Afleveringen
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The Aquarium requires the work of a lot of people to function. Some might not surprise you — animal care specialists, veterinarians, housekeeping, plumbers — but did you know our team also includes a pair of horticulturists?
It's thanks to the tireless efforts of these plant experts that our exhibits mimic, as closely as possible, the natural environments our residents would call home in the wild. Normally, their work goes largely unnoticed by guests, but in this episode, we're giving them a much-deserved moment in the spotlight!
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist, host and slayer of orchids Austin Prater, senior horticulturist Jenna Paler, horticulturist II -
Whether it's just a pop across the border into Tijuana, a cruise along the Rhine, backpacking through Nepal or visiting relatives in Uganda, there's nothing quite like the full-body culture shock of international travel.
In this episode, three Aquarium adventurers share life-altering experiences from their international sojourns. We'll chat about the joy of watching cheetahs learning to hunt in Kenya, visiting sustainable fisheries in the Amazon and the stark, otherworldly beauty of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Grab your passport, pack a toothbrush, and let's go!
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and tour guide Thom Benson, vice president and chief communications/marketing officers Claudia Mendez-Marti, community engagement educator Elaine Robinson, senior aquarist -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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With all the talk about lab coats, beakers, bunsen burners and such, science can seem awfully intimidating, but these days, the barrier to participation in science is lower than ever.
In this episode of the podcast, Aquarium Educator II Stephanie Soto talks about how you — yes, YOU — can help a brother or sister researcher out through citizen science projects. This egalitarian approach to academic studies opens the door for laypeople to make meaningful contributions by recording and reporting their observations and other data to a project creator.
Check out Stephanie’s iNaturalist page, including herongoing project to document plant and animal species found in downtown Chattanooga at https://www.inaturalist.org/users/101301
Looking for a citizen science opportunity that’s coming upsoon (or will happen predictably each year)? Learn how you can take part in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count at https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, senior communications specialist and host-captain Stephanie Soto, educator II and citizen scientist extraordinaireCitizen Science Resources
NASA's Citizen Science projects: https://science.nasa.gov/citizen-science/ Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird: https://ebird.org/home FrogWatch USA: https://www.akronzoo.org/frogwatch National Weather Service SKYWARN program: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/fish/sturgeon.html Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute Freshwater Information Network: https://tnacifin.com/ BugGuide.net: https://bugguide.net/node/view/15740 Zooniverse: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org -
Even among other imperiled aquatic species, the Laurel Dace probably gets winces of sympathy. This little fish is the quintessential hard-luck story. In the last ten years, its numbers have dramatically dwindled thanks to a take-your-pick collection of challenges: invasive species, dirt choking its streams, a plague of cyst-causing grubs and (most recently) catastrophic drought.
To say this little fish needs help is a dramatic understatement, but our scientists are doing their level best to keep this plucky survivor around. In this episode, two of these champion biologists join us to discuss our ongoing efforts to save a fish that desperately needs the assist.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Dr. Anna George, vice president of conservation science and education Abbey Holsopple, recovery biologist -
Did you realize the Tennessee Aquarium is home to the largest collection of freshwater turtles at a public institution in North America? Yessiree, we're really fond of our chelonians (read: tortoises and turtles) here, so we invited our resident herp expert to help us shellebrate these amazing reptiles.
(And no, we can't promise those are the last puns you'll encounter during this slightly-longer-than-normal episode.)
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Bill Hughes, herpetology collection coordinator -
With Halloween just around the corner, many of our minds are drawn to all things spooktacular. To many people, the spookiest of spooks — and the source of the most common animal-centric phobias — are snakes and spiders. But do these creepy, slithery, jittery critters deserve their bad reputation or are they just the victims of bad PR?
In this episode, two Aquarium experts and resident spider- and snake-friends delve into the how and why of arachnophobia and ophidiophobia and explain why these legless and (some would argue) too-many-legged animals deserve more respect than fear.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Rose Segbers, entomologist II Charlie Olson, herpetologist IIResources
Scary and nasty beasts: Self-reported fear and disgust of common phobic animals: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjop.12409 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency guide to snakes of Tennessee: https://www.tn.gov/twra/wildlife/reptiles/snakes.html Seriema prey-thrashing behavior: https://youtu.be/mg7Qxr70IR0?si=GunddScc7l1Bb7c4 -
Did you realize it's legal to keep lemurs as pets in Tennessee (and several other American states)? Yeah, we were shocked, too. Trust us, though, you don't want to go down that path for a lot of reasons.
In this week's episode, we've brought in one of our lemur caretakers to explain why these prosimians are like furry little fireworks displays. They're beautiful and fun to watch, but you wouldn't want one in your living room.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Maggie Sipe, senior animal care specialist -
Every day, Aquarium educators present programs to the public, both on site and at schools or other facilities, accompanied by assistants of the furry, scaly or feathered variety. The animals who take part in these outreach presentations are known as "ambassador animals," and Tanisha La Guardia is in charge of caring for them.
Before she became a lover of snakes and lizards of all sorts, however, Tanisha was scared with a capital "S" of reptiles. Find out how she overcame that discomfort and the delight she takes in winning others over to the herpetological camp.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist/host Tanisha La Guardia, lead animal ambassador coordinator -
For more than 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has provided the mechanisms to protect imperiled species in the United States. But like most legislation, understanding how it actually works can be a pretty daunting task. No worries! We've got just the scientists for that.
In this episode, our vice president of conservation science and education and resident aquatic conservation biologist swoop in to offer reams (REAMS) of knowledge to help you understand how the ESA helps protect our nation's most at-risk species and why landing on the list of endangered species isn't the death sentence some may assume it to be.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Dr. Anna George, vice president of conservation science & education Dr. Bernie Kuhajda, aquatic conservation biologist -
The Tennessee Aquarium's home in Chattanooga sits in the heart of some of the oldest mountains on Earth (the Appalachians), but what was life like in our neck of the woods, say, 5 million years ago? How about 65 million?
In honor of the latest film now playing at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater, T. REX 3D, we've called up paleontologist and mammalogist Dr. Steven "Wally" Wallace to offer up some expert insights into life in ancient (and REALLY ANCIENT) Appalachia.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Dr. Steven "Wally" Wallace, paleontologist and professor at East Tennessee State University -
To many residents of the United States, the thought of eating an insect is probably enough to turn them off the idea of food entirely, but for cultures around the world, entomophagy is not only common; it's just common sense.
In light of this summer's headline-grabbing 13-year cicada brood emergence, we've called on the Aquarium's resident entomologist — who has eaten insects before — to make the case for why bugs SHOULD be on your menu.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Rose Segbers, entomologist II -
They may be a lot more fun to visit than a lab, and their employees may not walk around in white coats, but aquariums and zoos are important contributors to scientific research. The combination of ready control of environmental conditions and the opportunity to observe animals without interruptions caused by inclement weather or other factors make them an ideal place for studies to be conducted.
In this week's episode, we'll chat with our assistant curator of fishes to learn more about her study into the impacts of ocean acidification on jellyfish and what it was like overcoming her feelings of scientific "imposter syndrome."
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Rachel Thayer, assistant curator of fishes -
Did you realize the Southeastern United States is home to more species of aquatic life than anywhere else in the temperate world? A lot of people, even those who live here, don't realize they live in the midst of an underwater rainforest that rivals celebrated ecosystems like the Amazon Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.
In 2023, the Aquarium decided to shine a light on the abundance in its own backyard with its newest gallery, Ridges to Rivers. In this week's episode, meet the aquarists who overcame seemingly endless challenges when designing the centerpiece of the gallery, an 18-foot-long artificial stream. This exhibit is so true-to-the-wild that its residents recently engaged in an unprecedented mating display, but getting to this point was no easy feat.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Avery Millard, senior aquarist (an aquarist II at time of recording) Ben Stenger, senior aquarist -
Next year is the 50th anniversary of the movie Jaws, which means Hollywood has been hard at work painting sharks as villains of the deep for half a century.
In honor of Shark Week, we're celebrating the launch of The Podcast Aquatic by gathering together a trio of resident shark experts to set the story straight and explain why these marine predators are really just the victims of exceptionally bad PR.
Episode cast
Casey Phillips, communications specialist and host Kyle McPheeters, senior aquarist Adam Johnson, animal care facility lead Thom Demas, vice president and chief husbandry and exhibits officer -
Suit up, check your tank, cinch up your dive belt and prepare to plunge into interesting discussions with experts from one of the world's largest and most-popular freshwater aquariums.
