The Deep-Sea Podcast
A couple of deep-sea scientists talk everything deep sea! Interesting facts, recent news, myth-busting and interviews with the most interesting people we know.
Listen on:
Episodes
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
This month is a fun one (maybe not if you love cetaceans) as we’re covering whale falls! That’s right, dead whales and the ecosystems they create on the seafloor. Professor Craig Smith joins us to talk all about the stages of decomposition, the key species that whale falls support, and some truly wild tales from the high seas.
We finally answer the big question, what smells worse: a dead whale or a dead deep-sea sponge? The answer might not be what you expect. We also hear from a couple friends of the show, including Shelly, who may have found one of the earliest comparisons of the moon and the deep sea, and Otis, who talks us through his research on the back of our last episode on hydrothermal vents.
In other news, consuming deep-sea water lowers cholesterol (this one is definitely, absolutely, 100% true), there’s a new deep-sea documentary premiering at Sundance and we made our first 30p (and a pint)! This newfound success has pushed us to release another Deco-Stop episode on neurodiversity in science, coming to you next month!
Keep updated with our latest releases by subscribing to our newsletter here
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke
Thom - @ThomLinley
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Glossary
Blubber - The fat of sea mammals.
Cadaverine - A compound formed in the decay of animal proteins after death.
Cetacean - The scientific name for whales, dolphins and porpoises.
Chemoautotrophic - Obtains energy through chemical reactions rather than light.
Hagfish - An eel-shaped, slime-producing fish.
Hydroxyapatite - A mineral which makes up whale bones.
Osedax - A family of “bone-eating” worms which are often found feasting on whale bones.
Putracene - A compound formed in the decay of animal proteins after death.
Purse seine netting - A vertical net ‘curtain’ which can be drawn together to enclose the whale.
Sleeper sharks - Family: Somniosidae. Slow-moving sharks which can be seen feeding on whale falls.
Stoneley waves - A boundary wave (or interface wave) that typically propagates along a solid-solid interface.
Links
Craig’s research group
Craig's article on whale fall ecology (2003)
‘Rare’ deep-sea fish turns out to not be rare at all
A news article and published paper on how glass sponges could provide treatment against Covid-19
A new deep-sea video game has just been released called “Surviving the Abyss”
Deep Rising, the film featuring and produced by Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa, has had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival
We released a piece in The Conversation on the Moon Analogy
Otis Brunner’s twitter
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - New York Percussion Trio
Youtube
Spotify
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image
Image courtesy of NOAA
#whalefalls #whalefall #whalefallecosystems #osedax #Podcast #SciComm #Science #MarineBiology #DeepSea #DeepOcean #AlanJamieson #Donwalsh #ThomasLinley #craigsmith #discovery #scicomm #submarine # #biodiversity #deepseacreatures #boneeatingworms #zombieworms #fossils #sundance #deepseamining #jasonmomoa
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 5. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here: www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/005-storytelling-with-author-susan-case
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 about telling a good story and engaging people with a narrative, while still being scientifically accurate. Plus, Don Walsh is kind enough to record his thoughts on the importance of good storytellers.
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke (https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke)
Thom - @ThomLinley (https://twitter.com/ThomLinley)
Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://twitter.com/geeinthesea)
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://www.instagram.com/geeinthesea/)
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 31. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here: www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/031-hydrothermal-vents
We’re continuing on our iconic deep-sea habitat trilogy with the episode you’ve all been waiting for… HYDROTHERMAL VENTS!
We speak to the incredible Charles “Chuck” Fisher, a pivotal biologist in hydrothermal vent research, about these fascinating habitats and the organisms which exist there. We learn about the iconic tube-worms and their specialised adaptations to life in these extreme environments. Plus, Chuck does some of his own myth-busting and sets the record straight on a common tubeworm trope.
Don shares his own experiences of these impressive habitats (and the not-so-impressive lunches that came alongside them). Buckle-up for a big one!
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke (https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke)
Thom - @ThomLinley (https://twitter.com/ThomLinley)
Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://twitter.com/geeinthesea)
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://www.instagram.com/geeinthesea/)
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Glossary
Annelid - The name for segmented worms.
Biogeography - The study of the present and past distribution patterns of biological diversity and their underlying environmental and historical causes.
Calcareous - Containing calcium carbonate.
Escarpia - A genus of tube worm found at cold seeps.
Invasive species - An organism that typically causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native.
Lamellibrachia - A type of cold seep tubeworm related to the giant tube worm, Riftia pachyptila
Larvae - A juvenile form before transforming into adults.
Osedax - Bone-eating worms which live in the deep sea, typically on whale carcasses.
Riftia pachyptila - The giant tubeworm found at hydrothermal vents in the deep-sea.
Symbiotic - A mutually beneficial relationship between different organisms.
Trophosome - specialised sac in tube worms where chemosynthetic bacteria are housed
Vestimentiferan tubeworm - A taxon of marine deep-sea worm-like animals living in chitinous tubes and lack a digestive tract.
Links
Chuck’s research group
Chuck’s article on hydrothermal vent communities
Chuck’s article on cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Friday Jan 06, 2023
We’re continuing on our iconic deep-sea habitat trilogy with the episode you’ve all been waiting for… HYDROTHERMAL VENTS! In this jam-packed episode we cover forgotten Christmas specials, lebensspuren, deep-sea sandwiches and climate crisis sea-shanties (and that’s only in the first 20 minutes)!
We speak to the incredible Charles “Chuck” Fisher, a pivotal biologist in hydrothermal vent research, about these fascinating habitats and the organisms which exist there. We learn about the iconic tube-worms and their specialised adaptations to life in these extreme environments. Plus, Chuck does some of his own myth-busting and sets the record straight on a common tube worm trope.
Don shares his own experiences of these impressive habitats (and the not-so-impressive lunches that came alongside them). Plus, we hear from you in the form of listener questions, children’s books and (another?!) deep-sea conspiracy theory. Buckle-up for a big one!
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
We’ve been off-piste for a while now so we thought we’d jump straight back into the deep sea with a series of episodes on deep-sea habitats. We’re starting off strong with a huge episode on seamounts! We speak to a friend of the show, Ashley Rowden who’s an expert in all-things benthic and we find out why seamounts are just so cool. We also get a little distracted and reminisce about the ultimate offshore championship: sausage-fest.
We get to hear from the scientists on board the RRS Discovery who are currently on an expedition to discover the life that exists on the seamounts surrounding St Helena and the Ascension Islands. A couple of our friends on board also recall their ‘crossing the line’ experience, and how they’re finding working on board a research vessel.
We have huge news! You’ll be very excited to hear that we have released a new design for our merch, featuring our favourite parasite - the tongue-eating isopod, Cymothoa exigua! A perfect gift this holiday season for the whole family.
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke
Thom - @ThomLinley
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Glossary
Annelid - The name for segmented worms.
Biogeography - The study of the present and past distribution patterns of biological diversity and their underlying environmental and historical causes.
Calcareous - Containing calcium carbonate.
Escarpia - A genus of tube worm found at cold seeps.
Invasive species - An organism that typically causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native.
Lamellibrachia - A type of cold seep tubeworm related to the giant tube worm, Riftia pachyptila
Larvae - A juvenile form before transforming into adults.
Lebensspuren - Meaning “life-traces”, an ecological term referring to the tracks made by benthic organisms.
Müllspuren - “Meaning “bag-traces”, referring to the unnatural traces plastic bags leave behind on the seafloor.
Osedax - Bone-eating worms which live in the deep sea, typically on whale carcasses.
Riftia pachyptila - The giant tubeworm found at hydrothermal vents in the deep-sea.
Symbiotic - A mutually beneficial relationship between different organisms.
Trophosome - specialised sac in tube worms where chemosynthetic bacteria are housed
Vestimentiferan tubeworm - A taxon of marine deep-sea worm-like animals living in chitinous tubes and lack a digestive tract.
Links
Chuck’s research group
Chuck’s article on hydrothermal vent communities
Chuck’s article on cold seeps in the Gulf of Mexico
Deep sea species on Australian coins
Alan’s new paper on müllspuren.
Deep sea sandwiches, in the news and the original published article
Most deep-sea microbes are inactive, in the news and the original published article
James Cameron comes on the podcast
Top 10 Deep sea Creatures 2022
Oly and Opi: The curious octopus twins children’s story
Jake Hewitt photography
Oli Frost - The Pirate Emergency
Youtube
Spotify
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image
Image courtesy of Chuck Fisher and WHOI
Friday Dec 16, 2022
Friday Dec 16, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 30. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here: www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/030-seamounts
We’ve been off-piste for a while now so we thought we’d jump straight back into the deep sea with a series of episodes on deep-sea habitats. We’re starting off strong with a huge episode on seamounts! We speak to a friend of the show, Ashley Rowden who’s an expert in all-things benthic and we find out why seamounts are just so cool.
We get to hear from Don as he recalls his experiences of "crossing the line", a tradition deep-rooted in the maritime industry.
We have huge news! You’ll be very excited to hear that we have released a new design for our merch, featuring our favourite parasite - the tongue-eating isopod, Cymothoa exigua! A perfect gift this holiday season for the whole family. Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Glossary
Albatross - a very large white oceanic bird
Baikal - The world's deepest lake (1642 m deep), based in Siberia
Guyots - Flat-topped underwater mountains
Knoll - Less than 1000m underwater mountain
Manganese nodules - Potato-sized clumps of metals (mostly manganese and iron) found on the sea floor. These metals are used in the production of batteries
Orange roughy - (Hoplostethus atlanticus) A deep-sea fish which was famously historically overfished
Productivity - The rate of growth of a habitat, usually referring to biomass
Satellite altimeters - equipment which measures altitude or surface topography via satellite
Seamount - An underwater mountain which ascends more than 1000m
Sedimentation - The process of sediment sinking and then building up at the bottom of the water column
Seismic - Activity related to volcanoes or earthquakes
Links
Deep-sea mining is mentioned at COP27
3000 tonnes of polymetallic nodules are taken from the deep by deep-sea mining company
Ashley’s research and recommended reading
Ashley’s paper on seamount ecology
Clarke & Dunn (2012) paper on the sustainable management of seamount fisheries
Clark et al (2013) article on future priorities for seamount research.
Dunn & Forman (2011) orange roughy distribution
Hubbs’ 1959 iconic article on seamounts.
Global seamounts project - an initiative that’s exploring seamounts
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Dec 09, 2022
Friday Dec 09, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 8. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here
Working in the deep sea is entirely dependent on technology and the incredible forces push engineering to its limit. If you are doing something that no one has done before, chances are you are going to have to make some of your own tools. Unfortunately, we must spend a lot more on our equipment for the same data as shallower science. This makes funding difficult but also makes the deep sea quite an exclusive club.
We are joined by James Cameron (yes, that one) to talk about solving the problems of working deep with new technology. He shares how he went about illuminating the Titanic and confesses that his films are often an outlet for the technology he wishes he could build. Some of the concepts coming in Avatar 2 are an example of this. Don Walsh joins us as ever to give his take on the importance of the engineering that allows us to do the things we do.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Links
Crabsuit
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Dec 02, 2022
Friday Dec 02, 2022
We’ve been off-piste for a while now so we thought we’d jump straight back into the deep sea with a series of episodes on deep-sea habitats. We’re starting off strong with a huge episode on seamounts! We speak to a friend of the show, Ashley Rowden who’s an expert in all-things benthic and we find out why seamounts are just so cool. We also get a little distracted and reminisce about the ultimate offshore championship: sausage-fest.
We get to hear from the scientists on board the RRS Discovery who are currently on an expedition to discover the life that exists on the seamounts surrounding St Helena and the Ascension Islands. A couple of our friends on board also recall their ‘crossing the line’ experience, and how they’re finding working on board a research vessel.
We have huge news! You’ll be very excited to hear that we have released a new design for our merch, featuring our favourite parasite - the tongue-eating isopod, Cymothoa exigua! A perfect gift this holiday season for the whole family.
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke
Thom - @ThomLinley
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Glossary
Albatross - a very large white oceanic bird
Baikal - The world's deepest lake (1642 m deep), based in Siberia
Guyots - Flat-topped underwater mountains
Knoll - Less than 1000m underwater mountain
Manganese nodules - Potato-sized clumps of metals (mostly manganese and iron) found on the sea floor. These metals are used in the production of batteries
Orange roughy - (Hoplostethus atlanticus) A deep-sea fish which was famously historically overfished
Productivity - The rate of growth of a habitat, usually referring to biomass
Satellite altimeters - equipment which measures altitude or surface topography via satellite
Seamount - An underwater mountain which ascends more than 1000m
Sedimentation - The process of sediment sinking and then building up at the bottom of the water column
Seismic - Activity related to volcanoes or earthquakes
Links
Bottled deep-sea water helps with physical fatigue
Deep-sea mining is mentioned at COP27
A recent expedition to the Cocos islands in the Indian Ocean has revealed an array of deep-sea species, and previously undiscovered geological features.
The UK Government’s Blue Belt Programme has launched the DY159 expedition where scientists are exploring the deep ocean around St Helena and Ascension Island.
3000 tonnes of polymetallic nodules are taken from the deep by deep-sea mining company
Ashley’s research and recommended reading
Ashley’s paper on the sustainable management of seamount fisheries
Global seamounts project - an initiative that’s exploring seamounts
Hubbs’ 1959 iconic article on seamounts.
Clark et al (2013) article on future priorities for seamount research.
Dun & Forman (2011) orange roughy distribution
No doubt - Oi to the world
Youtube
Spotify
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image
Image courtesy of NOAA
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Friday Nov 25, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 4. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here:
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/004-fear-of-the-deep-sea-with-glenn-singleman
We turn the spotlight on ourselves and wonder why humanity seems to have an intrinsic fear of the deep sea. Glenn Singleman joins us to give a psychological explanation for why we feel differently about the deep sea and we take a deep dive into deep-sea tropes we see in the media.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Links
Glenn Singleman’s bio
Alan, Thom and Glenn’s paper on Fear of the Deep Sea
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Nov 11, 2022
Friday Nov 11, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 29. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here: www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/029-deep-rivers
Everyone has been very busy this month with Thom and the Professor officially describing a new species of blue snailfish, alongside their adventures in Singapore. We hear from one of our old students about the work he’s been doing in deep freshwater ecosystems, which got us thinking about these unique environments and the kind of species that live there. We decided to throw one last curveball away from the deep sea and speak with Dr Melanie Stiassny, an ichthyologist who’s focused her research on the deep water fish of the Congo river.
We couldn’t go an episode without discussing the latest deep-sea related conspiracy theories. And of course, we hear from Don about how freshwater affects sub manoeuvres.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Glossary
Acoustic doppler current profiler - a device that uses sound waves to measure the speed and direction of currents throughout the water column.
Delta - a landform shaped like a triangle, where the mouth of a river flows into an ocean.
Halocline - a vertical zone in the water column in which salinity changes rapidly with depth.
Giant Isopod - (Scientific genus: Bathynomus) carnivorous crustaceans which are abundant in the deep-sea.
Giger - H.R. Giger an award-winning Swiss artist who designed the creature from the 1979 sci-fi horror film ‘Alien’.
Rapids - sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence.
Sargasso sea - a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by four currents forming an ocean gyre.
Links
Dr Thom’s new paper on the blue hadal snailfish
Alans paper on hadal connectivity
Eel love
Melanie’s work and recent research:
Melanie’s recent paper on the discovery of a new species of air-breathing catfish
Melanie’s article on her work in the lower Congo
Melanie’s NY times article on her research on the deep river Congo
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Friday Nov 04, 2022
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/029-deep-rivers
Everyone has been very busy this month with Thom and the Professor officially describing a new species of blue snailfish, alongside their adventures in Singapore. We hear from one of our old students about the work he’s been doing in deep freshwater ecosystems, which got us thinking about these unique environments and the kind of species that live there. We decided to throw one more curveball away from the deep sea and speak with Dr Melanie Stiassny, an ichthyologist who’s focused her research on the deep-water fish of the Congo River.
We couldn’t go an episode without discussing the latest deep-sea related conspiracy theories. And of course, we hear from Don about how freshwater affects sub manoeuvres.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much-anticipated new design...
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke
Thom - @ThomLinley
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Glossary
Acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) - a device that uses sound waves to measure the speed and direction of currents throughout the water column.
Delta - a landform shaped like a triangle, where the mouth of a river flows into an ocean.
Halocline - a vertical zone in the water column in which salinity changes rapidly with depth.
Giant Isopod - (Scientific genus: Bathynomus) carnivorous crustaceans which are abundant in the deep-sea.
Giger - H.R. Giger an award-winning Swiss artist who designed the creature from the 1979 sci-fi horror film ‘Alien’.
Rapids - sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence.
Sargasso Sea - a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by four currents forming an ocean gyre.
Links
Alans TEDx talk
The art exhibition that Alan and Thom visited in Singapore
John Quentin’s new deep-sea sci-fi novel, The Verdansky Ultimatum
Alans paper on hadal connectivity
Dr Thom’s new paper on the blue hadal snailfish
Eel love, Macduff aquarium releasing their eels
Lake Baikal sculpins!
Crocs on Helium story and video
Melanie’s work and recent research
Melanie’s recent paper on the discovery of a new species of air-breathing catfish
Melanie’s article on her work in the lower Congo
Melanie’s research on the deep river Congo
Fishes in the lower Congo River. An extreme case of species divergence and convergent evolution
Dying Fish Revealed Congo Is World's Deepest River
Videos:
https://vimeo.com/channels/nsf/24733777
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tObYa9KQb8w&feature=relmfu
Melanie’s TEDx talk
Credits
Oceanchild - Spidergawd
Youtube
Spotify
Selti - Skatatacama
Youtube
Spotify
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image
Image courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History/Melanie Stiassny
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 3. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here:
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/003-aesthetics-of-thedeep-sea-with-artist-alex-gould
Can we use art to help people engage with the deep sea? We stop trying to explain things and let artist Alex Gould help us see deep-sea animals for the first time all over again.
We talk about the aesthetics of deep-sea fish, is it distorted 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?
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Links
Alex Gould’s Website
Anglerfish immune system
Pressure tolerant sea lice
The Ugly Animal Preservation Society
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 28. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here:
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/028-being-captain
The Professor is back from his adventures at sea with lots of exciting new updates. He talks us through some of his key findings from this already iconic deep-sea expedition. We also get to hear from an often overlooked figure in these expeditions: the ship's captain. Alan and Captain Stuart Buckle have a shared history of seagoing. Travelling the world together onboard the DSSV Pressure Drop during the Five Deeps expedition and during the Professor's recent venture to the Japanese trenches. Captain Stu talks us through his journey into becoming a captain and how he managed to bag the role of captain during James Cameron's legendary Mariana Trench dive.
We also hear from one of our favourite captains and long-time guest of the show, Don Walsh. Don recalls how he sharpened his skills in ship handling and his methods of teaching these skills to the next generation of sailors.
Deep-sea news is a mixture of policy and goo this month. Deep-sea mining tests get the go-ahead, and Alan and Thom try and figure out what a certain spiky blue goo found at the bottom of the sea might be.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Glossary
Benthic - Associated with the seafloor
Captain - The commanding officer of a ship.
Crinoids - Sea lilies are marine animals that are closely related to sea stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins.
Ctenophores - Comb jellies are gelatinous marine invertebrates that use cilia for swimming.
ECDIS - An Electronic Chart Display and Information System shows the navigational charts and information about the position, heading and speed of a vessel.
Knots - The unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. The Deep Sea Challenger ascended at 6 knots or approx 7mph.
Thrusters - The propellers on an underwater vehicle that allow it to move.
ROV - Remotely Operated Vehicles are underwater robots that collect data such as video/images. They are attached to a vessel by an umbilical cord.
Xenophyophore - A unicellular marine organism with lots of nuclei found on abyssal plains.
Links
Vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems get further protection from bottom fishing in EU waters
Deep-sea mining test given green light
UN Ocean Treaty fails to reach an agreement
Unidentified spiky blue goo seen in the deep
Australian fisherman catches kitefin shark
Megamouth shark filmed off the coast of San Diego
230 pilot whales stranded on beach in Tasmania
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Oct 07, 2022
Friday Oct 07, 2022
The Professor is back from his adventures at sea with lots of exciting new updates. He talks us through some of his key findings from this already iconic deep-sea expedition. We also get to hear from an often overlooked figure in these expeditions: the ship's captain. Alan and Captain Stuart Buckle have a shared history of seagoing. Travelling the world together onboard the DSSV Pressure Drop during the Five Deeps expedition and during the Professor's recent venture to the Japanese trenches. Captain Stu talks us through his journey into becoming a captain and how he managed to bag the role of captain during James Cameron's legendary Mariana Trench dive.
We also hear from one of our favourite captains and long-time guest of the show, Don Walsh. Don recalls how he sharpened his skills in ship handling and his methods of teaching these skills to the next generation of sailors.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter:
Alan - @Hadalbloke
Thom - @ThomLinley
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Instagram:
Georgia - @geeinthesea
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
Glossary
Benthic - Associated with the seafloor
Captain - The commanding officer of a ship.
Crinoids - Sea lilies are marine animals that are closely related to sea stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins.
Ctenophores - Comb jellies are gelatinous marine invertebrates that use cilia for swimming.
ECDIS - An Electronic Chart Display and Information System shows the navigational charts and information about the position, heading and speed of a vessel.
Knots - The unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. The Deep Sea Challenger ascended at 6 knots or approx 7mph.
Thrusters - The propellers on an underwater vehicle that allow it to move.
ROV - Remotely Operated Vehicles are underwater robots that collect data such as video/images. They are attached to a vessel by an umbilical cord.
Xenophyophore - A unicellular marine organism with lots of nuclei found on abyssal plains.
Links
Vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems get further protection from bottom fishing in EU waters
Deep-sea mining test given green light
UN Ocean Treaty fails to reach an agreement
Unidentified spiky blue goo seen in the deep
Australian fisherman catches kitefin shark
Megamouth shark filmed off the coast of San Diego
230 pilot whales stranded on beach in Tasmania
Nice Boys (Live) - Guns N’ Roses
Youtube
Spotify
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image
Image courtesy of the DSSV Pressure Drop
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Here’s our first ever episode of The Deco-Stop; a deeper look into the humans behind deep sea science and technology. We’ve done our science dive, and now it’s time to decompress, and discuss tales at sea, career paths and the social & political aspects of deep sea science.
Read the show notes and find the full episode here:
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/deco-stop-001
In our first ever episode, we talk to Kat Bolstad, the leader of the AUT lab for cephalopod ecology and systematics (ALCES) at Auckland University in New Zealand.
We talk about squid Christmas, chasing the colossal squid, Kat’s career journey and her truly incredible record of being the deepest lactating human (we think). She also tells us how she once made a liar out of Sir David Attenborough. We’re so excited about creating this space to talk more about the human aspects of deep-sea science, and would love to hear from you about your deep-sea journey!
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Glossary
Architeuthis - The latin name for the giant squid.
Cephalopod - A class of molluscs which contains squids, octopus, nautilus and vampire squid.
Colossal squid - Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, a species of deep-sea squid believed to be the largest squid species in terms of mass.
Genetic Taxonomy - The classification and gathering of organisms into groups based on genetic similarity.
Giant squid - A species of gigantic deep sea squid which can grow to 10-12m long at maximum size.
Kondakovia - A species of deep-sea squid, which has now been reclassified as Moroteuthopsis.
Morphological Taxonomy - The classification and gathering of organisms into groups based on morphological similarities (similar physical features).
Moroteuthopsis - A species of deep-sea squid which was previously known as Kondakovia.
Octonauts - A children's TV programme which follows a group of underwater explorers.
Ommastrephes bartramii - The ‘neon flying squid’, a species of squid commonly fished in the North Pacific.
Links
Kat’s Research Lab - AUT Lab for Cephalopod Ecology and Systematics (ALCES)
Website
Twitter
Kat’s appearance in the NHK documentary series: Deep Ocean
S1. E4: Giants of the Antarctic Deep
Kat’s paper on the renaming of Kondakovia to Moroteuthopsis.
Kat’s paper on the distribution and biology of the colossal squid
Kat’s book chapter on The Study of Deep Sea Cephalopods
Kat’s paper on Moroteuthopsis diet—the one that ate a Bathyteuthis
‘Squid cube’
Credits
Theme – Hometime by Harvey Jones
Logo image - The Deco-Stop
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 2. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here:
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/002-exploring-the-mariana-trench-guest-don-walsh
In this episode we have an amazing interview with legendary oceanographer, Don Walsh. In 1960, Don and Jacques Piccard were the first people ever to reach the ocean’s deepest point – Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench in the bathyscaphe Trieste. Since then, Don tends to get asked the same questions about the dive but he is full of other stories at least as interesting. Some include getting a tour of the heavens from his old dive buddy Arthur C. Clark, almost joining the Apollo Program and being involved in the first remote sensing of our oceans from space. He is still passionate about science communication and we discuss how important storytelling is when sharing science.
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Glossary
Apollo programme - A USA space program carried out from 1961 to 1972 by NASA which landed the first astronauts on the Moon
Arthur C. Clarke - An English science-fiction writer, inventor and undersea explorer. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time.
Bathyscaphe - A bathyscaphe is a self-propelled vehicle used for deep-sea dives.
Challenger Deep - The deepest known point on Earth (10,935m / 35,876 ft deep).
Mariana Trench - The deepest known underwater trench on Earth, located in the Pacific Ocean.
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Our short and to the point PRESSURISED version of episode 27. If you don't have time for the full episode and want to get right to the science without any of our waffle, this is the place to be!
Read the show notes and find the full episode here:
https://www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/027-caves
With the Professor out at sea, Thom goes off the rails and finally gets his answers on cave biology. What are the similarities and differences between the deep-sea and cave ecosystems? How are they linked? Do we know more about the moon than cave biolo…. just kidding! We speak to the legendary Professor Thomas Iliffe, who has shaped the field of biospeleology (cave biology); discovering over 250 species, and 3 new orders (now you don’t hear that every day)! He talks us through the formation of these habitats, what dive surveys are really like, and how to discover the most fascinating of organisms. We also hear from Martin Pollizotto, a listener (and expert cave diver) on bioluminescence in cave systems (or a lack thereof).
We had a lot of deep-sea news this month! New species are being discovered, Alvin is back in the water breaking previous depth records, we have new tech AND some interstellar news!
Check out our podcast merch! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron.
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
We are also on
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Glossary
Anchialine - Meaning “near the sea” in Greek, an anchialine pool is a landlocked body of water connected to the ocean via underground caves.
Blind cave fish - fish found living in deep caves with no eyes and usually no pigment.
Cenote - An underground cave system in Mexico.
Epigenetics - the study of how your behaviours and environment can affect the way your genes work.
Halocline - A vertical zone in the water column where the salinity changes rapidly from less saline to more saline (in caves this means the more dense salt water sits below the less dense fresher water).
Hermaphroditic - Possessing both male and female reproductive organs.
Order - (taxonomy) a way of giving organising species with other closely related species.
Remipede - A class of blind crustaceans found in marine caves.
Yucatan – A region of Mexico famous for its cenotes.
Links
Tom’s work in TV
Netflix Alien Worlds, Episode 1 (Atlas)
National Geographic Drain the Bermuda Triangle (starting @ 19:40)
Christmas Island Cave Diving Expedition
Tom’s Published Research
Bermuda’s Walsingham Caves: A Global Hotspot for Anchialine Stygobionts, Diversity 13(8), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080352
Monsters in the dark: systematics and biogeography of the stygobitic genus Godzillius (Crustacea: Remipedia) from the Lucayan Archipelago, European Journal of Taxonomy, 751(1), 115-139; https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.751.1383
Anchialine biodiversity in the Turks and Caicos Islands: New discoveries and current faunal composition, International Journal of Speleology, 49(2):71-86; https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ijs/vol49/iss2/1/
Development of anchialine cave habitats and karst subterranean estuaries since the last ice age, Scientific Reports 9:11907; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48058-8
California Dreamin’ - The Mamas & The Papas
Youtube
Spotify
Calcified deep sea infauna can be imaged with 3D acoustic coring system
It turns out sponges sneeze!
New species of deep sea isopod discovered
Paper
Researchers discover up to 39 new species
Paper
Equipment rescue reveals the biggest avalanche ever recorded on earth.
Alvin is back in the water after its refit
New area of hydrothermal vents found off of the coast of mexico
Scientists start the search for an interstellar meteor at the bottom of the ocean
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - The Deep-Sea Podcast: PRESSURISED