The Podcast Aquatic

Latest Episodes:

Mic Droplet: Invasion Of The Joro Spiders! Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

Ecologically, it's always problematic when a species ends up in a place it doesn't belong. Lately, plenty of people in the Southeast are experiencing an added "ick" factor after coming face-to-web with an especially creepy invasive species, the Joro Spider.

This large, colorful species is native to Southeast Asia, but for the last 10 years or so, it has been quietly reproducing rampantly and spreading through the American Southeast. Public awareness of this arachnid invasion hit fever pitch recently thanks to the appearance of Joro Spiders in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The species is now on the park's official "Most Wanted" list.

In this episode, the Aquarium's senior entomologist discusses how Joros made their way to the States, what risk they pose to native ecosystems and why we're seeing so many of them in our neck of the woods.

The National Parks Service has recommended the public document sightings of Joros as they encounter them through the app iNaturalist. This free app is available for iOS and Android devices and is a fun way to keep track of all the animals and plants you encounter, invasive or otherwise:

iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/inaturalist/id6475737561

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.inaturalist.android&hl=en_US

Episode Cast

Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist/Joro web survivor
Rose Segbers, senior entomologist

Tales from the CROC POD! Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Whether you're talking crocodiles, cayman, alligators or gharials, crocodilians are some of Earth's most successfully designed species. With armored bodies, incredible bite force and surprisingly dedicated parental care regimen, these reptiles have successfully adapted to thrive around the planet and have outlasted many other animals, including the dinosaurs.

In this all-croc episode of the show — the first to tie into the Aquarium's annual ODDtober celebration — two animal care specialists with herpetological leanings chat about sensory organs, how to tell a 'gator from a croc' and why we should be thankful these ancient predators are around.

Episode cast

Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist/squishy mammal
Jennifer McPheeters, River Journey lead animal care specialist
Erin Muldoon, herpetologist II

Telling BIG Fish Stories Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Generally speaking, the exhibits at the Tennessee Aquarium are designed to replicate a single, distinct ecosystem, from the species residing there to the vegetation that helps set the stage.

There are a few exceptions to this, however, and the subject of this episode is one of them. When it opened 14 years ago, the River Giants exhibit offered a single, massive system in which to showcase truly gargantuan fish from all over the world. In one place, guests could see everything from South American Red-tailed Catfish and Arapaima and Southeast Asian Giant Gourami to gigantic whiptail rays from North America.

This episode was recorded more than a year ago, at time of publication, but it's still a fascinating deep-dive into one of the Aquarium's most impressive collection of huge, HUGE fish.

Episode Cast

Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist/mostly normal-size human
Rachel Thayer, assistant curator of fishes
Stephen Beaman, senior aquarist

A Six-Story Celebration Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

In 1996, the Tennessee Aquarium opened the first major expansion to its campus on Chattanooga's downtown riverfront. This new building showcased every kind of sea life imaginable, not to mention every conceivable biome on the planet.

It also introduced guests to dinosaurs and interstellar phenomenon and — much later — wizards, superheroes and one exceptionally embattled Greek king just trying to get home.

This year, the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater celebrates its 30th anniversary. It has done so in typically cinematic style by dusting off its old, but still very much venerable IMAX 70mm GT projector to offer guests the opportunity to see the first-ever film recorded entirely on IMAX 70mm film: director Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.

In this episode of the show, our theater's most-tenured projection staff and the Aquarium's earliest proponent of opening a giant-screen theater, join host Casey Phillips in the Studio Dive Cage to chat about the shift from film to digital (and back again), what makes 70mm cinema so special and why The Odyssey shines best in this format.

Episode cast

Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist/former film critic
Corey Cobb, director of IMAX operations
Adam Lundy, IMAX manager/systems operator
Gordon Stalans, vice president & chief operating officer (now executive vice president)

Screenings of The Odyssey, which is only available to view on 70mm film at a handful of American theaters, have been extended at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Theater through Sept. 30, 2026. Further details available, along with screening schedule and advanced tickets, at https://www.tnaqua.org/imax

How the Heckin' HECK Do You Find Endangered Fish? Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

By their very nature, endangered animals are a difficult target for scientists to research. They tend to be few in number — naturally — and the populations that exist have sometimes survived purely through remaining isolated from their top threat, which all too often is us.

To those outside the field of academia, the assumption might be that science takes place in the kinds of locales that appear on the pages of National Geographic — pristine forests, wind-swept deserts and coral reefs.

In reality — as you’ll discover in this episode — science can sometimes mean dodging cow pies in a field or blindly reaching under a muddy stream bank only to come back with a handful of diaper rather than a Hellbender salamander.

In the launch episode for the third season of The Podcast Aquatic, Aquarium freshwater scientists pull back the curtain to show the sometimes remarkably unremarkable places where we find the animals we’re working to study and protect.

Watch us find beautiful endangered darters off the side of an Alabama highway: https://youtu.be/8Jg_u37G6iI?si=molX52-gSueb__Vq

Episode cast

• Casey Phillips, host/senior communications host/occasional spelunker/enthusiastic cowpie dodger

• Dr. Bernie Kuhajda, aquatic conservation biologist

• Emily Culp, GIS analyst

• Dr. Jeronimo da Silva, research scientist (geneticist)

Season 2 Finale: A Jolly Good Fellowship Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Being selected for an internship or fellowship is a career milestone for many students and recent graduates, but it can also be a bit of a double-edged sword.

Ideally, these programs are a chance to battle test skills honed in academia in a real-world setting. They're opportunities to build out a portfolio, to network and to determine whether your education adequately prepared you for your desired role.

In reality, for many interns and fellows, these programs ultimately end up being little more than a chance to take coffee orders and keep a seat warm. You might not even get paid for the privilege.

Not so at the Aquarium, where a robust offering of fellowships affords science- and conservation-minded students and grads the chance to work alongside experts in a variety of departments.

In this episode, we close out the second season of the show by chatting with the first-ever Jim Hill marketing and communications fellow about his experiences this summer and how his work alongside our team benefitted us as much as it did him.

To learn more about ongoing fellowship and externship opportunities at the Aquarium, visit https://tnaqua.org/get-involved/fellowship-opportunities/

Episode Cast

Casey Phillips, host, senior communications specialist
Efrain Iglesias, Jim Hill marketing fellow
Mara-Lynne Payne, director of inclusion, equity and diversity
Shannon Colbert, marketing projects manager
Natali Rodgers, director of learning and evaluations

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Printed sustainably on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with UV ink, each issue is filled with fascinating stories about Tennessee’s native species, rich history, and unique culture. It’s also your guide to exploring state parks and planning your next outdoor adventure.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Grand Moth Talkin' Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Despite outnumbering them (in species diversity) by a factor of almost ten to one, moths are the quintessential under-appreciated insect. To most people, they're an almost-spooky nocturnal curiosity at best and a wardrobe-endangering pest at worst.

In reality, moths are hugely important, helping to pollinate plants during the night-time shift when butterflies have called it quits for the day. They're also more ancient than butterflies, not to mention faster and more efficient and, often, hardier.

Join us for this week's episode as we celebrate National Moth Week by shining an ultraviolet light on these unsung heroes of the evening.

Episode Cast

Casey Phillips, host, senior communications specialist
Rose Segbers, senior entomologist
Stephanie Soto, formal learning experience supervisor

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

A Quick Drop-in with Oscar the Sea Turtle Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

In the Aquarium gift shop years ago, there was once a sea turtle stuffed animal for sale that looked a little ... different. He didn't have all of his flippers, and his shell was missing a notch. This wasn't a manufacturing error, though; it was an homage to one of our most-beloved residents, Oscar.

Thanks to an early life run-in with an oceanic predator and a boat, Oscar has never looked like a "normal" sea turtle. Yet despite the difficulty of swimming and diving with his injuries, Oscar managed to move around the Secret Reef with remarkable, even inspirational, agility.

In 2020, Oscar had to relocate from the Aquarium to an off-site home, but questions about him and well wishes for his continued health and wellbeing have continued to pour into our social inboxes.

In this episode, we take the Studio Dive Cage on the road to pay Oscar a visit at his new home. We chat about why he's such an inspiration to so many, the efforts we've undertaken to make his life comfortable and enriching and his surprising (if understandable) love of The Golden Girls.

Episode cast

Casey Phillips, host/senior communications specialist/long-time Oscar stan
Adam Johnson, animal care facility lead
Shelby Ferguson, veterinary assistant II
Thom Demas, vice president and chief husbandry & exhibits officer

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

A First-class Freshwater Filmmaker (feat. Jeremy Monroe) Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

When most people think about wildlife and nature documentaries, there are places that naturally spring to mind: the Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon Rainforest, the African Serengeti.

What most people don't think about is the stream in their backyard or the river they drive over every day.

But Jeremy Monroe isn't "most people." He's the founder and director of Freshwaters Illustrated, a documentary filmmaking studio that has, since 2003, focused its efforts on showcasing the incredible behaviors and diversity of life in rivers, lakes and streams. From funny newts to clever mussels to resplendent trout, Freshwaters Illustrated's films capture the same beauty and passion and exude just as much passion as those films focused on the places that tend to get more of our attention.

Learn more about Freshwaters Illustrated and view samples of its incredible photography and videos at its website: https://www.freshwatersillustrated.org/

Episode cast

Casey Phillips, host and senior communications specialist
Jeremy Monroe, director at Freshwaters Illustrated

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Surprise, It's a Baby Lemur! Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

There’s no point in arguing that the arrival of a baby animal at an aquarium or zoo isn’t cause for celebration. Many, MANY new generations of animals have been born at the Tennessee Aquarium in our 34-year history, but few have been as much a thrill as the arrival of a tiny, chipmunk-sized bundle of furry joy to the Lemur Forest exhibit in April.

This infant Red-collared Brown Lemur is a first in many respects. It’s the first lemur of any species born at the Aquarium since lemurs first arrived here in 2016, and it’s the first lemur baby cared for by one of our senior animal care specialists.

It’s also one of only a handful of its species to reside in professional care in the United States, which is home to only about 50 of these adorable, endangered mammals.

In this episode you’ll learn about the surprise circumstances that brought this adorable baby into the world, how its arrival has changed the paradigm of care for our entire troop of lemurs and what this birth says about the quality of care all of our animals receive.

Want to help us name this new baby? Until July 9, 2026, you can take part in an online naming poll to help us select from some pre-approved selections! Visit https://tnaqua.org/animals/baby-lemur/ to cast your vote!

Episode cast

Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist and lemur stan
Kevin Calhoon, curator of forests
Maggie Sipe, lead animal care specialist (Ocean Journey building)
Sam Grote, senior animal care specialist

The Podcast Aquatic is made possible by support from The Tennessee Conservationist, the official magazine of Tennessee State Parks.

Become a Tennessee Conservationist and subscribe at tnconservationist.org.

Join other conservation enthusiasts and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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