Drew Harvell

There's a lot of interest and excitement, including for me, of whales.

There's a lot of interest and excitement, including for me, of whales.

There's a lot of interest and excitement, including for me, of whales.

Really, it's the invertebrates that make the gears turn round in terms of function and how the ocean works.

Really, it's the invertebrates that make the gears turn round in terms of function and how the ocean works.

Really, it's the invertebrates that make the gears turn round in terms of function and how the ocean works.

There are over 34 phyla of marine invertebrates, from sponges to corals to... Octopus to sea stars. And as such a big group, they're pretty versatile. Invertebrates live everywhere, from the bottom to the top, from shallow water to deep water, from attached to the bottom and in the plankton. So they're everywhere in the ocean.

There are over 34 phyla of marine invertebrates, from sponges to corals to... Octopus to sea stars. And as such a big group, they're pretty versatile. Invertebrates live everywhere, from the bottom to the top, from shallow water to deep water, from attached to the bottom and in the plankton. So they're everywhere in the ocean.

There are over 34 phyla of marine invertebrates, from sponges to corals to... Octopus to sea stars. And as such a big group, they're pretty versatile. Invertebrates live everywhere, from the bottom to the top, from shallow water to deep water, from attached to the bottom and in the plankton. So they're everywhere in the ocean.

I think of them as kind of biological impossibilities, sort of like, you know, Superman flying or having invulnerable skin, right? For an animal to photosynthesize, that's legitimately a superpower.

I think of them as kind of biological impossibilities, sort of like, you know, Superman flying or having invulnerable skin, right? For an animal to photosynthesize, that's legitimately a superpower.

I think of them as kind of biological impossibilities, sort of like, you know, Superman flying or having invulnerable skin, right? For an animal to photosynthesize, that's legitimately a superpower.

Every one of the ones that I talk about in my book also has an important application for humans.

Every one of the ones that I talk about in my book also has an important application for humans.

Every one of the ones that I talk about in my book also has an important application for humans.

They're amazingly beautiful. They come in all colors and sizes and shapes from vases to runners to huge barrel sponges. And they're brown and yellow and green and red and purple.

They're amazingly beautiful. They come in all colors and sizes and shapes from vases to runners to huge barrel sponges. And they're brown and yellow and green and red and purple.

They're amazingly beautiful. They come in all colors and sizes and shapes from vases to runners to huge barrel sponges. And they're brown and yellow and green and red and purple.

And so, I mean, I just get lost when I'm diving just watching them because they're so beautiful. And, you know, functionally, they seem to be very, very simple. But then when you look deeper, they have amazing functions. And sponges have been of great interest to natural products chemists because it was found that the highest hit rate for anti-cancer drugs was from tropical sponges.

And so, I mean, I just get lost when I'm diving just watching them because they're so beautiful. And, you know, functionally, they seem to be very, very simple. But then when you look deeper, they have amazing functions. And sponges have been of great interest to natural products chemists because it was found that the highest hit rate for anti-cancer drugs was from tropical sponges.