Regina Barber

So today on the show, how regular people are fueling research on some of the tiniest, most influential critters on Earth, and how the shifting balance of power could ripple across the entire ocean. I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR. Okay, so Martina, what do we know about phytoplankton? Or maybe a better question is, what don't we know about them?

So today on the show, how regular people are fueling research on some of the tiniest, most influential critters on Earth, and how the shifting balance of power could ripple across the entire ocean. I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR. Okay, so Martina, what do we know about phytoplankton? Or maybe a better question is, what don't we know about them?

So today on the show, how regular people are fueling research on some of the tiniest, most influential critters on Earth, and how the shifting balance of power could ripple across the entire ocean. I'm Regina Barber, and you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR. Okay, so Martina, what do we know about phytoplankton? Or maybe a better question is, what don't we know about them?

Okay, so we're talking about these fjords, we're talking about these like phytoplankton. Where do they live in the water column?

Okay, so we're talking about these fjords, we're talking about these like phytoplankton. Where do they live in the water column?

Okay, so we're talking about these fjords, we're talking about these like phytoplankton. Where do they live in the water column?

Okay, so they're in these fjords. They're surrounded by these glaciers that are melting into the ocean. What do we know about that process?

Okay, so they're in these fjords. They're surrounded by these glaciers that are melting into the ocean. What do we know about that process?

Okay, so they're in these fjords. They're surrounded by these glaciers that are melting into the ocean. What do we know about that process?

So a huge way that you've learned about phytoplankton in these waters is the Fjord Phyto Project. It's a massive community science project where like regular people on like tour ships are collecting samples that you and other scientists can then like analyze in the lab. So how do passengers physically collect these samples?

So a huge way that you've learned about phytoplankton in these waters is the Fjord Phyto Project. It's a massive community science project where like regular people on like tour ships are collecting samples that you and other scientists can then like analyze in the lab. So how do passengers physically collect these samples?

So a huge way that you've learned about phytoplankton in these waters is the Fjord Phyto Project. It's a massive community science project where like regular people on like tour ships are collecting samples that you and other scientists can then like analyze in the lab. So how do passengers physically collect these samples?

So you rely on these passenger vessels to collect water samples from dozens of locations. And sometimes you get to go. What is that like?

So you rely on these passenger vessels to collect water samples from dozens of locations. And sometimes you get to go. What is that like?

So you rely on these passenger vessels to collect water samples from dozens of locations. And sometimes you get to go. What is that like?

Okay. So why passenger ships? Like, how does that help with the phytoplankton research?

Okay. So why passenger ships? Like, how does that help with the phytoplankton research?

Okay. So why passenger ships? Like, how does that help with the phytoplankton research?

And from the, like, Fjord Fido project, you have, like, more continuous data, like, from these passenger ships. What have you learned, like, in putting together this puzzle so far?

And from the, like, Fjord Fido project, you have, like, more continuous data, like, from these passenger ships. What have you learned, like, in putting together this puzzle so far?