Show Notes
Send us Fan Mail Critics said it would never work. But after 30 years of surveying reefs the hard way - diving with a slate and pencil - marine ecologist Brett Kettle knew there had to be a better way. So he built one. In this episode of Word on the Reef, Tanya Murphy sits down with Brett and the team behind Flying Fish Technologies to reveal the Vertigo 3 Glider—an underwater drone that could revolutionise how we monitor and protect the ocean. Support the show ------- SUPPORT THE SHOW: Becom...
More from Word on the Reef
Send us Fan Mail Scientists are developing powerful cannons which can spray a fine mist of seawater off the back of a boat into the sky, helping clouds form to shade and cool sections of the Great Barrier Reef. But does it work? Are there any side effects? And is this futuristic technology going to be enough to save the reef in the face of worsening climate change? To help answer these questions, our guest on this episode of Word on the Reef is Dr. Daniel Harrison, oceanographer and engineer...
Send us Fan Mail What do bananas have to do with protecting the Great Barrier Reef? More than you might think! In this episode of Word on the Reef, we meet Frank and Dianne Sciacca from Pacific Coast Eco Bananas in Innisfail, who more than 25 years ago took a radical approach to banana farming. By ditching synthetic pesticides and fertilisers and working with nature instead, they’ve been showing that growing delicious bananas and protecting our waterways don’t have to be mutually exclusive. F...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we sit down with fish vet Matt Landos to unpack the case that pushed him into becoming a vocal advocate for stronger pesticide regulation in Australia. What starts as an investigation into mysterious fish health problems quickly turns into a revelation of how chemical exposure can move through water, air, food webs, and even into our bodies. Thumbnail Image: Two headed bass embryo, by G. Gilson Recommended Resources: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/region...
Send us Fan Mail The whale was bellowing out for help - so Brenton Owens weighed up the risks, and acted. A few days later, he received an infringement notice. In 2024, diver and environmental scientist Brenton Owens and a group of neighbours paddle-boarded out to rescue a humpback whale entangled in a shark net, risking legal action and fines of more than $30,000. Moved by that experience, he recently kayaked more than 1,300 kilometres from the Gold Coast to Airlie Beach to document the impa...
Send us Fan Mail Tyá Dynevor has always felt a special connection with animals, which has led her to becoming an ethnozoologist - someone who studies the relationship between humans and animals. It's something Traditional Owners have known about for millennia. We sat down with Tyá for a powerful discussion about how Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Western science can work together to keep Country and people healthy. We dig into reciprocity with nature, the spiritual side of Ind...