Underwater filmmaker Mike deGruy describes his wonderful nerdy path to exploring Earth’s final frontier. He’s a good example of how you don’t have to have a PhD to be a sexy geek, getting in arms races with octopi, and observing an eco-system discovered only 33 years ago!

He also, of course, covers how irresponsible human beings can be in damaging the ocean’s environment through over-development, and how we can change the world below the sea-line, if we just leave it alone.

And he’s a fantastic storyteller so it’s not hard to stay engaged for his entire TED speech.

I’m saddened to hear that he has passed away, the victim of a helicopter crash in Australia. The world has lost a fantastic speaker and an inspiring individual.

[Via TED]