Inner Space, paramecium and parallels with your Gut Biome

As a self-professed '21st Century Human' I've been fascinated for years with how to optimise my own biology. I've often tested different protocols on myself and recorded their impact. This has ranged from living on Huel for a week when it launched in 2015, to testing nootropics from HVMN after meeting them in Silicon Valley a few years ago. I even became a basic cyborg a few years back (2017) having a reprogrammable NFC chip inserted into my hand. You can watch that on YouTube here :)

I've been increasingly interested in Gut Biome research and it's impact on human longevity and overall wellness. There is a ton of good research coming out now showing how the health of our gut is directly linked to illness, mental wellbeing and host of other impacts. It also clearly shows the impact that antibiotics have on badly effecting this living biome.

The parallels between the negative effects on our inner biology struck home when I can across this new research on the impact of microplastics on paramecium and their ability to photosynthesise and create Oxygen (that we need a bit of).

Now...Paramecium, a single-celled critter may not be the first organism that comes to mind when discussing photosynthesis or ocean sustainability. However, these microscopic champions have a significant impact on these vital processes.

Symbiotic Relationships with Photosynthetic Organisms

Just like in humans and our relationship with gut bacteria, paramecium themselves do not photosynthesize, they form symbiotic relationships with photosynthetic organisms such as algae. In these relationships, the algae live within the paramecium's cytoplasm, where they utilize sunlight to produce energy through photosynthesis. This energy is then shared with the paramecium, allowing it to thrive in nutrient-poor environments.

Contribution to Primary Production

As a result of these symbiotic relationships, paramecium indirectly contribute to primary production – the process by which inorganic carbon is converted into organic matter. By providing a suitable environment for photosynthesizing algae, paramecium help increase overall photosynthetic activity in the world's oceans. This contributes to the production of organic compounds that form the basis of the marine food web, supporting a diverse range of marine life.

Carbon Sequestration

This has a mounting effect in that by promoting photosynthesis, paramecium contribute to carbon sequestration, the process by which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in the ocean. The algae use carbon dioxide to produce organic matter, effectively trapping the carbon within the oceanic food web. This process helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Nutrient Recycling and BioDiversity Maintenance

Paramecium are an essential part of the marine food web and act as a primary food source for many small marine organisms. These little powerhouses consume organic matter and release inorganic nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as waste by products. These are then recycled by photosynthetic algae, promoting further primary production. This nutrient recycling process helps maintain a balanced ecosystem and contributes to overall ocean sustainability. This delicate balance helps maintain biodiversity in oceanic ecosystems.

As I think we are all aware a diverse and balanced ecosystem is more resilient to environmental changes and stresses which enhances ocean sustainability. This new research then is extremely troubling.

Microplastics limit energy production in tiny freshwater species (phys.org)

This study by the University of Exeter in the UK, whilst lab based, has shown that microplastic contamination has a 50% net reduction in the ability of the paramecium and its algae to photosynthesise. Much more research is needed not only on marine habitats but also in freshwater environments.

At Microsoft we are enabling #sustainability around the world with platforms like our Planetary Computer and the work we are helping to drive in the UK around developing #digitaltwins for biodiversity and river health.

We must keep laser focused on being able to derive insight from the data around the whole life ecosystem in which we live. We are only going to get one shot at getting this right and time is wasting away.