>>David Rowan: Turritopsis, the jellyfish,
looks pretty interesting, but how do we know
it's actually immortal? Is it really immortal?
>>Shin Kubota: No one can verify it but I
identify 10 times it can develop into a young
stage, so theoretically it can be immortal
because it is back to young 10 times.
>>David Rowan: How long is the longest Turritopsis
that you've been studying? How old is it?
>>Shin Kubota: From 2003 it can be still living,
and for two years it can 10 times develop
to young and theoretically, it can give everlasting
life.
>>David Rowan: So it's constantly regenerating?
>>Shin Kubota: Yes.
>>David Rowan: And do you have an example
of the jellyfish? Do you have something you
can actually --
>>Shin Kubota: Yes, yes. This is Turritopsis,
very tiny Turritopsis. Small jellyfish.
>>David Rowan: So they're just a few millimeters
across?
>>Shin Kubota: About less than 1 -- 10 millimeters.
>>David Rowan: So these are not live jellyfish?
This is just a preserved sample?
>>Shin Kubota: Preserved, preserved, right.
>>David Rowan: But you also have a live --
>>Shin Kubota: This is a -- yes. I bring here
one.
>>David Rowan: But it's hard to see that.
>>Shin Kubota: But it's very small and this
is a little --
[ Laughter ]
>>David Rowan: How do you know that your research
on the jellyfish can lead to knowledge that
can help humans live longer?
>>Shin Kubota: Ah. I believe -- I think it
is hard, maybe it's difficult, you know, to
apply to human being but I think, you know,
we can actually give a dream to human beings.
>>David Rowan: So I know you've said your
opinion is that humans will evolve and become
immortal, but tell us very briefly the science
that you think is transferable from jellyfish
to other forms of life.
>>Shin Kubota: All animals can (indiscernible)
genes only for (indiscernible) ATGC, and jellyfish
is very primitive animal and preserved heavy
genetic code, even in human being's heart.
So if you -- so jellyfish (indiscernible)
secret of regeneration is preserved, it can
be applied to humans in (indiscernible).
>>David Rowan: And finally, you are a scientist,
a tenured professor, published in learned
journals so you are pretty much the expert
on this field, but you also communicate, as
we saw, in a slightly unusual way for a scientist.
You've written is it 19 songs? You have CDs
of animal songs?
I'm not going to ask you to sing now, because
I don't think we have time, unless you want
10 seconds.
So do other scientists, do your peers in Japan,
take you any less seriously because you are
a popular songwriter and performer?
>>Shin Kubota: No, no, I don't think so. Actually,
I use, you know, the songs at lectures in
the university and then they actually find
that it's very helpful to understand all these,
you know, things. And also, I'm quite sort
of popular at the Japanese TV as well.
[ Laughter ]
>>David Rowan: Let's end with 10 seconds of
your favorite jellyfish song.
Maestro.
We haven't rehearsed this bit.
>>Shin Kubota: Yes. All right.
[ Singing ]
>>Shin Kubota: One, two, three...
[ Applause ]
