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by Ocean Science Radio
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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 5 days ago53 min
Charging Ahead - On the Water and Behind the Scenes with Photon Marine
What does an electric work boat sound like? Almost nothing. In this two-part episode, we hop aboard a test ride on Portland’s Willamette River with Photon Marine CEO Marcelino Alvarez, then sit down with the team to catch up on everything that’s happened since.Photon Marine is an Oregon-based company building electric outboard motors for commercial work boats, the unglamorous but essential vessels that move crews, clean marinas, and patrol waterways. On the water, we talk charging, the company’s growing production docket, a Coast Guard inspector’s open question about whether a battery compartment counts as a machinery space, and a California voucher program with money still waiting to be claimed.Then we head to the studio with Chad White, Photon’s sales director, and Alana Kambury, director of operations, to talk about the company’s big news: a $1 million NSF Engine Boost Megaboost grant to develop a floating “charge barge” for charging vessels out on the water. We also cover Photon’s partnerships with Pacific Northwest tribes, why the company bet on commercial boats over recreational ones, a pump-out boat named the Poosidon, and what success looks like if electric maritime propulsion catches up to electric cars.Guests:Marcelino Alvarez, CEO, Photon MarineChad White, Sales Director, Photon MarineAlana Kambury, Director of Operations, Photon Marine
- Sep 30, 202628 min
Last on His List - Sharks, Anglers, and the New Executive Order
Frances's angry text about the executive order, and how it launched this episodeMeet Dr. David Shiffman: shark science, policy, and why he's called Shark Week's biggest criticThe story behind "Why Sharks Matter"What Section 7 of the new executive order actually saysNOAA already has a depredation strategy, so what's this task force for?Depredation explained: what it means to get "sharked"Why shark populations can't simply boom, and why culling wouldn't helpSharks learning that engine noise means lunchWho serves on the task force, and why that mattersCITES 101: what Appendix II listings do and don't doThe real-time depredation reporting app: useful data or skewed data?The Trump-shark rabbit hole: the Twitter block, shark fin soup, Sharknado, and the sealsHow listeners can get involved, including public comment periods in the Federal Register
- Aug 31, 202629 min
Better PR for Sharks - Jasmin Graham and the Rise of Minorities in Shark Sciences
In 2019, there was exactly one Black member of the American Elasmobranch Society — the leading U.S. society for shark and ray researchers — out of 500. Then a single tweet during Black Birders Week changed everything. Join us as we sit down with Jasmin Graham, President and CEO of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), the organization she and three other Black women scientists built from a viral tweet into a global community with members across four continents — launched just three weeks after that first message, timed deliberately for Juneteenth. Jasmin studies bonnethead sharks and the critically endangered smalltooth sawfish, one of the last "lifeboat populations" left on Earth, now facing a mysterious new spinning disease that's already claimed an estimated 80 animals in Florida. She's also the author of the memoir Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist, which draws striking parallels between shark conservation and the fight for Black liberation. In this conversation, Jasmin shares her "scientific meet-cute" origin story, why she walked away from a traditional academic career, how local fishers and Indigenous oral histories are reshaping what scientists thought they knew about bull sharks and red tide, and what she'd tell any young woman of color who loves the ocean but isn't sure science was built for her. Whether you're drawn to marine science, representation in STEM, or just want to hear from someone whose stated goal in life is to be sharks' PR person, this episode is a reminder that the people best equipped to change a field are often the ones it wasn't built for in the first place.
- Jul 31, 202628 min
Ten Million Whales - Inside the Whale Necropolis
Nearly seven kilometers beneath the Indian Ocean, a team of scientists went looking for hydrothermal vents — and found something else entirely. What they mistook, at first glance, for smoking chimneys turned out to be whale skulls: the opening of a necropolis stretching 1,200 kilometers across the sea floor, holding nearly 500 fossilized whales alongside active whale falls still teeming with life. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Xikun Song of the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, one of the researchers behind this landmark discovery, newly published in Nature. Dr. Song walks us through the moment of realization on the submersible monitors, the physiology that may be driving deep-diving beaked whales to their limits, and why this site could rewrite what we know about whale evolution over the past 5.3 million years — with remains that may number in the millions, and roughly 6.7 million tons of sequestered carbon locked into the sea floor. He also shares the story in his own words — in Mandarin, with translation — describing the exact moment his team realized they'd found something extraordinary. Links mentioned in this episode: The full study in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10546-z Smithsonian Magazine's coverage, with photos from the dives: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-discover-the-worlds-largest-deepest-whale-graveyard-where-cetacean-remains-have-been-piling-up-for-five-million-years-180988942/
- Jun 30, 202625 min
Saving Ocean Sensors - The Fight Over the Ocean Observatories Initiative
Save Ocean Sensors: The Fight Over the Ocean Observatories Initiative A $386 million network of nearly 900 ocean sensors stretching across five sites from Oregon to Alaska to Greenland was being quietly dismantled, with no warning to Congress and no explanation to the public. In this episode, we trace the fight to save the Ocean Observatories Initiative: what this network actually does, why it matters far more than most people realize, and how a Democrat from Oregon and a Republican from Alaska teamed up to pass a bill stopping it in the span of a day and a half. We talk with Craig McLean, who spent more than 40 years at NOAA, including two stints as NOAA's Chief Scientist, about what's really at stake when ocean monitoring infrastructure disappears, and why this fight is part of a much bigger pattern. We also revisit a warning from a past guest, marine ecologist Dr. Andrew Thaler, that's looking less hypothetical by the day, and lay out exactly what you can do to help make sure this win sticks. In This Episode What the Ocean Observatories Initiative actually measures, and why it matters for your weather forecast, your insurance rates, and what farmers plant each season The Coastal Endurance Array off Oregon and Washington, and why pulling it out right as an El Nino forms is especially bad timing, per OSU oceanographer Jack Barth How Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) found out sensors were already being removed, and how they got the Saving the OOI Act passed unanimously in under two days Craig McLean's read on why this kept happening, from the role of the Office of Management and Budget to the broader pattern of cuts to federal science A look back at a warning from marine ecologist Dr. Andrew Thaler about Project 2025's plans for NOAA, and how that warning is playing out in real time What happens next: the NSF's review process, and how you can track it and find out where your own senators stand Featured Voices Craig McLean spent over 40 years at NOAA, where he founded the Ocean Exploration Program and served as NOAA's Chief Scientist, including being reinstated after being removed from the role for defending scientific integrity. He is now a senior fellow at the Ocean Foundation. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) led the bipartisan push for the Saving the OOI Act, featured here via Senate floor remarks. Dr. Andrew Thaler, marine ecologist and conservation technologist, returns in spirit from a past episode where he broke down Project 2025's plans to dismantle NOAA. Jack Barth, oceanography professor at Oregon State University, provided background on the Coastal Endurance Array via KATU News. The Bill The Saving the OOI Act passed the Senate unanimously, pausing NSF's decommissioning of the Ocean Observatories Initiative pending a full review with stakeholder input. It was led by Senators Merkley and Murkowski and cosponsored by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Resources & Links Saving the OOI Act, full text and cosponsor list: Congress.gov NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative updates: oceanobservatories.org Senator Merkley's press release on the Saving the OOI Act: merkley.senate.gov "Scientists warn Oregon could lose critical ocean data under federal cuts," KATU News Take Action If your senator is one of the twelve who championed or cosponsored the Saving the OOI Act, send them a thank you. If they didn't, let them know this issue matters to you. Watch for the NSF's Dear Colleague Letter and expert panel process, your chance to weigh in on what happens to OOI long-term.
- May 29, 202636 min
One Team. One Chance. Diving for What Remains.
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
- Mar 31, 202645 min
Mining the Deep - Inside the Case for Seabed Extraction
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)
- Mar 1, 202627 min
Ocean Lovin - Free Baby-Making - Walking Sharks Break the Rules of Reproduction
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, Australia Conservation physiologist specializing in sharks and coral reef fishes Leads shark physiology research team at JCU's Marine and Aquaculture Research Facility Maintains a breeding colony of epaulette sharks for multi-generational research Expert 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 sharks Completely flat metabolic rate across reproductive cycle—no energy spike 37 trials, nearly 200 eggs, almost 100 reproductive cycles The Science How scientists measure metabolic rate through oxygen uptake The "pay as you go" hypothesis: income breeding vs. stored energy The nidamental gland paradox: tiny organ, massive output Blood chemistry and hormone stability during reproduction Epaulette Shark Biology One of nine "walking shark" species with modified pectoral fins Can survive zero oxygen conditions for several hours Endemic to Great Barrier Reef, living in extreme reef flat environments Produce two eggs every ~19 days during breeding season Four-month embryonic development period Climate Change Implications Challenging the assumption that "reproduction will be the first thing to go" under stress Potential resilience in warming oceans—but limits unknown Effects of elevated temperatures on embryo development and hatchling size Importance of protecting critical habitats where adaptations can function Future Research Directions Testing upper limits of reproductive efficiency under warming Local adaptation across Great Barrier Reef populations Immune function in mothers and hatchlings under stress Applications 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, Australia JCU Marine B
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About Ocean Science Radio
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.
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