Skip to content

Southern Fried Science

Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS

Author: Andrew Thaler

Marine science and conservation. Deep-sea ecology. Population genetics. Underwater robots. Open-source instrumentation. The deep sea is Earth's last great wilderness.

Deep-sea Mining: It’s science fiction, until it isn’t.

Posted on May 14, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
Deep-sea Mining: It’s science fiction, until it isn’t.
Featured, Policy

This editorial originally appeared as my farewell letter when I ended my tenure at the Deep-sea Mining Observer. In light of recent news surrounding deep-sea mining, I am republishing it here for posterity. Four years ago, I took over the Deep-sea Mining Observer from my predecessor, Arlo Hemphill. Conceived by the Pew Charitable Trust in … Read More “Deep-sea Mining: It’s science fiction, until it isn’t.” »

Deep-sea mining, marine protected areas, and the eternal struggle to open doors: This Week in Andrew (and Angelo) Doing Podcasts

Posted on May 7, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
Deep-sea mining, marine protected areas, and the eternal struggle to open doors: This Week in Andrew (and Angelo) Doing Podcasts
Blogging, Policy, Science

It’s another podcast round-up! I was on how to Protect the Ocean talking about the most recent developments in deep-sea mining. Angelo and I caught up with Beth Pike of Marine Conservation Institute for Deep Day, to talk about marine protected areas, mining, and fishing. And over on my very silly ocean science Dungeons and … Read More “Deep-sea mining, marine protected areas, and the eternal struggle to open doors: This Week in Andrew (and Angelo) Doing Podcasts” »

First live video of a colossal squid highlights one of the most exciting knowledge gaps in deep ocean exploration

Posted on April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
First live video of a colossal squid highlights one of the most exciting knowledge gaps in deep ocean exploration
Exploration, Featured

Earlier this month, the good folks at the Schmidt Institute for Oceanography, unveiled the first video footage of a colossal squid. Colossal squid were first described 100 years ago, but have never been seen live. What little information we have comes from specimens that washed up on beaches or from hard parts found in the … Read More “First live video of a colossal squid highlights one of the most exciting knowledge gaps in deep ocean exploration” »

Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining and Critical Minerals: Part 2, what is in the Executive Order?

Posted on April 25, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining and Critical Minerals: Part 2, what is in the Executive Order?
Featured, News, Policy

Last night, the President signed an Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining. The order directs primarily NOAA and DOI to develop an expedited permitting process for mining in both the US EEZ and, chaotically, the high seas beyond US jurisdiction. I provide a brief overview of the industry here: Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining … Read More “Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining and Critical Minerals: Part 2, what is in the Executive Order?” »

Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining and Critical Minerals: Part 1, what are we talking about?

Posted on April 25, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining and Critical Minerals: Part 1, what are we talking about?
Conservation, Featured, News

Late yesterday afternoon, the President signed and executive order on Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources. This order accelerates the US’s expansion into the nascent deep-sea mining industry, asserts its claims over minerals of the US outer continental shelf, and reasserts its claims over mineral deposits in the high seas, with some interesting caveats. … Read More “Understanding the Executive Order on Deep-sea Mining and Critical Minerals: Part 1, what are we talking about?” »

Deep-sea mining, forest ecology, and Dungeons & Dragons: all the podcasts I’ve been on this quarter

Posted on April 11, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
Deep-sea mining, forest ecology, and Dungeons & Dragons: all the podcasts I’ve been on this quarter
Blogging

Between the ramp up in deep-sea mining and the publication of my Jabberwock adventure, I did a lot of podcasts this quarter. Listen to some of my favorite interviews, below. Deep-sea mining keeps heating up. I joined Hopkins Public Health on Call to talk about the current state of deep-sea mining and what the future … Read More “Deep-sea mining, forest ecology, and Dungeons & Dragons: all the podcasts I’ve been on this quarter” »

Ocean Science Blogger Roll Call!

Posted on April 7, 2025 By Andrew Thaler 12 Comments on Ocean Science Blogger Roll Call!
Blogging

Blogging never dies! For over 17 years, Southern Fried Science has been writing about the oceans from the perspective of working scientists and policy experts. Along the way, we’ve seen hundreds of great ocean blogs come and go, coalesce and expand, move and change and evolve. Some of you are now podcasters. Others are going … Read More “Ocean Science Blogger Roll Call!” »

The Metals Company has a Jones Act Problem

Posted on April 2, 2025April 2, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
The Metals Company has a Jones Act Problem
Featured, News, Policy

The deep-sea mining world was thrown a curveball last week when, as the spring session of the International Seabed Authority came to a close, the Metals Company, one of several commercial ventures seeking permission to mine polymetallic nodules in the Clipperton-Clarion Zone, announced that they would seek permission to mine directly from the United States, … Read More “The Metals Company has a Jones Act Problem” »

We are a maritime nation: my comments at the March 3 Defend NOAA rally.

Posted on March 3, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
We are a maritime nation: my comments at the March 3 Defend NOAA rally.
Featured, Policy

On March 3, 2025, hundreds of people gathered in front of NOAA headquarters to protest the illegal, wasteful, and capricious firing of career civil servants at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I was invited to speak on the value of NOAA scientific research. Below is a transcript of my remarks. NOAA is the original … Read More “We are a maritime nation: my comments at the March 3 Defend NOAA rally.” »

10 Tips for Running a Dungeons & Dragons Campaign for Education

Posted on February 26, 2025 By Andrew Thaler
10 Tips for Running a Dungeons & Dragons Campaign for Education
Education, Featured

This December, I published The Last Hunt for the Jabberwock: A Feywild Adventure in Ecologic Succession on the Dungeon Master’s Guild. Last Hunt for the Jabberwock is a 12 to 20 hour Dungeons & Dragons campaign with a twist: the adventure, set in a whimsical forest in the midst of tremendous environmental change is complemented … Read More “10 Tips for Running a Dungeons & Dragons Campaign for Education” »

Posts pagination

1 2 … 147 Next

Recent Popular Posts

A roundup of my media outreach for Jaws' 50th anniversaryA roundup of my media outreach for Jaws' 50th anniversaryJune 20, 2025David Shiffman
David Attenborough's Ocean is on Hulu and Disney+. Let's watch together and discuss it!David Attenborough's Ocean is on Hulu and Disney+. Let's watch together and discuss it!June 16, 2025David Shiffman
Marine Biology Career AdviceMarine Biology Career AdviceMay 30, 2025David Shiffman
The story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky's most-liked imageThe story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky's most-liked imageSeptember 27, 2024David Shiffman
Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryShark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryAugust 10, 2014Michelle Jewell
How many nuclear weapons are at the bottom of the sea. An (almost certainly incomplete) census of broken arrows over water.How many nuclear weapons are at the bottom of the sea. An (almost certainly incomplete) census of broken arrows over water.July 26, 2018Andrew Thaler
Here's what I teach my students about finding jobs in marine biology and conservationHere's what I teach my students about finding jobs in marine biology and conservationApril 10, 2024David Shiffman
What is a Sand Shark?What is a Sand Shark?November 12, 2017Chuck Bangley
What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?November 8, 2013David Shiffman
Megalodon: the New Evidence is a fake documentaryMegalodon: the New Evidence is a fake documentaryAugust 7, 2014David Shiffman
Subscribe to our RSS Feed for updates whenever new articles are published.

We recommend Feedly for RSS management. It's like Google Reader, except it still exists.

Southern Fried Science

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS


If you enjoy Southern Fried Science, consider contributing to our Patreon campaign.

Copyright © 2025 Southern Fried Science.

Theme: Oceanly Premium by ScriptsTown