The BBC got help from some famous aquatic friends in acknowledging the importance of one of the most underappreciated creatures on Earth.
On SpongeBob SquarePants, Sheldon J. Plankton is consumed by his desire for the Krabby Patty recipe, but in the real world, plankton is far more important than those dastardly ways might suggest. Tired of being overlooked, the sea creature hijacks SpongeBob’s presentation about the most important living creatures to demonstrate how important he really is, in a short film from June that only just made it to YouTube.
Plankton are responsible for half of the Earth’s oxygen supply. They feed many sea creatures and sustain creatures that become food for other animals. They’re even responsible for natural resources that humans rely on, like crude oil. Plankton are so integrated into everything that without them, there’d be nothing.
“What this means is no plankton, no sea life,” Plankton explained. “No Krabby Patties, no sushi, no SpongeBob (that wouldn’t be bad), no nothing! Do we feel important to you now?”
Screengrab via BBC Earth/YouTube