Sadly, us humans can't spend every hour in the ocean staring at sharks (unfair, right?!). But do you know what can? Robots. UNDERWATER robots. In today's episode, we are diving into the super cool world of ocean tech with research scientist Martina Lonati! Martina seeks to understand how new technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) can help fill in the gaps in our sharky knowledge, such as what they get up to at night, and who's hanging around in...

There is a place where the largest and most powerful river in the world meets the Atlantic ocean, and one of the most threatened species of elasmobranch - the largetooth sawfish - finds one of its last refuges on earth. In this episode of World of Sharks, we are joined by shark scientist and conservationist Dr Patricia Charvet, who has dedicated her life to understanding and protecting sharks and rays in her home country of Brazil. We discuss why the Amazonian coast is such a special place,...

When life gives you lemon sharks...make a podcast about them! This week we are answering a request by listener Charlie to devote an episode entirely to warm-water loving Negaprion brevirostris, the lemon shark. And to help us learn everything there is to know about them is marine biologist, educator, author and founder/president of Sharks4Kids, Jillian Morris-Brake, who has a lot of experience with this species and even describes them as her favourite shark! Expect a journey into the mangrove...

Thinking of a career in shark science and conservation? Struggling to find your niche? Found your niche, but trying to advance in your field? Or wondering what on earth to write in that email to the person you admire?  We're back with another special episode dedicated to careers with sharks and the ocean. For the last year, we've asked each podcast guest to share their advice and own experiences to help you on your journey. From tips and tricks for writing grants and developing your research...

“Conservation is not drones and DNA samples or pamphlets or computers. It is people, and we should be investing in those people.” In this episode of World of Sharks, we sit down with fisheries scientist, director of the Fish and Fisheries Lab at James Cook University and Save Our Seas Foundation Scientific Advisor Dr Andrew Chin to discuss the challenges and realities of shark conservation and management, and how we can support the people working on the ground to make the ocean a better...

It’s the one you’ve all been waiting for…we’re going back in time to meet the largest shark to have ever existed: Otodus megalodon. Growing up to twenty metres long, with teeth as large as a human hand and jaws that could fit you and a friend (with some room to spare), this apex superpredator continues to capture our attention, despite having been extinct for at least 2.6 million years. But what is the truth behind this gigantic fish? Were they just a beefed-up white shark, or did they look...

Sharks and rays are found all over the world; from the freezing waters of the Arctic to the tropical Indo-Pacific, and just about everywhere else in between. This means that shark conservation is a global effort, spanning multiple countries, cultures, customs and languages. But did you know that 98% of scientific research is published exclusively in English? In this episode of the World of Sharks podcast, we discuss how linguistic bias can limit shark conservation and the value of publishing...

Did you know that some sharks can keep parts of their body warm to allow them to move faster, swim for longer, see more clearly and think better?? Or, that basking sharks have a gigantic heart?! This week we are diving into the fascinating world of shark physiology and anatomy to learn about a special trait only found in a handful of species: regional endothermy. To take us on this journey of discovery we are joined by Dr Haley Dolton, marine biologist specialising in the physiology and...

This week on the podcast we are taking a brief detour from sharks to explore the fascinating world of turtles and tortoises! We are diving into the research of SOSF project leader and turtle specialist Alessia Lavigne, who has been trying to understand why turtle and tortoise eggs sometimes fail to hatch. Turtles and tortoises (known collectively as the testudines) are, like sharks, one of the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. Understanding when and why reproduction fails is...

We welcome back shark scientist and CEO/Co-Founder of Minorities in Shark Sciences, Jasmin Graham, and celebrate the release of her new book, Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Scientist. We talk about the incredible adaptations and resilience of sharks, the glorious weirdness of sawfishes - a species Jasmin has worked closely with - and why Jasmin feels innately connected to sharks and compelled to protect them. We also talk about the barriers faced by gender minorities of color in...

We are so excited to share with you a very special bonus episode of World of Sharks! Join us as we head into the field in search of the second largest species of shark in the world: the basking shark. We’ll be heading out on the boat with Dr Alex McInturf (@drsurfnturf), shark scientist at the Chapple Big Fish Lab (@big_fish_lab), SOSF project leader and project coordinator for the Irish Basking Shark Group (@baskingirish). You'll be right there with us as we conduct some basking shark...

This week we are diving into the world of angel sharks, the second most threatened group of elasmobranchs in the world. Joining us is co-founder and co-lead of the Angel Shark Project, Eva Meyers, and project coordinator for the Angel Shark Project: Wales, Jake Davies. In this episode we learn all about angel sharks, their super-powered ability to “disappear” and ambush prey, and the work of the Angel Shark Project which aims to protect these unusual sharks throughout their range. Shownotes:...

Sharks with beards. Deep sea sharks with glow-in-the-dark bellies. Sharks that take on submarines. Sharks that walk instead of swim and rays with a hedge trimmer for a nose…this episode has it all! We explore the fantastic diversity of sharks and their relatives (and of all marine life!) with marine biologist, scientific writer and broadcaster Dr Helen Scales, ahead of the release of her new book, What the Wild Sea Can Be. Join us as we travel from the ocean depths to the shallowest...

Come with us on a voyage to one of the most remote, biodiverse and "sharkiest" places on the planet with leading expert Pelayo Salinas, co-principal investigator of shark ecology and conservation at the Charles Darwin Foundation and Save Our Seas Foundation project leader. In this episode we go on a dive to observe scalloped hammerheads visiting their after-work spa, get booped by the bouncer of the reef, Galapagos sharks, and swim alongside the world's largest fish. And, if that wasn't...

Thresher sharks are known for their unusual hunting strategy. They use their long tail like a whip, striking it so fast that it creates a shockwave capable of stunning multiple fish at once! But how does their anatomy support such an extreme movement? In today’s episode we find out! We talk with Jamie Knaub, who researches the biomechanics and vertebral anatomy in large, swimming animals - including whales and sharks. In this episode we explore Jamie's research, including her most recent work...

Conservation is often more about understanding people than studying the animals we are trying to protect. In this episode we learn from Dr Hollie Booth, research fellow at the University of Oxford, who has worked extensively with small-scale fisheries in Indonesia, the world’s largest shark fishing nation. Hollie’s work aims to disentangle the drivers of shark fishing in order to find solutions that have positive outcomes for both sharks and coastal communities. Here, we discuss the...

The ocean is warming at a rapid pace. This year (2024) began with the highest global Sea Surface Temperature (SST) on record, and scientists are already warning of mass coral bleaching events and other worrying consequences for marine life. But how could rising temperatures impact sharks, particularly in the early stages of life when they are most vulnerable? PhD student and “mother-of-sharks” Noémie Coulon is trying to understand the effects of ocean warming and acidification on baby sharks,...

In February 2024, a round stingray from a small, rural aquarium in the middle of a shopping mall unexpectedly took the world by storm. She was pregnant, but how this had happened was a complete mystery - there were no male stingrays in the tank, nor had there ever been... In this episode we are joined by scientist and science communicator Dr David Shiffman (@whysharksmatter) to examine Charlotte's case. We go deep into the various theories that could explain Charlotte's pregnancy to get to...

The international shark fin trade is a billion-dollar industry. It is also driving declines in shark populations around the world. In this episode, we are joined by Luke Warwick, expert in global shark policy, to learn how CITES - an international agreement between governments to regulate trade in endangered species - could help protect sharks and rays from overexploitation. In particular, we discuss a landmark vote that occurred in 2022, which saw 90% of the fin trade come under regulation...

Do sharks have ears? Are they good listeners? What are they listening for? Do great white sharks get freaked out by orca sounds? And what kind of music do sharks like?! We cover all this and so much more with bio-acoustician and shark hearing expert, Dr Lucille Chapuis. Join us for a fact-filled episode that includes disco sharks, curious humpbacks, putting sharks in 'sleepy-time baths' and R2D2 with a throat problem.  You can follow Lucille on twitter (@sharkslikejazz), instagram...

Time travel. Ancient coral reefs. Shark sleuthing. The AMAZING properties of shark skin...this episode has it all! We're chatting with Dr Erin Dillon, conservation paleobiologist and researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Erin's work uses fossilised shark skin (fancy term: dermal denticles) as a window into the past, to understand what kinds of sharks were around on coral reefs thousands of years ago and how that has changed over time. It's a fascinating deep dive into...

It's our 50th episode!! To celebrate, host Isla is joined by shark scientist and CEO of the Save Our Seas Foundation Dr James Lea to talk about the amazing evolutionary success of sharks and their relatives. We talk about just how much sharks have had thrown at them over the 440 million years they've existed on this planet (super volcanoes, ice ages, the terror of plants and a mass extinction event called the 'Great Dying'!) and discuss their super-powered adaptations and efficient body...

Starting out on your own career journey can be a little daunting, which is why we’ve put together this special episode of World of Sharks, filled with advice, experiences and anecdotes from the guests of season 4. We talk about how to make your dreams of working in shark science and conservation a reality – from how to approach professors, to finding your niche, to overcoming setbacks and staying true to yourself. You can find additional resources in the shownotes:...

Plastics. Oil spills. Industrial chemicals. Herbicides. Pesticides…the list of substances that we have dumped in the sea is endless. But scientists are only just beginning to understand the true extent of the impact of marine pollutants on marine life. Fish biologist and SOSF project leader Franco Cristiani is investigating the effects of harmful pollutants on chondrichthyans, using the American elephant fish (a chimaera) as a model species. We invited Franco onto World of Sharks to discuss...