Everything is Connected -- Here's How: | Tom Chi | TEDxTaipei

Tom Chi argues that "everything is connected," not abstractly, but concretely. He uses three examples: our hearts' iron originates from supernovas driven by galactic collisions; our breath depends on billions-year-old cyanobacteria that created oxygen; and our minds' capabilities build upon prior inventions and knowledge, expanding the "Palette of Being." He concludes that understanding this interconnectedness is crucial for shaping a better future. This segment traces the evolution of Earth's atmosphere, highlighting the crucial role of cyanobacteria in converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, a process that took billions of years and ultimately made complex life, including humans, possible. The speaker emphasizes the profound impact of seemingly insignificant organisms on the development of life on Earth, reinforcing the theme of interconnectedness. all of you in this audience today, your hearts are beating right at this moment. and the reason that your hearts beat is because you need to move this molecule through your blood called hemoglobin. and hemoglobin carries this smaller molecule that's called heme B, which is what we see over here. now, at the heart of heme B is a single atom of iron, so in a way, at the heart of our heart is this little iron atom. and this is actually really a central part of the hemoglobin molecule because this is the thing that allows us to bind oxygen and move that through our circulatory system. but This segment introduces the concept of "The Palette of Being," explaining how each individual's actions and creations add new colors to the palette, expanding the possibilities for future generations. The speaker challenges the traditional view of humanity as insignificant within the vast universe, arguing that our actions have a ripple effect, shaping society, the biosphere, and even the planet itself. This segment uses the example of the piano to illustrate how the development of a skill or art form is deeply intertwined with historical context and technological advancements. The speaker introduces the concept of "The Palette of Being," suggesting that our minds are shaped by the cumulative knowledge and experiences of humanity, further emphasizing the interconnectedness of human experience and progress. and right at the bottom in time is the formation of the ozone layer. like nothing that you are familiar with today could exist without the contributions of these tiny organisms over those billions of years.. and where are they now? Well actually, they never really left us. the direct descendants of the cyanobacteria were eventually captured by plants. and they're now called chloroplasts.. so this is a zoom--in of a plant leaf -and we probably ate some of these guys today -where tons of little chloroplasts are still trapped -contributing photosynthesis and making energy for the plants that continue to be the other half of our lungs on earth. and in this way, our breaths are very deeply united. every out-breath is mirrored by the in-breath of a plant, and their out-breath is mirrored by our in-breath. I'm going to take a little aside here for a moment with this story. because imagine for a moment -and this is a thought experiment -imagine you were one of these little organisms two billions year ago.