[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.54,0:00:05.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plastics: you know about them,\Nyou may not love them,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.38,0:00:09.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but chances are\Nyou use them every single day.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.17,0:00:12.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By 2050, researchers estimate
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.92,0:00:15.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there will be more plastic\Nin the ocean than fish.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.00,0:00:18.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Despite our best efforts,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.92,0:00:24.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,only nine percent of all plastic we use\Nwinds up being recycled.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.42,0:00:26.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And even worse,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.96,0:00:29.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,plastic is incredibly tough and durable
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.88,0:00:31.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and researchers estimate
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.42,0:00:35.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that it can take anywhere\Nfrom 500 to 5,000 years
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.54,0:00:37.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fully break down.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.75,0:00:43.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It leaches harmful chemical contaminants\Ninto our oceans, our soil,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.29,0:00:47.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our food, our water, and into us.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.96,0:00:52.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how did we wind up\Nwith so much plastic waste?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.62,0:00:54.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, it's simple.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.67,0:01:00.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plastic is cheap, durable,\Nadaptable, and it's everywhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.83,0:01:02.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the good news is
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.21,0:01:06.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's something else that's cheap,\Ndurable, adaptable and everywhere.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.83,0:01:10.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And my research shows\Nit may even be able to help us
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.21,0:01:12.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with our plastic pollution problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.42,0:01:15.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm talking about bacteria.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.75,0:01:21.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bacteria are microscopic living beings\Ninvisible to the naked eye
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.67,0:01:23.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that live everywhere,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.38,0:01:26.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in all sorts of diverse\Nand extreme environments,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.62,0:01:30.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the human gut, to soil, to skin,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.25,0:01:34.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to vents in the ocean floor, reaching\Ntemperatures of 700 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.79,0:01:37.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bacteria live everywhere,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.08,0:01:40.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in all sorts of diverse\Nand extreme environments.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:40.29,0:01:44.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as such, they have to get\Npretty creative with their food sources.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.00,0:01:48.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's also a lot of them.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.12,0:01:53.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Researchers estimate that there are\Nroughly five million trillion trillion --
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.21,0:01:58.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's a five with 30 zeros after it --\Nbacteria on the planet.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.62,0:02:02.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, considering that we humans produce
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.00,0:02:07.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,300 million tons of new plastic each year,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.42,0:02:09.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'd say that our plastic numbers
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.96,0:02:12.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are looking pretty\Ncomparable to bacteria's.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.83,0:02:16.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, after noticing this
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.33,0:02:18.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and after learning\Nabout all of the creative ways
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.67,0:02:20.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that bacteria find food,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.71,0:02:22.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started to think:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.92,0:02:25.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,could bacteria in\Nplastic-polluted environments
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.83,0:02:29.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have figured out\Nhow to use plastic for food?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.38,0:02:35.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, this is the question that I decided\Nto pursue a couple of years ago.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.33,0:02:37.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, fortunately for me,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.38,0:02:40.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm from one of the most\Npolluted cities in America,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.54,0:02:42.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Houston, Texas.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.42,0:02:43.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughs)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.62,0:02:44.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In my hometown alone,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.92,0:02:48.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are seven EPA-designated\NSuperfund sites.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.21,0:02:52.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are sites that are so polluted,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.79,0:02:56.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the government has deemed\Ntheir cleanup a national priority.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.25,0:03:01.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I decided to trek around to these sites
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.33,0:03:04.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and collect soil samples\Nteeming with bacteria.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.71,0:03:07.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started toying with a protocol,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.04,0:03:10.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is fancy science talk for a recipe.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.12,0:03:14.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what I was trying to cook up\Nwas a carbon-free media,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.33,0:03:17.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or a food-free environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.12,0:03:19.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An environment without the usual\Ncarbons, or food,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.96,0:03:23.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that bacteria, like us humans,\Nneed to live.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.08,0:03:25.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, in this environment,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.38,0:03:29.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would provide my bacteria\Nwith a sole carbon, or food, source.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.04,0:03:34.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I would feed my bacteria\Npolyethylene terephthalate,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.42,0:03:36.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or PET plastic.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.92,0:03:42.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,PET plastic is the most widely produced\Nplastic in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.96,0:03:46.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's used in all sorts\Nof food and drink containers,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.04,0:03:50.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the most notorious example\Nbeing plastic water bottles,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.04,0:03:55.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of which we humans currently go through\Nat a rate of one million per minute.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.04,0:04:00.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, what I would be doing,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.29,0:04:05.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is essentially putting my bacteria\Non a forced diet of PET plastic
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.21,0:04:09.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and seeing which, if any,\Nmight survive or, hopefully, thrive.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.00,0:04:13.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,See, this type of experiment\Nwould act as a screen
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.54,0:04:17.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for bacteria that had adapted\Nto their plastic-polluted environment
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.54,0:04:22.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and evolved the incredibly cool\Nability to eat PET plastic.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:23.17,0:04:24.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And using this screen,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.83,0:04:28.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was able to find some bacteria\Nthat had done just that.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.38,0:04:34.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These bacteria had figured out\Nhow to eat PET plastic.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.58,0:04:38.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how do these bacteria do this?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.58,0:04:42.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, it's actually pretty simple.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.38,0:04:46.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just as we humans digest carbon or food\Ninto chunks of sugar
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.46,0:04:48.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we then use for energy,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.33,0:04:50.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so too do my bacteria.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.38,0:04:55.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My bacteria, however, have figured out\Nhow to do this digestion process
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.75,0:04:58.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to big, tough, durable PET plastic.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.29,0:05:03.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, to do this,\Nmy bacteria use a special version
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.08,0:05:05.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of what's called an enzyme.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.17,0:05:09.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, enzymes are simply compounds\Nthat exist in all living things.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.50,0:05:11.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are many different types of enzymes,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.54,0:05:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but basically, they make\Nprocesses go forward,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.71,0:05:17.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as the digestion of food into energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.42,0:05:21.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For instance, we humans\Nhave an enzyme called an amylase
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.88,0:05:25.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that helps us digest\Ncomplex starches, such as bread,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.54,0:05:28.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into small chunks of sugar\Nthat we can then use for energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.04,0:05:33.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, my bacteria have\Na special enzyme called a lipase
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.96,0:05:37.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that binds to big, tough,\Ndurable PET plastic
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.67,0:05:40.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and helps break it\Ninto small chunks of sugar
Dialogue: 0,0:05:40.38,0:05:43.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that my bacteria can then use for energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.25,0:05:45.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So basically,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:45.54,0:05:50.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,PET plastic goes from being\Na big, tough, long-lasting pollutant
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.21,0:05:52.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to a tasty meal for my bacteria.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.96,0:05:56.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sounds pretty cool, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.46,0:06:03.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think, given the current scope\Nof our plastic pollution problem,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.08,0:06:04.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think it sounds pretty useful.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.25,0:06:08.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The statistics I shared with you
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.04,0:06:12.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on just how much plastic waste\Nhas accumulated on our planet
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.42,0:06:13.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are daunting.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.96,0:06:15.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're scary.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:15.67,0:06:17.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think they highlight
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.17,0:06:21.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that while reducing, reusing\Nand recycling are important,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.50,0:06:25.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they alone are not going to be enough\Nto solve this problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.42,0:06:30.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is where I think bacteria\Nmight be able to help us out.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.75,0:06:35.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I do understand\Nwhy the concept of bacterial help
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.54,0:06:38.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,might make some people a little nervous.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.50,0:06:44.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After all, if plastic is everywhere\Nand these bacteria eat plastic,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:44.08,0:06:47.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,isn't there a risk of these bacteria\Ngetting out in the environment
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.29,0:06:48.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and wreaking havoc?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.29,0:06:54.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, the short answer is no,\Nand I'll tell you why.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:54.17,0:06:57.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These bacteria are already\Nin the environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.38,0:07:02.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The bacteria in my research\Nare not genetically modified frankenbugs.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.25,0:07:06.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are naturally occurring bacteria
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.58,0:07:10.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that have simply adapted\Nto their plastic-polluted environment
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.38,0:07:15.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and evolved the incredibly gnarly\Nability to eat PET plastic.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.17,0:07:21.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the process of bacteria eating plastic\Nis actually a natural one.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.62,0:07:24.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's an incredibly slow process.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.46,0:07:26.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there remains a lot of work to be done
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.96,0:07:30.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to figure out how to speed up\Nthis process to a useful pace.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.00,0:07:34.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My research is currently\Nlooking at ways of doing this
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.75,0:07:38.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through a series of UV,\Nor ultraviolet, pretreatments,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.88,0:07:42.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which basically means\Nwe blast PET plastic with sunlight.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.29,0:07:48.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We do this because sunlight\Nacts a bit like tenderizer on a steak,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.92,0:07:52.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,turning the big, tough,\Ndurable bonds in PET plastic
Dialogue: 0,0:07:52.92,0:07:56.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a bit softer and a bit easier\Nfor my bacteria to chew on.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.21,0:08:00.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ultimately, what my research hopes to do
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.71,0:08:05.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is create an industrial-scale\Ncontained carbon-free system,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.33,0:08:07.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,similar to a compost heap,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.58,0:08:11.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where these bacteria can thrive\Nin a contained system,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.21,0:08:15.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where their sole food source\Nis PET plastic waste.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.46,0:08:21.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Imagine one day being able to dispose\Nof all of your plastic waste
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.17,0:08:22.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a bin at the curb
Dialogue: 0,0:08:22.62,0:08:28.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you knew was bound for a dedicated\Nbacteria-powered plastic waste facility.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.54,0:08:34.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think with some hard work\Nthis is an achievable reality.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.25,0:08:38.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plastic-eating bacteria is not a cure-all.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.67,0:08:42.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But given the current statistics,\Nit's clear that we humans,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.96,0:08:45.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we could use a little help\Nwith this problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.29,0:08:47.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because people,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.58,0:08:51.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we possess a pressing problem\Nof plastic pollution.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.29,0:08:55.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And bacteria might be\Na really important part of the solution.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.75,0:08:57.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.04,0:09:00.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)