James is a journalist with a passion for extreme adventure who has written for Scientific American, National Public Radio and The New York Times, draws from his mind-boggling, multiple award-winning new book, DEEP: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves. He’ll describe how groups of athletes and scientists plumbed ocean depths, and researchers collaborating with engineers from Apple, Google and elsewhere worked to “crack” the cetacean language code and send back messages to these giant marine mammals – to make contact. Their weird and wondrous new discoveries might just redefine our understanding of the ocean, and of ourselves. Another amazing guest with unbelievable experiences to share with us.

SHOW NOTES  

INSIGHTS

  •  James is an award winning author and journalist. He uses free diving for research to commune with oceanic life.
  • He sees the damage being done to our oceans…70% of coral is dead; sharks are still being hunted for soup…because most of us don’t see the devastation, we have a hard time identifying with it. The reality, we are in very deep trouble in our oceans – our naiveté and inconsideration for other animals – who have been stewards of this planet for millions of years – is destroying their perfect systems.
  • When you look an ocean animal in the eye, there is a paradigm shift that happens – your perspective and understanding about your place on the planet and the community that we all inhabit, shifts in very dynamic, important ways.
  • Did you know that a sperm whale’s brain is 6 times larger than a human brain? Did you know that sperm whales have had their current brains 50 million years longer than humans have had our brains? In the scope of brain evolution, our brains are nothing!
  • If there is a creature that is communicating in a very advanced way, it is sperm whales. Using echolocation to see in the water (whales can see what is on the outside of your body and what is on the inside of your body using echolocation) and communicate with other whales.
  • The Click Effect is an award winning live-action, immersive VR experience documentary… which we follow two renegade marine science researchers as they attempt to free-dive a hundred feet below the ocean’s surface in a single breath to capture the “click” communication of dolphins and sperm whales – the world’s largest predator.
  • What is the doorway to the deep? When you dive down 30 feet, you are in zero gravity…a little below that, the water reverses and instead of pushing you up…you get gently dragged down. The human body is meant to be in water – we are built with the reflexes and mechanisms to be in the water.
  • There is a group of blind activists (100% blind – not legally blind) in Los Angeles that have taught themselves whale echolocations. They live a completely free life and camp, bike, travel all using echolocation to move in the world.
  • Did you know that amniotic fluid is 99% similar to sea water? The blood in our veins, from birth to death, is 98% similar to sea water! The ocean is where we all have come from and where we will all return to…we share many of the same senses as ocean animals.
  • Do you know what magnetorecption is? Listen to this podcast to learn more!

GET INFORMED! 

GET ACTIVE!

  • Single use plastics are the biggest problem for the oceans – stop using them!
  • Where is scientific funding most needed and could be put to the best use? Listen to this podcast for Mrs. Green’s take.
  • Do something to make this a healthier sustainable planet.

 
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