on this planet should recognize their connection

to the ocean, because we depend on the ocean to survive.

It controls the climate, it provides food

for a billion people, and science, technology,

engineering, and math, all of these concepts

are really just explaining what's already

happening in nature.

Nature has all of the answers, we just have to

find out what they are.

I'm Danni Washington, I'm an ocean advocate,

science communicator, and lover of life.

At six years old, I told my mom,

I looked her in the eyes and I said,

Mom, I want to be a marine biologist.

I had a crazy dream, and that dream was to become

a marine biologist.

Yes, this Jamaican-American girl from Miami,

yeah, I wanted to be a marine biologist.

It was a total mystery, but yet,

it seemed like an adventure that I needed to have,

and from the moment I learned what that was,

that was it, I was sold.

This started back in 2008, when I was

first hired by a group called Untamed Science,

and we made 200 videos, all about K through 12 science,

for textbooks that are still in classrooms today.

- I found Danni on YouTube,

we were looking for a host for a new science show

that I was developing, and, after scouring

for weeks and weeks, I don't know how,

but I came across her video, and she was just magic,

the moment that I found her.

- I understood that I had a niche to fill.

I saw that there was an empty space, really,

for science communication.

I wouldn't say that I'm a traditional marine biologist.

What, what boil down to, is that I needed to communicate.

I wanted to do outreach, but in a different way.

So, those ideas kinda culminated,

I started a nonprofit with my mom,

called Big Blue and You, and over the last nine years,

we've used Big Blue and You as a platform

to give young kids the opportunity to meet the ocean,

and to fall in love with the ocean,

using art as a medium.

Now I'm hosting a show on Fox called

Xploration Nature Knows Best,

which I'm so excited about because

it's all about innovation, and tech that's

inspired by nature.

This is one of the reasons why science is so cool.

Welcome back to Nature Knows Best.

With just a little bit of help from nature,

we can easily improve some of our favorite

physical activities.

It's more of a creative path where I've

found ways to communicate that science,

that these marine biologists are collecting,

and transferring that into a way that the general public

can understand, especially young people.

And giving them this intersection where any,

any science concept can be explained

in a fun and engaging way, that's my job.

You see the spark, and you're like,

whoa, what is this?

How did I not know about this?

That moment of wonder and awe is what I live for.

Whether it's studying science, technology, engineering,

math, all of these concepts are really just explaining

what's already happening in nature.

If we took more notes from the natural world around us,

we would be in a better place.

- STEM needs everyone.

And everyone needs STEM.

I think science, technology, engineering, and math

can only be pushed further by including influences

from people who bring a new perspective to the table.

We never wanna put a pair of glasses on someone

and call them a scientist.

We think scientists come in all shapes, sizes, ages, races,

and we just want to make sure they're all represented

in our programs, to the extent that it's possible.

- Diversity in STEM is extremely important,

because as a human race, we have such a broad pool

of knowledge.

- And you need to bring in people

who think differently.

And in order to do that, you have to include everyone

who hasn't always been in those circles.

And that's how we'll move forward, that's how

we'll push boundaries, that's how we'll innovate.