Best Oceanography Podcasts (2025)

1
Pope Francis and the Ocean, Laudato Si Revisited 5:00

12h ago5:00

5:00

Pope Francis, outspoken voice for climate and the environment, passed away on Monday, April 21st. Throughout his reign as leader of the Catholic Church, he was very clear in his views on climate change as a real factor in today's world, and expressed that we must understand and respond to these problems for our future survival. In 2015, Pope Franci…

1
Coconut Crabs 2:00

7d ago2:00

2:00

The coconut crab is the 800-pound gorilla of many tropical beaches. Not only is it the biggest and strongest crab on land, it’ll eat just about anything—animal, vegetable, or even mineral. Coconut crabs are found in tropical environments in the Indian and southwestern Pacific oceans. They hatch in the sea, where they float around for a few weeks. T…

1
Coconut Crabs 2:00

6d ago2:00

2:00

The coconut crab is the 800-pound gorilla of many tropical beaches. Not only is it the biggest and strongest crab on land, it’ll eat just about anything—animal, vegetable, or even mineral. Coconut crabs are found in tropical environments in the Indian and southwestern Pacific oceans. They hatch in the sea, where they float around for a few weeks. T…

1
What About the Land? 5:05

10d ago5:05

5:05

Earth Day is April 22nd. In honor of our watery planet we revisit a land-centric episode this week on World Ocean Radio. What About the Land? 40% of the planet is used for farming and livestock, often degraded by unsustainable or destructive practices. Coupled with coastal, wetland and reclaimed land development in the name of urban expansion, we a…

1
Sea Robins 2:00

14d ago2:00

2:00

It looks like something a six-year-old dreamed up in art class—the body of a fish, the “wings” of a bird, the legs of a crab, and even the taste buds of a human tongue. Throw in some loud croaks and grunts, and you’ve got one of the ocean’s many oddities: the sea robin. The fish is found in warm waters around the globe—usually in shallow water with…

1
Sea Robins 2:00

14d ago2:00

2:00

It looks like something a six-year-old dreamed up in art class—the body of a fish, the “wings” of a bird, the legs of a crab, and even the taste buds of a human tongue. Throw in some loud croaks and grunts, and you’ve got one of the ocean’s many oddities: the sea robin. The fish is found in warm waters around the globe—usually in shallow water with…

1
Revelations by Salt 5:00

16d ago5:00

5:00

Discovery of a curriculum developed for coastal Africa some years ago sent World Ocean Radio host Peter Neill on a journey of discovery and revelation about salt as a construct to be observed, understood, and taught. A western scientific perspective might teach students about salt from a chemistry-led lesson, whereas the African curriculum taught s…

1
River Rapids 2:00

21d ago2:00

2:00

A steep change in the slope of a riverbed can create rapids—regions where the water is especially fast and choppy—and dangerous. The same thing applies to rivers in the sky. Steep changes in altitude, temperature, or pressure can concentrate the water, creating rapids. They can cause downpours that are especially fast and heavy—and dangerous. That …

1
River Rapids 2:00

21d ago2:00

2:00

A steep change in the slope of a riverbed can create rapids—regions where the water is especially fast and choppy—and dangerous. The same thing applies to rivers in the sky. Steep changes in altitude, temperature, or pressure can concentrate the water, creating rapids. They can cause downpours that are especially fast and heavy—and dangerous. That …

1
Sleeper Shark 2:00

28d ago2:00

2:00

The great white shark has the most fearsome reputation of all sharks. But it might not be the biggest of the predator sharks. That honor might go to the Pacific sleeper shark. The biggest one ever seen appeared to be about 23 feet long—longer than the biggest great white. The Pacific sleeper is found mainly in cold waters around the rim of the nort…

1
Sleeper Shark 2:00

28d ago2:00

2:00

The great white shark has the most fearsome reputation of all sharks. But it might not be the biggest of the predator sharks. That honor might go to the Pacific sleeper shark. The biggest one ever seen appeared to be about 23 feet long—longer than the biggest great white. The Pacific sleeper is found mainly in cold waters around the rim of the nort…

1
Terraqueous 5:06

29d ago5:06

5:06

ter·ra·que·ous /terˈākwēəs/ Adjective: consisting of land and water Mud season: a special time of year in the northeastern corner of the United States, when winter and spring collide in a soggy muck: the rains come, ice and snow melts, saturating the land, creating a terraqueous mess for cars and boots. This week on World Ocean Radio, we're applyin…

1
Changing Course 2:00

1M ago2:00

2:00

Currents at the bottom of the ocean can be just as fickle as wind currents at the surface. They can turn, speed up or slow down, and even reverse course. And they can change in just days or even hours. That’s the conclusion of the most detailed study of sea-floor currents to date. Researchers anchored 34 instrument packages across a thousand-square…

1
Changing Course 2:00

1M ago2:00

2:00

Currents at the bottom of the ocean can be just as fickle as wind currents at the surface. They can turn, speed up or slow down, and even reverse course. And they can change in just days or even hours. That’s the conclusion of the most detailed study of sea-floor currents to date. Researchers anchored 34 instrument packages across a thousand-square…

1
World Water Day is March 22nd 5:06

1M ago5:06

5:06

March 22nd is World Water Day, a celebration of what Jacques Cousteau called The Great Hydrosphere, expanded beyond Ocean to include the entirety of the water cycle: the one natural system that controls our planet's utility. From mountaintop to abyssal plain, water is the great circulatory system that connects all things. This week on World Ocean R…

1
Minamata Bay 2:00

1M ago2:00

2:00

In the spring of 1956, a doctor in the Japanese village of Minamata reported an outbreak of a troubling new disease. It was seen mainly among children, and it affected the central nervous system. The disease quickly spread, with hundreds of cases reported, then thousands. It took years for scientists to work out the cause: poisoning from industrial…

1
Minamata Bay 2:00

1M ago2:00

2:00

In the spring of 1956, a doctor in the Japanese village of Minamata reported an outbreak of a troubling new disease. It was seen mainly among children, and it affected the central nervous system. The disease quickly spread, with hundreds of cases reported, then thousands. It took years for scientists to work out the cause: poisoning from industrial…

1
Parrotfish 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

The parrotfish is like a house cleaner who does a great job of keeping things tidy, but sometimes breaks a glass. You want to keep them around, but you just wish they’d be a little less destructive. For the parrotfish, the “houses” are coral reefs. They clean tiny organisms off the coral, keeping the coral healthy. But they also chip off pieces of …

1
Parrotfish 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

The parrotfish is like a house cleaner who does a great job of keeping things tidy, but sometimes breaks a glass. You want to keep them around, but you just wish they’d be a little less destructive. For the parrotfish, the “houses” are coral reefs. They clean tiny organisms off the coral, keeping the coral healthy. But they also chip off pieces of …

1
Co-Relation 5:04

2M ago5:04

5:04

This week on World Ocean Radio host Peter Neill shares a smart, succinct new title from the Forerunners: Ideas First series entitled "Coralatations" by Melody Jue. The book is a philosophical exploration of coral reefs, technology, and media and how, through co-relation, we might expand our understanding of natural resources beyond endangerment to …

1
Ocean Literacy: A Call for Action 5:44

2M ago5:44

5:44

Ocean Literacy is a bottom-up movement driven by classroom teachers who understand the full implication of education, adaptation, and innovation for our future. In Venice, Italy, in 2024, a conference gathered to address today's issues, and to produce the Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy to provide goals and agenda items for the UN Ocean Confe…

1
Hotter Ships 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

The exhaust produced by ocean-going ships can contribute to our warming climate. Most ships burn fossil fuels, so they spew out atmosphere-warming compounds. But some of their contribution to global warming may be a result of lower emissions—not of carbon, but of sulfur. One of the compounds produced by burning fossil fuels is sulfur dioxide. Sunli…

1
Hotter Ships 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

The exhaust produced by ocean-going ships can contribute to our warming climate. Most ships burn fossil fuels, so they spew out atmosphere-warming compounds. But some of their contribution to global warming may be a result of lower emissions—not of carbon, but of sulfur. One of the compounds produced by burning fossil fuels is sulfur dioxide. Sunli…

1
Ocean Lovin - Whale Sharks 28:07

2M ago28:07

28:07

It is February, so it is time for another OCEAN-LOVING episode. In this episode, we will discuss some of the coolest and weirdest reproduction strategies in the Ocean. In this episode, we cover the mysterious gentle giants, the WHALE SHARK, and a recent accidental behavior observation in the wild with PhD candidate with the Australian Institute of …

1
Ocean Lovin - Whale Sharks 28:07

2M ago28:07

28:07

It is February, so it is time for another OCEAN-LOVING episode. In this episode, we will discuss some of the coolest and weirdest reproduction strategies in the Ocean. In this episode, we cover the mysterious gentle giants, the WHALE SHARK, and a recent accidental behavior observation in the wild with PhD candidate with the Australian Institute of …

1
Bioturbation 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

The many creatures that dig into the sediments at the bottom of the ocean are ecosystem engineers. Their burrowing, foraging, and even pooping change the ocean landscape—not just close by, but miles away. Sediments have been described as the oceans’ compost heaps. They contain bits of rock and dirt washed out to sea by rivers. They also contain bit…

1
Bioturbation 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

The many creatures that dig into the sediments at the bottom of the ocean are ecosystem engineers. Their burrowing, foraging, and even pooping change the ocean landscape—not just close by, but miles away. Sediments have been described as the oceans’ compost heaps. They contain bits of rock and dirt washed out to sea by rivers. They also contain bit…

1
Water as a Metaphor for Resistance 4:46

2M ago4:46

4:46

"Power is like water. It flows all around us at all times. Sometimes it takes the liquid form of politics-in-action...Sometimes it takes the solid form of settled law: policy is power frozen. Sometimes it is like vapor in the air, invisibly shaping the climate and our behavior in just the way beliefs or ideology or emotions do..." So states Eric Li…

1
Bagging Bags 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

About 12 million tons of plastics enter the oceans every year—the equivalent of a full garbage truck every minute. The total includes millions of grocery bags. But restrictions on the bags appear to be having a positive effect. Several studies have found big reductions in the number of bags found on beaches. Plastic bags are a huge problem for ocea…

1
Bagging Bags 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

About 12 million tons of plastics enter the oceans every year—the equivalent of a full garbage truck every minute. The total includes millions of grocery bags. But restrictions on the bags appear to be having a positive effect. Several studies have found big reductions in the number of bags found on beaches. Plastic bags are a huge problem for ocea…

1
Eco-Psychology 5:15

2M ago5:15

5:15

Eco-psychology studies the relationships between people and nature, and seeks to develop ways to expand the emotional connections between individuals and the natural world. There is progression in the term: understanding of Eco-psychology presents plans, promise, and action toward transformational outcomes, strategies, and prognoses for the future.…

1
Fishtein with Dr. Kory Evans 22:22

3M ago22:22

22:22

In this episode, we are highlighting the work of one marine biologist in particular whose research gives us a better understanding of how fish evolved through their bone structure. Specifically Dr. Kory Evans of Rice University, a Doctor who has spent a LOT of time looking at fish bones and went viral a few years ago after sharing a scan of a surpr…

1
Fishtein with Dr. Kory Evans 22:22

3M ago22:22

22:22

In this episode, we are highlighting the work of one marine biologist in particular whose research gives us a better understanding of how fish evolved through their bone structure. Specifically Dr. Kory Evans of Rice University, a Doctor who has spent a LOT of time looking at fish bones and went viral a few years ago after sharing a scan of a surpr…

1
Eudaemonism: A Word for the Ocean 5:16

3M ago5:16

5:16

Eudaemonism: What does it mean? What does it have to do with happiness? And what is its context for the ocean? Tune in to find out. About World Ocean Radio World Ocean Radio is a weekly series of five-minute audio essays available for syndicated use at no cost by college and community radio stations worldwide. Weekly insights into ocean science, ad…

1
A Distillation of Purpose 5:00

3M ago5:00

5:00

What are the five key reasons for ocean conservation? What are the five areas where progress matters most? With the world in an off-axis state of turmoil, W2O founder Peter Neill is taking stock this week, asking the questions and distilling the essential reasons why the ocean is central to human survival. About World Ocean Radio World Ocean Radio …

1
An Exemplary Place in Iceland 4:52

3M ago4:52

4:52

This week on World Ocean Radio, host Peter Neill shares views and observations of the town of Isafjordur, Iceland, and the values it possesses that give the area its unique identity. About World Ocean Radio World Ocean Radio is a weekly series of five-minute audio essays available for syndicated use at no cost by college and community radio station…

1
What's in a Knot? 4:59

4M ago4:59

4:59

KNOT: a word with many definitions: from a tight constriction to something hard to solve; a cluster of persons or things; an ornamental ribbon; a closed curve in three dimensional space. And of course, the word comes back to the ocean: is not the ocean a dynamic of knots: entangled and integral, inter-placed with ornamental flexible bodies, compris…

1
The Generational Journey of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary 35:46

4M ago35:46

35:46

For the last episode of 2024, we at Ocean Science Radio wanted to end things on a high note, something that could act as an inspiration for the going into the next year and beyond. Today's episode is on the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, the first-ever Indigenous-nominated and Indigenous-co-managed marine sanctuary in the United States…

1
The Generational Journey of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary 35:46

4M ago35:46

35:46

For the last episode of 2024, we at Ocean Science Radio wanted to end things on a high note, something that could act as an inspiration for the going into the next year and beyond. Today's episode is on the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, the first-ever Indigenous-nominated and Indigenous-co-managed marine sanctuary in the United States…

1
At the Fishhouses 4:40

4M ago4:40

4:40

At the Fishhouses, is among our favorite poems here at World Ocean Observatory. In its richly-detailed mastery, it distills poet Elizabeth Bishop’s seaside meditations, evokes the clarity of meaning contained in personal encounters at the shore and with the ocean, and holds the reader and the listener in the space that lies between land and sea, a …

1
Christmas at Sea 4:03

4M ago4:03

4:03

Each holiday season on World Ocean Radio we return with a special reading of "Christmas at Sea", an evocative poem by Robert Louis Stevenson written in 1883. Stevenson, the son of a lighthouse engineer, had intimate, first-hand knowledge of extreme weather, storms and nor'westers. Christmas at Sea An evocative seasonal poem by Robert Louis Stevenso…

1
A Credo for the World Ocean 5:09

4M ago5:09

5:09

This week we're providing our listeners with a list of intentions that describe the World Ocean Observatory's statement of beliefs that drives all action. And we provide suggestions for those who may ask, "What can I do?" while encouraging determination to pursue the causes that you believe in. This week's episode is a statement of belief and inten…

1
Saildrone and the work that will map study and secure the ocean 23:28

5M ago23:28

23:28

The team sits down with Brian Connon, VP of Ocean Mapping for the ocean science technology firm Saildrone to talk about what the company does, why their tech is so interesting and versatile, and some of the cool projects the company has worked on.By Ocean Science Radio

1
Saildrone and the work that will map study and secure the ocean 23:28

5M ago23:28

23:28

The team sits down with Brian Connon, VP of Ocean Mapping for the ocean science technology firm Saildrone to talk about what the company does, why their tech is so interesting and versatile, and some of the cool projects the company has worked on.By Ocean Science Radio

1
Complexity or Simplicity: A Path Forward Toward Ocean Solutions 5:24

5M ago5:24

5:24

The debate over the reality of climate change is over. There is no place on land or sea that is immune from the effects of extreme weather, fire, flood, inundation, erosion, and social impacts. This week we're discussing carbon as the key culprit to our current condition, and the multitudinous methods and suggestions and investments to remove carbo…

1
Unmanned War at Sea 5:11

6M ago5:11

5:11

The face of war is changing quickly: cheap, unmanned, versatile drones and remotely operated aircraft, coupled with rapidly-advancing technology, ambiguous algorithms, accountability, and responsibility are shifting the shapes of war around the globe, especially as it pertains to the unseen and largely unmonitored high seas. With a world struggling…

1
The Election, Project 2025, and Its Terrifying Impact on the Ocean 19:56

6M ago19:56

19:56

Project 2025, otherwise known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project. The Project aims to promote conservative and right-wing policies to reshape the United States federal government and consolidate executive power, under the premise that Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election. If you haven’t read it, we don’t blame you, it is litera…

1
The Election, Project 2025, and Its Terrifying Impact on the Ocean 19:56

6M ago19:56

19:56

Project 2025, otherwise known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project. The Project aims to promote conservative and right-wing policies to reshape the United States federal government and consolidate executive power, under the premise that Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election. If you haven’t read it, we don’t blame you, it is litera…

1
Displacement Reserves and the Repurposing of Abandoned Oil Wells 5:01

6M ago5:01

5:01

This week on World Ocean Radio we are examining Renewell, a company that has developed a method to repurpose abandoned oil wells across the United States into displacement reserves, effectively capping the more than 2 million abandoned, methane-leaking oil wells and converting them into renewable storage and renewed financial return. World Ocean Ra…

1
Some Ocean Reading 5:06

7M ago5:06

5:06

This week on World Ocean Radio, two new books for readers to consider this fall: "The High Seas: Greed, Power, and The Battle for the Unclaimed Ocean" by Olive Heffernan, and "What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World Ocean" by Helen Scales. Both books evoke hopeful possibility while exploring the extent of the ocean and the implications of…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Oceanography Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen