Small but Mighty

Microscopic marine life and its outsized role in the ocean

Microbes and plankton may be small, but they have a big part to play in shaping our planet. The ocean’s smallest inhabitants form the base of marine food webs, help regulate global climate, and may hold the secrets to the origins of life on Earth. Join us as we explore “invisible” ocean life and its profound and far-reaching impacts.

Season 6, Episode 4
Airdate May 22, 2024
7:30pm - 8:30pm

Speakers & Host:

Julie Huber

Marine Microbiologist, WHOI

Heidi Sosik

Plankton Ecologist. Senior Scientist, WHOI

Nina Yang

Biological Oceanographer. Postdoctoral Investigator, WHOI

Veronique LaCapra

Ocean Encounters’ host. Director of Special Projects for Advancement, WHOI

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

Small but Mighty

Microscopic marine life and its outsized role in the ocean

Season 6, Episode 4

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Rising Seas, Resilient Coasts

Understanding, predicting, and adapting to sea level rise

Season 6, Episode 3

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Volcanoes

How fiery forces from deep inside the planet shape our world

Season 6, Episode 2

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Seabirds

Season 6, Episode 1

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Becoming a Marine Biologist

What it takes, and where it can take you

Season 5, Episode 6

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

The Arctic

Our planet on thin ice

Season 5, Episode 5

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Robots

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

Season 5, Episode 4

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Ocean Plastics

How harmful are they, and how do we know?

Season 5, Episode 3

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Sailing for Science

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

Season 4, Episode 6

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

From the Sea to the Stars

Women engineering for ocean and space exploration

Season 3, Episode 6

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Our Enchanted Ocean

A night of art, performances, and science

Season 2, Episode 5

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

The Stories We Tell

Sea stories from ancient oral traditions to modern-day pirates

Season 2, Episode 3

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Oceans Beyond Earth

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

Season 2, Episode 1

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Corals in Crisis

How scientists are racing to stop a deadly disease

Season 1, Episode 7

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

The Future Ocean

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

Season 1, Episode 6

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

Sharks!

New Insights into an Iconic Ocean Predator

Season 1, Episode 4

WATCH NOW MORE INFO

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