Oceans: Life Under Water

They're like aliens from another planet. There are over 300 species and counting, from the size of your fingernail to 10 metres across. They live on the ocean's surface, and in its darkest depths. But how intelligent are they, really? How do they use tools? And what's it like to meet one in the wild? Eminent marine biologist and science communicator Helen Scales joins Hannah in the studio.

Also - meet Gretchen Früh-Green, one of the scientists who discovered the Lost City, which some believe could be the origin of all life on Earth.

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and to see footage of the world's biggest octopus nursery: @oceanspod.

Watch the coconut-carrying octopus here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUN6c5yWJhQ

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

Did you know that pretty much anything goes in international waters? Past a certain point somewhere beyond the coast, national jurisdiction ends and the Wild West begins. There's no police force for the ocean, so with rampant piracy, smuggling and illegal fishing - who's in charge? Maritime lawyer Richard Caddell joins Hannah in the studio.

Also - we meet Steve Truluck, whose life changed when he started watching whales off the coast of Scotland. His work with Orca Watch brings that joy to other people.

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and to see Steve's footage of killer whales for yourself: @oceanspod.

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

The world's longest mountain range is actually in the middle of the ocean - the mid-Atlantic ridge, at more than 40,000 miles long. But who knows about these mountains? How high are they? Where are they? What lives on them? Hannah is joined by South African actress and TV presenter Amanda Du Pont, who spent two weeks on a Greenpeace ship on a research expedition to Mount Vema in 2019. And she welcomes marine scientist Lucy Woodall back into the studio, who's led expeditions to seamounts all around the world.

Also - there's another update from the Arctic Sunrise en-route to the Galapagos Islands. They've made a stop-off at the ocean mountains near Galapagos.

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and to see original footage of these seamounts for yourself: @oceanspod.

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

Antarctica is one of the harshest environments you can imagine. Winds can reach 200mph and the lowest temperature ever recorded was -89 degrees Celsius. But the monochrome above the waves is matched by the explosion of colour beneath them. The Southern Ocean is home to more than 9000 species, many of which can only be found there. Hannah is joined by scientist Lucy Woodall, who led the first expedition to find Shackleton's ship Endurance, and Antarctic historian John Dudeney.

Also - meet Bhakti Sharma, the youngest person and the first Asian to complete a long-distance swim in all five oceans, the most recent being the Southern Ocean.

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and to see what the Southern Ocean looks like under the waves: @oceanspod.

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

Hannah's asking all the questions you ever wanted to know about whales. Did you know they have culture? She's joined by whale legend Hal Whitehead, whose close encounters with sperm whales and understanding of their culture has completely changed how we view these enormous animals.

Also - we've had an update from the team onboard the Arctic Sunrise, the research ship that's on its way to the Galapagos Islands.

Listen to Roger Payne's groundbreaking whale song recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjkxUA041nM

Listen to his last ever interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APtmz_BAWPg

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and whale videos: @oceanspod.

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

What does the bottom of the ocean look like? What animals can exist down there, with no sunlight? And how deep is the ocean, really? Hannah is joined by the submarine pilot John Hocevar.

And you'll meet Quack Pirihi, who explains why they can't be Maōri without the oceans.

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and incredible submarine footage: @oceanspod.

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

Welcome to the oceans. Want to know how it feels to dive 65m under the waves in a single breath? Or why worms in coral reefs are so exciting? Wildlife filmmaker and broadcaster Hannah Stitfall is joined by freediving icon Daan Verhoeven, and esteemed marine biologist and science communicator Helen Scales explains why she's still optimistic about the oceans' future.

Also - we'll be on board a ship setting sail from Panama to the Galapagos Islands, a journey we'll be following over the course of the podcast.

Follow us on IG, X and TikTok for bonus content and incredible underwater footage: @oceanspod.

If you want to know more about the oceans and how to protect them, come and join us here: https://act.gp/life-under-water.

Helen's website is https://helenscales.com/.

On February 19th comes this new podcast all about the oceans and the mind-blowing life within them, with wildlife filmmaker, broadcaster and zoologist Hannah Stitfall.