Listen on your favourite podcast platform
Or listen right here:
Listen to the full episode
Listen to the shorter version
On this month’s episode, we wanted to go deeper and darker than we’ve ever gone before… prepare the enter: the deep biosphere!
We talk with Professor Mandy Joye about the vast microbial wonderland which is the deep biosphere. This ecosystem, which exists deep under the seabed, has only recently been discovered and research is just starting to reach some interesting conclusions. We learn about the importance of deep sea microbes and how they cycle through our planet. We also discuss the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as Mandy was a key researcher in understanding it’s widespread effects on the microbial community in the Gulf of Mexico.
Professor Alan has been very busy this month with another world record to add to the collection. Not only did Thom and Alan break the world record for the world deepest fish back in 2014 (with a Mariana snailfish (Pseudoliparis swierei) being observed at 8143m in the Mariana trench). But, Alan beat his own record with this new snailfish seen at 8336m in the Izu-Ogasawara trench near Japan!
We’ve also got newly discovered whalefalls, interesting uses for polymetallic nodules and historic oceanic treaty’s being agreed upon in this month in the news! Talk about a busy month, ey!
We’re really trying to make this project self-sustaining so we have started looking for ways to support the podcast. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show.
Thanks again for tuning in, we’ll deep-see you next time!
DID YOU KNOW WE SELL MERCH?
Check it out here!! And please do send in any pics of you wearing the merch!
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own comments on:
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
Follow us on social media!
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook:DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter: Alan - @Hadalbloke, Thom - @ThomLinley, Georgia - @geeinthesea
Instagram: Georgia - @geeinthesea
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
Further resources
Mandy’s research
Mandy collaborated with Jim Toomey on a series of "deep ocean" educational cartoons.
Watch a summary of the deep biosphere
Watch this cartoon explaining the microbes at hydrothermal vents
News
Alan’s new record for the world's deepest fish
A polymetallic nodule has been used to estimate historic climate records. Here’s a news article explaining it, and the scientific paper.
Furthest from the equator a whalefall has been found by a friend of the show, Kat Bolstad.
After 10 years of discussions, The High Seas Treaty has been agreed upon.
Metalocalypse: Dethklok - Go Into the Water
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo image - Viola Krukenberg
Glossary
Archaea - Microorganisms similar to bacteria in size and simplicity, but are very different molecularly. They’re thought to be the ancient intermediate group between bacteria and eukaryotes.
Asgardarchaeota (Asgards) - a type of archaea in which eukaryotes are thought to have first emerged.
Astrophysics - Astrophysics is a branch of space science that applies the laws of physics and chemistry to seek to understand the universe.
Deep biosphere - The expansive ecosystem of microbes which exist deep under the seabed.
Niche - A species' niche encompasses both the physical and environmental conditions it requires (e.g. temperature) and the interactions it has with other species (like predation or competition).
Deepwater Horizon - An offshore drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by BP which exploded in 2010, causing the worst oil spill in American history.
Eukaryotes - A organism which is made of cells where the DNA is contained in a nucleus. (All living organisms other than archaea and eubacteria).
Flagellated - Having flagella (a slender threadlike structure which allows microorganisms to swim (e.g. bacteria or sperm).
Genome - The genome is the entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell.
Geochemistry - The study of the chemistry of geological materials such as rock, sediment, soil and water.
Intraterrestrials - species living within the earth
Metabolism - The conversion of the energy in food to the energy available to run cellular processes.
Methanogens - a methane-producing bacterium, especially an archaean which reduces carbon dioxide to methane.
NASA - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
Turnover rate - How quickly bacteria reproduce and die.