Mad as a Marine Biologist

earthandscience:

somuchscience:

Phylo! The ecological, biology-based trading card game

Officially the NERDIEST GAME EVER!!!

Build ecosystems, food chains, webs of competition, parasitism, and coexistence. Learn more and print out your own cards (FREE) and your very own deck (FREE!) here.

Want!

The super awesome mollusc is the same number of points as the super massive mammal. Well… yes please. 

The Adventures of Shark Stanley and Friends

Today is the official launch of the #sharkstanley children’s book by @sharkdefenders and @SAGEmagazine. 

Excellent job guys - I think it’s impressive that you can communicate such a complex issue into a children’s book, and it will be such a useful tool for any future shark awareness campaigns with schools! 

Now we know that shark-finning’s a terrible deed,

But don’t blame the fisher for trying to feed

His wife and his children, perhaps living in squalor.

So he sells the shark fins, and he makes a good dollar.

And the fins then get sent, in a single fell swoop

To be dried and shipped out and turned into soup

So that some pricey restaurants, from Hong Kong to New York,

Can sell bowls of shark soup with their chicken or pork.

But here’s the dirtiest secret: it doesn’t taste very good!

People just eat it ‘cause they think that they should.

So millions of sharks get de-finned every year

For the sake of becoming just a food souvenir.

It's Okay To Be Smart is now on YouTube!

jtotheizzoe:

Thank you, everyone.

I want to start by saying that, because without all of you reading, sharing and supporting this science blog over the past couple years, today’s announcement would never be happening.

Starting today, It’s Okay To Be Smart is also a YouTube series from PBS Digital Studios! I’ll be teaching you about science in fun, creative, unique and quirky ways, just like I always have, only now you get to watch and listen instead of just reading along. Here’s my first episode, “Life By The Numbers,” which looks at just how many things there are on Earth.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be doing this, or that I get to work with PBS. I grew up with PBS and their programming is a large part of what made me realize the value of combining education with creativity. I feel like me and Big Bird are basically co-workers now. We’ll be posting a new episode every other week on our YouTube page, and I’ll still be maintaining this blog like always. You’ll even get added bonus material to go along with each episode and expand your knowledge that much more.

Here’s how you can help:

  • Share this awesome science channel with your friends on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Reddit or wherever you like to hang around on the internet. If you could get Neil deGrasse Tyson to watch, that would be great.
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss any future episodes. Seriously, subscribe :)
  • Speak up and leave us a comment telling us what you think of the show, any questions you have, and if there’s something you’d like to see in a future episode. You can also email me at itsokaytobesmart <at> gmail <dot> com.
  • Sit back … enjoy the showand expand your knowledge and your curiosity!

Let’s go learn something amazing together! Stay curious, everyone.

Joe has been an amazing Tumblr teacher over the years. Now his lessons are formed in another (awesome) medium. Check it out! 

Congratulations Joe, this is *really* cool.

High-res jtotheizzoe: ATTENTION folks, there is currently an astronaut posting to Tumblr from space. I repeat, there is a human being, that is currently in freakin’ SPACE, posting pictures (from said SPACE) to their Tumblr blog. There are things, called words, that are failing me, about the other things, that I am feeling. Expedition 35 Commander Chris Hadfield: You sir, are cooler than a polar bear’s toenails. (He’s also on Twitter)

jtotheizzoe:

ATTENTION folks, there is currently an astronaut posting to Tumblr from space. I repeat, there is a human being, that is currently in freakin’ SPACE, posting pictures (from said SPACE) to their Tumblr blog.

There are things, called words, that are failing me, about the other things, that I am feeling.

Expedition 35 Commander Chris Hadfield: You sir, are cooler than a polar bear’s toenails.

(He’s also on Twitter)

Future Marine Biologists!

freedomfororcas:

So my friend Jaime and I decided it would be a good idea to make a group for future and current marine biologists to connect and share information, stories and ideas. The world needs young, up and coming marine biologists!

So if you’re interested, please check out the facebook group below:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/141571445964911/

We welcome all ages, from anyone who is thinking about studying it, to those who have already finished their degrees.

Hope to see you there!

This is a really cool idea! 

(via freedomfororcas-deactivated2013)

High-res Marine Biology For Kids Yesterday I put the marine biology programme that I&#8217;ve been working on for the past month to the test. Eight children and their mothers (who I think might have enjoyed it more than the kids) joined me in learning about local invertebrate and fish life before we did a little snorkel session to put our new knowledge to work.  We visited Talima, a site just off Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines. Tourists regularly snorkel there on day trips and island-hopping tours and feed the fish, despite it being a &#8220;marine sanctuary&#8221;. The shallow reef is barren, covered in algae with limited fish species, though we did see a Snowflake Moray swimming about and attempting to munch on the tail of a Moon Wrasse!  We used my awesome new laminated ID sheets to figure out which fish we saw, and which fish we want to see!  After the session the kids were playing on the boat (Bancas are the best for playing, even when you&#8217;re twenty-something!) and I was so encouraged by their enthusiasm to pick up rubbish. We had a co-ordinated effort to spot and take out cigarette butts and plastic bits as they floated past.  The message to protect the environment is starting with the youngest of the youth. This particular group have had a term at school on how to be &#8220;ocean heroes&#8221;! In a country like Philippines, where the people are bound to the sea, it&#8217;s a promising start! 

Marine Biology For Kids

Yesterday I put the marine biology programme that I’ve been working on for the past month to the test. Eight children and their mothers (who I think might have enjoyed it more than the kids) joined me in learning about local invertebrate and fish life before we did a little snorkel session to put our new knowledge to work. 

We visited Talima, a site just off Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines. Tourists regularly snorkel there on day trips and island-hopping tours and feed the fish, despite it being a “marine sanctuary”. The shallow reef is barren, covered in algae with limited fish species, though we did see a Snowflake Moray swimming about and attempting to munch on the tail of a Moon Wrasse! 

We used my awesome new laminated ID sheets to figure out which fish we saw, and which fish we want to see! 

After the session the kids were playing on the boat (Bancas are the best for playing, even when you’re twenty-something!) and I was so encouraged by their enthusiasm to pick up rubbish. We had a co-ordinated effort to spot and take out cigarette butts and plastic bits as they floated past. 

The message to protect the environment is starting with the youngest of the youth. This particular group have had a term at school on how to be “ocean heroes”! In a country like Philippines, where the people are bound to the sea, it’s a promising start! 

jtotheizzoe:

I Am Science - Embracing Non-Traditional Paths to Science

Remember this series? What started as a collection of tweets is now assembled in an inspiring video. Life is a bumpy road that forks and loops and dead-ends, and the journey along it can be tough. If it doesn’t feel easy, you’re doing it right.

If it’s not easy to learn, you’re challenging yourself.

Everyone’s path is different, in science and in life. Remember these stories to inspire you in both.

(by Mindy Weisberger)

For all of you who worry that your grades aren’t good enough, or you suck at math/chemistry, or you’re just not sure what you want to do. Don’t panic! You aren’t the only ones. Take inspiration from this video, and these people who did it the long way round.