Jess explores

Jess explores

By JessScienceSocial Sciences
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Jess explores episodes

  • Sperm whale logging behaviour

    Do whales need to rest? And if so, how do they sleep? In this week's episode I explore how sperm whales rest and how they use their social family structures to protect themselves and their female companions. I'll also talk about why male sperm whales don't travel with female sperm whales and why calves will stay very close to their mothers. We'll also explore why and how whale calves could drown... So much to explore about sperm whale logging!

    11 min
  • Outlines and reverse outlines
    Writing is hard – there are no two ways about it. But there are tools to make it easier and one of the tools I have in my toolbox are outlines and reverse outlines. An outline is pretty much an introduction – a middle part – a conclusion – sounds pretty basic, doesn’t it? It is and it isn’t.
    Join me today as I outline my argument of buying succulents and may even convince you why that is a good idea only to reverse engineer my own argument and realise that maybe buying even more succulents may not be the best idea... It's an easy writing activity that is designed to help you structure your thoughts and make it easier for you to accomplish your writing, even if you're in the middle of it - reverse outlining is also a very useful tool that you can use any time.
    13 min
  • Inspirational women
    When I started thinking about women that inspired me, my mind started racing into so many different directions. I could have spoken to you about women that I've had the opportunity to meet - women that are in the public eye - women that went against the norm to achieve something amazing - women that I have a close personal relationship with... The list is endless.
    But I thought about the way I see the world and how these incredible women inspired me and low and behold, this podcast episode is an extra long one. Join me today as I celebrate inspirational women, particularly four amazing people that have shaped my thinking and my actions in ways I never thought possible. These four individuals have shown me bravery, courage, curiosity, passion, and an ability to share these experiences.
    22 min
  • Travelling false killer whales
    Ever wondered why sometimes you see thousands of dolphins travel together? Ever wondered what it would feel like to witness that and maybe even, what it would feel like to all of a sudden being part of it? It's an incredible spectacle that I got to live in the summer of 2015 in the Azores in Portugal with a superpod of travelling false killer whales. An experience that left me in absolute amazement.
    14 min
  • Humpback feeding techniques (and a happy accident)

    My favourite thing to do is watch humpbacks feed - if you're lucky, you get to see every inch of their body as they move around, sometimes really fast and other times really slow and yet both behaviours serve the same purpose. I've never been more mesmerised than watching large animals feed in the water. On this week's episode I want to tell you about how humpbacks hunt their food and also how one humpback encounter had me covered in fish guts!

    14 min
  • Floating
    I've always wondered what it would be like to feel no gravity and at the same time be in complete darkness and while that sounds scary or in the least unsettling, it's actually quite the opposite, comforting and somewhat freeing. I tried the zero gravity floats and let me tell you, it is something else! In this week's episode we'll explore why and how sensory deprivation tanks work and why you should give it a go.
    16 min
  • Drones
    It took me forever to decide whether or not to get a drone and then one day, after having done some shore watching and realising that the thing I want to explore would be much easier to explore with a drone, I went for it and haven't looked back since. This week I talk about why drones are awesome, what you can use them for, and some of the rules and regulations that you have to adhere to when operating a drone in Ireland. Please check out the Irish Aviation Authority for what to do to responsibly operate a drone: https://www.iaa.ie/general-aviation/drones/drone-registration
    10 min
  • Brain dumps
    I love writing, always have, but that doesn't mean I don't struggle with actually getting the words out. Join me on this week's episode where I talk about brain dumps and how this useful writing exercise helps structuring my professional and personal life. Give it a go and let me know what you think!
    10 min
  • Binoculars

    I recently 'cleaned' my perfectly fine pair of binoculars until they weren't perfectly fine anymore and then I spent days trying to figure out which new pair to get (it just wasn't feasible trying to fix the old ones). And then it got me thinking, why are binoculars such an important tool for marine mammal observers and how do you use them and why should you not use them on a boat if you're only on a boat for a short while and have no idea what you are looking for? So many questions! In this week's episode I explore the importance and necessity of binoculars when on a boat, figuring out why they are so amazing, and how to use them effectively and we get even in some of the nitty-gritty of marine mammal observation goodness!

    17 min
  • Writing - or pure magic writing formula

    We all write - all the time, but few of us actually think about *how* to write. In this week's episode I explore a magic writing formula. Writing is a four step process and if you know about it, writing and reading becomes so much easier and that much more fun. The four steps are: 1. topic sentence, 2. explanations, 3. examples or evidence, 4. conclusion or transition. It is that simple.

    If you build an outline with all your arguments as your topic sentences, filling in steps 2-4 becomes that much easier.

    Let me know how you get on either on @Jess_explores on twitter or Jess_exploresPodcast on insta.

    Happy writing, y'all!

    10 min

About Jess explores

From the publisher's feed

Marine social scientist exploring the ins and outs of marine innovation, ocean life, everyday live, some within the comfort of things I understand but mostly things I know little about.