How the Krebs cycle powers life and death – with Nick Lane

Comments · 446

• GA

  @garyk.nedrow8302 · 3 years ago

  I studied the Krebs cycle at Brown Univ. in 1960 in the Unicelluar Biology course, which in retrospect was largely devoted to memorizing complex chemical reactions, with very little real understanding of their purpose.  Of course, a lifetime of science since then has improved upon our earlier understanding of the cycle.  Prof. Lane in this short video not only explains the Krebs cycle with beautiful clarity, but then relates it to my later interest, evolutionary biology, and the anaerobic processes that pioneered the cyclical chemical reactions that made oxygen-based life possible.  This video ought to be a mandatory introduction to biochemical processes for biology students to aid in the integration of organic chemistry with life processes and to illustrate the necessity of integrating multi-disciplinary research.  Many thanks, Prof. Lane, in simplifying the highly complex workings of the Krebs cycle and its extensive applications.

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• SA

  @saminselenciata4861 · 2 years ago

  its almost unbelievable that we get to experience this talk for free

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• HO

  @holidaynova · 4 years ago

  i’m 46 an engineer and physicist, this all finally brought everything together.

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• GC

  @gcarletonYou · 4 years ago

  As a sense of how I feel about him and his articulation of microbiology, read his past books but also got audible and book Transformer. I have gone through that material twice, amazed how much new thoughts in rereading, third time will likely be the same.  Yet I also found this lecture to be incredible, he takes science to the realm of philosophy of life, but in context of science. His reference to past scientists is appreciated, and he does so in a humble way, never bragging about himself. Bill Gates endorsement of Nick Lane being one of his favorite authors is deserved.  I try to read technical journals to the extent I am able to get past the enormous complexity and vocabulary, but Lane gives me a shot of understanding them. Great video, great man.

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• SP

  @spacelemur7955 · 3 years ago

  As an interested layman who has always read text books in biology, geology and their subfields for the last 50 years, this was effing exciting! So many concepts nudged closer together. Wow. Simply wow.

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• AL

  @AliceYobby · 3 years ago

  Took a while for me to understand what he was getting at, but once I did, it truly changed my perspective on what life even is. Pretty powerful stuff

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• LT

  @lthammox · 4 years ago

  Nick Lane’s such a wonderful thinker and communicator. Really recommend his books. Had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times, and he’s just the loveliest person.

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• RU

  @rumraket38 · 4 years ago

  A Nick Lane talk is never boring.

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• RA

  @Raydensheraj · 4 years ago

  His book &quot;The Vital Question&quot; is still one of the best concerning abiogenesis, mitochondria, deep sea vents, biochemistry etc...<br><br>Definitely one of the classics...and I know that a lot of people highly recommend &quot;The Vital Question&quot;...

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• SM

  @smitsun · 3 years ago

  It&apos;s a pity I cannot upvote this more than once. What a marvelous lecture!

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• TH

  @TheDogNannyEdmonton · 2 years ago

  I LOVE that all this information is available to the public and those interested in learning! &nbsp;And not only available to those attending University! &nbsp;And SO GRATEFUL for professors such as this who understands it and can bring it to the public! ❤🙏❤

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• CO

  @colinhenshaw3737 · 4 years ago

  Absolutely brilliant, and a must for any student studying biochemistry. I was particularly fascinated with the involvement of the Krebs Cycle in the evolution of early life, and the Cambrian Explosion.

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