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1
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WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?
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00:00:03,769 --> 00:00:07,071
DON'T YOU BELIEVE THERE'S
A REASON FOR US BEING HERE?
3
00:00:07,072 --> 00:00:08,440
JOIN THE GREENLEAF
COMMUNITY.
4
00:00:08,539 --> 00:00:10,841
JOIN THE GREENLEAF
COMMUNITY.
5
00:00:10,842 --> 00:00:15,178
WE ARE, AFTER ALL,
SUCH SOPHISTICATED CREATURES,
6
00:00:15,179 --> 00:00:19,717
THE RESULT OF BILLIONS
OF YEARS OF EVOLUTION.
7
00:00:19,718 --> 00:00:24,155
SURELY LIFE IS ABOUT MORE
THAN JUST OUR BIOLOGICAL NEEDS,
8
00:00:24,156 --> 00:00:27,292
MORE THAN THE DAILY RAT RACE.
9
00:00:27,293 --> 00:00:29,560
IS ALL THE KNOWLEDGE
WE'VE GAINED
10
00:00:29,561 --> 00:00:34,899
OVER THE GENERATIONS
AIMING TOWARDS SOME FINAL GOAL?
11
00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:39,036
ARE WE ARCHITECTS
OF OUR OWN FATE?
12
00:00:39,037 --> 00:00:43,408
OR IS LIFE JUST A SERIES
OF RANDOM ACCIDENTS?
13
00:00:43,409 --> 00:00:47,746
IS OUR EXISTENCE
JUST A FLUKE OF NATURE?
14
00:00:47,747 --> 00:00:50,082
OR ARE WE HERE FOR A REASON?
15
00:00:54,653 --> 00:00:59,192
SPACE, TIME, LIFE ITSELF.
16
00:01:01,625 --> 00:01:06,430
THE SECRETS OF THE COSMOS
LIE THROUGH THE WORMHOLE.
17
00:01:06,431 --> 00:01:09,433
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
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00:01:09,434 --> 00:01:12,471
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
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00:01:18,877 --> 00:01:20,712
WHY ARE WE HERE?
20
00:01:20,713 --> 00:01:23,048
I KNOW YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
21
00:01:23,049 --> 00:01:25,248
WE ALL HAVE.
22
00:01:25,249 --> 00:01:27,317
WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE?
23
00:01:27,318 --> 00:01:29,353
WHAT IS OUR DESTINY?
24
00:01:29,354 --> 00:01:30,721
WE'RE BORN.
25
00:01:30,722 --> 00:01:33,156
IF WE'RE LUCKY, WE REPRODUCE,
26
00:01:33,157 --> 00:01:35,060
AND THEN WE DIE.
27
00:01:35,061 --> 00:01:36,826
REPEAT THAT A FEW BILLION TIMES,
28
00:01:36,827 --> 00:01:40,364
AND YOU GET FROM THE FIRST
SIMPLE LIFE FORMS ON EARTH
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00:01:40,365 --> 00:01:42,667
TO US.
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00:01:42,668 --> 00:01:44,736
EVER SINCE DARWIN,
31
00:01:44,737 --> 00:01:49,005
SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON HOW WE GOT HERE.
32
00:01:49,006 --> 00:01:51,108
BUT NOW THEY'RE ASKING
THE QUESTION
33
00:01:51,109 --> 00:01:56,180
WE ALL SEEK THE ANSWER TO --
WHY?
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00:01:56,181 --> 00:01:58,615
IS ALL OUR WONDERFUL COMPLEXITY
35
00:01:58,616 --> 00:02:02,953
DIRECTED
TOWARDS SOME GREATER GOAL?
36
00:02:02,954 --> 00:02:05,991
DO OUR LIVES
HAVE AN ULTIMATE PURPOSE?
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00:02:08,927 --> 00:02:11,696
TO ENGLISH BIOCHEMIST
LEE CRONIN,
38
00:02:11,697 --> 00:02:14,898
EVERYTHING EXISTS FOR A REASON.
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00:02:14,899 --> 00:02:16,900
[ BELL DINGS ]
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EVEN HAGGIS,
THE BIZARRE SHEEP STOMACH DISH
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THAT THE SCOTS
CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF.
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Cronin:
HAGGIS EXISTS BECAUSE IT'S
THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL DISH.
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00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,216
AND IT'S BEEN REFINED
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
44
00:02:31,217 --> 00:02:34,285
AND THAT HAS A LOT OF PARALLELS
WITH, ACTUALLY, BIOLOGY.
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00:02:34,286 --> 00:02:39,190
Freeman: 3.5 BILLION YEARS AGO,
THE FIRST LIVING CELL APPEARED.
46
00:02:39,191 --> 00:02:43,595
BEFORE THAT, EARTH WAS JUST
A VAST SOUP OF CHEMICALS.
47
00:02:43,596 --> 00:02:46,897
WHY DID THOSE CHEMICALS COMBINE
IN JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNTS
48
00:02:46,898 --> 00:02:51,736
IN JUST THE RIGHT SEQUENCE
TO BECOME LIVING THINGS?
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00:02:51,737 --> 00:02:55,873
LEE IS CONVINCED THAT IT
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DUMB LUCK,
50
00:02:55,874 --> 00:02:57,841
JUST AS A CHEF
CAN'T INVENT HAGGIS
51
00:02:57,842 --> 00:03:01,079
BY RANDOMLY THROWING
INGREDIENTS TOGETHER.
52
00:03:06,751 --> 00:03:11,456
THE INVENTION OF THE HAGGIS
RECIPE REQUIRED FEEDBACK.
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00:03:11,457 --> 00:03:14,559
Cronin: SO AS INFORMATION
PASSED BACK OVER TIME,
54
00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,428
AND THE CUSTOMER, IF YOU LIKE,
IS GOING, "NO, THAT'S WRONG,
55
00:03:16,429 --> 00:03:17,762
THAT'S WRONG, THAT'S AWFUL."
56
00:03:17,763 --> 00:03:19,531
AND THIS GETS BETTER AND BETTER
AND BETTER,
57
00:03:19,532 --> 00:03:23,200
UNTIL WE GET
TO THE PERFECT HAGGIS.
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00:03:23,201 --> 00:03:26,237
Freeman:
LEE THINKS THE ENVIRONMENT
ON EARLY EARTH PLAYED THE ROLE
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00:03:26,238 --> 00:03:28,905
OF THE CHEF'S CUSTOMER.
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00:03:28,906 --> 00:03:32,777
Cronin:
WHAT WE THINK HAPPENED IS THERE
IS A NATURAL LAW OF EVOLUTION,
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00:03:32,778 --> 00:03:35,745
THAT IT REFINES THE CHEMICALS
IN STEPS OVER TIME,
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00:03:35,746 --> 00:03:38,615
WHERE WE CAN GO FROM THIS EASY,
TO START WITH,
63
00:03:38,616 --> 00:03:41,952
TO THIS VERY SPECIAL DISH.
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00:03:41,953 --> 00:03:44,824
Freeman: IF LEE IS RIGHT,
THE FORCES OF EVOLUTION
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00:03:44,825 --> 00:03:49,459
WERE AT WORK LONG BEFORE
THE FIRST CELL.
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00:03:49,460 --> 00:03:53,696
CHEMICALS COMPETED
AGAINST OTHER CHEMICALS.
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00:03:53,697 --> 00:03:58,469
TO FIND OUT FOR SURE,
LEE THOUGHT, WHY NOT PLAY GOD
68
00:03:58,470 --> 00:04:03,773
AND TRY TO EVOLVE CHEMICALS
INTO LIFE FORMS IN THE LAB?
69
00:04:03,774 --> 00:04:05,542
THIS IS A MACHINE
THAT SIMULATES
70
00:04:05,543 --> 00:04:07,744
MILLIONS OF YEARS
OF CHEMICAL EVOLUTION
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00:04:07,745 --> 00:04:09,814
IN A MATTER OF WEEKS.
72
00:04:09,815 --> 00:04:12,083
LEE STARTS
WITH FOUR SIMPLE CHEMICALS
73
00:04:12,084 --> 00:04:16,219
THAT CAN BE MIXED IN 17 MILLION
POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS.
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00:04:16,220 --> 00:04:18,255
SO IN THE FIRST STEP,
75
00:04:18,256 --> 00:04:20,791
THE INGREDIENTS
ARE SELECTED BY THE MACHINE.
76
00:04:20,792 --> 00:04:23,361
AND THEN, THEY ARE PUMPED
INTO THE WELLS HERE.
77
00:04:23,362 --> 00:04:25,096
AND THEY MAKE RANDOM RECIPES.
78
00:04:25,097 --> 00:04:27,099
THEY JUST SELECT RANDOM AMOUNTS.
79
00:04:29,066 --> 00:04:31,836
Freeman: THE MACHINE THEN
SQUIRTS OUT TINY BLOBS
80
00:04:31,837 --> 00:04:38,209
OF EACH CHEMICAL COCKTAIL
INTO A WATER-FILLED PETRI DISH.
81
00:04:38,210 --> 00:04:40,211
IT'S VIDEOING
THE ACTUAL DROPLET BEHAVIOR.
82
00:04:40,212 --> 00:04:43,048
SO IT'S LOOKING AT HOW MUCH
THE DROPLETS ARE MOVING.
83
00:04:43,049 --> 00:04:45,849
SO THAT'S ONE FEATURE
THAT WE WANT.
84
00:04:45,850 --> 00:04:48,452
ANOTHER FEATURE WE'RE LOOKING
FOR IS DROPLETS THAT DIVIDE,
85
00:04:48,453 --> 00:04:50,555
SO IT'S LIKE REPLICATION.
86
00:04:50,556 --> 00:04:53,925
ANOTHER PROPERTY WE'RE LOOKING
FOR IS DROPLETS THAN CAN VIBRATE
87
00:04:53,926 --> 00:04:57,161
AND SENSE THE ENVIRONMENT.
88
00:04:57,162 --> 00:04:59,762
Freeman: WHEN THE BLOBS
SHOW SIGNS OF LIFE,
89
00:04:59,763 --> 00:05:02,466
THAT RECIPE
IS SELECTED FOR REPLICATION.
90
00:05:02,467 --> 00:05:06,437
AND THE INFERIOR RECIPES
ARE DESTROYED.
91
00:05:06,438 --> 00:05:08,572
THEN, WITH EACH GENERATION,
92
00:05:08,573 --> 00:05:13,043
THE MACHINE MAKES SMALL,
RANDOM CHANGES TO THE RECIPE.
93
00:05:13,044 --> 00:05:15,579
AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS
OF TRIAL AND ERROR,
94
00:05:15,580 --> 00:05:21,219
LEE'S CHEMICAL BLOBS COME ALIVE.
95
00:05:21,220 --> 00:05:23,687
THEY GET MOBILE.
96
00:05:23,688 --> 00:05:27,390
THEY HUNT
AND CAPTURE OTHER DROPLETS.
97
00:05:27,391 --> 00:05:28,625
Cronin: OH, THAT ONE...
THERE WAS A FUSION.
98
00:05:28,626 --> 00:05:31,228
OH, IT'S DONE IT.
THAT WAS NICE.
99
00:05:31,229 --> 00:05:35,632
Freeman:
THEY EVEN REPRODUCE.
100
00:05:35,633 --> 00:05:39,469
IF YOU FOUND THEM OUTDOORS,
YOU WOULD PROBABLY MISTAKE THEM
101
00:05:39,470 --> 00:05:42,873
FOR LITTLE GELATINOUS
LIFE FORMS,
102
00:05:42,874 --> 00:05:48,044
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT --
AT LEAST, NOT YET.
103
00:05:48,045 --> 00:05:49,447
THE NEXT THING
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO
104
00:05:49,448 --> 00:05:51,781
IS TO FEED THE DROPLETS
ON THEIR OWN
105
00:05:51,782 --> 00:05:54,051
SO THEY CAN TAKE FOOD NATURALLY
FROM THE ENVIRONMENT
106
00:05:54,052 --> 00:05:56,152
AND GROW AND GET
BIGGER AND DIVIDE.
107
00:05:56,153 --> 00:05:58,289
THEN,
WE'RE REALLY ON THE PATHWAY
108
00:05:58,290 --> 00:06:02,627
TO TURNING THIS RANDOM CHEMISTRY
INTO LIVING CHEMISTRY,
109
00:06:02,628 --> 00:06:04,361
INTO BIOLOGY.
110
00:06:04,362 --> 00:06:05,962
Freeman:
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS
111
00:06:05,963 --> 00:06:10,601
SAY THAT DNA IN GENES GIVES LIFE
ITS FOUNDATIONAL PURPOSE,
112
00:06:10,602 --> 00:06:16,005
TO SURVIVE AND EVOLVE
TO BE BETTER AT SURVIVING.
113
00:06:16,006 --> 00:06:17,808
BUT IF LEE IS RIGHT,
114
00:06:17,809 --> 00:06:22,279
DNA IS NOT THE ONLY CHEMICAL
THAT CAN EXIST FOR THIS PURPOSE.
115
00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,414
THIS IS WHY WE'RE REALLY
EXCITED, BECAUSE WE CAN SHOW
116
00:06:24,415 --> 00:06:27,416
THAT EVOLUTION CAN OCCUR
IN THE NATURAL WORLD
117
00:06:27,417 --> 00:06:29,986
WITHOUT GENETIC MATERIAL.
118
00:06:29,987 --> 00:06:33,690
Freeman: LEE BELIEVES
WE ARE HERE FOR A REASON,
119
00:06:33,691 --> 00:06:36,459
A REASON SHARED WITH ALL
LIFE FORMS
120
00:06:36,460 --> 00:06:39,329
AND THE CHEMICALS
THAT CONSTITUTE THEM --
121
00:06:39,330 --> 00:06:43,834
TO LIVE,
TO SURVIVE, AND TO EVOLVE.
122
00:06:43,835 --> 00:06:47,404
Cronin: WHERE THERE IS ENERGY
AND THERE IS MATTER,
123
00:06:47,405 --> 00:06:50,640
CHEMISTRY TRANSFORMS
INTO BIOLOGY OVER TIME.
124
00:06:50,641 --> 00:06:53,811
AND THIS IS A NATURAL LAW.
125
00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:02,586
AT THE DEEPEST LEVEL,
INSIDE EVERY CELL IN OUR BODY,
126
00:07:02,587 --> 00:07:03,721
WE ARE DRIVEN
127
00:07:03,722 --> 00:07:06,223
BY THE NEVER-ENDING STRUGGLE
OF CHEMICALS
128
00:07:06,224 --> 00:07:09,928
TO MAKE COPIES OF THEMSELVES.
129
00:07:09,929 --> 00:07:14,264
BUT IF THE ONLY PURPOSE OF LIFE
IS TO MAKE MORE CHEMICALS,
130
00:07:14,265 --> 00:07:20,805
WHY DID WE EVER
BECOME MORE COMPLEX THAN THIS?
131
00:07:20,806 --> 00:07:25,276
THIS GUY CAN REPLICATE
DOZENS OF TIMES A DAY,
132
00:07:25,277 --> 00:07:27,812
REPRODUCING ITS BAG OF CHEMICALS
133
00:07:27,813 --> 00:07:32,950
FAR MORE EFFICIENTLY
THAN WE CAN.
134
00:07:32,951 --> 00:07:36,887
AND YET, HERE WE ARE.
135
00:07:36,888 --> 00:07:41,126
WHAT'S THE REASON FOR BAGS
OF CHEMICALS LIKE YOU AND ME?
136
00:07:44,797 --> 00:07:47,464
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST
RICHARD LENSKY
137
00:07:47,465 --> 00:07:49,632
AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
138
00:07:49,633 --> 00:07:52,236
IS A BIOLOGICAL TIME TRAVELER.
139
00:07:52,237 --> 00:07:54,772
SO ANY BIOLOGIST
WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE WAY
140
00:07:54,773 --> 00:07:57,907
THE FILM OF LIFE ON EARTH
PLAYED OUT
141
00:07:57,908 --> 00:08:01,279
AND TO ACTUALLY WATCH
THE TRANSITIONS THAT OCCURRED
142
00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,414
OVER THESE SEVERAL BILLION YEARS
143
00:08:04,415 --> 00:08:08,152
AND ASK, "WHY DID IT WORK OUT
THE WAY IT DID?"
144
00:08:08,153 --> 00:08:09,887
Freeman: RICHARD DOESN'T HAVE
BILLIONS OF YEARS
145
00:08:09,888 --> 00:08:12,488
TO WATCH EVOLUTION IN ACTION,
146
00:08:12,489 --> 00:08:16,793
BUT HE DOES HAVE THE SPAN
OF ONE LIFETIME,
147
00:08:16,794 --> 00:08:18,262
WHICH HE HAS DEDICATED
148
00:08:18,263 --> 00:08:21,531
TO PERFORMING THE LONGEST
EVOLUTIONARY EXPERIMENT
149
00:08:21,532 --> 00:08:23,669
IN THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE.
150
00:08:25,569 --> 00:08:27,404
27 YEARS AGO,
151
00:08:27,405 --> 00:08:28,705
RICHARD PLUCKED
152
00:08:28,706 --> 00:08:33,210
12 GENETICALLY IDENTICAL E. COLI
BACTERIA FROM A CONTAINER
153
00:08:33,211 --> 00:08:35,812
AND ALLOWED THEM TO START
THEIR OWN POPULATIONS
154
00:08:35,813 --> 00:08:38,582
IN 12 SEPARATE WORLDS.
155
00:08:38,583 --> 00:08:41,050
EVER SINCE, DAY AFTER DAY,
156
00:08:41,051 --> 00:08:44,487
HE'S WATCHED EACH
OF THE 12 POPULATIONS MULTIPLY
157
00:08:44,488 --> 00:08:50,727
AND COMPETE AMONGST THEMSELVES
FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FOOD.
158
00:08:50,728 --> 00:08:52,996
Lensky:
KEY PART OF THE EXPERIMENT
IS JUST KEEPING IT GOING,
159
00:08:52,997 --> 00:08:56,167
DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY,
160
00:08:56,168 --> 00:08:59,404
TRANSFERRING A SMALL AMOUNT
FROM EACH FLASK
161
00:08:59,405 --> 00:09:00,803
INTO FRESH MEDIUM EACH DAY.
162
00:09:00,804 --> 00:09:04,274
AND THE BACTERIA GROW AND
REPLICATE IN THAT FRESH MEDIUM
163
00:09:04,275 --> 00:09:06,710
UNTIL THEY RUN OUT OF THE SUGAR
THAT THEY GROW ON.
164
00:09:06,711 --> 00:09:08,046
AND THEN, THEY SIT THERE
165
00:09:08,047 --> 00:09:12,015
UNTIL, THE NEXT DAY,
THAT WHOLE PROCESS IS REPEATED.
166
00:09:12,016 --> 00:09:13,716
Freeman:
AT THE END OF EVERY DAY,
167
00:09:13,717 --> 00:09:15,785
HE ALLOWED A SMALL SAMPLE
OF THE SURVIVORS
168
00:09:15,786 --> 00:09:19,756
TO CONTINUE
PRODUCING NEW GENERATIONS.
169
00:09:19,757 --> 00:09:24,595
YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE DAILY
PROCESS WENT ON AND ON.
170
00:09:26,698 --> 00:09:30,266
IN EACH FLASK,
THE CELLS OF BACTERIA REPLICATE,
171
00:09:30,267 --> 00:09:32,836
PASSING ON TINY,
RANDOM MUTATIONS
172
00:09:32,837 --> 00:09:37,106
TO THEIR OFFSPRING'S DNA.
173
00:09:37,107 --> 00:09:39,577
FOR THE FIRST 15 YEARS
OF THE EXPERIMENT,
174
00:09:39,578 --> 00:09:45,615
THE SEPARATED POPULATIONS
EVOLVED PRETTY MUCH IN LOCKSTEP,
175
00:09:45,616 --> 00:09:49,822
EACH STRAIN GRADUALLY ADAPTING
TO THIS FLASK ENVIRONMENT.
176
00:09:52,490 --> 00:09:53,890
BUT ONE NIGHT,
177
00:09:53,891 --> 00:09:57,327
ONE OF THE COLONIES HAD A SUDDEN
AND DRAMATIC VICTORY
178
00:09:57,328 --> 00:10:00,864
IN THE ARMS RACE OF EVOLUTION.
179
00:10:00,865 --> 00:10:04,134
ONE DAY, WE CAME IN AND FOUND
THAT ONE OF OUR FLASKS
180
00:10:04,135 --> 00:10:06,470
HAD MANY MORE BACTERIA
THAN THE OTHERS.
181
00:10:06,471 --> 00:10:08,340
ONE OF THE LINES OF BACTERIA,
182
00:10:08,341 --> 00:10:10,707
AFTER THEY HAD FINISHED
THE GLUCOSE, THEY SAID, "HMM,
183
00:10:10,708 --> 00:10:11,976
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TO EAT."
184
00:10:11,977 --> 00:10:15,578
AND THAT GAVE THEM
A HUGE ADVANTAGE.
185
00:10:15,579 --> 00:10:17,414
Freeman:
OVERNIGHT, THESE E. COLI
186
00:10:17,415 --> 00:10:21,217
HAD SWITCHED ON NEW
AND COMPLEX INTERNAL MACHINERY
187
00:10:21,218 --> 00:10:23,553
THAT ALLOWED THEM
TO EXTRACT ENERGY
188
00:10:23,554 --> 00:10:28,125
FROM A BENIGN CHEMICAL ADDITIVE.
189
00:10:28,126 --> 00:10:30,093
ARMED WITH THIS NEW TALENT,
190
00:10:30,094 --> 00:10:33,731
THEY VANQUISHED
THEIR COMPETITORS.
191
00:10:33,732 --> 00:10:36,899
BUT WHEN RICHARD EXAMINED
THE DNA OF THESE E. COLI,
192
00:10:36,900 --> 00:10:40,636
HE REALIZED THAT THE MUTATION
THAT SWITCHED ON THE NEW TALENT
193
00:10:40,637 --> 00:10:45,208
WAS MERELY THE LAST
IN A LONG SERIES.
194
00:10:45,209 --> 00:10:49,913
THE OTHERS HAD LAIN DORMANT
FOR THOUSANDS OF GENERATIONS.
195
00:10:49,914 --> 00:10:52,817
RICHARD THINKS OF IT
AS LIFE PLAYING A GRAND VERSION
196
00:10:52,818 --> 00:10:56,419
OF HIS FAVORITE GAME, POKER.
197
00:10:56,420 --> 00:10:58,856
Lensky:
I ALWAYS LIKED PLAYING GAMES
THAT INVOLVED A MIXTURE
198
00:10:58,857 --> 00:11:00,256
OF LUCK AND SKILL.
199
00:11:00,257 --> 00:11:02,827
MOST CARD GAMES,
YOU'VE GOT THE SHUFFLING,
200
00:11:02,828 --> 00:11:06,630
AND YET POKER TAKES SOME SKILL
TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
201
00:11:06,631 --> 00:11:09,634
Freeman:
FOR E. COLI AND HUMANS ALIKE,
202
00:11:09,635 --> 00:11:14,971
EACH GENETIC MUTATION IS LIKE
A NEW CARD DEALT TO THE SPECIES.
203
00:11:14,972 --> 00:11:18,341
IF THE RIGHT HAND
IS MADE IN THE RIGHT ORDER,
204
00:11:18,342 --> 00:11:22,078
THE ORGANISM
CAN WIN BIG FOR POSTERITY.
205
00:11:22,079 --> 00:11:25,515
Lensky:
IN THIS CASE, THE BACTERIA
HAVE THIS KEY MUTATION,
206
00:11:25,516 --> 00:11:27,050
BUT IT HAD TO HAPPEN
IN THE CONTEXT
207
00:11:27,051 --> 00:11:31,021
WHERE THERE WERE OTHER MUTATIONS
BEFORE IT.
208
00:11:31,022 --> 00:11:33,723
Freeman:
WHEN THERE IS A QUEEN AND
A KING OF HEARTS ON THE TABLE,
209
00:11:33,724 --> 00:11:36,927
AND YOU HAVE THE 10 AND
ACE OF HEARTS IN YOUR HAND,
210
00:11:36,928 --> 00:11:39,998
YOU ARE SET UP TO
POTENTIALLY MAKE A ROYAL FLUSH,
211
00:11:39,999 --> 00:11:42,966
THE MOST POWERFUL HAND IN POKER.
212
00:11:42,967 --> 00:11:48,205
ALL YOU NEED IS FOR THE FINAL
CARD TO BE A JACK OF HEARTS.
213
00:11:48,206 --> 00:11:50,407
WELL, IF YOU WERE LOOKING
FOR A THIRD SEVEN,
214
00:11:50,408 --> 00:11:52,109
THAT DOES YOU NO GOOD AT ALL.
215
00:11:52,110 --> 00:11:55,479
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT THE OTHER
PARTS OF A ROYAL FLUSH,
216
00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,713
YOU'RE HAPPY.
217
00:11:57,714 --> 00:12:00,851
Freeman:
E. COLI ADAPT TO MEET
THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS
218
00:12:00,852 --> 00:12:03,153
THROUGH GENETIC MUTATION.
219
00:12:03,154 --> 00:12:06,723
BUT SOME MUTATIONS
DON'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE REWARD.
220
00:12:06,724 --> 00:12:09,793
THEY ARE INVESTMENTS
FOR THEIR DISTANT DESCENDANTS
221
00:12:09,794 --> 00:12:14,732
SO THAT THEY CAN WIN
A BIG EVOLUTIONARY JACKPOT.
222
00:12:15,666 --> 00:12:17,701
IT'S A PURPOSE
THAT RICHARD SEES MIRRORED
223
00:12:17,702 --> 00:12:22,005
IN THE STORY OF HIS OWN WORK
AND IN HIS OWN SPECIES,
224
00:12:22,006 --> 00:12:23,707
HOMO SAPIENS.
225
00:12:23,708 --> 00:12:26,943
THOUSANDS OF GENERATIONS
OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE HIM
226
00:12:26,944 --> 00:12:29,813
ADAPTED TO MEET
THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS
227
00:12:29,814 --> 00:12:32,282
BUT ALSO MADE TINY CONTRIBUTIONS
228
00:12:32,283 --> 00:12:35,351
THAT SET RICHARD UP
TO BE A JACK OF HEARTS.
229
00:12:35,352 --> 00:12:37,321
THEY ALLOWED HIM TO RUN
AN EXPERIMENT
230
00:12:37,322 --> 00:12:42,058
THAT FOREVER CHANGED HUMANITY'S
UNDERSTANDING OF EVOLUTION,
231
00:12:42,059 --> 00:12:44,928
ONE THAT WOULD BE CARRIED ON
BY HIS PROTéGéS
232
00:12:44,929 --> 00:12:47,798
LONG AFTER HE'S GONE.
233
00:12:47,799 --> 00:12:50,601
COULD THIS BE THE PURPOSE
OF ALL LIFE,
234
00:12:50,602 --> 00:12:55,205
FROM SIMPLE SINGLE CELLS
TO HUMAN BEINGS?
235
00:12:55,206 --> 00:12:58,375
WELL, MY WIFE SAYS MY PURPOSE IN
LIFE IS TO TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE.
236
00:12:58,376 --> 00:13:00,845
BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE
OF OTHER PURPOSES.
237
00:13:00,846 --> 00:13:04,349
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEEPEST
POSSIBLE MEANING OF LIFE IS.
238
00:13:04,350 --> 00:13:06,817
SO MANY HAPPENSTANCES
AND CONTINGENCIES
239
00:13:06,818 --> 00:13:08,851
AND LUCKY EVENTS WENT INTO IT.
240
00:13:08,852 --> 00:13:11,788
TO ME,
THAT'S JUST AN AMAZING STORY
241
00:13:11,789 --> 00:13:14,591
THAT I'M ONE TINY,
LITTLE SPECK OF,
242
00:13:14,592 --> 00:13:16,595
AND I'M VERY GLAD
TO BE A PART OF IT.
243
00:13:19,430 --> 00:13:24,768
Freeman:
WHY DO WE SO DESPERATELY SEARCH
FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE?
244
00:13:24,769 --> 00:13:28,205
PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE WE MUST.
245
00:13:28,206 --> 00:13:31,209
NEW SCIENCE SUGGESTS THAT,
50,000 YEARS AGO,
246
00:13:31,210 --> 00:13:34,510
HUMAN BEINGS
DRAMATICALLY TRANSFORMED.
247
00:13:34,511 --> 00:13:38,915
AND EVER SINCE,
THE SURVIVAL OF OUR SPECIES
248
00:13:38,916 --> 00:13:43,888
DEPENDS ON EACH OF US
FINDING OUR UNIQUE PURPOSE.
249
00:13:47,989 --> 00:13:50,424
WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF
IN THE MIRROR,
250
00:13:50,425 --> 00:13:54,395
DO YOU SEE THE PERSON
YOU TRULY BELIEVE YOU ARE?
251
00:13:54,396 --> 00:13:56,760
I'M LUCKY.
252
00:13:56,761 --> 00:14:00,134
I DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE A LOVE
AND A TALENT FOR ACTING.
253
00:14:00,135 --> 00:14:03,169
WHAT'S YOUR REASON
FOR BEING HERE?
254
00:14:03,170 --> 00:14:05,738
WE'RE OFTEN TOLD
THAT OUR PURPOSE
255
00:14:05,739 --> 00:14:08,876
CAN BE ANYTHING
WE WANT IT TO BE.
256
00:14:08,877 --> 00:14:13,581
NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS
THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE.
257
00:14:13,582 --> 00:14:15,417
EVOLUTION MAY HAVE REQUIRED
258
00:14:15,418 --> 00:14:19,687
THAT EACH OF US BE BORN
WITH A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
259
00:14:22,257 --> 00:14:24,824
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?
260
00:14:24,825 --> 00:14:28,261
GENETICIST RAZIB KHAN SAYS
THAT THE ANSWER IS DIFFERENT NOW
261
00:14:28,262 --> 00:14:32,265
THAN IT WAS
FOR OUR PREHISTORIC ANCESTORS.
262
00:14:32,266 --> 00:14:38,238
THE CHANGE BEGAN WITH
THE EXPLOSION OF...AGRICULTURE
263
00:14:38,239 --> 00:14:42,243
AND THE RISE OF AN ENTIRELY NEW
CLASS OF ANIMAL.
264
00:14:43,744 --> 00:14:46,246
THE WILD ANCESTORS
OF THESE ANIMALS WOULD HAVE
265
00:14:46,247 --> 00:14:51,050
VIOLENTLY ATTACKED RAZIB
FOR THREATENING THEIR TERRITORY.
266
00:14:51,051 --> 00:14:53,721
BUT NOW,
THESE DOMESTICATED DESCENDANTS
267
00:14:53,722 --> 00:14:57,390
CUDDLE UP TO HIM
FOR FOOD AND ATTENTION.
268
00:14:57,391 --> 00:15:00,794
RAZIB KNOWS THAT THIS DIFFERENCE
IN BEHAVIOR
269
00:15:00,795 --> 00:15:03,496
IS ALL IN THEIR GENES.
270
00:15:03,497 --> 00:15:07,735
Khan:
MANY OF THE CHANGES IN MAMMALS
OCCUR IN A GROUP OF GENES
271
00:15:07,736 --> 00:15:09,504
THAT ARE TERMED
NEURAL CREST GENES,
272
00:15:09,505 --> 00:15:12,106
AND BASICALLY,
IT'S JUST A SHORTHAND WAY
273
00:15:12,107 --> 00:15:15,376
TO SAY THAT IT AFFECTS
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR BRAIN.
274
00:15:15,377 --> 00:15:17,478
AND THEY'RE MORE CHILDLIKE.
275
00:15:19,481 --> 00:15:20,914
Freeman:
EVERY SPECIES OF ANIMAL
276
00:15:20,915 --> 00:15:24,684
HAS A SET OF CHROMOSOMES MADE
FROM THOUSANDS OF GENES.
277
00:15:24,685 --> 00:15:29,021
MOST OF THESE GENES
ARE COMMON TO ALL LIFE.
278
00:15:29,022 --> 00:15:33,092
WHEN EARLY FARMERS ALLOWED ONLY
THE TAMEST OFFSPRING TO BREED,
279
00:15:33,093 --> 00:15:35,195
A SPECIFIC SET OF GENES
MUTATED,
280
00:15:35,196 --> 00:15:38,497
EVENTUALLY GIVING RISE
TO THE DOMESTIC GOAT.
281
00:15:38,498 --> 00:15:40,568
[ GOAT BLEATS ]
282
00:15:40,569 --> 00:15:42,502
THOSE SAME GENES IN THE WOLF
283
00:15:42,503 --> 00:15:45,639
MUTATED TO GIVE RISE
TO THE DOMESTIC DOG.
284
00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:46,807
[ DOG BARKS ]
285
00:15:46,808 --> 00:15:50,544
WILD AUROCHS
HAD THESE GENES ALSO.
286
00:15:50,545 --> 00:15:52,212
WHEN THEY MUTATED,
287
00:15:52,213 --> 00:15:54,115
DOMESTIC CATTLE CAME TO BE.
288
00:15:54,116 --> 00:15:55,448
[ COW LOWS ]
289
00:15:55,449 --> 00:15:59,486
IN FACT, NATURE USES ESSENTIALLY
THE SAME GENETIC RECIPE
290
00:15:59,487 --> 00:16:04,591
TO TURN ANY WILD ANIMAL
INTO A DOMESTIC.
291
00:16:04,592 --> 00:16:05,744
BUT ONE BARNYARD ANIMAL...
292
00:16:05,745 --> 00:16:06,894
[ CAT MEOWS ]
293
00:16:06,895 --> 00:16:09,596
...IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS.
294
00:16:09,597 --> 00:16:10,731
[ CAT PURRING ]
295
00:16:10,732 --> 00:16:12,065
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW,
296
00:16:12,066 --> 00:16:13,500
UNLESS YOU LIVE
ON THE PLANET MELMAC,
297
00:16:13,501 --> 00:16:16,670
YOU DON'T EAT CATS.
298
00:16:16,671 --> 00:16:18,237
THEY ARE NOT A FOOD ANIMAL.
299
00:16:18,238 --> 00:16:20,308
BUT CATS FEED ON MICE,
300
00:16:20,309 --> 00:16:21,942
AND MICE REALLY,
301
00:16:21,943 --> 00:16:24,078
REALLY ARE ATTRACTED
TO HUMAN GRANARIES.
302
00:16:24,079 --> 00:16:25,779
SO IT SEEMS ENTIRELY LIKELY
303
00:16:25,780 --> 00:16:28,649
THAT CATS WERE TOLERATED
IN EARLY HUMAN VILLAGES
304
00:16:28,650 --> 00:16:31,318
BECAUSE THEY SERVED
A USEFUL ROLE
305
00:16:31,319 --> 00:16:34,255
FOR THE NASCENT FARMING
COMMUNITIES.
306
00:16:34,256 --> 00:16:38,826
Freeman: CATS WERE NOT
INTENTIONALLY TAMED.
307
00:16:38,827 --> 00:16:40,562
SO RAZIB AND HIS COLLEAGUES
308
00:16:40,563 --> 00:16:45,732
LOOKED TO THEIR DNA TO SEE
HOW THEY BECAME SO FRIENDLY.
309
00:16:45,733 --> 00:16:47,334
Khan:
WE FOUND IN THE STUDY
310
00:16:47,335 --> 00:16:50,504
THAT THE COMPARISON
TO THE WILDCAT,
311
00:16:50,505 --> 00:16:53,874
THE DOMESTIC CAT EXHIBITED
MANY CHANGES IN THE GENOME
312
00:16:53,875 --> 00:16:57,343
THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN
IN OTHER DOMESTIC ORGANISMS,
313
00:16:57,344 --> 00:16:58,779
IN PARTICULAR, THE GENES
314
00:16:58,780 --> 00:17:01,448
THAT SEEM TO BE INVOLVED
WITH DOCILITY.
315
00:17:01,449 --> 00:17:04,518
SO OUR STUDY SUGGESTED
THAT THE CAT IS, TO SOME EXTENT,
316
00:17:04,519 --> 00:17:06,853
A SELF-DOMESTICATED ORGANISM.
317
00:17:06,854 --> 00:17:10,357
Freeman: NO FARMER SET OUT
TO BREED A DOMESTIC CAT.
318
00:17:10,358 --> 00:17:14,295
THEY DOMESTICATED THEMSELVES.
319
00:17:14,296 --> 00:17:18,164
SO THAT LED RAZIB TO WONDER,
DID WE HUMANS
320
00:17:18,165 --> 00:17:21,734
ALSO TURN OURSELVES
INTO A DOMESTIC SPECIES?
321
00:17:21,735 --> 00:17:25,606
Khan: HUMANS EXHIBIT A LOT
OF CHANGES IN OUR GENOME
322
00:17:25,607 --> 00:17:27,374
OVER THE LAST 10,000 YEARS.
323
00:17:27,375 --> 00:17:29,309
MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION IS YES,
324
00:17:29,310 --> 00:17:31,944
YOU CAN DEFINE HUMANS
AS A DOMESTIC ANIMAL.
325
00:17:31,945 --> 00:17:33,981
WE LIVE IN LARGE GROUPS.
326
00:17:33,982 --> 00:17:38,152
IF YOU TOOK HUMANS INDIVIDUALLY
AND PUT THEM ON AN ISLAND,
327
00:17:38,153 --> 00:17:39,787
THEY REALLY COULDN'T SURVIVE.
328
00:17:39,788 --> 00:17:44,291
Freeman:
COMPARED WITH OUR WILD ANCESTORS
50,000 YEARS AGO,
329
00:17:44,292 --> 00:17:47,627
WE ARE MORE DOCILE, SLOWER,
330
00:17:47,628 --> 00:17:49,229
WEAKER BONED,
331
00:17:49,230 --> 00:17:51,365
AND MORE CHILDLIKE.
332
00:17:51,366 --> 00:17:54,100
BUT DON'T LET THAT GET YOU DOWN.
333
00:17:54,101 --> 00:17:56,703
THE APPARENT DOWNGRADES
OF DOMESTICATION
334
00:17:56,704 --> 00:17:58,504
HAVE ACTUALLY
GIVEN EACH ONE OF US
335
00:17:58,505 --> 00:18:02,209
A MORE IMPORTANT PURPOSE
IN LIFE.
336
00:18:02,210 --> 00:18:04,845
Khan:
A HUNTER-GATHERER HAD TO BE
JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES BECAUSE,
337
00:18:04,846 --> 00:18:08,281
PROBABLY, THERE WAS
ONLY 10 TO 20 OTHER PEOPLE
338
00:18:08,282 --> 00:18:10,550
THAT YOU INTERACTED WITH
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
339
00:18:10,551 --> 00:18:12,520
WHEN YOU GO UP TO A VILLAGE
OF 500,
340
00:18:12,521 --> 00:18:14,422
YOU COULD HAVE A WARRIOR OR TWO,
341
00:18:14,423 --> 00:18:17,324
MAYBE SOMEONE
WHO SPECIALIZED IN HEALING.
342
00:18:17,325 --> 00:18:19,360
ONCE YOU GET TO THE SIZE
OF CITIES,
343
00:18:19,361 --> 00:18:22,596
YOU HAVE WHOLE CASTS
OF SPECIALISTS THAT DO THINGS
344
00:18:22,597 --> 00:18:25,499
THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE PAST
MIGHT HAVE DONE.
345
00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:29,237
Freeman:
WHEN ANIMALS ARE DOMESTICATED,
INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR POPULATIONS
346
00:18:29,238 --> 00:18:31,370
ARE MORE LIKELY
TO DEVELOP EXCEPTIONAL
347
00:18:31,371 --> 00:18:33,406
AND SPECIFIC TALENTS.
348
00:18:33,407 --> 00:18:36,376
HUMANS ARE NO EXCEPTION.
349
00:18:36,377 --> 00:18:39,380
IT IS WHAT HAS KEPT
OUR CIVILIZATION HUMMING ALONG.
350
00:18:43,484 --> 00:18:45,351
THINK OF A FARM.
351
00:18:45,352 --> 00:18:49,623
IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN
TWO PEOPLE TO KEEP IT RUNNING.
352
00:18:49,624 --> 00:18:52,125
CARPENTERS, MECHANICS,
353
00:18:52,126 --> 00:18:54,828
ARBORISTS, VETERINARIANS,
354
00:18:54,829 --> 00:18:57,231
THE FARM RELIES ON ALL OF THEM
355
00:18:57,232 --> 00:19:01,469
TO DEVELOP THEIR NATURAL TALENTS
INTO USEFUL SKILLS.
356
00:19:01,470 --> 00:19:04,206
RAZIB NURTURED HIS GIFT
OF INTELLIGENCE.
357
00:19:04,207 --> 00:19:08,309
AND NOW, HIS RESEARCH ADDS
TO OUR COLLECTIVE WISDOM.
358
00:19:08,310 --> 00:19:11,511
BUT HE ALSO
HAS ANOTHER NATURAL TALENT
359
00:19:11,512 --> 00:19:15,649
THAT DOESN'T SEEM
TO SERVE ANY PURPOSE AT ALL.
360
00:19:15,650 --> 00:19:18,184
THE ONE THING
THAT I CAN PROBABLY DO
361
00:19:18,185 --> 00:19:23,222
THAT IMPRESSES PEOPLE IS
I CAN EAT HOT PEPPERS.
362
00:19:23,223 --> 00:19:24,591
THAT'S THE ONE THING
WHERE IT'S, LIKE,
363
00:19:24,592 --> 00:19:29,962
I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN BEAT
ANYBODY THAT I SEE AND MEET.
364
00:19:29,963 --> 00:19:31,932
Freeman: EATING THIS PEPPER
WOULD SEND MOST PEOPLE
365
00:19:31,933 --> 00:19:34,734
SCRAMBLING FOR WATER.
366
00:19:34,735 --> 00:19:39,573
BUT FOR RAZIB, IT'S CANDY.
367
00:19:42,877 --> 00:19:47,181
OUR SPECIES THRIVES
BECAUSE EACH OF US FEELS DRIVEN
368
00:19:47,182 --> 00:19:52,386
TO PURSUE OUR OWN
HIGHLY SPECIALIZED AMBITION.
369
00:19:52,387 --> 00:19:57,057
BUT OUR INDIVIDUAL PURPOSE
IN LIFE MAY COME TO HAUNT US.
370
00:19:57,058 --> 00:20:01,494
IT COULD MAKE OUR VERY REASON
TO EXIST OBSOLETE
371
00:20:01,495 --> 00:20:06,167
AND MEAN LIGHTS OUT
FOR HUMANITY.
372
00:20:10,999 --> 00:20:14,436
HAVE YOU EVER SHARED A FUNNY
IMAGE WITH A FRIEND ONLINE?
373
00:20:15,871 --> 00:20:18,273
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
374
00:20:18,274 --> 00:20:21,074
A MEME MADE YOU DO THAT.
375
00:20:21,075 --> 00:20:24,245
BUT MEMES
AREN'T JUST INTERNET JOKES.
376
00:20:24,246 --> 00:20:27,549
THEY ARE ANY IDEA THAT SPREADS.
377
00:20:27,550 --> 00:20:31,753
GREAT IDEAS, LIKE THOSE OF
DA VINCI, EINSTEIN, AND BUDDHA,
378
00:20:31,754 --> 00:20:34,289
ARE THE REASON
HUMANITY HAS THRIVED.
379
00:20:34,290 --> 00:20:39,160
IN FACT, MEMES
MAY BE THE REAL PURPOSE OF LIFE.
380
00:20:39,161 --> 00:20:42,296
WE MAY EXIST
NOT TO SPREAD OUR GENES,
381
00:20:42,297 --> 00:20:44,532
BUT TO SPREAD IDEAS.
382
00:20:44,533 --> 00:20:47,701
AS LONG AS THE IDEAS REPRODUCE,
383
00:20:47,702 --> 00:20:49,671
WE MAY BE DISPENSABLE.
384
00:20:53,676 --> 00:20:56,977
IF YOU ASK EVOLUTIONARY THEORIST
SUE BLACKMORE
385
00:20:56,978 --> 00:21:00,314
ABOUT A UNIVERSAL PURPOSE
OF ALL LIFE,
386
00:21:00,315 --> 00:21:04,718
SHE'LL SAY IT'S TO SPREAD GENES.
387
00:21:04,719 --> 00:21:06,286
Blackmore:
SO, MY LOVELY CHICKENS,
388
00:21:06,287 --> 00:21:10,058
FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE ARE
KIND OF LIVING MACHINES
389
00:21:10,059 --> 00:21:11,959
THAT CARRY AROUND THE GENES
390
00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:14,129
AND LAY AN EGG
AND CARRY ON AND SO ON.
391
00:21:14,130 --> 00:21:16,496
AND OVER THE CENTURIES
OF DOMESTICATION,
392
00:21:16,497 --> 00:21:19,367
THEY'VE BECOME NICE, FAT
CHICKENS THAT LAY LOTS OF EGGS.
393
00:21:19,368 --> 00:21:21,569
THAT IS WHAT WE MIGHT CALL
THE FIRST REPLICATOR.
394
00:21:21,570 --> 00:21:24,037
THAT INFORMATION,
CODED IN GENES,
395
00:21:24,038 --> 00:21:25,172
IN THE DNA MOLECULES
396
00:21:25,173 --> 00:21:27,675
IN BODIES OF US,
CHICKENS, TREES,
397
00:21:27,676 --> 00:21:29,744
THAT'S THE FIRST REPLICATOR
ON PLANET EARTH.
398
00:21:29,745 --> 00:21:32,914
COME ON, CHICKENS.
COME ON.
399
00:21:32,915 --> 00:21:35,518
COME ON. COME ON, CHICKENS.
COME ON.
400
00:21:39,654 --> 00:21:42,757
Freeman: BUT HUMANS HAVE
ONE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE.
401
00:21:42,758 --> 00:21:46,761
WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE CAPACITY
FOR IMITATION AND LANGUAGE,
402
00:21:46,762 --> 00:21:50,031
WE BECAME VESSELS
FOR AN ADDITIONAL REPLICATOR.
403
00:21:50,032 --> 00:21:52,199
[ CELLPHONE RINGS ]
HELLO?
404
00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,268
-Freeman: THE MEME.
-YEAH?
405
00:21:54,269 --> 00:21:56,571
MEMES ARE THE CULTURAL
EQUIVALENT
406
00:21:56,572 --> 00:21:58,072
OF GENES, IF YOU LIKE.
407
00:21:58,073 --> 00:22:00,640
THEY ARE INFORMATION THAT'S
COPIED FROM PERSON TO PERSON,
408
00:22:00,641 --> 00:22:02,010
PERSON TO BOOK.
409
00:22:02,011 --> 00:22:06,246
THEY ENCOMPASS ALL
OF THE HABITS, SKILLS, STORIES,
410
00:22:06,247 --> 00:22:08,515
THAT WE PASS FROM PERSON
TO PERSON.
411
00:22:08,516 --> 00:22:10,951
AND THEY COMPETE TO USE
OUR BRAINS
412
00:22:10,952 --> 00:22:12,286
TO GET THEMSELVES COPIED.
413
00:22:12,287 --> 00:22:15,823
AND IN THAT WAY, THEY EVOLVE.
414
00:22:15,824 --> 00:22:19,326
Freeman: LIKE GENES,
MEMES ARE SELFISH REPLICATORS.
415
00:22:19,327 --> 00:22:25,132
THEY SPREAD WHATEVER THEY CAN,
REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
416
00:22:25,133 --> 00:22:26,635
LONG AGO, THE MEME
417
00:22:26,636 --> 00:22:29,337
OF FIGHTING TRIBAL ENEMIES
WITH A STONE AXE
418
00:22:29,338 --> 00:22:31,207
SPREAD FAR AND WIDE.
419
00:22:33,976 --> 00:22:36,779
BUT IT WASN'T LONG
BEFORE A NEW MEME ARRIVED --
420
00:22:36,780 --> 00:22:40,814
THE MEME
OF FIGHTING WITH A BRONZE SWORD.
421
00:22:40,815 --> 00:22:43,150
MEMES COMPETE TO SURVIVE.
422
00:22:43,151 --> 00:22:45,620
THE BEST MEMES
GET THEIR CARRIERS TO COPY THEM,
423
00:22:45,621 --> 00:22:48,590
REMEMBER THEM, AND PASS THEM ON.
424
00:22:48,591 --> 00:22:50,792
AND JUST LIKE BAD GENES,
425
00:22:50,793 --> 00:22:54,563
THE INFERIOR MEMES
USUALLY END UP EXTINCT.
426
00:22:56,631 --> 00:22:58,166
WHEN IT COMES TO MEMES,
427
00:22:58,167 --> 00:23:00,668
THE SAME EVOLUTIONARY
COMPETITION IS GOING ON.
428
00:23:00,669 --> 00:23:02,235
THE MEMES THAT WE LIKE,
429
00:23:02,236 --> 00:23:03,537
OR THAT PROVIDE SOMETHING
FOR US,
430
00:23:03,538 --> 00:23:05,372
OR THAT TRICK US
INTO COPYING THEM,
431
00:23:05,373 --> 00:23:06,475
THEY THRIVE,
432
00:23:06,476 --> 00:23:07,676
CULTURE FILLS UP WITH THEM,
433
00:23:07,677 --> 00:23:09,410
AND THE REST DISAPPEAR.
434
00:23:09,411 --> 00:23:12,347
Freeman: WE ARE CONSTANTLY
SPREADING MEMES.
435
00:23:12,348 --> 00:23:14,415
A KNOCK ON THE DOOR IS A MEME.
436
00:23:14,416 --> 00:23:17,151
A HANDSHAKE IS A MEME.
437
00:23:17,152 --> 00:23:18,553
THERE ARE COUNTLESS OTHER WAYS
438
00:23:18,554 --> 00:23:20,921
TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION
BEHIND A DOOR
439
00:23:20,922 --> 00:23:23,691
AND COUNTLESS WAYS
TO GREET THEM.
440
00:23:23,692 --> 00:23:25,526
BUT IN WESTERN CULTURE,
441
00:23:25,527 --> 00:23:27,795
THESE MEMES STUCK.
442
00:23:27,796 --> 00:23:30,898
IN FACT, SUE AND HER FRIENDS
ARE ALL SPREADING A MEME
443
00:23:30,899 --> 00:23:33,069
THAT CAME FROM THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE GLOBE --
444
00:23:36,339 --> 00:23:38,341
SAMBA MUSIC.
445
00:23:41,710 --> 00:23:43,811
Blackmore:
OUR SAMBA BAND IS MIMETIC.
446
00:23:43,812 --> 00:23:45,679
THIS INTERESTING EVOLUTION
OF SAMBA
447
00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:49,449
BECAUSE IT'S EVOLVED IN BRAZIL
AS STREET MUSIC.
448
00:23:49,450 --> 00:23:56,024
SO IT'S EVOLVED TO BE LOUD,
ACTIVE, FUN, BRIGHT CLOTHES,
449
00:23:56,025 --> 00:23:59,660
TO SUIT THE SUNSHINE
IN THE STREETS.
450
00:23:59,661 --> 00:24:01,729
IT COMES OVER HERE TO BRITAIN,
451
00:24:01,730 --> 00:24:02,996
AND WE PLAY THE SAME MUSIC,
452
00:24:02,997 --> 00:24:05,332
BUT IT SLIGHTLY CHANGES
TO FIT IN ITS NEW NICHE,
453
00:24:05,333 --> 00:24:06,734
JUST LIKE ANIMALS DO WHEN THEY
454
00:24:06,735 --> 00:24:10,505
EVOLVED INTO DIFFERENT
BIOLOGICAL NICHES.
455
00:24:10,506 --> 00:24:12,741
[ CELLPHONES CHIMING,
VIBRATING ]
456
00:24:12,742 --> 00:24:15,777
Freeman: MEMES HAVE TAKEN
THE WORLD BY STORM.
457
00:24:15,778 --> 00:24:19,380
BUT NOW,
SOMETHING NEW IS COMING --
458
00:24:19,381 --> 00:24:22,417
THE TECHNOLOGICAL REPLICATING
MEME,
459
00:24:22,418 --> 00:24:24,821
OR THE TREME.
460
00:24:26,956 --> 00:24:30,626
Blackmore:
NOW, WE HAVE ALL THIS AMAZING
SILICON-BASED TECHNOLOGY,
461
00:24:30,627 --> 00:24:33,360
WITH DIGITAL INFORMATION FLOWING
ABOUT ALL OVER THE PLACE.
462
00:24:33,361 --> 00:24:36,331
THIS IS A NEW KIND OF COPYING.
463
00:24:36,332 --> 00:24:39,100
IT'S THIS DIGITAL INFORMATION
THAT IS COMPETING
464
00:24:39,101 --> 00:24:41,869
TO USE THE RESOURCES OF
ALL THIS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
465
00:24:41,870 --> 00:24:45,172
THAT WE'VE CREATED.
466
00:24:45,173 --> 00:24:48,443
Freeman:
LIVE MUSIC IS A MEME,
467
00:24:48,444 --> 00:24:51,780
BUT MUSIC ON YOUR SMARTPHONE
IS A TREME
468
00:24:51,781 --> 00:24:55,816
BECAUSE TECHNOLOGY CAN
EFFORTLESSLY COPY AND SHARE IT.
469
00:24:55,817 --> 00:24:59,321
TREMES CAN SPREAD FAST AND WIDE.
470
00:24:59,322 --> 00:25:02,290
THEY ARE OFTEN SPREAD BY
COMPUTERS THAT DON'T NEED HUMANS
471
00:25:02,291 --> 00:25:06,659
TO LIKE, SHARE, OR TWEET THEM.
472
00:25:06,660 --> 00:25:08,161
SUE THINKS THAT, SOMEDAY,
473
00:25:08,162 --> 00:25:10,430
WHEN OUR COMPUTERS
CAN SPREAD AND COPY TREMES
474
00:25:10,431 --> 00:25:12,699
MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN WE CAN,
475
00:25:12,700 --> 00:25:17,772
WE WILL ALL LOSE OUR UNIQUELY
HUMAN REASON FOR EXISTING.
476
00:25:17,773 --> 00:25:20,742
IT SOUNDS
LIKE A DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE,
477
00:25:20,743 --> 00:25:24,745
BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING
WE WILLINGLY CHOOSE.
478
00:25:24,746 --> 00:25:27,314
Blackmore:
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
479
00:25:27,315 --> 00:25:31,218
THAT THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING
IF A LOT OF IT WEREN'T GOOD
480
00:25:31,219 --> 00:25:32,653
BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T
LET IT HAPPEN.
481
00:25:32,654 --> 00:25:34,555
THE ONLY REASON
THAT ALL THESE TREMES
482
00:25:34,556 --> 00:25:38,793
CAN TAKE OFF THE WAY THEY DO
IS BECAUSE WE WANT MORE MUSIC,
483
00:25:38,794 --> 00:25:40,460
WE WANT MORE BOOKS,
484
00:25:40,461 --> 00:25:43,898
WE WANT MORE FUN VIDEOS,
INFORMATIVE VIDEOS.
485
00:25:43,899 --> 00:25:45,132
AND BECAUSE THESE THINGS
486
00:25:45,133 --> 00:25:47,435
ARE CHOSEN BY US
AND WE LIKE THEM,
487
00:25:47,436 --> 00:25:50,004
WE ARE WILLINGLY
PRODUCING ALL THE HARDWARE
488
00:25:50,005 --> 00:25:53,376
AND ALL THE SOFTWARE
THAT IS GRADUALLY TAKING OVER.
489
00:25:55,311 --> 00:25:57,346
Freeman:
SO, IS THIS THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE
490
00:25:57,347 --> 00:26:01,181
OF 3.5 BILLION YEARS
OF LIFE ON EARTH,
491
00:26:01,182 --> 00:26:02,416
TO BE REPLACED
492
00:26:02,417 --> 00:26:07,322
BY EVER MORE SOPHISTICATED
INFORMATION REPLICATORS?
493
00:26:07,323 --> 00:26:09,157
IT SOUNDS STRANGE.
494
00:26:09,158 --> 00:26:12,360
BUT AS PHYSICISTS
BEGIN TO EXAMINE LIFE'S PURPOSE,
495
00:26:12,361 --> 00:26:14,594
THEY ARE FINDING
THAT LIFE AND INFORMATION
496
00:26:14,595 --> 00:26:17,098
COULD BE ONE AND THE SAME.
497
00:26:22,899 --> 00:26:26,302
WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE
OF LIFE?
498
00:26:26,303 --> 00:26:29,871
IS IT TO BE CAST ASIDE
AND REPLACED BY MACHINES
499
00:26:29,872 --> 00:26:33,441
WHOSE ONLY PURSUIT
IS INFORMATION?
500
00:26:33,442 --> 00:26:34,843
WELL...
501
00:26:34,844 --> 00:26:40,149
SOME SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE...
502
00:26:40,150 --> 00:26:45,689
THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN NOTHING
MORE THAN EVOLVING ALGORITHMS.
503
00:26:53,930 --> 00:26:57,665
PHYSICIST SARA WALKER
IS CRAFTING A NEW DEFINITION
504
00:26:57,666 --> 00:27:00,469
AND UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE.
505
00:27:00,470 --> 00:27:03,572
I THINK ABOUT BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
AS PHYSICAL SYSTEMS.
506
00:27:03,573 --> 00:27:06,609
BUT THEY'RE A UNIQUE KIND
OF PHYSICAL SYSTEM.
507
00:27:06,610 --> 00:27:08,375
AND THEY'RE UNIQUELY DEFINED,
REALLY,
508
00:27:08,376 --> 00:27:11,013
BY THE WAY
THEY HANDLE INFORMATION.
509
00:27:11,014 --> 00:27:14,882
Freeman: SARA DEFINES LIFE
AS A SELF-REPLICATING ALGORITHM,
510
00:27:14,883 --> 00:27:18,586
A COMPUTATIONAL MACHINE
THAT PROCESSES INFORMATION
511
00:27:18,587 --> 00:27:21,391
AND THEN MAKES COPIES OF ITSELF.
512
00:27:23,393 --> 00:27:25,362
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
513
00:27:26,195 --> 00:27:27,462
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
514
00:27:27,463 --> 00:27:30,700
IT'S A CONCEPT THAT REALLY
HITS HOME FOR SARA...
515
00:27:32,835 --> 00:27:36,806
...NOW THAT SHE'S MADE
A LITTLE ALGORITHM OF HER OWN.
516
00:27:38,107 --> 00:27:41,241
WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT HAVING
A SMALL CHILD IN YOUR HOME
517
00:27:41,242 --> 00:27:42,576
IS HOW THEY LEARN THINGS.
518
00:27:42,577 --> 00:27:45,780
LOOK AT THAT BIG MESS.
WHAT IS ALL THAT STUFF?
519
00:27:45,781 --> 00:27:47,849
SO HE'S REALLY
JUST LIKE AN INFORMATION JUNKIE,
520
00:27:47,850 --> 00:27:49,653
RUNNING AROUND THE HOUSE
BEING LIKE, "WHAT IS THIS,
521
00:27:49,654 --> 00:27:52,688
WHAT IS THIS, WHAT IS THIS?"
522
00:27:52,689 --> 00:27:55,023
AND SO IT'S PRETTY FUN.
523
00:27:55,024 --> 00:27:56,926
Freeman:
SARA SEES HER SON, CORWIN,
524
00:27:56,927 --> 00:27:59,094
AS A COLLECTION
OF LOGICAL PROCESSES
525
00:27:59,095 --> 00:28:02,430
WORKING HARD TO SOLVE
THE PROBLEMS OF STAYING ALIVE --
526
00:28:02,431 --> 00:28:05,299
IN OTHER WORDS, AN ALGORITHM.
527
00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:07,035
AND EVERYTHING HE DOES,
528
00:28:07,036 --> 00:28:11,172
HE'S PROCESSING INFORMATION
ABOUT THE WORLD HE LIVES IN,
529
00:28:11,173 --> 00:28:14,342
EVEN WHEN HE'S DOING HIS BEST
TO JUST EAT LUNCH.
530
00:28:14,343 --> 00:28:16,445
EATING IS DEFINITELY
INFORMATION PROCESSING.
531
00:28:16,446 --> 00:28:18,380
YOU'RE TAKING CHEMICALS
FROM YOUR ENVIRONMENT,
532
00:28:18,381 --> 00:28:20,449
AND YOU'RE INGESTING THEM,
AND YOUR BODY HAS TO ACTUALLY
533
00:28:20,450 --> 00:28:22,883
BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO USE THOSE CHEMICALS
534
00:28:22,884 --> 00:28:24,987
FOR THE RIGHT KIND
OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS.
535
00:28:24,988 --> 00:28:26,589
Freeman:
SARA BELIEVES THAT CORWIN
536
00:28:26,590 --> 00:28:30,057
AND ALL OF US HUMANS
CAME TO BE BECAUSE EVOLUTION
537
00:28:30,058 --> 00:28:33,261
GUIDED LIFE TO BECOME
BETTER INFORMATION PROCESSORS.
538
00:28:33,262 --> 00:28:35,130
Walker: I DO THINK
EVOLUTION HAS AN ARROW.
539
00:28:35,131 --> 00:28:38,066
I DO THINK IT ACTUALLY EVOLVES
TOWARD MORE COMPLEX SYSTEMS
540
00:28:38,067 --> 00:28:42,536
AND BETTER INFORMATION
PROCESSING SYSTEMS.
541
00:28:42,537 --> 00:28:45,273
Freeman: EVOLUTION'S ARROW
LOCKED LIVING ORGANISMS
542
00:28:45,274 --> 00:28:49,643
INTO AN INFORMATION-GATHERING
ARMS RACE.
543
00:28:49,644 --> 00:28:51,947
VISION AND HEARING GET SHARPER.
544
00:28:51,948 --> 00:28:55,315
TEETH AND CLAWS
GET BETTER AT GRABBING PREY
545
00:28:55,316 --> 00:28:58,652
AND SAMPLING THE INFORMATION
IN ITS MEAT.
546
00:28:58,653 --> 00:29:02,856
SARA BELIEVES EVERYTHING WE DO
FOLLOWS THIS EVOLUTIONARY DRIVE
547
00:29:02,857 --> 00:29:05,729
TO GATHER
AND DECODE MORE INFORMATION.
548
00:29:08,096 --> 00:29:11,032
YAY, GOOD JOB, CORWIN!
549
00:29:11,033 --> 00:29:12,299
Freeman: IN FACT,
550
00:29:12,300 --> 00:29:14,835
EVEN THE TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE CREATE
551
00:29:14,836 --> 00:29:17,671
FOLLOWS THE SAME PATTERN.
552
00:29:17,672 --> 00:29:20,642
SO ONE THING THAT YOU
MIGHT THINK WE HUMANS WANT TO DO
553
00:29:20,643 --> 00:29:23,446
IS REMEMBER WHAT OUR KIDS
LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE.
554
00:29:23,447 --> 00:29:24,778
SO ORIGINALLY,
555
00:29:24,779 --> 00:29:27,081
PEOPLE USED TO CAPTURE
THAT KIND OF MEMORY OR IMAGE
556
00:29:27,082 --> 00:29:28,751
BY ACTUALLY PAINTING IT, RIGHT?
557
00:29:28,752 --> 00:29:31,152
AND THEN, WE FIGURED OUT
SOMETHING VERY CLEVER,
558
00:29:31,153 --> 00:29:34,555
WHICH IS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY
JUST CAPTURE THE LIGHT AND STORE
559
00:29:34,556 --> 00:29:36,990
THAT IMAGE
FROM THE LIGHT WE CAPTURE.
560
00:29:36,991 --> 00:29:39,261
[ CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS ]
561
00:29:41,563 --> 00:29:44,365
AND THOSE ARE CAMERAS.
562
00:29:44,366 --> 00:29:47,201
Freeman:
THE INFORMATION-GATHERING
ALGORITHMS OF CAMERAS
563
00:29:47,202 --> 00:29:49,804
ARE EVOLVING, TOO.
564
00:29:49,805 --> 00:29:54,007
DIGITAL CAMERAS EVOLVED
TO PROCESS MORE INFORMATION.
565
00:29:54,008 --> 00:29:55,576
THEY RECORD FULL COLOR
566
00:29:55,577 --> 00:29:59,113
AND EVEN RECOGNIZE
WHEN A FACE IS PRESENT.
567
00:29:59,114 --> 00:30:01,315
THEN CAME THE SMARTPHONE CAMERA,
568
00:30:01,316 --> 00:30:05,219
WHICH CAN EVEN FIGURE OUT
WHO THAT PERSON IS.
569
00:30:05,220 --> 00:30:06,520
Walker:
AND WE'VE NOW EVOLVED TECHNOLOGY
570
00:30:06,521 --> 00:30:10,124
WHICH IS HELPING US
PROCESS INFORMATION EVEN BETTER.
571
00:30:10,125 --> 00:30:12,026
NOT ONLY HUMANS
FIT IN THIS FRAMEWORK,
572
00:30:12,027 --> 00:30:13,761
BUT EVEN OUR MODERN
SOCIAL SYSTEMS
573
00:30:13,762 --> 00:30:16,465
AND OUR TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
ARE SORT OF A NATURAL OUTCOME
574
00:30:16,466 --> 00:30:19,367
OF THE WAY
THE UNIVERSE OPERATES.
575
00:30:19,368 --> 00:30:21,902
Freeman:
BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
ARE LOCKED TOGETHER
576
00:30:21,903 --> 00:30:25,340
IN A JOINT QUEST
FOR MORE INFORMATION.
577
00:30:25,341 --> 00:30:30,478
IN FACT, THIS COULD BE
THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF LIFE.
578
00:30:30,479 --> 00:30:32,279
Walker: EVOLUTION IS REALLY
ABOUT CAPTURING
579
00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:33,815
MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
580
00:30:33,816 --> 00:30:34,917
AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS,
581
00:30:34,918 --> 00:30:37,818
THE ENVIRONMENT
BECOMES MORE COMPLEX.
582
00:30:37,819 --> 00:30:39,254
LIVING SYSTEMS
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE
583
00:30:39,255 --> 00:30:41,190
THE UNIVERSE THAT THEY'RE IN
AND USE THAT
584
00:30:41,191 --> 00:30:43,024
TO DO THE KIND OF AMAZING THINGS
585
00:30:43,025 --> 00:30:46,026
THAT WE,
AS BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, DO.
586
00:30:46,027 --> 00:30:49,130
PERHAPS THAT ACTUALLY IS
THE PURPOSE OF LIVING SYSTEMS,
587
00:30:49,131 --> 00:30:52,566
IS TO FIGURE OUT
HOW THE UNIVERSE ACTUALLY WORKS.
588
00:30:52,567 --> 00:30:55,103
SO LIVING SYSTEMS,
IN THIS KIND OF FRAMEWORK,
589
00:30:55,104 --> 00:30:56,903
ARE SOMEWHAT FUNDAMENTAL
TO THE UNIVERSE
590
00:30:56,904 --> 00:30:59,843
BECAUSE THEY'RE THE WAY
THE UNIVERSE FIGURES ITSELF OUT.
591
00:31:02,745 --> 00:31:06,780
Freeman: LIFE IS AN EPIC QUEST
FOR KNOWLEDGE.
592
00:31:06,781 --> 00:31:10,884
I'D LOVE TO THINK WE HUMANS WILL
REACH THE END OF THIS LONG ROAD
593
00:31:10,885 --> 00:31:15,123
AND KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS
TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNIVERSE.
594
00:31:15,124 --> 00:31:18,392
BUT EVOLUTION
MAY HAVE OTHER PLANS.
595
00:31:18,393 --> 00:31:20,728
OUR THIRST FOR INFORMATION
596
00:31:20,729 --> 00:31:23,900
COULD SOON WIPE US
FROM THE FACE OF THE PLANET.
597
00:31:27,699 --> 00:31:29,633
IT IS COMMON
TO THINK OF EVOLUTION
598
00:31:29,634 --> 00:31:31,469
AS PROGRESS,
599
00:31:31,470 --> 00:31:33,270
SPECIES LOCKED IN A STRUGGLE
600
00:31:33,271 --> 00:31:35,739
TO BECOME THE FASTEST,
THE STRONGEST,
601
00:31:35,740 --> 00:31:36,940
AND THE TALLEST,
602
00:31:36,941 --> 00:31:42,479
REACH EVER-HIGHER LEVELS
OF COMPLEXITY AND SKILL.
603
00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,948
BUT LIFE IS NOT
AN EVER-GROWING EDIFICE
604
00:31:44,949 --> 00:31:48,886
OF BIOLOGICAL REFINEMENT.
605
00:31:48,887 --> 00:31:51,790
IT'S A SERIES
OF DRAMATIC COLLAPSES.
606
00:31:54,826 --> 00:31:58,997
JIM SETHNA IS A PHYSICIST
AT CORNELL.
607
00:31:58,998 --> 00:32:00,664
HE RESEARCHES THE FINE LINE
608
00:32:00,665 --> 00:32:05,068
SEPARATING SUCCESS
FROM CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
609
00:32:05,069 --> 00:32:08,672
THESE RICE KRISPIES COULD SIT
ON THE SHELF FOR YEARS.
610
00:32:08,673 --> 00:32:10,540
BUT EXPOSE THEM TO MILK,
611
00:32:10,541 --> 00:32:14,245
AND THEY CRACKLE
AS THEY COLLAPSE INTO MUSH.
612
00:32:14,246 --> 00:32:16,948
MOST OF THE SYSTEMS
WE SEE CRACKLING NOISE,
613
00:32:16,949 --> 00:32:20,185
IT'S AT A TRANSITION
BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT STATES.
614
00:32:20,186 --> 00:32:22,286
SO IN THE RICE KRISPIES,
615
00:32:22,287 --> 00:32:24,822
IT'S A TRANSITION
BETWEEN THE DRY STATE
616
00:32:24,823 --> 00:32:26,623
AND THE SOAKED STATE.
617
00:32:26,624 --> 00:32:29,460
Freeman: JIM IS INTERESTED
IN HOW ANY SYSTEM BEHAVES
618
00:32:29,461 --> 00:32:30,960
WHEN IT SITS ON THE KNIFE'S EDGE
619
00:32:30,961 --> 00:32:36,334
BETWEEN STABILITY
AND CRACKLING APART,
620
00:32:36,335 --> 00:32:40,437
A SO-CALLED CRITICAL POINT.
621
00:32:40,438 --> 00:32:42,338
A BURNING LOG CRACKLES
622
00:32:42,339 --> 00:32:44,909
AS POCKETS OF AIR,
SMALL AND LARGE,
623
00:32:44,910 --> 00:32:47,879
EXPAND IN RAPID SUCCESSION.
624
00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:49,747
MOUNTAIN SNOW BUILDS UP
625
00:32:49,748 --> 00:32:55,119
UNTIL A TINY MOVEMENT ESCALATES
INTO A CRACKLING AVALANCHE.
626
00:32:55,120 --> 00:32:57,022
JIM AND A GROWING GROUP
OF SCIENTISTS
627
00:32:57,023 --> 00:32:58,789
BELIEVE THAT OUR OWN BODIES
628
00:32:58,790 --> 00:33:03,126
ARE ALSO POISED
AT THE EDGE OF COLLAPSE.
629
00:33:03,127 --> 00:33:06,363
IRONICALLY, IT'S WHAT HAS
KEPT US OUT OF HARM'S WAY
630
00:33:06,364 --> 00:33:08,233
FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.
631
00:33:16,307 --> 00:33:17,575
[ CAR DOOR CLOSES ]
632
00:33:17,576 --> 00:33:19,642
THINK ABOUT OUR SENSE
OF HEARING.
633
00:33:19,643 --> 00:33:23,014
EVOLUTION PUSHED IT SO CLOSE
TO A TIPPING POINT
634
00:33:23,015 --> 00:33:26,950
THAT A TINY CHANGE
IN THE AIR AROUND US
635
00:33:26,951 --> 00:33:30,219
CAUSES A CASCADE
OF THOUGHTS,
636
00:33:30,220 --> 00:33:35,258
SENSES,
AND IMAGES IN YOUR BRAIN.
637
00:33:35,259 --> 00:33:39,663
YOUR HEARING IS SO FINELY TUNED
638
00:33:39,664 --> 00:33:43,500
THAT,
IF IT WERE ANY MORE SENSITIVE,
639
00:33:43,501 --> 00:33:47,971
YOU WOULD BE SENSITIVE
TO THE RANDOM MOTIONS
640
00:33:47,972 --> 00:33:52,008
OF AIR MOLECULES
HITTING YOUR EARDRUM.
641
00:33:52,009 --> 00:33:55,778
Freeman: OUR EYES
ARE EVEN MORE SENSITIVE.
642
00:33:55,779 --> 00:33:59,048
A SINGLE PHOTON CAN SEND
BILLIONS OF NEURONS
643
00:33:59,049 --> 00:34:01,518
CRACKLING INTO OVERDRIVE
644
00:34:01,519 --> 00:34:08,525
AND CONJURE UP
A PHANTOM THAT ISN'T THERE.
645
00:34:08,526 --> 00:34:10,827
SPECIES HAVE DEVELOPED
ALL KINDS OF SENSES,
646
00:34:10,828 --> 00:34:13,530
AND EACH OF THEM HAS BEEN,
OVER BILLIONS OF YEARS,
647
00:34:13,531 --> 00:34:17,335
HONED TO THE ABSOLUTE LIMITS.
648
00:34:20,973 --> 00:34:23,275
Freeman: IN FACT, BEING POISED
BETWEEN FUNCTION AND COLLAPSE
649
00:34:23,276 --> 00:34:24,541
IS THE NORMAL STATE
650
00:34:24,542 --> 00:34:27,043
OF EVERY FUNCTIONING CELL
IN YOUR BODY.
651
00:34:27,044 --> 00:34:28,644
JIM AND HIS COLLEAGUES,
652
00:34:28,645 --> 00:34:33,883
ESHAN MITRA AND SARAH SHELBY,
ARE INVESTIGATING WHY.
653
00:34:33,884 --> 00:34:38,088
THE MEMBRANE OF A HUMAN CELL
EXISTS ON A KNIFE'S EDGE.
654
00:34:38,089 --> 00:34:41,157
WHEN THERE'S A TINY CHANGE
IN THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT,
655
00:34:41,158 --> 00:34:45,195
THE STRUCTURE OF ITS FATS
AND PROTEINS INSTANTLY COLLAPSES
656
00:34:45,196 --> 00:34:47,030
AND REARRANGES ITSELF.
657
00:34:47,031 --> 00:34:49,066
Sethna: ITS CELLS HAVE TO BE
VERY FINELY TUNED
658
00:34:49,067 --> 00:34:51,936
TO DISTINGUISH
THE THINGS IT WANTS TO EXPEL.
659
00:34:51,937 --> 00:34:53,871
THEY SIT NEAR
THIS CRITICAL POINT
660
00:34:53,872 --> 00:34:55,206
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASY
661
00:34:55,207 --> 00:34:59,476
FOR THE CELL TO RESPOND
SENSITIVELY AND QUICKLY
662
00:34:59,477 --> 00:35:02,445
TO NEW INFORMATION
ABOUT ITS OUTSIDE.
663
00:35:02,446 --> 00:35:07,050
Freeman: THE MEMBRANES OF CELLS
EXIST ON THE BORDER OF DISORDER.
664
00:35:07,051 --> 00:35:09,052
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE SYSTEMS
OF CELLS
665
00:35:09,053 --> 00:35:11,088
THAT COMPRISE OUR SENSES.
666
00:35:11,089 --> 00:35:12,755
AND AS JIM IS LEARNING,
667
00:35:12,756 --> 00:35:16,961
ENTIRE SYSTEMS OF ORGANISMS
CAN ALSO TEETER ON THE EDGE.
668
00:35:20,031 --> 00:35:21,831
CONSIDER THE MESMERIZING
MOVEMENTS
669
00:35:21,832 --> 00:35:23,800
OF FLOCKS OF STARLINGS.
670
00:35:23,801 --> 00:35:25,635
IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE
671
00:35:25,636 --> 00:35:28,204
FOR A PREDATOR
TO FEAST ON THIS FLOCK.
672
00:35:28,205 --> 00:35:29,505
THE MOVEMENT OF ONE BIRD
673
00:35:29,506 --> 00:35:33,443
CHANGES THE ENTIRE SHAPE
OF THE MURMURATION.
674
00:35:33,444 --> 00:35:37,414
EACH BIRD IS SORT OF PROGRAMMED
IN ITS HEAD
675
00:35:37,415 --> 00:35:41,318
TO FLY IN ROUGHLY THE SAME
DIRECTION AS ITS NEIGHBORS.
676
00:35:41,319 --> 00:35:43,487
BUT IT'S TUNED IN THIS WAY
677
00:35:43,488 --> 00:35:46,956
SO THAT THEY'RE AT THE BORDER
OF STABILITY,
678
00:35:46,957 --> 00:35:50,793
AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES THEM
RESPOND QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY
679
00:35:50,794 --> 00:35:53,430
TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
680
00:35:53,431 --> 00:35:57,235
Freeman:
DINOSAURS WERE ALSO POISED
AT THE KNIFE'S EDGE.
681
00:35:57,236 --> 00:36:03,340
THEIR MASSIVE SIZE OPTIMIZED
THEM TO WEATHER ANY PREDATORS.
682
00:36:03,341 --> 00:36:08,612
BUT OPTIMIZATION
ALWAYS COMES AT A PRICE.
683
00:36:08,613 --> 00:36:11,280
Sethna:
WHEN YOU OPTIMIZE THINGS,
684
00:36:11,281 --> 00:36:15,251
THEY NATURALLY END UP
AT SOME KIND OF CRITICAL POINT
685
00:36:15,252 --> 00:36:19,055
BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO MILK AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE OUT OF A SYSTEM
686
00:36:19,056 --> 00:36:22,527
BEFORE YOU HIT A CATASTROPHE.
687
00:36:22,528 --> 00:36:27,331
Freeman: A CHANGE IN CLIMATE
ERADICATED THE DINOSAUR.
688
00:36:27,332 --> 00:36:31,735
A SINGLE MISCUE
CAN COLLAPSE A MURMURATION.
689
00:36:31,736 --> 00:36:33,570
A FEW ABERRANT NEURONS
690
00:36:33,571 --> 00:36:37,273
CAN TRIGGER AN EPILEPTIC FIT
INSIDE THE HUMAN BRAIN.
691
00:36:37,274 --> 00:36:40,443
A CELL'S MEMBRANE CAN COLLAPSE
INTO A STATE OF DISARRAY
692
00:36:40,444 --> 00:36:42,813
AND DIE.
693
00:36:42,814 --> 00:36:44,248
AND HUMAN LIFE ITSELF
694
00:36:44,249 --> 00:36:47,083
MAY ALSO BE POISED
FOR A DRAMATIC COLLAPSE.
695
00:36:47,084 --> 00:36:48,418
AFTER ALL,
696
00:36:48,419 --> 00:36:52,155
WE CONSTANTLY OPTIMIZE OURSELVES
TO THE POINT OF FAILURE
697
00:36:52,156 --> 00:36:55,126
AND HOLD ON AS LONG AS WE CAN.
698
00:37:00,631 --> 00:37:02,766
JIM, HOWEVER, IS HOPEFUL.
699
00:37:02,767 --> 00:37:06,135
IN SPITE OF OUR NEVER-ENDING
QUEST TO BETTER OURSELVES,
700
00:37:06,136 --> 00:37:09,740
WE HAVE ONE CRITICAL TALENT
TO PREVENT CATASTROPHE.
701
00:37:09,741 --> 00:37:14,945
WE HAVE AN UNUSUAL ADVANTAGE
THAT WE ARE A SYSTEM
702
00:37:14,946 --> 00:37:18,316
THAT'S AT A CRITICAL POINT
WHEN IT'S SELF-AWARE,
703
00:37:18,317 --> 00:37:20,985
THAT IS ABLE
TO ANALYZE THE PROBLEMS
704
00:37:20,986 --> 00:37:22,653
AND AVOID THE DISASTERS,
705
00:37:22,654 --> 00:37:24,822
WHICH ARE GETTING MORE SERIOUS
706
00:37:24,823 --> 00:37:28,025
IF WE GET BETTER
AT CONTROLLING THE WORLD.
707
00:37:28,026 --> 00:37:32,128
Freeman:
IF LIVES ARE BUILT TO SO EASILY
COME CRACKLING APART,
708
00:37:32,129 --> 00:37:33,831
WHAT'S THE POINT?
709
00:37:33,832 --> 00:37:36,768
THIS SCIENTIST SAYS
THAT IT'S REALLY QUITE SIMPLE.
710
00:37:36,769 --> 00:37:38,302
THE POINT OF IT ALL
711
00:37:38,303 --> 00:37:41,338
IS TO DISCOVER
THE POINT OF IT ALL
712
00:37:41,339 --> 00:37:44,141
BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT PURPOSE,
713
00:37:44,142 --> 00:37:45,576
EVERYTHING CHANGES.
714
00:37:48,399 --> 00:37:49,733
IS HUMANITY ON A PATH
715
00:37:49,734 --> 00:37:53,771
TO KNOWING ALL THERE IS TO KNOW
ABOUT THE UNIVERSE?
716
00:37:53,772 --> 00:37:57,074
OR ARE WE BOUND TO BE REPLACED?
717
00:37:57,075 --> 00:37:59,610
IT'S HARD TO THINK
ABOUT OUR ULTIMATE PURPOSE
718
00:37:59,611 --> 00:38:05,016
WHEN EVERYDAY LIFE CAN BE FILLED
WITH SO MANY HURDLES.
719
00:38:05,017 --> 00:38:08,586
BUT THAT MAY BE A MISTAKE
720
00:38:08,587 --> 00:38:14,525
BECAUSE TAKING THE TIME TO THINK
ABOUT WHY WE ARE REALLY HERE
721
00:38:14,526 --> 00:38:18,597
COULD BE WHAT MAKES THOSE
DAILY STRUGGLES MUCH EASIER.
722
00:38:24,370 --> 00:38:26,505
WE CALL CAME FROM SOMEWHERE,
723
00:38:26,506 --> 00:38:29,541
AND WE ALL HAVE SOMEWHERE
WE WANT TO GO.
724
00:38:29,542 --> 00:38:31,110
PSYCHOLOGIST TONY BURROW
725
00:38:31,111 --> 00:38:34,612
HAS THOUGHT ABOUT THIS JOURNEY
HIS ENTIRE LIFE,
726
00:38:34,613 --> 00:38:37,981
WHICH BEGAN
WITH HIS ATYPICAL FAMILY.
727
00:38:37,982 --> 00:38:39,117
WHEN I WAS TWO MONTHS OLD,
728
00:38:39,118 --> 00:38:42,353
I WAS ADOPTED
BY TWO WHITE PARENTS.
729
00:38:42,354 --> 00:38:43,621
WHEN YOU HAVE PARENTS
730
00:38:43,622 --> 00:38:45,490
WHO ARE OF DIFFERENT
RACIAL BACKGROUND THAN YOU,
731
00:38:45,491 --> 00:38:46,958
IT GIVES YOU A LOT
OF OPPORTUNITIES
732
00:38:46,959 --> 00:38:49,129
TO TALK ABOUT RACE.
733
00:38:50,696 --> 00:38:53,298
I WANTED TO KNOW --
HOW DO PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE
734
00:38:53,299 --> 00:38:55,567
CHRONIC FORMS
OF DISCRIMINATION AND OPPRESSION
735
00:38:55,568 --> 00:38:57,101
DEAL WITH THIS?
736
00:38:57,102 --> 00:38:59,838
AND FOR ME, THIS GIVES RISE
TO QUESTIONS OF PURPOSE.
737
00:39:04,444 --> 00:39:07,878
Freeman:
HIKING IS WALKING WITH PURPOSE.
738
00:39:07,879 --> 00:39:09,014
THERE IS AN END GOAL,
739
00:39:09,015 --> 00:39:10,548
BUT THAT'S NOT WHY PEOPLE
LIKE TONY
740
00:39:10,549 --> 00:39:13,553
GO THROUGH ALL THE TROUBLE
OF REACHING THE TRAIL'S END.
741
00:39:17,189 --> 00:39:19,257
TONY THINKS
THAT HAVING A PURPOSE IN LIFE
742
00:39:19,258 --> 00:39:21,860
IS NOT ONLY NECESSARY
FOR HAPPINESS,
743
00:39:21,861 --> 00:39:26,597
IT SUBCONSCIOUSLY CHANGES HOW WE
PERCEIVE OURSELVES AND THE WORLD
744
00:39:26,598 --> 00:39:28,367
AROUND US.
745
00:39:31,069 --> 00:39:33,771
TONY IS A PROFESSOR
AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY,
746
00:39:33,772 --> 00:39:38,643
WHERE STUDENTS EVERY MORNING
FACE AN INFAMOUS CHALLENGE,
747
00:39:38,644 --> 00:39:44,182
A FIGURATIVE AND LITERAL
UPHILL CLIMB -- THE SLOPE.
748
00:39:44,183 --> 00:39:46,418
THIS 500-FOOT-LONG ASCENT
749
00:39:46,419 --> 00:39:49,588
IS THE WALL
BETWEEN A WARM, COZY BED
750
00:39:49,589 --> 00:39:52,389
AND A LONG DAY
OF INTENSE CLASSWORK.
751
00:39:52,390 --> 00:39:54,258
Burrow:
SO A COUPLE OF SEMESTERS AGO,
752
00:39:54,259 --> 00:39:56,894
A STUDENT CAME UP TO ME AFTER
CLASS AND SAID, "PROFESSOR,
753
00:39:56,895 --> 00:39:59,798
I'M REALLY SORRY I COULDN'T
MAKE IT TO CLASS LAST TUESDAY."
754
00:39:59,799 --> 00:40:02,566
AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, I REALLY
JUST COULDN'T GET UP THE SLOPE.
755
00:40:02,567 --> 00:40:04,336
I DIDN'T HAVE THE ENERGY."
756
00:40:04,337 --> 00:40:05,570
AND I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT IT.
757
00:40:05,571 --> 00:40:07,540
WAS THIS A QUESTION
OF MOTIVATION?
758
00:40:10,743 --> 00:40:12,077
EXCUSE ME.
759
00:40:12,078 --> 00:40:13,679
DO YOU HAVE A FEW MINUTES
TO PARTICIPATE IN A STUDY?
760
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:15,079
OH, SURE.
761
00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:17,583
Freeman: AS STUDENTS BEGIN
THEIR JOURNEY,
762
00:40:17,584 --> 00:40:22,055
HE ASKS THEM WHAT GOAL THEY WANT
TO ACCOMPLISH THAT DAY.
763
00:40:30,129 --> 00:40:31,662
AT THE TOP OF THE SLOPE,
764
00:40:31,663 --> 00:40:35,233
A RESEARCHER ASKS THEM
HOW DIFFICULT THE CLIMB WAS
765
00:40:35,234 --> 00:40:38,836
AND TO ESTIMATE
ITS STEEPNESS.
766
00:40:38,837 --> 00:40:41,905
Burrow: SO WE FOUND A STRONG
AND RELIABLE RELATIONSHIP
767
00:40:41,906 --> 00:40:43,974
BETWEEN THE ANGLE
THAT THEY PERCEIVED
768
00:40:43,975 --> 00:40:45,976
AFTER ASCENDING THE SLOPE
769
00:40:45,977 --> 00:40:47,577
AND THE DEGREE OF EFFORT
770
00:40:47,578 --> 00:40:49,780
THAT THEY SAID WAS NECESSARY
TO GET TO THE TOP.
771
00:40:49,781 --> 00:40:51,715
Freeman: THE STEEPER YOU FEEL
THE SLOPE IS,
772
00:40:51,716 --> 00:40:55,019
THE MORE EFFORT YOU THINK
YOU'VE EXPENDED TO CLIMB IT.
773
00:40:55,020 --> 00:40:56,920
NO BIG SURPRISE THERE.
774
00:40:56,921 --> 00:40:59,624
BUT TONY ADDS A TWIST.
775
00:40:59,625 --> 00:41:02,894
HE ASKS SOME SUBJECTS,
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL,
776
00:41:02,895 --> 00:41:05,664
TO WRITE NOT ABOUT THEIR GOAL
FOR THE DAY,
777
00:41:05,665 --> 00:41:08,067
BUT THEIR LONG-TERM PURPOSE
IN LIFE.
778
00:41:08,068 --> 00:41:09,467
Burrow: A GOAL IS TERMINAL.
779
00:41:09,468 --> 00:41:11,568
IT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH.
780
00:41:11,569 --> 00:41:14,039
A SENSE OF PURPOSE
IS A BROADER FRAMEWORK
781
00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:17,441
THAT DESCRIBES AND ORIENTS
WHO ONE APPROACHES THE GOALS
782
00:41:17,442 --> 00:41:19,077
THAT THEY'VE LAID OUT
FOR THEMSELVES.
783
00:41:19,078 --> 00:41:20,679
SO WE DON'T THINK OF PURPOSE
784
00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:23,914
AS SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH.
785
00:41:23,915 --> 00:41:26,351
Freeman:
STUDENTS PROMPTED TO THINK
ABOUT THEIR LIFE'S PURPOSE
786
00:41:26,352 --> 00:41:30,188
STILL THOUGHT THE CLIMB WAS JUST
AS BRUTAL AS THE OTHER GROUP,
787
00:41:30,189 --> 00:41:32,222
BUT THEY DIDN'T MIND IT
788
00:41:32,223 --> 00:41:35,025
WHILE THE STUDENTS
CONTEMPLATING THEIR DAILY GOALS
789
00:41:35,026 --> 00:41:36,561
OFTEN STRUGGLED.
790
00:41:36,562 --> 00:41:37,896
THE PURPOSE-MINDED GROUP
791
00:41:37,897 --> 00:41:42,499
TACKLED THE HILL
WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE.
792
00:41:42,500 --> 00:41:45,302
TONY BELIEVES HAVING A PURPOSE
FREES US
793
00:41:45,303 --> 00:41:49,173
FROM FEELING THE FULL WEIGHT
OF THE OBSTACLES IN FRONT OF US,
794
00:41:49,174 --> 00:41:52,844
WHETHER A LITERAL HILL
WE MUST CLIMB
795
00:41:52,845 --> 00:41:56,780
OR A PERSONAL CHALLENGE
WE MUST OVERCOME.
796
00:41:56,781 --> 00:41:59,016
Burrow:
I THINK WHAT PURPOSE DOES,
FIRST AND FOREMOST,
797
00:41:59,017 --> 00:42:01,452
IS REMINDS PEOPLE
THAT WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW
798
00:42:01,453 --> 00:42:02,753
IS NOT FOREVER,
799
00:42:02,754 --> 00:42:04,824
THAT THEY'RE HEADING
IN A PARTICULAR DIRECTION.
800
00:42:04,825 --> 00:42:06,356
AND JUST LIKE
WHEN WE'RE ON A HIKE,
801
00:42:06,357 --> 00:42:07,691
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER
802
00:42:07,692 --> 00:42:09,293
IF YOU'RE CONFRONTED
WITH A CHALLENGE.
803
00:42:09,294 --> 00:42:11,396
THE GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO HIKE.
804
00:42:11,397 --> 00:42:14,298
AND FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN
CULTIVATE A SENSE OF PURPOSE,
805
00:42:14,299 --> 00:42:17,969
THEY MAY BEGIN TO SEE OTHER LIFE
CHALLENGES IN THE SAME WAY.
806
00:42:17,970 --> 00:42:20,172
Freeman:
IN OUR LIVES, HAVING A PURPOSE
807
00:42:20,173 --> 00:42:23,139
CAN FLATTEN THE MOUNTAINS
BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE
808
00:42:23,140 --> 00:42:25,909
AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
809
00:42:25,910 --> 00:42:29,914
ARE WE HERE, NOW,
ALIVE, FOR A REASON?
810
00:42:29,915 --> 00:42:33,383
PEOPLE LIKE ANN FRANK
AND NELSON MANDELA
811
00:42:33,384 --> 00:42:37,655
ASKED THAT QUESTION
IN THEIR DARKEST HOURS.
812
00:42:37,656 --> 00:42:40,157
THEIR DETERMINATION TO MAKE
A REASON FOR LIFE
813
00:42:40,158 --> 00:42:42,894
GAVE THEM THE STRENGTH
TO CARRY ON
814
00:42:42,895 --> 00:42:46,130
AND THE POWER
TO SHAPE THE WORLD.
815
00:42:46,131 --> 00:42:49,432
LIFE MAY NOT HAVE
ONE UNIFYING PURPOSE,
816
00:42:49,433 --> 00:42:53,137
BUT THAT SHOULDN'T STOP US ALL
FROM SEARCHING FOR IT.
817
00:42:53,138 --> 00:42:56,974
FINDING A REASON
AND BELIEVING IN IT
818
00:42:56,975 --> 00:42:58,111
MAY BE ALL THE PURPOSE
THAT WE NEED.
64925
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