Oceanography | Marine Science and Ocean Stories

Plastic is everywhere. We know that. But what can we actually do about it? In this episode of Oceanography, host Clark Marchese speaks with Dr. Anja Brandon, Director of Plastics Policy at Ocean Conservancy, to work backwards through the lifecycle of plastic and ask which solutions can actually make a difference.Starting with plastic already in the ocean, they explore why targeted cleanups still matter before moving upstream to recycling, reuse systems, product design, Extended Producer Responsibility, reductions in single-use plastics, and policies designed to turn off the plastic tap altogether. They also look at where negotiations for a global UN plastics treaty stand and what needs to happen next.From the plastic bottle on the beach to the systems that produced it in the first place, this episode is about moving beyond awareness of plastic pollution and toward what we can actually do about it.Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Dr. Anja BrandonVisit Dr. Brandon’s website, follow on Instagram @plasticfreeanja, or connect on LinkedInReview Dr. Brandon’s publications on Google ScholarVisit the Ocean Conservancy website and get involved hereListen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and find our episode on the Plastics Treaty: Busan and Beyond - A UN Treaty on Plastics 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 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.

Plankton made life on Earth possible. So why do we know so little about them? In this episode of Oceanography, Clark speaks with Vincent Doumeizel, Senior Adviser on the Oceans to the United Nations Global Compact and author of The Power of Plankton. Together, they dive into the extraordinary world of organisms drifting through our oceans, from their role in producing oxygen and shaping evolution to their influence on the carbon cycle, marine food webs, and ocean health.They also explore how new tools like environmental DNA, satellites, and AI are transforming plankton research, why plankton remain largely absent from environmental policy, and how understanding this mostly invisible ecosystem could reveal new ways to protect our oceans and our planet.Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Vincent DoumeizelFind the book, The Power of PlanktonRead the Plankton ManifestoConnect with Vincent Doumeizel on LinkedIn or follow on social media @theseaweedrevolutionListen 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.

How do we measure the ocean? Nicolas Pade, executive director of the European Marine Biological Resource Centre, joins Oceanography to explore the technologies making ocean observation possible, from satellites and autonomous floats to biological sensors, imaging and AI. We examine what scientists can already measure, why marine biodiversity remains so difficult to observe, and how individual data points become baselines, models and predictions. Grounded in Blue Tech Europe 2026, the conversation also reveals what it takes to move an idea from the laboratory into an observing system operating at scale.Continue the conversation on Green Frequency with the companion episode, What Does Ocean Technology Need From Us?Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Nicolas PadeVisit the EMBRC website or follow the EMBRC on LinkedInListen 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.

What does it mean to be queer in oceanography? In this special episode, nine LGBTQ+ scientists and ocean professionals share, in their own words, what it has meant to build lives and careers around the sea. Their work stretches from phytoplankton, deep-sea food webs, marine bioacoustics, and microbial ecology to ocean acidification, coastal pollution, fisheries, and marine protected areas. Across very different lives and disciplines, certain experiences begin to echo.They remember the first queer scientist who made another future imaginable. They reflect on joy, friendship, and uncertainty aboard research vessels; the daily calculations surrounding visibility and safety; and the mentors, labmates, and chosen communities that helped them find their place in science. They also consider what universities, laboratories, and research leaders can do to make ocean fieldwork and life at sea safer and more inclusive.But Queer Voices in Oceanography is not only a conversation about barriers. It is a portrait of nine people who love the ocean and have built their lives around understanding and protecting it. Together, their stories reveal why representation matters, what becomes possible when scientists can bring their whole selves to their work, and how the people who once needed to see a queer scientist are becoming the people a younger generation can see.Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Dr. Erin JonesJacob SnyderLee MillerJamie BlatterDr Jesus Alcazar Trevino Nicolas StorieDr. Michael HensonDr. Marina Sanz-MartínDr. Tristan MckenzieTo connect with more queer scientists visit 500 Queer ScientistsEpisode 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.

Not every ocean story gets heard. Ocean science and conservation work happens around the world, but research does not automatically reach the public, policymakers, or even other parts of the ocean community. So what determines which stories break through, and who helps important information travel further?Giacomo Abrusci, founder of Seven Seas Media, joins Oceanography for a conversation about ocean communication, science media, and the people working to connect research with wider audiences. Seven Seas Media has spent more than a decade lowering barriers to participation in ocean conservation, publishing contributors from diverse regions, disciplines, and career stages.The conversation explores why some environmental stories attract attention while others are overlooked, how independent media can connect silos within ocean conservation, and why accessibility, editorial independence, and long-form storytelling matter for science communication.It also turns to the High Seas Treaty, conservation success stories, the realities of environmental decline, and the difference between optimism and agency. What does meaningful ocean action look like when no individual can solve a global problem alone?From scientists and journalists to lawyers, designers, doctors, and community advocates, ocean conservation needs many kinds of expertise. Whatever your skills are, there may be a place for them in protecting the ocean.Support our science communication directly by donating to Pine Forest Media or directly on PayPalEpisode Guests: Giacomo AbrusciVisit the Seven Seas Media website, connect with them on LinkedIn or follow their YouTube channel. Connect with Giacomo on LinkedInListen 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.