Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online
More people care about marine biodiversity and saving the ocean than ever before. But progress towards evidence-based conservation is hindered by widespread public misunderstanding of the key issues in play. You’ve heard versions of this rant from me for 15 years, but this is not a post about sustainable fisheries, or shark conservation. This … Read More “The wrongest belief about the deep sea is wronger than you know” »
As an informal learning assignment, I have my students use social media to follow ocean science and conservation experts for the semester. Each week, they’re asked to check social media for a few minutes, and report on something interesting they learned about marine science or conservation (and why they thought it was interesting.) I’m sharing … Read More “My “Follow ocean science and conservation experts on Bluesky and Instagram” assignment” »
Giant deep-sea tube worms. When the RV Knorr arrived above Galapagos Rift in 1977, a team of geologists, geochemists, and geophysicist, including Robert Ballard who would go on to locate the wreck of the Titanic among other ocean-shaping discoveries) was prepared to witness something never before seen: a geyser of superheated, chemical rich water erupting … Read More “Giant tube worms dwell in the deep places beneath the ocean floor.” »
Last June, a striking image of a pride flag made up of NASA imagery became the most-liked post on the new social media network Bluesky, a post it held for 2 months. I spoke with its creator Rachel Lense about how it was made, and what it’s reception means for inclusion in science. This image … Read More “The story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky’s most-liked image” »
On Thursday, September 26th, I spoke on a “Biodiversity Leaders for Harris-Walz” zoom call. This is the text of my remarks, including links to learn more. Good evening. I’m Dr. David Shiffman, an ocean conservation scientist who studies threats to marine life and how we can solve those problems using wise evidence-based policymaking, through equitable … Read More “My remarks for Biodiversity Leaders for Harris Walz” »
One of the most iconic images of shark behavior is a great white shark hitting its prey so hard from below that the whole shark flies out of the water. This behavior, called “breaching,” has been documented in many species, and is useful for a variety of ecological functions, not just hunting. I spoke to … Read More “Jumping the shark: New study reviews the breaching behavior of sharks and rays” »
Over 15 years ago, I set sail from Matupi Harbor, Papua New Guinea to a spot in the middle of the Bismarck Sea between New Britain and New Ireland to study and understand the ecological diversity of a hydrothermal vent system resting beneath a submerged volcano 1600 meters beneath the sea. That hydrothermal vent system … Read More “What is going on at Solwara I?” »
Everyone knows that sandbar shark is #BestShark. But to help raise money for graduate student shark research, I asked professional wrestler Ryan “Hollywood Hunk” Nemeth to help me auction off the right for some other species to be guest #BestShark for a year– an honor that comes with a custom wrestling championship belt I commissioned … Read More “Bonnethead sharks are this year’s guest #BestShark” »
The upcoming 2024 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists is in my hometown of Pittsburgh! I can’t wait to show yinz around dahntahn n’at! Don’t be a jagoff, learn a little about the city before you go aht and explore! What’s with the weird accent? Lots of cities have regional dialects, and we have Pittsburghese. … Read More “Stuff to do in Pittsburgh if you’re in town for JMIH 2024” »
A groundbreaking journal article, recently published in Environmental Justice, calls for a significant shift in the approach to conservation in the Pacific Remote Islands Area (PRIA). The article, titled “Disavowing the Doctrine of Discovery: Indigenous Healing, Decolonization, and Implications for Environmental Justice in the Pacific Remote Islands Area,” presents a critical analysis of the proposal … Read More “Decolonize the Pacific Remote Islands” »
