In midsummer 2009, under the intense Mexican sun, a whale shark, MXA-182, arrived at Holbox. He is injured. A nasty cut nearly severs his right…
View More Sharks and lasers, not just for evil geniusesAuthor: Dr. M
Sleuthing the Largest Snail
Earlier this year, I spent a few days tracking down the world’s largest snail. It is my own contribution to the Sizing Ocean Giants project. The…
View More Sleuthing the Largest SnailWhale Sharks and Giant Squids: Big or Bu!!$hit?
The bubbles around me clear and as I regain my visibility my first thought is how wide is the mouth coming for me. Five feet?…
View More Whale Sharks and Giant Squids: Big or Bu!!$hit?Integrating Research and Outreach Through Massive Ocean Animals
With 5 stunning Duke University undergraduates, I participated in an experiment, one in which science outreach and research were not separate spheres. “Time to put away the research…
View More Integrating Research and Outreach Through Massive Ocean AnimalsIt’s Size Week At Deep-Sea News
This week at DSN we are dedicating to size. Actually, I’m dedicating it to size. Since I am the grand poobah in charge, everyone else…
View More It’s Size Week At Deep-Sea NewsThese are a few of my favorite species: The magnificent and very large sponge Monorhaphis chuni
Within the glass sponges (Hexactinellids), so called because of scaffolds of silica spicules they form, resides a family of sponges, the Monorhaphididae. Family here is…
View More These are a few of my favorite species: The magnificent and very large sponge Monorhaphis chuniThese are a few of my favorite species: Hermit crabs without shells
Hermit crabs are generally awesome. They use snail shells, and sometime shells of other mollsucs, to protect their non-skeletonized squishy backends. Some are even adapted…
View More These are a few of my favorite species: Hermit crabs without shellsThe Patron Saint of Marine Scientists
Saint Brendan of Clonfert is often referred to Brendan the Voyager. He is Irish monastic saint born in 484 in Ciarraighe Luachra, near the present…
View More The Patron Saint of Marine ScientistsWhat single piece of advice would you give another scientist?
Recently I attended a talk by my good friend and fantastic researcher, Brian Sidlauskas. His talk was a retrospective over his research and what contributed…
View More What single piece of advice would you give another scientist?How the sons of undocumented Mexican immigrants built a ROV and won a national competition
I cannot wait to see Underwater Dreams narrated by Michael Peña, and written and directed by Mary Mazzio. The story is how sons of undocumented Mexican immigrants…
View More How the sons of undocumented Mexican immigrants built a ROV and won a national competition