We give thanks to many things..our parents, sliced bread, sometimes even the fact we are on this kickass planet. However, have you taken the time to walk up and scoop up a handful of ocean water to thank your local plankton?

Plankton refers to microscopic plants and animals (as well as bacteria!) that float freely in any body of water, meaning they really cannot put up too much of a fight against water currents.

Sure, we’ve all seen these single-celled life forms, flashing their colored goods all willy-nilly in our science textbooks and magazines, but when was the last time we really took the time out to thank plankton for all that they do for us!

These tiny and mostly squishy organisms are finest cuisine for the world’s largest mammals, but plankton also makes quite the splash starring in this video by Nature Video giving us Five Reasons to Thank Plankton!

THANK YOU PLANKTON! YOU DID GREAT!

Something the video does not mention is the potential of plankton becoming the basis for food and gas exchange in space travel! Due to its fantastic ability to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, algae could provide an almost unlimited source of oxygen within the space vessel that could support respiration from all the personnel aboard! A similar idea is already being used to reduce pollution in urban areas with algae and really should be implemented..everywhere.

SO AGAIN, BIG SHOUT OUT TO PLANKTON! Thanks for always being transparent with us and being a good evolutionary friend, now go enjoy the drift! It’s your big day!