The Deep-Sea Podcast

Latest Episodes:

011 - Genetics with Heather Ritchie and Johanna Weston May 08, 2021

Show notes

Alan is stranded out in the Pacific and Thom is left to present a show on genetics, a topic so confusing to him it may as well be magic. Luckily, friends of the show are on hand. Dr Heather Ritchie is tricked into co-hosting and we talk to Dr Johanna Weston about the things we can learn about the deep sea from genetic analysis.

Alan has found a way to get audio logs to us (pretty sure a Holtzman Wave isn’t a thing) and shares what he has been up to out at sea – it turns out, a lot! Listen in for lots of exclusives. This includes an interview with sub-pilot Tim Macdonald from inside the Limiting Factor at over 10,000 m depth. We are pretty sure this is the world deepest interview. The Deep-Sea Podcast lives up to its name, the deepest podcast around.

In recent news we discuss how our immune system doesn’t recognise deep-sea bacteria (and how that may be a good thing) and Thom gushes about his new favourite thing… blackwater photography.

Don Walsh tells us about inspecting ex-soviet reactors and discovering he is standing on top of a running one and Thom and Heather tell the tale of acquiring a -80 ℃ freezer in New Caledonia.

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:

podcast@armatusoceanic.com

Read the show notes and find out more about us at:

www.armatusoceanic.com

Links

Deep-sea bacterial invisible to human immune system

Blackwater photography article

Blackwater photography paper

‘The Code’ - INTERNATIONAL CODE OF ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE

The genetic code database – GenBank

You can track where Alan currently is here

Glossary
Morphology – the shape of somethings body
Molecular – Sometimes we say ‘molecular data’ when talking about DNA and RNA genetic data
Taxonomy – The science of classifying living things

010 - Here be monsters with Tyler Greenfield Apr 03, 2021

Show notes

Tales of monsters persist to this day and there’s no better place to hide them than in the deep sea. We are joined by paleontology student and cryptozoology blogger Tyler Greenfield to look at some of the most famous sea monsters and see if there is any truth to the stories. We discuss megalodon, globsters, plesiosaurs/Nessie and all manner of strange carcasses that wash up from time to time.

We have a good hard listen to The Bloop and I call upon an expert in the undersea calls of marine animals, Nicky Harris. She also has a tale from the high seas for us… a rather grizzly bit of nature in action. People in the front row will get wet.

Also in this episode, we talk about glowing sharks, the largest bioluminescent vertebrate. Soft robotics to the planets deepest places and Alan picks a fight with a polar bear, taking on The Octonauts’ very own Captain Barnacles.

Finally, we hear from Don Walsh, who shares some ocean myths that went on to have a grain of truth.

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:

podcast@armatusoceanic.com

Read the show notes and find out more about us at:

www.armatusoceanic.com

Links

Bioluminescence of the Largest Luminous Vertebrate, the Kitefin Shark, Dalatias licha: First Insights and Comparative Aspects

Self-powered soft robot in the Mariana Trench

10 Bizarre Deep Sea Creatures (treehugger.com)

Tyler’s fantastic blog

Tyler’s cryptozoology paper archive

A link to Beebe’s book, Half A Mile Down

You can find Tyler on Twitter @TylerGreenfieId

Papers on Helicoprion

On the Giant Octopus (Octopus giganteus) and the Bermuda Blob: Homage to A. E. Verrill

How to tell a sea monster: molecular discrimination of large marine animals of the North Atlantic

NOAA’s response to the Mermaids: A body found

Fish tales: Combating fake science in popular media

Credits

Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel (http://marvel.nu/)

Additional music - Lost In The Forest - Doug Maxwell, Media Right Productions

009 – Geology with Heather Stewart Mar 06, 2021

Show notes

We are both biologists and a little bias toward the deep-sea critters, but the deep ocean contains a wealth of geological discoveries, after all, it is the geology which creates the deep sea.

We catch up the latest news, including life discovered 100s of km under the ice, slowing water currents, vampire squid history and the rules of naming something new, be it a species or an undersea feature.

We then have a chat with geologist and explorer (and friend of the show) Heather Stewart about the geology of the deep sea and how we produce maps of the ocean floor. Why do people talk about how little of the ocean has been mapped when we can clearly see it is all mapped on google earth?

What about some of the more unusual features that we see on the deep seabed in Google Earth, are those roads and pyramids? I have a chat with ‘my mate Dave™’, David Howell, about marine archaeology and looking for sunken human settlements.

Finally, we hear from Don Walsh, who recollects the time he used the bathyscaph Trieste to deploy devices to listen out for nuclear tests.

Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or you own tales from the high seas on:

podcast@armatusoceanic.com

Read the show notes and find out more about us at:

www.armatusoceanic.com

Links

Life under the ice

Gulf Stream weakening

Fossil evidence of vampire squid

Plastic waste as biodiversity hotspots

New species without holotype (of the many papers you can read on this):

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5672740/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.620702/full

A proposal for modesty

Here is a great tool where you can see the direct and satellite global data

Credits

Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

008 - Technology with James Cameron Feb 05, 2021

Show notes

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.

In recent news, we have a new deep-sea fish, and it’s a beast with a very cool name. In honour of the Valentine’s day we talk about love in the deep sea with some different reproductive strategies. We take some listener questions and it Tails from the High Seas my old colleague Izzy talks about a wild storm and getting superstitious with your equipment.

Links

New giant slickhead

Vampire squid reproduction

Rattails spawning

The Crabsuit

Credits

Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

007 - Human impact with Albert II, Prince of Monaco Jan 03, 2021

Show notes

We impact the deep sea in many ways we don’t realise. Some are deliberate, some are accidental, some we didn’t even notice at the time. We talk about ways we have impacted the deep sea and touch on the huge problem that is marine plastic, a particular problem in the isolated Mediterranean Sea. His serene highness Prince Albert II of Monaco tells us about his experience diving to the deepest point in the Mediterranean, the Calypso Deep (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calypso_Deep) and his Beyond Plastic Med

(https://www.beyondplasticmed.org/en/) initiative.

To solve these problems sometimes we have to ask ourselves difficult questions. There often isn’t right and wrong but shades of grey and nothing is ever as simple as it seems. How much of the deep sea would you sacrifice if it solved climate change? This may not be as hypothetical as it sounds.

You can submit your own ‘tails from the high seas’ about an experience you have had offshore or pose us a question/comment on:

podcast@armatusoceanic.com

Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel (http://marvel.nu/)

Links

Mercury paper:

https://www.pnas.org/content/117/47/29292

Sam’s work and his podcast:

https://www.samillingworth.com/

Eurythenes plasticus video:

https://youtu.be/phAFW05eKI8

Eurythenes plasticus educational resources:

https://www.plasticus.school/en/

2020 Grand Prix for Good:

https://www2.eurobest.com/winners/2020/gp4g/

Carbon storage paper:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876610217318878

Mesozoic Ocean:

https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/11283/paleo_TAKASHIMA_et_al-2006.pdf

Deep-Sea observatories:

http://www.poseidon.hcmr.gr/eurosites/about.php

Deep Mediterranean paper:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-018-3413-0

Beyond Plastic Med:

https://www.beyondplasticmed.org/en/

Bonus episode – The Christmas Party Dec 29, 2020

Show notes

It’s the holidays so we decided to get together, have a few drinks and tell some stories from life at sea. We even get Märvel – the barons of high-energy rock and roll on the line for a festive chat.

This is a silly/gross episode, even by our standards. There are stories of seasickness and competitive food fungus… you have been warned.

podcast@armatusoceanic.com

Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel (http://marvel.nu/)

006 -Deep-sea mining special Dec 05, 2020

Show notes

Our world is rapidly changing. As we move away from fossil fuels and our use of electronics increases, demand is climbing for a handful of metals key to the manufacture of modern technology. Mining the deep sea may meet these demands but is probably the most contentious issue the community is facing right now. Is there a net benefit for the deep sea; funding research and understanding, addressing climate change, and encouraging developing nations? Or is the deep sea too fragile and too unknown to be responsibly exploited?

We bite off far more than we can chew by taking on this issue in a deep-sea mining special episode. Luckily, we have some guests we can call on to help us understand the issue. Professor Jeffrey Drazen of University of Hawai`i at Manoa explains just what deep-sea mining is and its ecological impacts. We then speak with Michael Lodge, secretary-general of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The ISA, comprised of 167 member states and the European Union, regulates and controls all mineral-related activities in the open ocean – that’s the majority of the planet!

We also have current news and a chat with Don Walsh, who of course it turns out, has first-hand experience with the complexities of mining in the ocean.

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

ECO Magazine Deep-Sea Heroes: http://digital.ecomagazine.com/publication/?i=683954&ver=html5&p=22

Scary bigfin squid video: https://youtu.be/L8xXnVkOGsA

Bigfin squid paper: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0241066

Eel swarm: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063720302107

ISA website: https://www.isa.org.jm/

DeepData: https://www.isa.org.jm/deepdata

UNESCO report: http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1535/

#deepseamining #deepsea #mining #ManganeseNodules #manganese #PolymetallicNodules #Polymetallic #ISA #InternationalSeabedAuthority #MichaelLodge #LawOfTheSea #HighSea #InternationalLaw #conservation #EnvironmentalImpact #seamount #HydrothermalVent #ProtectedArea #ProtectedHabitat

005 - Storytelling with author Susan Casey Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

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

004 - Fear of the deep sea with Glenn Singleman Oct 02, 2020

Show notes

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

003 - Aesthetics of the deep sea with artist Alex Gould Sep 04, 2020

Show notes

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected