Naked Oceans
Cambridge University, UK
Key Objective:
Naked Oceans is a pioneering audio podcast series and interactive web-based platform that presents cutting-edge marine science and conservation issues to an international audience.
Why this is important:
By providing accessible, entertaining and information-rich programming, Naked Oceans aims to boost awareness and compassion for the marine realm. The shows connect people with ocean science and conservation issues, giving them a reason to care and ultimately helping to drive important changes in both attitude and behaviour towards promoting global marine conservation. Listen to the latest show.
Background
A major challenge for ocean conservation is that for many people ocean life remains out of sight and out of mind. Naked Oceans aims to change that by uncovering the wonders of the marine realm to an international audience across a range of ages and backgrounds.
As the tagline goes: “From seagrass to sunfish, dugongs to diatoms, Naked Oceans uncovers the hidden secrets of the sea…” We do this via a monthly podcast, broadcast via the Internet, that presents the latest scientific discoveries and ocean conservation breakthroughs and offers suggestions for actions everyone can take to make a difference. Naked Oceans web pages also provide a platform for listeners to get involved, ask questions, and discuss their ideas online.
Dr Helen Scales and Sarah Castor Perry, both Cambridge University zoology graduates, present and produce the Naked Oceans podcasts bringing their distinctive blend of knowledge and energy to the show. Together they give a roundup of the latest science and conservation news, seek out intelligent interviews with marine experts and offer lively commentary and analysis.
The entire first season of Naked Oceans podcasts (July 2010-2011) is available to download and listen for free via the Naked Oceans web pages and iTunes, where listeners can also sign up to automatically receive new episodes in season two (2011-2012) as they are published each month.
Naked Oceans is part of the award-winning science communication collective based at Cambridge University called the Naked Scientists who use a multi-media platform – including radio, podcasts, film, live discussions and demonstrations – to reach out to large audiences from a diverse range of ages, backgrounds, cultures, and geographies. As well as producing the standalone podcasts, Naked Oceans material also features regularly in other Naked Scientists radio shows.
Aims and Objectives
- Produce a second season of 12 monthly half-hour multi-media Naked Oceans shows for radio and Internet broadcast.
- Continue building on the international audience established during Naked Oceans season one.
- Continue providing practical advice to listeners on what they can do to promote ocean conservation.
- Continue developing the Naked Oceans web pages, including an archive of the shows so far, full text transcripts, and links to other relevant online resources.
- Continue increasing the emphasis of marine science and conservation among other outputs from The Naked Scientists.
- Continue developing the marine section of The Naked Scientists online web discussion forum to allow Naked Oceans listeners to meet and interact online, take part in discussions, post images, and pose questions that can be answered on the radio programmes and podcasts.
Project leader:
Helen Scales
Partners:
Related threat:
Years funded:
2010-2011
Ocean treasures, old and new
— .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 14 May, 2012
In the latest episode of Naked Oceans we dive into ocean treasures, old and new. Last month we explored some of the ways we pollute the oceans by using them as a dumping ground for so much rubbish. And in…
Plastics to poo
— .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 11 April, 2012
We go from plastics to poo this month on Naked Oceans as we explore some of the many ways we pollute the seas by throwing too much of the wrong kind of stuff into them. In Sarah’s second report from…
So you want to be a marine scientist?
— .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 12 March, 2012
Here on Naked Oceans we talk to all sorts of fantastic people who devote their lives to studying and protecting the oceans, and we decided for this month’s show to dive a little deeper into just what it is that…
Green grass and grazers
— .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 12 February, 2012
This month on the Naked Oceans podcast we take a look around the lush world of seagrasses. These aquatic flowering plants grace shallow shorelines across tropical and temperate regions where they provide vital nursery habitat for many fish and invertebrates,…
Discovering the deepest deep sea vents
— .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 15 January, 2012
In a special interview, Naked Oceans presenter Helen Scales chats with the deep sea researchers who found the deepest and quite possibly hottest undersea volcanoes on the planet. University of Southampton/NOCHelen chats with Doug Connelly and Jon Copley from the…