Episode
Why this tiny organism is essential for the health of the planet
- Podcast
- Instant Genius
- Published
- Jun 11, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2161
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR5186401546.mp3
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Summary
Although it often goes unnoticed, plankton is the most abundant form of life in Earth’s oceans, making up 95 per cent of all oceanic biomass. These tiny organisms are responsible for generating around half of the planet’s oxygen, play a vital role in the oceans’ food chains and were around for millions of years before we humans came onto the scene. Simply put, without plankton, the world would be a very different place. As part of our Nature's Unsung Heroes miniseries, we’re joined by senior advisor to the United Nations on oceans Vincent Doumeizel to talk about his latest book, The Power of Plankton – How Plankton Made Life on Earth Possible and Why It’s Key to Our Future. He tells us how these often-ignored organisms played an essential part in the evolution of life on Earth, tells us the many ways plankton acts as the caretaker of the entire planet, and makes a passionate case for why we should be paying more attention to these fascinating, ancient organisms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices