Oceanography

 How many species are there in the ocean? Marine biologist and taxonomist Manuel Caballero Gutierrez joins Oceanography to explore one of the biggest unanswered questions in marine science: how much life have we actually discovered? From deep-sea expeditions and biodiversity surveys to DNA analysis and museum collections, this episode unpacks how scientists identify, classify, and name new marine species, and why humanity may still know only a fraction of the organisms living on Earth. The conversation explores ocean biodiversity, taxonomy, extinction, climate change, and the growing urgency of documenting life in the sea before ecosystems are permanently altered. A fascinating look at ocean exploration, scientific discovery, and the hidden complexity of life beneath the surface.Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Dr. Manuel Callebar GutierrezBrowse Dr. Callabar Gutierrez's publications on Research GateListen to Pine Forest Media’s NEWEST PODCAST GREEN FREQUENCYEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where does climate change stand in 2026? This week on Oceanography, we’re bringing you a special crossover from Green Frequency: a new Earth Radio show from Pine Forest Media exploring environmental science, policy, and the systems shaping our planet. In this episode, climate scientist Dr. Claudio Piani joins a conversation on where we actually stand today: global emissions trends, the future of the Paris Agreement, and why every fraction of a degree of warming still matters. Alongside student activist Averie Gannon, the discussion moves beyond headlines to offer a more grounded, nuanced understanding of climate change—what the data says, where progress is being made, and where major challenges remain. If you enjoy this episode, you can find more from Green Frequency, featuring scientists, advocates, and frontline perspectives, on all major podcast platforms.Listen to Pine Forest Media’s NEWEST PODCAST GREEN FREQUENCYSupport our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guest: Dr. Claudio Piani Special thanks to the American University of ParisOur World In Data - CO2 emissions, temperature, and per capita trends.The Scientific American - Global Average Temperature TargetsInternational Renewable Energy Agency - The Cost of Renewable EnergyExplore the Pine Forest Media digital ecosystem on our websiteFind the full-length video on YouTube @PineForestPodsFollow us on Social Media @pineforestmediaHosted by Clark Marchese and Averie GannonAudio Editing by Clark Marchese, Video Editing by Oscar PadulaVideography and Set Design by Le Studio Du PassageCover Art by Laurel WongTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Oceanography on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Solar geoengineering is a justice question. As sunlight reflection methods move from theory toward real-world research, who gets to decide what happens next? This episode explores the justice and governance questions surrounding solar geoengineering, also called solar radiation modification or SRM. Hassaan Sipra of the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering explains why the risks of climate intervention cannot be separated from existing inequalities in climate change, especially for climate-vulnerable communities in the Global South. The conversation covers environmental justice, public participation, free, prior and informed consent, governance gaps, research transparency, and why climate intervention must never replace emissions cuts, adaptation, climate finance, or loss and damage. A grounded, accessible finale to Oceanography’s marine climate intervention arc.Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Hassasn SipraLearn more about justice and SRM on the DSG website. Listen to Pine Forest Media’s NEWEST PODCAST GREEN FREQUENCYEpisode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could reflecting sunlight help cool the Earth? Stratospheric aerosol injection, or SAI, is a proposed climate intervention that aims to reduce global temperatures by reflecting a small portion of incoming sunlight. Inspired by volcanic eruptions, this approach is being studied through climate and ecosystem models to better understand its potential effects. This episode explores how SAI could influence sea surface temperature, net primary production, ocean chemistry, and marine food webs. It also looks at how scientists use models to evaluate different deployment scenarios, including long-term use and phase-out strategies. Along the way, the conversation considers uncertainty, regional variability, and the role SAI might play within a broader portfolio of climate responses.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Guests: Dr. Kelsey RobertsFind Dr Robert’s publication on the Potential Impacts of Climate Intervention on Marine EcosystemsReview Dr. Robert’s publications on Google ScholarFind more resources on geoengineering at GeoMIPLearn more about Justice and Governance about SRM Technologies at DSGListen to COP30: Green Power for more on global climate policyEpisode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We may need to remove carbon from the atmosphere—can the ocean help? Biomass-based marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) explores whether natural ocean processes can help store carbon for the long term. Oceanographer and biogeochemist Dr. Morgan Raven explains how organic carbon moves through marine systems, why low-oxygen environments like deep-sea brines and fjords may enable long-term carbon sequestration, and what scientists still need to understand before these approaches can scale. This episode explores marine carbon dioxide removal, carbon sequestration, blue carbon, and ocean biogeochemistry, while addressing uncertainty, environmental risk, and the role these strategies might play alongside emissions reduction. A clear, grounded look at one of the most complex and debated frontiers in climate science.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Guests: Dr. Morgan RavenReview Dr. Raven’s publications on Google ScholarCheck out the work of the NOISE LabListen to COP30: Oceans on the Rise? for more on mCDR 10 New Insights in Climate Science for 2025 by Future Earth Episode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ocean trenches are Earth’s deepest habitats—and they’re full of life. This episode is a guided dive into the hadal zone (6,000–11,000 meters), where tectonic plates create steep trenches that plunge toward the mantle. Learn what trenches are geologically, what conditions are like at full ocean depth (cold, pressure, darkness), and why the deep sea isn’t a single ecosystem—each trench is its own world. You’ll also get myth-busting on how “the abyss” shows up in pop culture, plus an inside look at the technology that makes trench science possible: multibeam mapping, baited landers, and human-occupied submersibles. Finally, we explore the big research questions scientists are asking about biodiversity, evolution, and connectivity across the deepest ocean.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalSpecial thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.Episode Guest: Professor Alan JamiesonListen to the Deep Sea Podcast!Browse Professor Jamieson’s publications on Google ScholarVisit the Hadal Zone Deep Sea Research Center and follow their work on InstagramEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ocean oxygen shapes marine life in ways most of us never think about. This episode explores how oxygen enters the ocean (air–sea exchange and photosynthesis), how it circulates through surface waters and the deep sea, and why scientists track changes in oxygen over time. Learn what oxygen minimum zones are, how they form, and what they can mean for midwater ecosystems in the mesopelagic (“twilight”) zone.Featuring research that uses fossil fish ear bones (otoliths) preserved in seafloor sediment, the conversation looks back thousands of years to reconstruct a past oxygen shift in the Mediterranean—and what long-term records can teach us about ocean dynamics today.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalSpecial thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.Episode Guests: Dr. Sven PallacksFind Dr. Pallacks’ publications on Google ScholarRead Dr. Pallacks’ article,  Ocean deoxygenation linked to ancient mesopelagic fish decline. Visit the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute websiteVisit the O'DEA Lab hereEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What have we learned about microplastics over the last 20 years? This episode surveys two decades of ocean microplastics science: where microplastics come from (fibers, tires, fragmentation, microbeads), where they’re found (shorelines, water column, sea ice, deep sea), and what research shows about impacts across food webs and ecosystems. It also unpacks major gaps—nanoplastics, fragmentation rates, and the thousands of chemicals used in plastics—plus why scientists argue for a precautionary approach even as human-health research evolves. Finally, learn how microplastics are measured at sea (manta trawls, spectroscopy) and why contamination control matters. The episode connects the science to policy, including the UN Plastics Treaty debates over production cuts vs waste management.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalSpecial thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.Episode Guests: Dr. Winnie Courtene-JonesFollow Dr. Courtene Jones on Blue SkyFind the article 20 Years of Microplastic Research: What have we learned?Connect with the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty on LinkedInReview Dr Courtene-Jones’ publications on Google ScholarExplore artwork by Benjamin Von WongListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsPlastic Podcast: The Truth about Biodegradable PlasticsPlastic Podcast: Busan and Beyond - A UN Treaty on Plastics Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts belowListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How oil research protects ocean health. Understanding oil spills, offshore drilling, and marine pollution starts before any accident happens. In this episode, marine microbial oceanographer Dr. Alice Ortmann explains how scientists collect baseline ocean data to measure ecosystem health in oil and gas regions offshore Newfoundland. The conversation covers what counts as an oil spill, how oil and methane move through the water column, why microbes are essential for breaking down hydrocarbons, and how baseline measurements help scientists assess impact, recovery, and long-term change. This episode explores environmental response science, ocean resilience, and how oil research informs regulation, preparedness, and protection of fisheries and marine ecosystems—without alarmism, and grounded in real data.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalSpecial thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for sponsoring this episode.Episode Guests: Dr. Alice OrtmannConnect with Dr. Ortamnn on LinkedInFind Dr. Ortmann’s publications on Google ScholarVisit the Marine Microbiome ForumEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

COP30’s biggest fault lines, explained. In this final installment of our COP30 arc, we zoom out from Belém to map the conference’s defining tensions: ambitious speeches versus stalled outcomes, science-led urgency versus market-led “solutions,” and the growing leadership of the Global South. We unpack why carbon markets remain so contested, what “net zero” really allows, and how China’s energy transition is reshaping the politics of global climate action. Then we go deep on the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF)—a headline proposal to pay nations to keep forests standing—through a clear-eyed climate justice critique from Carola Mejía of LATINDADD. We close with what COP30 did (and didn’t) deliver—and what to watch next.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPal10 New Insights in Climate ScienceNation articleNo mention of fossil fuels1600 + fossil fuel lobbyists at COP 30Indigenous FlotillaClimate Home News Indigenous access to COP30Climate Tracker ReportEpisode Guest: Carola MejíaLatindaddTFFF: A False SolutionAsamblea Against the TFFFDevex: TFFF Origin Story Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia and find more resources on our websiteFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Voices from BelémCOP30 brought global climate negotiations to Belém, a city where the Amazon meets the sea. This episode offers a grounded introduction to the conference by centering the people who live there. Activist Catarina Nefertari and artist and event producer Danilo Pontes share what the event meant for their communities, the environmental challenges facing Pará, and how local experiences shape the wider climate conversation. This is the first part of a three-episode COP30 series, providing essential context on the host city before turning to ocean science and international negotiation dynamics in the episodes ahead.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Guests: Catarina Nefertari and Danilo PontesLearn more about Amazônia de Pé, Our Kid’s Climate, and Laboratório da Cidade. Find Danilo’s artistic portfolio hereEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 Film sparks action: from screens to shorelines.In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese talks with Julie Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Plastic Oceans International, about the Trees & Seas Film Festival and its “participatory film activism” model. We explore how curated films connect to on-the-ground efforts in global Blue Communities, turning awareness into cleanups, tree plantings, and policy conversations. Julie traces her path from witnessing a nurdle spill to building the SEE Positive Change film library, and we dig into timely themes—microplastics, ecotourism pressures, and how environmental stress can drive migration. Hear favorites like The Illusion of Abundance and House by the Sea, and learn how storytelling done locally and shared globally reframes who has the power to make change.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Guest. Julie AndersonFind more about Plastic Oceans International and the Blue Communities hereLearn more about the Trees & Seas Film Festival hereAccess the SEE Positive Change film library here More on The Illusion of Abundance hereEpisode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Cover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antarctica’s Hidden Carbon Vault — Beneath the icy surface of the Southern Ocean lies a powerful ally in the fight against climate change: Antarctic blue carbon. In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese speaks with marine ecologist Dr. Narissa Bax about how deep-sea coral gardens, sponge fields, and seafloor ecosystems around Antarctica are quietly locking away carbon for thousands of years. Together, they unpack what makes Antarctic blue carbon different from coastal mangroves or seagrass, how climate change and global treaties shape its protection, and why these frozen carbon stores may hold a rare note of optimism for our warming world.Support our science communication by joining us on Patreon or sending us a gift on PayPalEpisode Transcript  and more information on the Pine Forest Media websiteFollow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmediaHosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese Find Dr. Narissa Bax website here. Read Dr Bax’s publication: The Growing Potential of Antarctic Blue CarbonFind all Dr. Bax’s publications on Google ScholarCover art by Jomiro EmingTheme music by Nela RuizFind some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below:Listen to South Pole on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple PodcastsListen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.