Sam Andrews
@oceanoculus.com
Science & stories from the sea (& occasionally the other 30% of the planet)
🌊 Marine science, tech, policy, sustainability writer
🤿 Founder Ocean Oculus, the ocean-focused communications microagency
📈 Researcher
☕ Tea drinker
🧀 Cheese eater
🐧 Bird admirer
🌊 Marine science, tech, policy, sustainability writer
🤿 Founder Ocean Oculus, the ocean-focused communications microagency
📈 Researcher
☕ Tea drinker
🧀 Cheese eater
🐧 Bird admirer
This #NationalEngineeringDay, I’ve been thinking a lot about how marine engineers are helping to protect our ocean.
Let me give you an example...
📷 Credit: @baesystems.com (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) / @raeng.org.uk’s This is Engineering library
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Let me give you an example...
📷 Credit: @baesystems.com (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) / @raeng.org.uk’s This is Engineering library
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November 5, 2025 at 5:07 PM
This #NationalEngineeringDay, I’ve been thinking a lot about how marine engineers are helping to protect our ocean.
Let me give you an example...
📷 Credit: @baesystems.com (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) / @raeng.org.uk’s This is Engineering library
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Let me give you an example...
📷 Credit: @baesystems.com (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) / @raeng.org.uk’s This is Engineering library
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Spotted this beautiful trumpet vine peeping over someone's garden wall in Hérault, France.
Apparently some people find the leaves irritates their skin (didn't touch to find out)
#BloomScrolling #Nature
Apparently some people find the leaves irritates their skin (didn't touch to find out)
#BloomScrolling #Nature
November 5, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Spotted this beautiful trumpet vine peeping over someone's garden wall in Hérault, France.
Apparently some people find the leaves irritates their skin (didn't touch to find out)
#BloomScrolling #Nature
Apparently some people find the leaves irritates their skin (didn't touch to find out)
#BloomScrolling #Nature
Wishing our blood-belly comb jellyfish a very happy World Jellyfish Day!
You can probably guess where this comb jelly species got its name from, but did you know that down in the depths of the ocean where it lives, it doesn’t look red at all? 🤔
📷 Ryan Schwark (CC0 1.0 Universal)
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You can probably guess where this comb jelly species got its name from, but did you know that down in the depths of the ocean where it lives, it doesn’t look red at all? 🤔
📷 Ryan Schwark (CC0 1.0 Universal)
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November 3, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Wishing our blood-belly comb jellyfish a very happy World Jellyfish Day!
You can probably guess where this comb jelly species got its name from, but did you know that down in the depths of the ocean where it lives, it doesn’t look red at all? 🤔
📷 Ryan Schwark (CC0 1.0 Universal)
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You can probably guess where this comb jelly species got its name from, but did you know that down in the depths of the ocean where it lives, it doesn’t look red at all? 🤔
📷 Ryan Schwark (CC0 1.0 Universal)
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November 2, 2025 at 2:13 PM
If anyone was ready for Halloween, it has to be this Halloween crab!
These absolute beauties live in coastal forests in Central America and Mexico, heading back to the ocean to make babies
📷 Halloween crab at Carillo beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Credit Thomas Splettstoesser (CC BY-SA 3.0)
These absolute beauties live in coastal forests in Central America and Mexico, heading back to the ocean to make babies
📷 Halloween crab at Carillo beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Credit Thomas Splettstoesser (CC BY-SA 3.0)
October 31, 2025 at 6:42 PM
If anyone was ready for Halloween, it has to be this Halloween crab!
These absolute beauties live in coastal forests in Central America and Mexico, heading back to the ocean to make babies
📷 Halloween crab at Carillo beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Credit Thomas Splettstoesser (CC BY-SA 3.0)
These absolute beauties live in coastal forests in Central America and Mexico, heading back to the ocean to make babies
📷 Halloween crab at Carillo beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Credit Thomas Splettstoesser (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Let’s get statistically sea-nificant 🧮
🐢 1437
The number of sea turtle hatchlings that made it to the waters of New South Wales, Australia, in the 2024-2025 season.
📷 Credit: Elise Peterson (CC BY 3.0)
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🐢 1437
The number of sea turtle hatchlings that made it to the waters of New South Wales, Australia, in the 2024-2025 season.
📷 Credit: Elise Peterson (CC BY 3.0)
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October 30, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Let’s get statistically sea-nificant 🧮
🐢 1437
The number of sea turtle hatchlings that made it to the waters of New South Wales, Australia, in the 2024-2025 season.
📷 Credit: Elise Peterson (CC BY 3.0)
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🐢 1437
The number of sea turtle hatchlings that made it to the waters of New South Wales, Australia, in the 2024-2025 season.
📷 Credit: Elise Peterson (CC BY 3.0)
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Ok, so we need to talk about ghost sharks.
Why?
Because today is Ghost Shark Day. Also, I just learned something that’s kinda cool about one species of ghost shark - the spotted ratfish.
📷 Male spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei). Credit: Gareth J. Fraser, @ufresearch.bsky.social
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Why?
Because today is Ghost Shark Day. Also, I just learned something that’s kinda cool about one species of ghost shark - the spotted ratfish.
📷 Male spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei). Credit: Gareth J. Fraser, @ufresearch.bsky.social
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October 30, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Ok, so we need to talk about ghost sharks.
Why?
Because today is Ghost Shark Day. Also, I just learned something that’s kinda cool about one species of ghost shark - the spotted ratfish.
📷 Male spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei). Credit: Gareth J. Fraser, @ufresearch.bsky.social
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Why?
Because today is Ghost Shark Day. Also, I just learned something that’s kinda cool about one species of ghost shark - the spotted ratfish.
📷 Male spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei). Credit: Gareth J. Fraser, @ufresearch.bsky.social
1/2
Everyone - it’s Sea Slug day, so you absolutely need to look at this gorgeous Goniobranchus kuniei 😍
October 29, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Everyone - it’s Sea Slug day, so you absolutely need to look at this gorgeous Goniobranchus kuniei 😍
October 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
October 15, 2025 at 1:25 PM
October 14, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Help - I need a lipreader!
I've got a couple of very short videos from a recent project where the audio didn't record properly 🤦♀️
The footage itself is very simple - face-on shots, single speaker, all in English.
Has anyone worked with a lipreader that they'd recommend?
I've got a couple of very short videos from a recent project where the audio didn't record properly 🤦♀️
The footage itself is very simple - face-on shots, single speaker, all in English.
Has anyone worked with a lipreader that they'd recommend?
October 14, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Help - I need a lipreader!
I've got a couple of very short videos from a recent project where the audio didn't record properly 🤦♀️
The footage itself is very simple - face-on shots, single speaker, all in English.
Has anyone worked with a lipreader that they'd recommend?
I've got a couple of very short videos from a recent project where the audio didn't record properly 🤦♀️
The footage itself is very simple - face-on shots, single speaker, all in English.
Has anyone worked with a lipreader that they'd recommend?
Did you know that today is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction?
Today is all about calling for more funding in building resilience...
Perhaps like protecting mangroves & restoring the ones we’ve lost...
📷 Marcelo Johan Ogata “BugDreamer” / Ocean Image Bank
Today is all about calling for more funding in building resilience...
Perhaps like protecting mangroves & restoring the ones we’ve lost...
📷 Marcelo Johan Ogata “BugDreamer” / Ocean Image Bank
October 13, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Did you know that today is the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction?
Today is all about calling for more funding in building resilience...
Perhaps like protecting mangroves & restoring the ones we’ve lost...
📷 Marcelo Johan Ogata “BugDreamer” / Ocean Image Bank
Today is all about calling for more funding in building resilience...
Perhaps like protecting mangroves & restoring the ones we’ve lost...
📷 Marcelo Johan Ogata “BugDreamer” / Ocean Image Bank
Time for a little #BloomScrolling #Nature with these Ox-Eye Daisy flowers in Savoie, France
October 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Time for a little #BloomScrolling #Nature with these Ox-Eye Daisy flowers in Savoie, France
Everyone, it’s World Octopus Day 🐙 !
How could I not share this gorgeous dumbo octopus? 🥰
There are actually 17 species of dumbo octopus, each sporting fins that look a bit like Dumbo the elephant’s ears. They live in the deep, deep sea. As far as we know, none of them has an ink sack!
How could I not share this gorgeous dumbo octopus? 🥰
There are actually 17 species of dumbo octopus, each sporting fins that look a bit like Dumbo the elephant’s ears. They live in the deep, deep sea. As far as we know, none of them has an ink sack!
October 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Everyone, it’s World Octopus Day 🐙 !
How could I not share this gorgeous dumbo octopus? 🥰
There are actually 17 species of dumbo octopus, each sporting fins that look a bit like Dumbo the elephant’s ears. They live in the deep, deep sea. As far as we know, none of them has an ink sack!
How could I not share this gorgeous dumbo octopus? 🥰
There are actually 17 species of dumbo octopus, each sporting fins that look a bit like Dumbo the elephant’s ears. They live in the deep, deep sea. As far as we know, none of them has an ink sack!
#DYK hundreds of cities around the world are at risk from sea level rise and flooding?
Yeah, not great news, but there are things cities can do to reduce the impacts and adapt
Since today is World Habitat Day, what better time to highlight one doing it right!
📷 Bruce Emmerling (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Yeah, not great news, but there are things cities can do to reduce the impacts and adapt
Since today is World Habitat Day, what better time to highlight one doing it right!
📷 Bruce Emmerling (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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October 6, 2025 at 2:24 PM
#DYK hundreds of cities around the world are at risk from sea level rise and flooding?
Yeah, not great news, but there are things cities can do to reduce the impacts and adapt
Since today is World Habitat Day, what better time to highlight one doing it right!
📷 Bruce Emmerling (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Yeah, not great news, but there are things cities can do to reduce the impacts and adapt
Since today is World Habitat Day, what better time to highlight one doing it right!
📷 Bruce Emmerling (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Happy Geodiversity Day!
Today, we’re celebrating all of the wondrous non-living features of our planet, like the Challenger Deep
Hitting depths of around 11 kilometres, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known place on Earth
📷 Kmusser (Wikimedia) (CC BY 2.5)
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Today, we’re celebrating all of the wondrous non-living features of our planet, like the Challenger Deep
Hitting depths of around 11 kilometres, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known place on Earth
📷 Kmusser (Wikimedia) (CC BY 2.5)
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October 6, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Happy Geodiversity Day!
Today, we’re celebrating all of the wondrous non-living features of our planet, like the Challenger Deep
Hitting depths of around 11 kilometres, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known place on Earth
📷 Kmusser (Wikimedia) (CC BY 2.5)
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Today, we’re celebrating all of the wondrous non-living features of our planet, like the Challenger Deep
Hitting depths of around 11 kilometres, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known place on Earth
📷 Kmusser (Wikimedia) (CC BY 2.5)
1/2
Everyone - it's World Animal Day!
Since 1931, World Animal Day has united people globally to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
Photo: Sun Jiao/Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Since 1931, World Animal Day has united people globally to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
Photo: Sun Jiao/Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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October 4, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Everyone - it's World Animal Day!
Since 1931, World Animal Day has united people globally to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
Photo: Sun Jiao/Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Since 1931, World Animal Day has united people globally to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
Photo: Sun Jiao/Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Fed up?
Take a moment with these flamingoes
📍 Camargue, France
Take a moment with these flamingoes
📍 Camargue, France
October 1, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Fed up?
Take a moment with these flamingoes
📍 Camargue, France
Take a moment with these flamingoes
📍 Camargue, France
Let’s get statistically sea-nificant 🧮
↗️ 2080
The coastal flooding could start impacting Ahu Tongariki - the ahu (stone platform) that is home to Rapa Nui’s (Easter Island’s) sacred moai.
📷 The moai at Ahu Tongariki. Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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↗️ 2080
The coastal flooding could start impacting Ahu Tongariki - the ahu (stone platform) that is home to Rapa Nui’s (Easter Island’s) sacred moai.
📷 The moai at Ahu Tongariki. Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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September 30, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Let’s get statistically sea-nificant 🧮
↗️ 2080
The coastal flooding could start impacting Ahu Tongariki - the ahu (stone platform) that is home to Rapa Nui’s (Easter Island’s) sacred moai.
📷 The moai at Ahu Tongariki. Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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↗️ 2080
The coastal flooding could start impacting Ahu Tongariki - the ahu (stone platform) that is home to Rapa Nui’s (Easter Island’s) sacred moai.
📷 The moai at Ahu Tongariki. Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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I know - it doesn’t look much like the colourful, reef-building corals we’re used to seeing on, say, the Great Barrier Reef. But it does have a certain Wookiee charm that earned it the Star Wars nickname.
Those “hairy” features are actually long, flexible branches of tiny coral polyps.
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Those “hairy” features are actually long, flexible branches of tiny coral polyps.
2/3
September 29, 2025 at 2:23 PM
I know - it doesn’t look much like the colourful, reef-building corals we’re used to seeing on, say, the Great Barrier Reef. But it does have a certain Wookiee charm that earned it the Star Wars nickname.
Those “hairy” features are actually long, flexible branches of tiny coral polyps.
2/3
Those “hairy” features are actually long, flexible branches of tiny coral polyps.
2/3
Chewbacca has been spotted in the Mariana Trench!
No, not as in Hans and Chewie….
Researchers first spotted this fine “Iridogorgia chewbacca” near Molokaʻi (Hawaiʻi) back in 2006, and then again in 2016 in the Mariana Trench.
What is it?
A coral!
Really.
1/3
No, not as in Hans and Chewie….
Researchers first spotted this fine “Iridogorgia chewbacca” near Molokaʻi (Hawaiʻi) back in 2006, and then again in 2016 in the Mariana Trench.
What is it?
A coral!
Really.
1/3
September 29, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Chewbacca has been spotted in the Mariana Trench!
No, not as in Hans and Chewie….
Researchers first spotted this fine “Iridogorgia chewbacca” near Molokaʻi (Hawaiʻi) back in 2006, and then again in 2016 in the Mariana Trench.
What is it?
A coral!
Really.
1/3
No, not as in Hans and Chewie….
Researchers first spotted this fine “Iridogorgia chewbacca” near Molokaʻi (Hawaiʻi) back in 2006, and then again in 2016 in the Mariana Trench.
What is it?
A coral!
Really.
1/3
September 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
It's the last day of sea otter awareness week. While we may be heading off, this sea otter isn't going far.
While other marine mammals, like whales and seals travel huge distances seasonally, sea otters stick close to home.
Photo credit: Linda Tanner (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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While other marine mammals, like whales and seals travel huge distances seasonally, sea otters stick close to home.
Photo credit: Linda Tanner (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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September 27, 2025 at 6:41 PM
It's the last day of sea otter awareness week. While we may be heading off, this sea otter isn't going far.
While other marine mammals, like whales and seals travel huge distances seasonally, sea otters stick close to home.
Photo credit: Linda Tanner (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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While other marine mammals, like whales and seals travel huge distances seasonally, sea otters stick close to home.
Photo credit: Linda Tanner (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Time to celebrate sea otter awareness week with another otterly amazing fact!
Sea otters spend up to 5 hours every single day cleaning their fur.
This isn't vanity thing - it's survival. Clean fur traps air bubbles that keep the otters warm and buoyant.
Photo credit: Mike Baird (CC BY 2.0)
Sea otters spend up to 5 hours every single day cleaning their fur.
This isn't vanity thing - it's survival. Clean fur traps air bubbles that keep the otters warm and buoyant.
Photo credit: Mike Baird (CC BY 2.0)
September 26, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Time to celebrate sea otter awareness week with another otterly amazing fact!
Sea otters spend up to 5 hours every single day cleaning their fur.
This isn't vanity thing - it's survival. Clean fur traps air bubbles that keep the otters warm and buoyant.
Photo credit: Mike Baird (CC BY 2.0)
Sea otters spend up to 5 hours every single day cleaning their fur.
This isn't vanity thing - it's survival. Clean fur traps air bubbles that keep the otters warm and buoyant.
Photo credit: Mike Baird (CC BY 2.0)