[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.32,0:00:02.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What I want you all to do right now
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.84,0:00:07.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to think of this mammal that I'm going to describe to you.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.03,0:00:09.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first thing I'm going to tell you about this mammal
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.88,0:00:14.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that it is essential for our ecosystems to function correctly.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.20,0:00:17.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we remove this mammal from our ecosystems,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.27,0:00:20.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they simply will not work.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.34,0:00:22.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's the first thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.03,0:00:26.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The second thing is that due to the unique sensory abilities
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.71,0:00:30.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of this mammal, if we study this mammal,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.86,0:00:34.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're going to get great insight into our diseases
Dialogue: 0,0:00:34.42,0:00:38.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the senses, such as blindness and deafness.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.96,0:00:43.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the third really intriguing aspect of this mammal
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.73,0:00:48.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that I fully believe that the secret of everlasting youth
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.92,0:00:52.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lies deep within its DNA.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.98,0:00:55.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So are you all thinking?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.28,0:00:57.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.78,0:01:00.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,magnificent creature, isn't it?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.88,0:01:04.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who here thought of a bat?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.23,0:01:06.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ah, I can see half the audience agrees with me,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.86,0:01:10.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I have a lot of work to do to convince the rest of you.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.09,0:01:14.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I have had the good fortune for the past 20 years
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.34,0:01:18.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to study these fascinating and beautiful mammals.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.74,0:01:22.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One fifth of all living mammals is a bat,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:22.51,0:01:24.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they have very unique attributes.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.92,0:01:27.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bats as we know them have been around on this planet
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.95,0:01:31.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for about 64 million years.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.93,0:01:35.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the most unique things that bats do
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.39,0:01:38.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a mammal is that they fly.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.20,0:01:41.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now flight is an inherently difficult thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.53,0:01:45.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Flight within vertebrates has only evolved three times:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.47,0:01:48.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,once in the bats, once in the birds,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.83,0:01:50.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and once in the pterodactyls.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.93,0:01:54.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so with flight, it's very metabolically costly.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.77,0:01:58.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bats have learned and evolved how to deal with this.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.70,0:02:03.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But one other extremely unique thing about bats
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.09,0:02:05.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that they are able to use sound
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.14,0:02:09.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to perceive their environment. They use echolocation.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.94,0:02:12.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, what I mean by echolocation --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.60,0:02:16.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they emit a sound from their larynx out through their mouth
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.10,0:02:20.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or through their nose. This sound wave comes out
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.00,0:02:24.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it reflects and echoes back off objects in their environment,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.09,0:02:26.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the bats then hear these echoes
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.95,0:02:30.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they turn this information into an acoustic image.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.46,0:02:35.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this enables them to orient in complete darkness.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.09,0:02:38.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Indeed, they do look very strange. We're humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.52,0:02:41.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're a visual species. When scientists first realized
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.71,0:02:45.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that bats were actually using sound to be able to fly
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.65,0:02:48.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and orient and move at night, we didn't believe it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:48.63,0:02:51.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For a hundred years, despite evidence to show
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.65,0:02:54.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that this is what they were doing, we didn't believe it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.89,0:02:58.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, if you look at this bat, it looks a little bit alien.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.86,0:03:02.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Indeed, the very famous philosopher Thomas Nagel
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.16,0:03:05.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,once said, "To truly experience an alien life form
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.66,0:03:09.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on this planet, you should lock yourself inside a room
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.40,0:03:13.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a flying, echolocating bat in complete darkness."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.53,0:03:16.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And if you look at the actual physical characteristics
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.60,0:03:19.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the face of this beautiful horseshoe bat,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.56,0:03:22.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you see a lot of these characteristics are dedicated
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.35,0:03:25.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be able to make sound and perceive it.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.69,0:03:30.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Very big ears, strange nose leaves, but teeny-tiny eyes.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.25,0:03:34.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So again, if you just look at this bat, you realize
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.14,0:03:37.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sound is very important for its survival.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.42,0:03:41.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most bats look like the previous one.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.78,0:03:45.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, there are a group that do not use echolocation.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.82,0:03:48.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They do not perceive their environment using sound,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.82,0:03:50.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and these are the flying foxes.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.57,0:03:53.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If anybody has ever been lucky enough to be in Australia,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.84,0:03:57.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you've seen them coming out of the Botanic Gardens in Sydney,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.06,0:04:00.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and if you just look at their face, you can see
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.25,0:04:03.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they have much, much larger eyes and much smaller ears.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.79,0:04:07.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So among and within bats is a huge variation
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.31,0:04:10.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in their ability to use sensory perception.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.20,0:04:12.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is going to be important for what I'm going
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.25,0:04:14.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to tell you later during the talk.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.02,0:04:19.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, if the idea of bats in your belfry terrifies you,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.10,0:04:21.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I know some people probably are feeling a little sick
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.96,0:04:25.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,looking at very large images of bats,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.17,0:04:28.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's probably not that surprising,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.06,0:04:30.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because here in Western culture,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.38,0:04:32.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bats have been demonized.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.14,0:04:34.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Really, of course the famous book "Dracula,"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.80,0:04:37.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,written by a fellow Northside Dubliner Bram Stoker,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.89,0:04:39.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,probably is mainly responsible for this.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.94,0:04:43.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, I also think it's got to do with the fact
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.02,0:04:45.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that bats come out at night, and we don't
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.31,0:04:47.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really understand them. We're a little frightened by things
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.96,0:04:51.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that can perceive the world slightly differently than us.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.26,0:04:54.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bats are usually synonymous with some type of evil events.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.32,0:04:57.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They are the perpetrators in horror movies,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.18,0:04:58.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as this famous "Nightwing."
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.99,0:05:01.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also, if you think about it, demons
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.75,0:05:05.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,always have bat wings, whereas birds, they typically --
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.47,0:05:08.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or angels have bird wings.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.34,0:05:13.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this is Western society, and what I hope to do tonight
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.44,0:05:18.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is to convince you of the Chinese traditional culture,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.14,0:05:21.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that they perceive bats as
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.07,0:05:24.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,creatures that bring good luck, and indeed, if you walk
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.66,0:05:29.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into a Chinese home, you may see an image such as this.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.00,0:05:31.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is considered the Five Blessings.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.18,0:05:33.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Chinese word for "bat" sounds like the Chinese word
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.84,0:05:36.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for "happiness," and they believe that bats
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.94,0:05:41.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bring wealth, health, longevity, virtue and serenity.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.30,0:05:44.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And indeed, in this image, you have a picture of longevity
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.66,0:05:46.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,surrounded by five bats.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.76,0:05:50.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what I want to do tonight is to talk to you
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.44,0:05:54.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and to show you that at least three of these blessings
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.02,0:05:57.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are definitely represented by a bat, and that if we study bats
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.39,0:06:01.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we will get nearer to getting each of these blessings.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.66,0:06:06.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, wealth -- how can a bat possibly bring us wealth?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.71,0:06:10.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now as I said before, bats are essential for our ecosystems
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.22,0:06:13.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to function correctly. And why is this?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.89,0:06:18.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bats in the tropics are major pollinators of many plants.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.00,0:06:20.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They also feed on fruit, and they disperse the seeds
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.100,0:06:25.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of these fruits. Bats are responsible for pollinating
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.10,0:06:28.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the tequila plant, and this is a multi-million dollar industry
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.76,0:06:31.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Mexico. So indeed, we need them
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.72,0:06:34.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for our ecosystems to function properly.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.11,0:06:36.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Without them, it's going to be a problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.84,0:06:42.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But most bats are voracious insect predators.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:42.37,0:06:45.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's been estimated in the U.S., in a tiny colony
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.24,0:06:47.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of big brown bats, that they will feed
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.39,0:06:50.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on over a million insects a year,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.96,0:06:53.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in the United States of America, right now
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.91,0:06:57.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bats are being threatened by a disease known as white-nose syndrome.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.25,0:07:00.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's working its way slowly across the U.S. and wiping out
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.49,0:07:04.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,populations of bats, and scientists have estimated
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.25,0:07:09.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that 1,300 metric tons of insects a year are now
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.20,0:07:12.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,remaining in the ecosystems due to the loss of bats.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.92,0:07:15.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bats are also threatened in the U.S.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.33,0:07:19.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by their attraction to wind farms. Again, right now
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.17,0:07:20.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bats are looking at a little bit of a problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:20.89,0:07:23.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're going to -- They are very threatened
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.19,0:07:26.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the United States of America alone.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:26.74,0:07:28.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now how can this help us?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.28,0:07:31.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, it has been calculated that if we were to remove bats
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.94,0:07:34.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the equation, we're going to have to then use
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.34,0:07:37.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,insecticides to remove all those pest insects
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.28,0:07:40.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that feed on our agricultural crops.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.35,0:07:44.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And for one year in the U.S. alone, it's estimated
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.00,0:07:46.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that it's going to cost 22 billion U.S. dollars,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.94,0:07:51.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we remove bats. So indeed, bats then do bring us wealth.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.46,0:07:53.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They maintain the health of our ecosystems,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.92,0:07:56.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also they save us money.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.41,0:07:59.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So again, that's the first blessing. Bats are important
Dialogue: 0,0:07:59.30,0:08:01.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for our ecosystems.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.95,0:08:05.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what about the second? What about health?
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.95,0:08:10.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Inside every cell in your body lies your genome.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:10.62,0:08:13.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your genome is made up of your DNA,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.26,0:08:16.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your DNA codes for proteins that enable you to function
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.46,0:08:19.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and interact and be as you are.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.38,0:08:23.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now since the new advancements in modern molecular technologies,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.84,0:08:27.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it is now possible for us to sequence our own genome
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.96,0:08:32.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a very rapid time and at a very, very reduced cost.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:32.09,0:08:34.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now when we've been doing this, we've realized
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.63,0:08:38.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that there's variations within our genome.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.45,0:08:41.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I want you to look at the person beside you.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.64,0:08:43.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just have a quick look. And what we need to realize
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.72,0:08:48.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that every 300 base pairs in your DNA, you're a little bit different.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.36,0:08:50.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of the grand challenges right now
Dialogue: 0,0:08:50.63,0:08:53.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in modern molecular medicine is to work out
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.23,0:08:58.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whether this variation makes you more susceptible to diseases,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.07,0:09:00.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or does this variation just make you different?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.98,0:09:03.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Again, what does it mean here? What does this variation
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.38,0:09:07.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually mean? So if we are to capitalize on all of this
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.20,0:09:11.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,new molecular data and personalized genomic information
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.10,0:09:13.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that is coming online that we will be able to have
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.50,0:09:16.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the next few years, we have to be able to differentiate
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.57,0:09:19.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between the two. So how do we do this?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.79,0:09:23.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, I believe we just look at nature's experiments.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.12,0:09:27.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So through natural selection, over time,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.96,0:09:33.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mutations, variations that disrupt the function of a protein
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.08,0:09:35.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will not be tolerated over time.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.70,0:09:39.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Evolution acts as a sieve. It sieves out the bad variation.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.89,0:09:42.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so therefore, if you look at the same region
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.15,0:09:45.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of a genome in many mammals that have been
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.30,0:09:48.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,evolutionarily distant from each other
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.81,0:09:52.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and are also ecologically divergent, you will get a better
Dialogue: 0,0:09:52.27,0:09:56.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,understanding of what the evolutionary prior of that site is,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.03,0:09:59.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,i.e., if it is important for the mammal to function,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.91,0:10:02.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for its survival, it will be the same
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.23,0:10:06.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in all of those different lineages, species, taxa.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:06.98,0:10:10.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So therefore, if we were to do this,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:10.26,0:10:11.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what we'd need to do is sequence that region
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.73,0:10:14.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in all these different mammals and ascertain if it's the same
Dialogue: 0,0:10:14.84,0:10:18.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or if it's different. So if it is the same,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.85,0:10:21.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this indicates that that site is important for a function,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:21.96,0:10:25.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so a disease mutation should fall within that site.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:25.82,0:10:29.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in this case here, if all the mammals that we look at
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.56,0:10:32.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have a yellow-type genome at that site,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.82,0:10:35.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it probably suggests that purple is bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:35.49,0:10:38.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This could be even more powerful if you look at mammals
Dialogue: 0,0:10:38.96,0:10:41.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are doing things slightly differently.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.63,0:10:43.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So say, for example, the region of the genome
Dialogue: 0,0:10:43.71,0:10:47.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I was looking at was a region that's important for vision.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:47.24,0:10:50.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we look at that region in mammals that don't see so well,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.91,0:10:54.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such as bats, and we find that bats that don't see so well
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.75,0:10:57.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have the purple type, we know that this is probably
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.52,0:11:00.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what's causing this disease.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:00.89,0:11:05.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in my lab, we've been using bats to look at two different
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.09,0:11:08.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,types of diseases of the senses.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.44,0:11:11.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're looking at blindness. Now why would you do this?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:11.24,0:11:16.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Three hundred and fourteen million people are visually impaired, and
Dialogue: 0,0:11:16.19,0:11:19.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,45 million of these are blind. So blindness is a big problem,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.78,0:11:23.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a lot of these blind disorders come from inherited diseases,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.100,0:11:26.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so we want to try and better understand
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.17,0:11:29.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which mutations in the gene cause the disease.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.77,0:11:33.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also we look at deafness. One in every 1,000
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.68,0:11:37.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,newborn babies are deaf, and when we reach 80,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.20,0:11:40.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over half of us will also have a hearing problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.25,0:11:44.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Again, there's many underlying genetic causes for this.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.53,0:11:47.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what we've been doing in my lab
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.18,0:11:50.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is looking at these unique sensory specialists, the bats,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:50.29,0:11:52.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we have looked at genes that cause blindness
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.84,0:11:54.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when there's a defect in them,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.19,0:11:56.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,genes that cause deafness when there's a defect in them,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.73,0:12:01.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and now we can predict which sites are most likely to cause disease.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.72,0:12:04.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So bats are also important for our health,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:04.60,0:12:09.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to enable us to better understand how our genome functions.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:09.49,0:12:11.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is where we are right now,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:11.91,0:12:13.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but what about the future?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:13.81,0:12:15.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What about longevity?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:15.47,0:12:19.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is where we're going to go, and as I said before,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:19.21,0:12:22.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I really believe that the secret of everlasting youth
Dialogue: 0,0:12:22.29,0:12:23.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lies within the bat genome.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.100,0:12:28.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So why should we be interested in aging at all?
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.11,0:12:30.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, really, this is a picture drawn from the 1500s
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.60,0:12:34.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Fountain of Youth. Aging is considered
Dialogue: 0,0:12:34.42,0:12:38.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one of the most familiar, yet the least well-understood,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:38.05,0:12:41.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,aspects of all of biology, and really,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:41.01,0:12:45.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since the dawn of civilization, mankind has sought to avoid it.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:45.39,0:12:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we are going to have to understand it a bit better.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:48.43,0:12:52.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In Europe alone, by 2050, there is going to be
Dialogue: 0,0:12:52.06,0:12:55.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a 70 percent increase of individuals over 65,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:55.88,0:12:59.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and 170 percent increase in individuals over 80.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.62,0:13:02.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As we age, we deteriorate, and this deterioration
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.46,0:13:07.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,causes problems for our society, so we have to address it.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:07.22,0:13:11.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how could the secret of everlasting youth actually lie
Dialogue: 0,0:13:11.73,0:13:14.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,within the bat genome? Does anybody want to hazard
Dialogue: 0,0:13:14.41,0:13:18.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a guess over how long this bat could live for?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:18.37,0:13:21.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who -- put up your hands -- who says two years?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:21.40,0:13:25.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nobody? One? How about 10 years?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:25.29,0:13:29.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some? How about 30?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:29.14,0:13:33.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How about 40? Okay, it's a whole varied response.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:33.02,0:13:36.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This bat is myotis brandtii. It's the longest-living bat.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:36.67,0:13:38.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It lived for up to 42 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:38.86,0:13:41.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this bat's still alive in the wild today.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:41.19,0:13:43.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what would be so amazing about this?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:43.78,0:13:48.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, typically, in mammals there is a relationship
Dialogue: 0,0:13:48.86,0:13:51.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between body size, metabolic rate,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:51.36,0:13:53.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and how long you can live for, and you can predict
Dialogue: 0,0:13:53.49,0:13:56.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how long a mammal can live for given its body size.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:56.72,0:14:00.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So typically, small mammals live fast, die young.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:00.42,0:14:03.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Think of a mouse. But bats are very different.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:03.15,0:14:05.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As you can see here on this graph, in blue,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:05.97,0:14:08.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these are all other mammals, but bats
Dialogue: 0,0:14:08.54,0:14:10.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can live up to nine times longer than expected
Dialogue: 0,0:14:10.70,0:14:13.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,despite having a really, really high metabolic rate,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:13.85,0:14:16.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the question is, how can they do that?
Dialogue: 0,0:14:16.48,0:14:20.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are 19 species of mammal that live longer
Dialogue: 0,0:14:20.02,0:14:22.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than expected, given their body size, than man,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:22.80,0:14:25.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and 18 of those are bats.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:25.65,0:14:30.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So therefore, they must have something within their DNA
Dialogue: 0,0:14:30.58,0:14:33.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that ables them to deal with the metabolic stresses,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:33.43,0:14:37.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,particularly of flight. They expend three times more energy
Dialogue: 0,0:14:37.33,0:14:38.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than a mammal of the same size,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:38.87,0:14:42.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but don't seem to suffer the consequences or the effects.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:42.48,0:14:45.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So right now, in my lab, we're combining
Dialogue: 0,0:14:45.83,0:14:49.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,state-of-the-art bat field biology, going out and catching
Dialogue: 0,0:14:49.74,0:14:52.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the long-lived bats, with the most up-to-date,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:52.55,0:14:56.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,modern molecular technology to understand better
Dialogue: 0,0:14:56.02,0:15:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what it is that they do to stop aging as we do.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:00.55,0:15:03.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And hopefully in the next five years, I'll be giving you a TEDTalk on that.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:03.71,0:15:07.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Aging is a big problem for humanity,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:07.31,0:15:10.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I believe that by studying bats, we can uncover
Dialogue: 0,0:15:10.24,0:15:13.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the molecular mechanisms that enable mammals
Dialogue: 0,0:15:13.12,0:15:16.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to achieve extraordinary longevity. If we find out
Dialogue: 0,0:15:16.32,0:15:19.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what they're doing, perhaps through gene therapy,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:19.56,0:15:22.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we can enable us to do the same thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:22.12,0:15:27.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Potentially, this means that we could halt aging or maybe even reverse it.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:27.39,0:15:31.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just imagine what that would be like.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:31.28,0:15:34.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So really, I don't think we should be thinking of them
Dialogue: 0,0:15:34.17,0:15:39.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as flying demons of the night, but more as our superheroes.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:39.22,0:15:43.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the reality is that bats can bring us so much benefit
Dialogue: 0,0:15:43.07,0:15:45.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we just look in the right place. They're good for our ecosystem,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:45.62,0:15:48.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they allow us to understand how our genome functions,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:48.53,0:15:51.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they potentially hold the secret to everlasting youth.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:51.76,0:15:54.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So tonight, when you walk out of here and you look up
Dialogue: 0,0:15:54.37,0:15:57.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the night skies, and you see this beautiful flying mammal,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:57.87,0:16:01.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want you to smile. Thank you. (Applause)