Bioluminescent Symbiosis with Margaret McFall-Ngai

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Episode Summary

In our newest episode, Bioluminescent Symbiosis, we speak with Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai, an animal physiologist and biochemist about her work with the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and its partner, the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri. McFall-Ngai provides a great synopsis of how this stable beneficial relationship not only creates light, and supports the bobtail maturation, but can also help us understand what could be going on in the light organs of deep-sea animals.

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In this episode…

Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea!

The Professor is jetsetting as always, back in Edinburgh after a stint getting all the equipment ready in the Canary Island and is now happily being confused with professional racecar drivers. He will be back in Perth shortly to celebrate the Deep-Sea center paper publishing streak and reconnect with his Capybara spirit animal.

Thom is being called out in New Zealand Parliament, for all the right reasons, and he spent some Deep-Sea conference time in China, avoiding typhoons and pondering science ideas.

We are also celebrating 300,000 podcast downloads of the podcast, and appreciate our fans immensely!

Our guest this month is Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai, an animal physiologist and biochemist who is a staff researcher at Carnegie Institution for Science’s Division of Biosphere Sciences and Engineering, with her lab stationed at the California Institute of Technology in Biology and Biological Engineering. Dr. McFal-Ngai talks us through her work on the stable beneficial relationship between the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and its partner, the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Although technically not a deep-sea species, this relationship and its details might help us understand how deep-sea life creates bioluminescence and the possible life cycle impacts for the creatures involved.

In the news, get ready for updates on:

Plenty of Science and Art collaboration news including a new collective, social media feeds and an opportunity for scientists to connect with artists.
Toxic Yellow worms, bright pink snailfish, and chewbacca corals.
An immensely important treaty ratification with worldwide impact.
Headteeth, yes you read that right.

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On the Discord, we’ve been busy with:

Bobtail squid fostercare
New Boardgame recommendations
Needle felting
New community papers and a Juicy Booty Starfish

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