The Deep-Sea Podcast

In this episode we explore the power of storytelling and complete the arc of our first five episodes: science communication and perception of the deep sea.
We talk with multiple New York Times bestseller Susan Casey (https://susancasey.com/) about telling a good story and engaging people with a narrative, while still being scientifically accurate. Don Walsh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Walsh) is kind enough to record his thoughts on the importance of good storytellers, which of course also contains a story we never knew about Don.
 
Storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool, but it can be a difficult one to wield. Alan talks of some experiences where the public perception of a story was not what was expected but also the risk of not telling the story at all and of assumptions being made.
 
We have our regular returning segments: Recent news, which seems very squiddy this episode; tails from the high seas, where Alan is imprisoned in a seaman’s mission; and Thom tries out a new segment about the history of some deep-sea animal names.
 
You can submit your own ‘tails from the high seas’ about an experience you have had offshore or pose us a question on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
 
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel (http://marvel.nu/)
 
Links
The description of the roundnose grenadier from 1765: https://www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/DKNVS_skrifter/article/download/710/642
An image of the Grenadier cap: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prussian_Grenadier_Cap.jpg
An image of the grenadier fish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyssal_grenadier#/media/File:Coryphaenoides_armatus.jpg
Frankie Fulleda’s podcast, Hard Candy & Fruit Snacks: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hard-candy-fruit-snacks/id1532914761

It’s the October episode and that means it’s our Halloween Spooktacular, what better time to turn the spotlight on ourselves and wonder why humanity seems to have an intrinsic fear of the deep sea. Glenn Singleman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Singleman) joins us to give a psychological explanation for why we feel differently about the deep sea and seem to have an aversion to it. Even some of the best documentaries seem to change their wording when talking about the deep sea.
We give Don a quick call to get his thoughts on fear, as that’s something he’s always asked when talking about the first dive to the deepest point. Finally, we have a Tails from the High Seas from Heather Stewart who, after running from some bad weather, found herself in the middle of a military exercise.
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel (http://marvel.nu/)
Additional music by Harvey Jones (http://www.harvjones.com/)
Links
Blackest black: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28363-super-dark-chameleon-material-shifts-colour-to-boost-solar-power/
Guinness Book of World Records
Deepest fish: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/deepest-fish
Deepest octopus: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/83167-deepest-octopus
Deepest eel: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/626705-deepest-eel
Deepest decapod: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/626036-deepest-decapod
First new species contaminated with plastic: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/626040-first-new-species-contaminated-with-plastic
Thanks to the people who recorded monsters in their native tongue:
Rusalka (Slavic) - Christina Nikolova
Afanc (Welsh) - Thomas Hughes
Iku-Turso (Finnish) - Anni Mäkelä
Kappa (Japan) - Kazumasa Oguri
Uile-Bheist Doimhneachd na Mara (Scottish Gaelic) - Andrew Henderson
Cetus, Charybdis, Scylla and Hydra (Greek) - Georgios Kazanidis

Can we use art to help people engage with the deep sea? We stop trying to explain things and let artist Alex Gould (alexandragould.co.uk) help us see deep-sea animals for the first time all over again.
We talk about the aesthetic of deep-sea fish, is it shaped by our expectations? Can we save the blobfish from bullying? Can art help us with the horror of tongue eating parasites and fish absorbing their boyfriends?
Sponsor Armatus Oceanic

On January 23, 1960 Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard were the first people to dive to the deepest point in the ocean, Challenger Deep. Would you believe that Don's full of other stories at least as interesting as that?
We talk science communication and exploration with Don, realise that actually we do know a lot about the Mariana Trench, and we cross the equator.
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
Music by Harvey Jones

 ‘We know more about the moon than the deep sea’ isn't just a bad analogy, it’s wrong. We talk scientific writing and Alan confesses why, after becoming the world’s deepest Brit, he was hunched emerging from the sub.
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
Absence of sharks
Music Harvey Jones

Just a quick hello to introduce the podcast (and check I know how to do this). Official episode 1 coming soon.
 
Dr Thom
https://twitter.com/AllLittleFishes