Challenging Habitat
Photograph of Field Study Council guide to common seaweeds

Plankton and Seaweed

Half of the oxygen that sustains life on Earth is produced in the ocean…

Killiney Beach

Sunny Days in Ireland

Once more, I joined the sail training tall ship Pelican of London for STEM at SEA education voyages with Sail Training Ireland youngsters on board. We have a little more time than usual in Dublin and we make… Read More

Agreement is Hope

A new treaty to protect the oceans has been agreed upon by the United Nations after more than a decade of negations and a marathon of talks in the last few days. If ratification can be achieved, the… Read More

View over the bowsprit of Pelican of London.

The (Hidden) Cost of Travel

I recently travelled in the Caribbean for Seas Your Future and here is my attempt to figure out my additional carbon footprint of this trip.

Nice work if you can get it!

I’m in the Caribbean!

Biodiversity – COP15

the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) state that around 50,000 wild species are used by humans through hunting, fishing, gathering, logging and harvesting, as well as observing. Around 20% of humanity rely on wild species for income and… Read More

Gannets above Bass Rock, Scotland (c) C Braungardt

Head in the Clouds!

We are celebrating the 250th birthday of Luke Howard, the man who named the clouds. Besides studying languages, pharmacy and natural sciences, he was an ‘amateur’ meteorologist. The Royal Meteorological Society is marking his contribution to the field… Read More

Sunset over the Irish Sea. (c) C Braungardt 2022

Esther Bancroft – ‘Literate’ in Residence

As our first Scientist in Residence with language as research focus, Esther explores our interactions with the sea and how our language relates to them. She sees the point of connection as: “science and literature are both rooted… Read More

Sea bird flying

Olivia Yorke-Dunne – Youngest Scientist in Residence

Olivia rises to a challenge: this summer, she was the youngest ever Scientist in Residence for Project Ocean Awareness on board tall ship Pelican of London.

Leanne Hughes – Professional Scientist in Residence

Leanne Hughes is a chartered geologist at the British Geological Survey and loves outreach. I saw her in action at the Bristol Harbour Festival this year, where she engaged kids in sediment stability experiments…doesn’t sound like fun to… Read More

Common Dolphin

Nigel Welford – Star Scientist in Residence

Seas Your Future is not only taking teenagers on board for a voyage of sail training and personal development, but as part of the Ocean Science programme, are also giving young scientists the chance to gain experience with… Read More

Samples of bryozoan colonies on kelp under the microscope. (c) C Braungardt

Citizen Science along Sail Training

Coastal cruises provide many opportunities for undertaking citizen science projects that contribute valuable data to conservation organisations, such as the Marine Conservation Society and the Sea Watch Foundation.