Blue carbon may help slow climate change. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are storing far more carbon than scientists once realized. In this episode, marine ecologist Dr. Narissa Bax explains how deep-sea corals, sponges, algae, and microscopic marine life help remove carbon from the atmosphere and lock it away in ocean sediments for centuries. The conversation explores Antarctic blue carbon, climate change, carbon sequestration, deep-sea ecosystems, marine protected areas, ocean governance, and the growing scientific effort to understand the Southern Ocean’s role in regulating Earth’s climate. The episode also examines how Antarctic conservation policy, biodiversity protection, and climate-smart marine spatial planning could shape the future of one of the planet’s most important and least understood ecosystems.

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Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media website

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Hosted, produced, and edited by Clark Marchese

Find Dr. Narissa Bax website here.

Read Dr Bax’s publication: The Growing Potential of Antarctic Blue Carbon

Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media Website

Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia

Hosted, produced, written, and edited by Clark Marchese

Cover art and PFM logo by Laurel Wong.

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

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Elephant seals are helping to map the Southern Ocean. These extraordinary deep-diving animals are helping scientists study the Southern Ocean in places humans can barely reach, especially during the Antarctic winter. In this episode, Dr. Clive McMahon explains how southern elephant seals carry ocean sensors that collect real-time data on temperature, salinity, depth, and ocean productivity. The conversation explores elephant seal behavior, population decline, climate change, Antarctic bottom water, and the role these animals play in improving oceanography, weather forecasting, and climate science. If you’re interested in Antarctica, marine biology, elephant seals, Southern Ocean research, ocean data, or how animals can contribute to science, this episode offers a fascinating look at wildlife as scientific collaborators.

Episode Guest: Dr. Clive McMahon

Review the research publication discussed in the episode here

Visit Dr. McMahon’s publications on Google Scholar

Visit the website of the Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences

Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media Website

Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia

Hosted, produced, written, and edited by Clark Marchese

Cover art and PFM logo by Laurel Wong.

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

Find some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below

Listen to Oceanography on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Listen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Listen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First woman in Antarctica — Jackie Ronne’s story. Who was the first female Antarctic explorer? This episode explores the life of Jackie Ronne, the pioneering woman who joined a U.S. Antarctic expedition and overwintered on the continent in the 1940s. Polar historian Dr. Joanna Kafarowski explains how women were long barred from expeditions, why Ronne’s presence was controversial, and the scientific goals of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition—from mapping coastlines to geophysics and meteorology. Beyond survival, Ronne handled communications, reporting, and leadership during intense conflict on the ice. We also examine her later influence on Antarctic policy, public awareness, and tourism, and why her contributions were often overlooked in history. A story about exploration, gender barriers, and the human side of Antarctica.

Episode Guest: Dr. Joanna Kafarowski

Visit Dr. Kafarowski’s website here

Connect with Dr. Kafarowski on LinkedIn

Find: Antarctic Pioneer: the Trailblazing Life of Jackie Ronne

Find: The Polar Adventures of a Rich American Dame: The Life of Lousie Arner Boyd

Episode Transcript and more information on the Pine Forest Media Website

Follow Pine Forest Media on Instagram @pineforestmedia

Hosted, produced, written, and edited by Clark Marchese

Cover art and PFM logo by Laurel Wong.

Theme music by Nela Ruiz

Find some more Pine Forest Media podcasts below

Listen to Oceanography on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Listen to Plastic Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Listen to Something in the Water on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.