Science – Southern Fried Science

Aliens, Ridley Scott, and bad science

September 3, 2026 Chris Parsons No Comments

I am a huge fan of the Alien franchise…mostly. Alien and Aliens were ground-breaking movies and instant classics. Alien 3 had good parts (mostly the great British actors shining up a quickly knocked out script). Alien Resurrection was … not great. Alien: Romulus was pretty good, despite a dodgy CGI android and a practical effect … Read More “Aliens, Ridley Scott, and bad science” »

Emergency room conservation: why waiting for the Endangered Species Act to save a species is a fiscal disaster

August 11, 2026 Ali Gaster

Conservation, Policy, Science

Let’s talk about a pervasive zombie idea (a disproven idea that refuses to die) that continues to shamble through the halls of resource management. This is the belief that we shouldn’t spend money on conservation until a species is officially, legally designated as Threatened or Endangered. The logic behind this delay usually wears a suit … Read More “Emergency room conservation: why waiting for the Endangered Species Act to save a species is a fiscal disaster” »

Oceans week 2026 – a lost hope

June 5, 2026August 3, 2026 Ali Gaster 1 Comment

Academic life, Climate change, Conservation, Science

This week is National Oceans week. One of the main events in Washington DC is Capitol Hill Ocean Week (or CHOW). This two-day event, sponsored by the U.S. Government, brought policymakers, scientists, and conservationists together for policy discussions, networking, and raising awareness about ocean issues. I went to the event two years ago, and at … Read More “Oceans week 2026 – a lost hope” »

Phantom science – how “AI slop” is making environmental policy

March 30, 2026March 31, 2026 Chris Parsons 1 Comment

Academic life, Policy, Science

There’s a new specter haunting environmental governance, and it doesn’t rattle ghostly chains, it’s its generating phantom science. Recently, I was reading a government report trying to find scientific justifications for environmental actions when I ran into some citations that looked interesting. So, I tried to look them up. Despite a full, official looking citation … Read More “Phantom science – how “AI slop” is making environmental policy” »

We Need a “Starfleet” for the Oceans

March 30, 2026 Chris Parsons

Exploration, Uncategorized

There’s a particular kind of optimism baked into the Star Trek franchise that feels almost alien in 2026. It’s not the warp drives, transporters or other advanced technology. But rather it’s the idea that a uniformed service could exist primarily for exploration, science, diplomacy, and the collective good. “Starfleet” (the organization in the Star Trek … Read More “We Need a “Starfleet” for the Oceans” »

I was the entertainment at a 5th birthday party: A new favorite science communication gig

January 24, 2024 David Shiffman 1 Comment

Popular Culture

I recently got an incredible opportunity to do some public science engagement. My friends’ daughter, who absolutely loves sharks, was turning 5 and having friends over for a shark (and pirate, and octonauts) themed birthday party. And she wanted to know if I would be willing to attend and answer the kids’ questions about sharks. … Read More “I was the entertainment at a 5th birthday party: A new favorite science communication gig” »

Space whales. Space. Whales. SPAAAAACE WHAAAAALES! Weekly Salvage: October 21, 2019

October 21, 2019October 20, 2019 Andrew Thaler

Weekly Salvage

Transcript below.

Frisky Anglerfish, Persistent Aquatic Living Sensors, Make for the Planet Borneo, Sea Cucumber Mafia, and more! Monday Morning Salvage: March 26, 2018

March 26, 2018March 25, 2018 Andrew Thaler

Weekly Salvage

Foghorn (A Call to Action!)

Sign up for Make for the Planet Borneo and help push forward the next generation of conservation technology!
Announcing the Con X Tech Prize for Hacking Extinction! Apply for funding to create a working hardware prototype and win up to $20,000 in awards.

Flotsam (what we’re obsessed with right now)

This is a totally ordinary, not at all alarming, call for government bidders on a contract to build “new systems that employ natural or engineered marine organisms as sensor elements to amplify signals related to the presence, movement, and classification of manned or unmanned underwater vehicles.” They even adorably call these Persistent Aquatic Living Sensors PALS. Normal!
Here’s a video of anglerfish mating, because anglerfish are beauty.

This week in science and conservation slowly, awkwardly coming to terms with their racist history: For Decades, Our Coverage Was Racist. To Rise Above Our Past, We Must Acknowledge It and Environmentalism’s Racist History.
Scientists in Survival Mode: After a disastrous hurricane season, scientists in the storms’ pathways struggle to return to work.

The Levee (A featured project that emerged from Oceandotcomm)

Marine lab has ‘front row seat’ to Louisiana coastal loss.

LUMCON by boat — Photo by Melissa Miller