Ocean Science Radio cover art

Ocean Science Radio

Ocean Science Radio

By: Ocean Science Radio
Listen for free

Ocean Science Radio is a joint project between Andrew Kornblatt, founder and host of the Online Ocean Symposium, and Naomi Frances Farabaugh of FIU. Previous co-host was Samantha Wishnak, Digital Media Coordinator at Ocean Exploration Trust. The program will focus on and highlight the latest and greatest ocean science stories that the world has to offer.All rights reserved Biological Sciences Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • One Team. One Chance. Diving for What Remains.

    One Team. One Chance. Diving for What Remains.
    May 29 2026
    Featuring Alex Rose, Science Editor, Ocean Geographic Magazine & Co-Founder, Sea Americas Alex Rose has been part of the Ocean Science Radio family for nearly a decade — you may remember her reporting live from MACNA, the Marine Aquarium Conference of North America, back in 2016. Today she's back, this time in the guest chair, with something considerably bigger on the horizon. Alex is the Science Editor of Ocean Geographic Magazine, founder of ocean conservation company Blue Ring, an Explorers Club Fellow, a professional violinist, and now co-host and producer of Sea Americas — a cinematic expedition documentary series following the world's largest all-female dive team as they document the most threatened marine sanctuaries across the Americas. In this conversation, Andrew and Dr. Frances Farabaugh sit down with Alex to talk about what it means to dive with purpose in a moment of accelerating loss — from the functionally extinct reef-building corals of the Florida Keys, to the surprisingly intact reefs of Cuba, to the political headwinds threatening the protected waters these stories depend on. They also dig into the Sea Americas Seed & Spark crowdfunding campaign, the conservation model behind Blue Ring, and what it actually feels like to cry underwater while trying to document a dying reef. Hope, Alex reminds us, needs to be a verb. Let's actively hope. Links: Sea Americas: seaamericas.com Blue Ring: bluering.blue Ocean Geographic: ogsociety.org Mission Blue (Netflix) Last episode featuring Alex Rose - https://oceanscienceradio.simplecast.com/episodes/macna
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Mining the Deep - Inside the Case for Seabed Extraction

    Mining the Deep - Inside the Case for Seabed Extraction
    Mar 31 2026

    Guest: Oliver Gunasekara, CEO & Co-Founder, Impossible Metals

    • Website: impossiblemetals.com
    • Eureka Collection System animation: https://impossiblemetals.com/blog/next-generation-eureka-collection-system-animation-now-available/

    Context & Further Reading:

    • ISA (International Seabed Authority): isa.int
    • DISCOL experiment — long-term seafloor disturbance study: https://www.discol.de/index.html
    • IEA Critical Minerals Report (recycling projections): https://www.iea.org/reports/global-critical-minerals-outlook-2025
    • Our previous episode: Trump Administration Ocean Policy Forum with Dr. Andrew Thaler, Dr. Diva Amon, and Angelo Villagomez

    Key Terms:

    • Polymetallic nodules: Mineral-rich concretions found on the deep seafloor, taking millions of years to form
    • UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
    • Common Heritage of Mankind: Legal principle that certain global resources belong to all of humanity
    • ISA: International Seabed Authority — the UN body governing deep seabed mining in international waters
    • AUV: Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
    • BGR: German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe)
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Ocean Lovin - Free Baby-Making - Walking Sharks Break the Rules of Reproduction

    Ocean Lovin - Free Baby-Making - Walking Sharks Break the Rules of Reproduction
    Mar 1 2026
    Episode Description Making babies is expensive. For pretty much every species on the planet, reproduction is supposed to be the ultimate metabolic investment—a massive energy drain that can make organisms vulnerable to stress, predators, and environmental change. Except there's a small shark walking around the Great Barrier Reef that apparently didn't get the memo. In this episode of our Ocean Lovin' series, we explore groundbreaking research from James Cook University that's forcing scientists to completely rethink what they know about the costs of reproduction. Epaulette sharks—those amazing little "walking sharks" that can literally stroll across reef flats on their fins—can produce complex egg cases with developing embryos inside without any measurable increase in energy use. Zero. Zilch. Nada. It's like building a house without buying any extra lumber. Join hosts Andrew Kornblatt and Dr. Frances Farabaugh, along with returning guest co-host Dr. Skylar Bayer, as we dive into this surprising discovery with Professor Jodie Rummer from James Cook University. We'll explore how her team measured something no one had measured before—the metabolic cost of egg-laying in sharks—and what they found challenges fundamental assumptions about reproduction in the ocean. We'll learn about the "pay as you go" hypothesis, discover why a tiny organ might be working overtime without changing the whole shark's energy budget, and explore what this means for sharks facing climate change. From the controlled environment of the lab to wild populations scattered across the Great Barrier Reef, this research reveals that evolution has equipped some species with surprising tools for survival that we're only beginning to understand. Content Advisory: This Ocean Lovin' episode deals with mature subjects related to marine reproduction. Please listen to the full episode before sharing with younger audiences. Featured Guest Professor Jodie Rummer Professor of Marine Biology, James Cook University, AustraliaConservation physiologist specializing in sharks and coral reef fishesLeads shark physiology research team at JCU's Marine and Aquaculture Research FacilityMaintains a breeding colony of epaulette sharks for multi-generational researchExpert in how marine organisms cope with climate change stressors (temperature, ocean acidification, low oxygen) Key Topics Covered The Discovery First direct measurement of metabolic costs of egg-laying in sharksCompletely flat metabolic rate across reproductive cycle—no energy spike37 trials, nearly 200 eggs, almost 100 reproductive cycles The Science How scientists measure metabolic rate through oxygen uptakeThe "pay as you go" hypothesis: income breeding vs. stored energyThe nidamental gland paradox: tiny organ, massive outputBlood chemistry and hormone stability during reproduction Epaulette Shark Biology One of nine "walking shark" species with modified pectoral finsCan survive zero oxygen conditions for several hoursEndemic to Great Barrier Reef, living in extreme reef flat environmentsProduce two eggs every ~19 days during breeding seasonFour-month embryonic development period Climate Change Implications Challenging the assumption that "reproduction will be the first thing to go" under stressPotential resilience in warming oceans—but limits unknownEffects of elevated temperatures on embryo development and hatchling sizeImportance of protecting critical habitats where adaptations can function Future Research Directions Testing upper limits of reproductive efficiency under warmingLocal adaptation across Great Barrier Reef populationsImmune function in mothers and hatchlings under stressApplications to other shark species and conservation strategies Featured Research Primary Study: Wheeler, C.R., Awruch, C.A., Mandelman, J.W., & Rummer, J.L. (2025). "Assessing the metabolic and physiological costs of oviparity in the epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)." Biology Open, 14(11). DOI: 10.1242/bio.062076 Lead Author: Dr. Carolyn Wheeler (recent JCU PhD graduate) Resources & Links Research Institution: James Cook University Marine and Aquaculture Research Facility, Townsville, AustraliaJCU Marine Biology Conservation Organizations: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park AuthorityIUCN Shark Specialist Group Press Coverage: JCU News ReleaseScienceDaily Article Episode Credits Hosts: Andrew Kornblatt - Climate and Ocean Communications Specialist, ProducerDr. Frances Farabaugh - Shark Ecologist, Aquanaut Guest Co-Host: Dr. Skylar Bayer - Marine Ecologist (Shellfish Population Dynamics, Fertilization Ecology, Science Communication) Featured Guest: Professor Jodie Rummer - James Cook University
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
No reviews yet