

oceans historically we killed a lot of

oceans historically we killed a lot of whales for oil for meat and as we did

whales for oil for meat and as we did

whales for oil for meat and as we did that we changed the abundance and

that we changed the abundance and

that we changed the abundance and distribution of these whales and their

distribution of these whales and their

distribution of these whales and their fertilizer that’s actually a problem

fertilizer that’s actually a problem

fertilizer that’s actually a problem because we need their byproducts we need

because we need their byproducts we need

because we need their byproducts we need their poop to keep our oceans alive

their poop to keep our oceans alive

their poop to keep our oceans alive [Music]

[Music]

[Music] and that’s what we call them ecosystem

and that’s what we call them ecosystem

and that’s what we call them ecosystem engineers because their survival is so

engineers because their survival is so

engineers because their survival is so imperative to the functioning of that

imperative to the functioning of that

imperative to the functioning of that entire ecosystem and everything around

entire ecosystem and everything around

entire ecosystem and everything around them so every time you breathe you

them so every time you breathe you

them so every time you breathe you really have to thank those whales and

really have to thank those whales and

really have to thank those whales and their whale poop

their whale poop

their whale poop [Music]