Science and the Sea podcast

The University of Texas Marine Science Institute

The goal of Science and the Sea is to convey an understanding of the sea and its myriad life forms to everyone, so that they, too, can fully appreciate this amazing resource. read less
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Episodes

Weaker Stream
2d ago
Weaker Stream
The Gulf Stream plays a big role in the weather and climate on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. A recent study concluded that the Gulf Stream is slowing down. That could have an impact on everything from hurricanes to heatwaves.The Gulf Stream is a strong current of warm water. It starts in the Gulf of Mexico, then flows up the East Coast of the United States. It then veers eastward into the North Atlantic, and finally around western Europe, where it warms part of the continent. The Gulf Stream is one of a network of currents that encircles the Atlantic Ocean.Studies have suggested that the Gulf Stream is changing. And a study released in 2023 said it found the best proof of that to date.Scientists analyzed observations collected since 1982. They looked at data from instruments in the water, undersea communication cables, and orbiting satellites. The scientists used computer models to combine the observations. Their work showed that the Gulf Stream had slowed down by about four percent over the past four decades.The study says that the change could have an effect on Atlantic hurricanes, sea level along the American coastline, the frequency of droughts and floods in the U.S. and Europe, and more.Researchers said they couldn’t conclude whether the slowdown was caused by climate change, natural ocean cycles, or a combination of the two. Regardless of the cause, a critical ocean current appears to be slowing down—with possibly dire consequences in the decades ahead.
Attractive Turbines
Mar 10 2024
Attractive Turbines
Many people like to have some “white noise” in the background while they work or sleep. And some fish seem to like it as well. A recent study found that young Atlantic cod were attracted to a background “hum” like that produced by offshore wind turbines.Researchers in Norway studied the impact of a low-frequency hum on 89 larval cod. They put the fish in mesh containers, then placed them in a fjord in Norway. They played the humming sound to half of the fish, but not the other half. And they recorded how the fish responded on video.The cod that didn’t hear the sound all aimed toward the northwest. But most of those that did hear it aimed toward the sound—suggesting the fish could be attracted to wind turbines.And there are plenty of them. As of 2022, the North Sea had more than 40 wind farms with more than 2600 turbines. And Europe has agreed to ramp up offshore wind power almost 10-fold by 2050. That means thousands more turbines, all of which will transmit a low hum into the water.Scientists aren’t sure what that will mean for cod and other organisms. But the study suggests that young cod could decide to settle around the turbines. Fishing fleets don’t operate near the turbines, so that could offer some protection. On the other hand, the hum might drown out the sounds produced by the fish themselves, which they use for mating and other activities. So we don’t know whether that “white noise” will be good or bad for ocean life.
‘Fishy’ Teeth
Feb 11 2024
‘Fishy’ Teeth
When you bite into a chewy bagel, crunch a crispy taco, or grind up a piece of tough meat, you’re using structures that evolved hundreds of millions of years ago: teeth.There’s no consensus on how teeth first formed. One idea says they formed from structures inside fish or perhaps other animals. The other says they formed from the scales of fish that resembled modern-day sharks—400 million years ago.The scales of sharks and rays are made of a material similar to that found in teeth—theirs and ours. The scales of ancient sharks and rays were similar. Since the scales end around a fish’s mouth, that suggested that the scales basically “migrated” into fish mouths.That would’ve provided a big advantage for the first fish with teeth. Early teeth were used to grab and hold prey, so a meal couldn’t simply wiggle away. The ability to chew came later.A study released in late 2022 supports that “outside-in” idea of tooth evolution. Scientists studied the fossils of sawfish that lived 70 million years ago. They used an electron microscope to scan the scales that form the “spikes” on the edge of the fish’s long snouts. And they found that the material inside the spikes was basically the same as the enamel in modern teeth. The researchers suggested that it wouldn’t be a big step for true teeth to evolve from those scales.The origin of teeth is still far from settled. But if they came from fish scales, then we have something in common with sharks.
Batfish
Jan 21 2024
Batfish
There are lots of ways for a fish to attract its prey. The batfish uses two ways. It dangles a lure over its head, which pulls the prey in close. It then squirts a fluid into the water that completes the job—it pulls the prey close enough for the batfish to grab it.Batfish—also known as seabats—are odd little creatures. They have wide, flat bodies. Seen from above, they can resemble garden spades or pancakes. They’re fairly small, and they live on the bottom of warm oceans and seas around the world.Batfish are terrible swimmers. But some of their fins act like legs, so the fish amble across the bottom. Their gait resembles that of a bat walking on its elbows—hence the name.Batfish are a type of anglerfish. Most anglerfish have a lure on their heads. Many of those lures glow. As the anglerfish swims along, the lure sways back and forth, catching the attention of possible prey.The lures of batfish are different. For one thing, the batfish can reel in the lure, storing it out of sight. And for another, the lure doesn’t glow. Instead, it’s shaped like something the batfish’s prey might like to eat. That pulls the prey close. The fluid finishes the job, attracting shrimp, crabs, snails, and small fish.There are about 60 species of batfish, including the polka-dot batfish; the pancake batfish, which looks like a pancake with legs; and the red-lipped batfish, which looks like it’s wearing clown makeup—all of them “ambling” across the bottom of the sea.
Stormquakes
Jan 14 2024
Stormquakes
As if hurricanes aren’t scary enough, they can generate something that sounds just as scary: stormquakes. As a hurricane rumbles across the ocean surface, it can cause the ocean floor to rumble as well. Fortunately, the quakes don’t cause any damage.Scientists discovered stormquakes by studying seismic activity recorded during many hurricanes. The records revealed that sometimes, the ocean floor “jiggled” as a hurricane passed overhead. The jiggles could be as strong as a magnitude 3.5 earthquake. Some continued for days, and were felt up to thousands of miles away.A stormquake rumbles to life as a hurricane churns up big waves on the ocean surface. That creates big waves below the surface. They can ripple all the way to the bottom. And that can create waves in the ground. But it takes the right ocean contours to make the bottom rumble. The stormquakes found so far all took place in regions with a shallow continental shelf with a gentle slope. The ground was fairly flat and smooth.So most of the stormquakes identified so far have been limited to a few areas. They’re common off the coast of New England and the Atlantic provinces of Canada, in areas like the Georges Bank and the Grand Banks. They’ve also been recorded off the coast of Florida.The seismic waves created by stormquakes aren’t a threat to life and limb. But they can help scientists probe conditions below the ocean floor—the rumble of hurricanes pushing deep into the solid Earth.