TEDx Johanessburg (session 1) – Hennie Eksteen

Here are some interesting facts about earthworms:

• They have no immune system…or teeth
• The more rotten their food is, the better
• They are the most numerous animals on earth
• They lay cocoons every day or so
• Earthworms create, purify and sanitise soil

OK, this is interesting but nothing I can’t get from Wikipedia.

I’m in two minds about this presentation.  I enjoyed it thoroughly but to me it didn’t seem to fit in with the theme of the conference…community upliftment.  Yes, earthworms are a great source of organic fertiliser that increase crop yields and are good for the environment.

But I was under the impression that presenters at TEDx must have done something to improve their small corner of the world.  Professor Eksteen has studied earthworms and clearly knows a lot about them.  He’s presented some interesting facts about how earthworms can be good for agriculture, but hasn’t done anything besides be an academic who studies earthworms.  Or maybe I missed something…?

As I said, this was interesting, but was it an idea worth spreading?