Science and the Sea

Christmas Trees – July 1, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

There aren’t many worms that you could truthfully describe as “beautiful.” One of the few is found in the most colorful environments on Earth: coral reefs. It’s known as the […]

Changing Gender – June 24, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

The colorful dwarf hawkfish has a colorful life story. Found on coral reefs from Australia to Japan, it lives in harems — one large male with an entourage of several […]

Old Records – June 17, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

In July 1879, the USS Jeannette left San Francisco, headed for the north pole. No one had reached the pole yet, and scientists suspected it was ice free, with a […]

Dolphinspeak – June 10, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

Dolphins are among the “chattiest” creatures in the oceans. They use sound to find and catch food, as part of their courtship rituals, and just to stay in touch with […]

El Nino Famine – June 3, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

We all know that El Niño can have a big impact on the weather here in the United States. But El Niño’s effects aren’t limited to the U.S. They can […]

Bird’s- Eye View – May 27, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

To keep tabs on the health of whales, marine biologists sometimes catch the “snot” from the whales’ blowholes — a mixture of water, mucus, and other substances. And in recent […]

Wonderpus – May 20, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

The right name can make all the difference in a marine organism’s reputation. Few, for example, could resist Wunderpus photogenicus — the “photogenic wonderful octopus.” It has a reddish-brown body […]

Stronger Seagrass – May 13, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

Seagrass beds are complex ecosystems that support fish and other marine life. Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that an effort to restore some seagrass beds worked best when several species […]

Loudmouths – May 6, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

The male Gulf corvina is a loudmouth. In fact, it may be too loud for its own good. Its sounds guide fishing boats right to its own spawning grounds. And […]

American Sea – April 29, 2018

HOST Damond Benningfield

DISCUSSION

A hundred million years ago, Kansas was inhabited by some creatures with big, sharp teeth: sharks up to 30 feet long, a fish that’s been described as a tarpon with […]