Sea Lab Sidebar

Sawfish Return? Searching Gulf Waters with eDNA

Sawfish may be returning to Alabama waters, and new DISL Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Nicole Phillips is using eDNA to find out. Phillips, who joined DISL in August, exp

Celebrate our Estuaries

Where saltwater and freshwater meet, estuaries create a rich, biodiverse habitat. In this podcast, we chat with JoAnn Moody, an educator in DISL's Discovery Hall Programs

Mighty Diatoms

Diatoms are tiny organisms that produce oxygen, form the foundation of ocean food webs, and play a surprisingly big role in our everyday lives. In this Sea Lab Sidebar, D

Scaring Oysters Strong

In honor of National Oyster Day on August 5, we're chatting with Dr. Lee Smee about how his lab is helping oysters build a stronger shell to protect themselves from preda

Celebrating International Horseshoe Crab Day - June 20

Horseshoe crabs are living fossils and are important to modern medicine. You may not have ever seen these 'humble monsters', but you may still have a connection. Joining

Tagging Sea Turtles

Tagging sea turtles helps in understanding their migration patterns and where they live. Dr. Katrina Phillips explains what types of tags they use and how they attach the

Oyster Restoration

Oysters are called ecosystem engineers because they build their habitat, but sometimes they need a helping hand. In this episode, we chat with researcher Christa Russel

Sea Turtle of the Gulf

World Sea Turtle Day is May 23, and this episode of the Sea Lab Sidebar is out just in time to celebrate. DISL Senior Marine Scientist Dr. Katrina Phillips chats about wh

Rays of the Bay, Alabama Aquarium

The Rays of the Bay Touch Tank is a visitor favorite at the Alabama Aquarium. Director Mendel Graeber shares more about their lifestyle and the rays we find in the northe

Living Shorelines

Living shorelines enhance coastlines by using the natural environment to protect against erosion and rising waters. PhD Candidate Aaron Bland from Dr. Ron Baker's lab cha

Seahorses and their cousin the Pipefish

Seahorses are majestic in their movement, and what you may not know is that seahorses are fish. Alabama Aquarium Director Mendel Graeber explains what makes them a fish a

Dolphins

Seeing a dolphin while you're at the beach or on a boat in coastal Alabama never seems to get old. And you have to be quick if you want to snap a picture to prove you cau

Seagrass

In this episode, Alabama Center of Excellence Deputy Director and seagrass expert Dottie Byron shares why seagrass is a foundational habitat, how they recruit birds to he