Giant Testate Protists with Professor Andrew Gooday

Check out our lovely new website where you can find more detailed notes, images and links to the wider reading.

In this episode…

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea!

Thom and Alan discuss Christmas from opposite ends of the planet, where Alan gets ‘proper’ Christmas in Scotland with snow and everything. At the opposite end, Thom insists on using his new BBQ, despite a rainstorm turning the air to liquid.

The exhibit that Thom was curating, Breathe | Mauri Ora at Te Papa, is an examination of the intersection of science and art by Marshmallow Lazer Feast. It is open now if you find yourself in Wellington, New Zealand.

This month, we are talking giant testate protists, the coolest things you have probably never heard of. Giant cells on the deep seabed that can reach 20 cm or more. They build elaborate shells, and despite having known about them for hundreds of years, there are still loads we don't understand about them.

In the news, get ready for updates on:

• Squids hiding under the sea floor, pretending to be plants
• A rare seven-armed octopus sighting
• Deep-sea art that highlights the effects of coral dredging
• Missing zombie worms and expanding oxygen minimum zones
• New Whale Tags helping with deep-sea data recovery
• A massive white skate nursery and Canada’s first hydrothermal site

Discord update

• The Deep-Sea Pets Channel continues to give back with excellent photos of our fav friends
• Our Holiday party was a total success, with many episodes of Octonauts watched and ‘enjoyed’ by all
• We assessed some of the ‘animal saving’ videos, as discussed by Tyler on the Mythbusting AI episode.
• Excellent Dragon-based book recommendations.
• We all wished we could visit Thom’s New show opening at Te Papa.
• Thom shared a beautiful video about Antarctica from his Falkor Too trip last year.
• Planning a Time Machine to scuba dive ancient seas, study the squid therein, and then hop on a boat trip with Darwin.
• TBOS and KBOS brushes of science versus various squid photos.
• Compared holiday baking recipes
• Photos and observations shared from SOA divestream viewing
• And, as always, vicarious travel to aquariums around the world!

Support the show

The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us.

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podcast@deepseapod.com

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Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time!

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Reference list News

Deep Sea Valentines | Support Skype a Scientist with the Squid Facts shop!

Deep-Sea News

Unknown species of squid spotted burying itself upside down, pretending to be a plant

Rarely-Seen Seven-Arm 'Blob' Octopus Filmed by Underwater Camera | PetaPixel

Former submarine pilot's art highlights the deep sea | Hawai'i Public Radio

Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) | Kerby Illustrations

Zombie worms are missing and scientists are alarmed | ScienceDaily

Whale tag will help decode communication in the deep ocean - Earth.com

Scientists Uncover Massive Deep-Sea Eggs Inside on Active Volcano Thought to Be Extinct for Centuries

Discord Updates

Inside Breathe: Mauri Ora at Te Papa | RNZ

Crossing the Divide | Climate Connections at the Ice-Sea Interface

Interview Links

Paleodictyon - Wikipedia

Paleodictyon nodosum: A living fossil on the deep-sea floor

Massive occurrence of a new soft-walled monothalamous foraminifer, Bathyallogromia brandtae n.sp., in the hadal Aleutian trench

An Integrative Taxonomic Survey of Benthic Foraminiferal Species (Protista, Rhizaria) from the Eastern Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Credits

Song of the month: It is that deep, bro by Matt Storer

Logo image: NOAA public domain

Theme: Hadal Zone Express by Märvel