Ocean Plastics

How harmful are they, and how do we know?

Plastics are one of the most common substances in everyday life, found in everything from toothbrushes to cell towers. Now they have spread throughout the ocean, with surprising–and costly–consequences for us and for our ocean planet.

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Season 5, Episode 3
Originally aired April 12, 2023

Speakers & Host:

Sarah Dunlop

Head, Plastics & Human Health, Minderoo Foundation

Kara Lavender Law

Oceanographer, Sea Education Association

John Stegeman

Ocean toxicologist, WHOI

Veronique Lacapra

Host and Director of Special Projects, WHOI

SEASONS All Climate & Weather How the Ocean Works Ocean & Human Lives Ocean Life Ocean Tech Sustainable Ocean

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Small but Mighty

Microscopic marine life and its outsized role in the ocean

Season 6, Episode 4

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Rising Seas, Resilient Coasts

Understanding, predicting, and adapting to sea level rise

Season 6, Episode 3

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Volcanoes

How fiery forces from deep inside the planet shape our world

Season 6, Episode 2

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Seabirds

Season 6, Episode 1

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Becoming a Marine Biologist

What it takes, and where it can take you

Season 5, Episode 6

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The Arctic

Our planet on thin ice

Season 5, Episode 5

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Robots

How new technologies are advancing ocean research, exploration, and science-based solutions.

Season 5, Episode 4

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Ocean Plastics

How harmful are they, and how do we know?

Season 5, Episode 3

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Jellies — The surprising role of gelatinous creatures in ocean and human health

The surprising role of gelatinous creatures in ocean and human health

Season 5, Episode 2

Hydrothermal vents Ocean Encounters event title

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Hydrothermal Vents

Like geysers and hot springs on land, hydrothermal vents form in volcanic regions on the ocean bottom, gushing hot, mineral-rich fluids from beneath the seafloor.

Season 5, Episode 1

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Sailing for Science

Behind every oceanographer is a team of people dedicated to safe and successful research cruises.

Season 4, Episode 6

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Heat Waves

This summer was another hot one for many, with long, sweltering stretches of higher-than-usual temperatures—and not just on land. Heatwaves are also sweeping the ocean, with implications for marine life and the people who depend on it.

Season 4, Episode 5

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Giving Reefs a Chance

Coral reefs are in trouble. We have already lost more than half of the world’s reefs in just 50 years, while climate change, pollution, and other stressors continue to decimate what remains of these biodiverse and beautiful ecosystems.

Season 4, Episode 4

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Ocean Pollution

Pollution is a growing threat to the health of the ocean and the lives and livelihoods of people who rely on marine resources worldwide.

Season 4, Episode 3

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Antarctica!

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean make up the most remote part of our planet—one that few people have experienced.

Season 4, Episode 2

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Seaweed Solutions

As our climate continues to change and food insecurity grows worldwide, scientists and others are looking to solve these problems without harming marine ecosystems.

Season 4, Episode 1

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From the Sea to the Stars

Women engineering for ocean and space exploration

Season 3, Episode 6

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Weirdly Wonderful: Creatures of the Twilight Zone

The twilight zone is a place of wonder, mystery, and abundance that reminds us our choices mean the difference between a future of loss and sustainability.

Season 3, Episode 5

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Alvin: Ocean Discovery at New Depths

Hear from a volcanologist, a marine biologist, and Alvin’s senior pilot about how the iconic sub enables scientific discovery in the far reaches of Earth’s ocean.

Season 3, Episode 4

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Radiation: In our ocean, our planet, and our lives

In this episode, we take a look at the radiation all around us—its natural sources, its human applications, and their impacts on us and our environment.

Season 3, Episode 3

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Saving the North Atlantic Right Whale

The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered whales in the world, with an estimated 340 left on the planet. How can we explore partnerships and solutions for their survival?

Season 3, Episode 2

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Making Ocean Conservation Work

Achieving success in ocean conservation is a complex navigation of science, policy, and the needs of local communities. But it is achievable.

Season 3, Episode 1

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Our Enchanted Ocean

A night of art, performances, and science

Season 2, Episode 5

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Sea Change

Solutions for an ocean planet: Humanity is at a crossroads and the choices we make today will resonate for generations to come.

Season 2, Episode 4

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The Stories We Tell

Sea stories from ancient oral traditions to modern-day pirates

Season 2, Episode 3

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Hurricanes

Coastal cities lie at the intersection of many issues—ocean and climate, ecosystems and human infrastructure, and a rapidly growing population on a constantly changing landscape between land and sea.

Season 2, Episode 2

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Oceans Beyond Earth

From Earth’s deep ocean to the search for extraterrestrial life

Season 2, Episode 1

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Corals in Crisis

How scientists are racing to stop a deadly disease

Season 1, Episode 7

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The Future Ocean

What’s in store for our ocean planet and ocean science?

Season 1, Episode 6

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Extreme Ocean Machines

James Cameron, renowned ocean explorer and filmmaker, hosts a conversation about the revolutionary technologies that are empowering new generations of explorers, scientists, and storytellers on the high seas.

Season 1, Episode 5

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Sharks!

New Insights into an Iconic Ocean Predator

Season 1, Episode 4

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The Science of Shipwrecks

Renowned explorer Dr. Robert Ballard and WHOI scientist Dr. Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser provide a fascinating overview of some of the many, surprising facts that can be learned from shipwrecks.

Season 1, Episode 3