NOAA Ocean Podcast

By National Ocean Service

What's NOAA Ocean Podcast about?

From corals to coastal science, connect with NOAA experts in our podcast series that explores questions about the ocean environment.

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NOAA Ocean Podcast episodes:

03.04.2024
Behind the Scenes at NGS
With origins tracing back more than 200 years, NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey is in the business of "knowing where things are." In this episode, we go behind the scenes with NGS Director Juliana Blackwell to get an insider perspective on...
02.15.2024
Say Cheese: Wetland Wildlife Inventory
In this episode, we explore how scientists across the National Estuarine Research Reserve System conducted the first-ever North American wildlife inventory of these habitats. We chat with Dr. Kenny Raposa, research coordinator at Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research...
12.05.2023
Coral Bleaching
When temperatures rise, coral bleaching can occur. In this episode, we explore what happens during bleaching events, how corals are affected, and how we can help protect these important ecosystems. We’re joined by coral expert Dana Wusinich-Mendez, Atlantic and Caribbean...
11.09.2023
Meteotsunamis
In this episode, we revisit a previous podcast on these storm-fueled waves and discuss how they differ from tsunamis. We're joined by Dr. Gregory Dusek, senior scientist with NOAA's National Ocean Service, to discuss his study on meteotsunamis.
09.29.2023
Weird Facts About Oil and Oil Spills
When it comes to oil spills and their impacts on marine environments, water and oil don’t mix. In this episode, we chat with an oil spill response expert and share some weird facts about oil and oil contamination.
09.07.2023
The Florida Keys: Dive into History
In this episode, we’re heading to the Florida Keys, the only place in the continental United States with shallow water coral reefs. But these corals are not the only thing that make the Keys special. We’re joined by Brenda Altmeier,...
07.31.2023
Digging into the Science of Sand
In this podcast, we dig into the science behind sand: the ways it’s formed, the benefits it provides ecosystems, and the protection it offers coastal communities. We’re joined by Dr. Matt Kendall, marine biologist with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal...
06.29.2023
Rip Currents: Preparedness and Prevention
Rip currents pose a threat to those that spend time in the ocean or Great Lakes. In this episode, Dr. Gregory Dusek, senior scientist with NOAA’s National Ocean Service, talks with us about rip currents, NOAA’s national rip current forecast...
05.31.2023
Gliders: Versatile Vehicles for Underwater Observation
Gliders are autonomous, uncrewed, underwater vehicles that collect data — providing scientists with a more complete picture of what is happening in the ocean and the Great Lakes. In this episode, we dive deep with Kathleen Bailey, glider program manager...
04.27.2023
USACE: Foundational Research on Rebalancing with Blue Carbon
In this episode, we present a podcast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) called Engineering with Nature®. The show features a panel of experts discussing their research on how blue carbon is helping to address climate change.
03.30.2023
Seagrass: Ecosystem Services Provider
Seagrasses are plants that grow in semi salty water to full seawater in the intertidal and subtidal zones of the ocean. As one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, seagrasses offer myriad benefits to both humans and the...
01.26.2023
Perspectives on Coastal Decision Making
Our ocean and coasts affect us — and we affect them. Almost 40 percent of the country’s population lives in coastal shoreline counties. And these counties contribute more than 9 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. But there are many...
12.15.2022
Making Coastal Decisions
Our ocean and coasts affect us — and we affect them. Almost 40 percent of the country’s population lives in coastal shoreline counties. And these counties contribute more than 9 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. But there are many...
11.17.2022
Equity and Justice in Coastal Planning
Our ocean and coasts affect us — and we affect them. Almost 40 percent of the country’s population lives in coastal shoreline counties. And these counties contribute more than 9 trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. But there are many...
10.27.2022
Recording Oral Histories
The NOAA Voices Oral History Archive is a collection of more than 2300 oral histories. In this episode, we explore how this valuable resource helps us better understand the impact of weather events, coastal changes and climate change.
09.20.2022
Capturing Snapshots of the U.S. Population
For over six decades, the National Geodetic Survey has partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau to calculate the U.S. center of population — the precise location where an imaginary, flat, weightless, and rigid map of the United States would balance...
07.28.2022
Understanding Disease Impacts to Long-Spined Sea Urchins
In this episode, an expert from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program discusses a disease affecting long-spined sea urchin populations in the Caribbean. We explore how disease has impacted these organisms in the past, their important role in keeping coral reef...
05.26.2022
Surveying in the Great Lakes
Keeping our marine transportation system moving safely and efficiently through our busy national waterways depends upon hydrography — the science that measures and describes the physical features of bodies of water through a process called surveying. In this episode, hear...
04.28.2022
Engineering with Nature: USACE, NOAA, and the Value of Partnership
Tsunamis pose a threat to our nation’s coastal communities and can have devastating impacts to lives and property. These powerful forces of nature can be caused by events like earthquakes, landslides, and even volcanic activity like the January 2022 eruption...
03.31.2022
Water Level Stations and their Role in Tsunami Detection
Tsunamis pose a threat to our nation’s coastal communities and can have devastating impacts to lives and property. These powerful forces of nature can be caused by events like earthquakes, landslides, and even volcanic activity like the January 2022 eruption...
02.24.2022
Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve: A Living Laboratory
In this episode, we speak with Erica Seiden, manager for NOAA’s Ecosystems Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System; and Nelle D'Aversa, a NOAA coastal management specialist, to learn why this site was chosen and what this valuable ecosystem...
02.15.2022
2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report
In this episode, we talk with two members of the Federal Sea Level Rise Task Force about the new Sea Level Rise Technical Report, released in 2022. This landmark interagency report provides updated sea level rise projections based upon global...
12.16.2021
The Future Ocean
In this podcast, we share a new series from the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network called The Future Ocean. It’s about the effects of ocean acidification and ocean warming on coastal Alaskans and the seafood industry. However, you don’t need to...
11.09.2021
Restoration: Replacing What Was Lost
When pollution harms our waterways from single events like oil spills or from industrial sites over a span of decades, the cleanup phase is just the beginning. Ultimately, through a process that can take years to decades, settlements are reached...
09.02.2021
Marine Protected Areas
From protecting kelp forests and corals to inspiring international collaboration with a common goal, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play a vital role in conserving our Earth’s special marine places. In this episode, we speak with Lauren Wenzel, director of NOAA’s...
06.17.2021
Connecting the Dots with Modeling (Part Two)
What do harmful algal blooms, dust from the Saharan desert, and hurricanes have in common? They are all pieces of the puzzle that modeling puts together to give us the big picture when it comes to studying and understanding our...
05.20.2021
Connecting the Dots with Modeling (Part One)
What do harmful algal blooms, dust from the Saharan desert, and hurricanes have in common? They are all pieces of the puzzle that modeling puts together to give us the big picture when it comes to studying and understanding our...
04.15.2021
NOAA Custom Chart Tool
NOAA is moving into the digital age by phasing out paper nautical charts over five years. In this episode, we talk with NOAA Corps Capt. EJ Van Den Ameele, chief of Coast Survey's marine chart division, to learn how this...
03.25.2021
A Laser is Worth a Thousand Words
Lidar stands for light detection and ranging. We explore how this popular remote sensing method supports NOAA’s mission and enables scientists and mapping professionals to examine both natural and manmade environments with accuracy, precision, and flexibility.
03.04.2021
Explore Your Ocean with NOAA Ocean Today
Let's dive into the ocean! NOAA Ocean Today offers more than three hundred exciting, scientifically vetted short videos on topics ranging from deep sea exploration to climate change to marine life. Visit Ocean Today online, participate in a monthly 'Full...
01.14.2021
Shipwrecks, Science, and Stewardship at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Northeast Michigan’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is estimated to contain over 200 shipwrecks. In this episode, we speak with sanctuary superintendent Jeff Gray about the significance of these world-class wrecks, the rich history they contain, and the wealth of...
12.08.2020
Protecting Culebra's Coral Reefs
Healthy coral reefs are amongst the most biologically diverse, culturally significant, and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth. In this episode, we speak with Lisa Vandiver, a Marine Habitat Restoration Specialist with NOAA’s Restoration Center and Rob Ferguson, a watershed management...
10.29.2020
Precision Marine Navigation
NOAA's Precision Marine Navigation team is creating new online services to enable more efficient access to the NOAA data that powers private-sector marine navigation products. In this episode, Julia Powell and John Kelley from the Office of Coast Survey share...
09.30.2020
The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part Two
In this episode, we continue our conversation with two NOAA scientists about a study that looked at using mussels as "biomonitors" to measure microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Here, they discuss how their study was set up and how...
09.30.2020
The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part One
In this episode, we hear about a NOAA-funded study that asked an interesting question: what if mussels could be used to learn more about microplastic pollution in our waterways? NOAA already runs a program that monitors chemical contaminants in our...
08.27.2020
From Diving to Data: Close-up with Coral Research
Coral reefs are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. Unfortunately, they are declining due to manmade and natural threats. NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) is a massive, collaborative effort that was developed to collect scientifically sound, geographically...
07.30.2020
Breaking Down Barriers: Natural Infrastructure
D-Day, codenamed Operation Neptune, was the largest amphibious landing not only in World War II, but in history. It marked the start of the liberation of German-occupied France (and later western Europe) and laid the foundations of the Allied victory...
06.24.2020
Turning the Tide: D-Day from an Oceanographer's Perspective
D-Day, codenamed Operation Neptune, was the largest amphibious landing not only in World War II, but in history. It marked the start of the liberation of German-occupied France (and later western Europe) and laid the foundations of the Allied victory...
05.28.2020
Marine Life Counts: The U.S. Marine Biodiversity Observation Network
The ocean is home to millions of different forms of life—yet we know surprisingly little about the creatures that live right along our shores, how they interact with each other, or how they're changing as the ocean environment they live...
04.24.2020
Education Resources
Discover the many free lesson plans, tutorials, fun activities, and other educational material offered by the National Ocean Service for educators, for students, for parents — or for anyone who wants to learn about our ocean and coasts.
03.19.2020
Understanding Gravity
The National Geodetic survey has been measuring land to determine points on the ground and the angles, distances, and heights between them since the 1800s. To do this accurately, you have to understand the force of gravity. We talk with...
02.20.2020
Bringing Wetlands to Market
Money does not grow on trees, but it could be growing in our coastal salt marshes and sea grass beds. A team of researchers is working at Waquoit Bay Research Reserve on Cape Cod in Massachusetts on the Bringing Wetlands...
01.23.2020
The Nurdle Patrol: Citizen Scientists Fight Pollution, One Pellet at a Time
Nurdles are small plastic pellets that are causing a big problem. But citizen scientists are fighting back. In this episode, we talk with Jace Tunnell, Director of the Mission Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, about how the Nurdle Patrol is...
12.17.2019
After a Hurricane Hits: NOAA’s Emergency Response Aerial Imagery
Since the early 1900’s the National Geodetic Survey has been taking photographs from airplanes to capture the Earth below. We talk with two NOAA experts about their role in emergency response imagery collection after hurricanes, and what it provides for...
10.23.2019
The Nautical Origins of 10 Popular Phrases
Did you know many phrases that we use today have nautical origins? Lots of these terms derive from the Age of Sail — the period of time between the 16th and 19th centuries when masted ships ruled the seas.
08.07.2019
NOAA's Disaster Preparedness Program
In this episode, Kate Wheelock, Chief of NOAA’s Disaster Preparedness Program, explains how her team facilitates internal communication, coordination, and preparation for all types of unforeseen disasters.
07.11.2019
Meteotsunamis: State of the Science
Meteotsunamis occur all over the world — including the Great Lakes — but scientists are just beginning to better detect and understand them. In this episode, NOAA oceanographer Greg Dusek talks about new research that advances what we know about...
05.30.2019
Ocean Gliders: How NOAA uses autonomous technology to help predict hurricane intensity
We interview a NOAA expert about ocean gliders — autonomous underwater vehicles used to collect valuable ocean data. In this episode, we uncover the technology behind gliders and dive in to what these vehicles can do to help prepare us...
04.25.2019
Navigating the Sea is Safer, More Efficient With Digital Charts
In our latest podcast, Allison Wittrock, a cartographer with the Office of Coast Survey, tells us about NOAA’s new digital charts.
03.21.2019
Making it Count
In this episode, Cindy Among-Serrao from Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary talks about how citizen scientists help monitor and promote awareness about marine life — particularly humpback whales — during the annual Sanctuary Ocean Count.

What's NOAA Ocean Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

NOAA Ocean Podcast episodes:

Behind the Scenes at NGS

Say Cheese: Wetland Wildlife Inventory

Coral Bleaching

Meteotsunamis

Weird Facts About Oil and Oil Spills

The Florida Keys: Dive into History

Digging into the Science of Sand

Rip Currents: Preparedness and Prevention

Gliders: Versatile Vehicles for Underwater Observation

USACE: Foundational Research on Rebalancing with Blue Carbon

Seagrass: Ecosystem Services Provider

Perspectives on Coastal Decision Making

Making Coastal Decisions

Equity and Justice in Coastal Planning

Recording Oral Histories

Capturing Snapshots of the U.S. Population

Understanding Disease Impacts to Long-Spined Sea Urchins

Surveying in the Great Lakes

Engineering with Nature: USACE, NOAA, and the Value of Partnership

Water Level Stations and their Role in Tsunami Detection

Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve: A Living Laboratory

2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report

The Future Ocean

Restoration: Replacing What Was Lost

Marine Protected Areas

Connecting the Dots with Modeling (Part Two)

Connecting the Dots with Modeling (Part One)

NOAA Custom Chart Tool

A Laser is Worth a Thousand Words

Explore Your Ocean with NOAA Ocean Today

Shipwrecks, Science, and Stewardship at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Protecting Culebra's Coral Reefs

Precision Marine Navigation

The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part Two

The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part One

From Diving to Data: Close-up with Coral Research

Breaking Down Barriers: Natural Infrastructure

Turning the Tide: D-Day from an Oceanographer's Perspective

Marine Life Counts: The U.S. Marine Biodiversity Observation Network

Education Resources

Understanding Gravity

Bringing Wetlands to Market

The Nurdle Patrol: Citizen Scientists Fight Pollution, One Pellet at a Time

After a Hurricane Hits: NOAA’s Emergency Response Aerial Imagery

The Nautical Origins of 10 Popular Phrases

NOAA's Disaster Preparedness Program

Meteotsunamis: State of the Science

Ocean Gliders: How NOAA uses autonomous technology to help predict hurricane intensity

Navigating the Sea is Safer, More Efficient With Digital Charts

Making it Count