Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · 27d

Not too hard to do. This is our travel one. I can give you a hand if you like.

Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · 27d

The magic of cross polarisation!

It's tough taking pics of fish. They're so shiny and it can hide the details.

If you polarise the light source and then add a polarising filter to the camera you can filter out all the scatter and be left with the beautiful details and colour.

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Reposted by Dr Thom

Unseen Ocean Collective @unseenocean.bsky.social · Sep 1

Introducing the Unseen Oceans Collective! Formed in 2026 this collective is bringing deep-ocean fine art and science events to international venues in 2025 and 2026. #sciart #scienceartists #unseenoceancollective #deep-sea #womeninscience #deepocean

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Jul 26

This is wonderful! You have really captured the playful little blobs.

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Reposted by Dr Thom

Ligus @greyauk.bsky.social · Jul 17

quick test print 🐡 ...
have to do some corrections

snailfish lino print with the words
Protect the deep sea

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Jul 22

More nonsense from our #Antarctic data processing. The Antarctic jonasfish (Notolepis coatsi) were attracted to the ROV lights. This one shoots off like #roderunner.

@autsquidsquad.bsky.social

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Jul 18

Me and @autsquidsquad.bsky.social have been annotating @schmidtocean.bsky.social #Antarctic footage today and it may have driven us a little.... Strange.

#soundon
#Cephalopods #octopus #antarctica

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Jul 11

We had a lot of gin-fueled fun on this one, @kaithefishguy.bsky.social is a good hang.
We also touch on #geekdome and meeting your idols at a #conference.

The Deep-Sea Podcast @deepseapod.com · Jul 11

Learn all about the incredible biodiversity and unique challenges of #MesophoticReefs with @kaithefishguy.bsky.social on the new #DeepSea #Podcast episode. Plus, discover their unexpected links to the aquarium trade. Listen: deepseapod.podbean.com/e/mesophotic...
📷 Yi-Kai Tea
#marinescience

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Reposted by Dr Thom

The Deep-Sea Podcast @deepseapod.com · Jun 6

#newepisode just dropped!
Environmental #DNA or #eDNA is the study of genetic material in the #environment.
How can we apply it to the #deepsea? Revealing the hidden majority, changes through time and community structure, the possibilities seem endless.

open.spotify.com/episode/2XQv...

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · May 17

I haven't seen this misleading labelling method before. I was recommended the one on the right as better value. 10 mg of nothing is still nothing.

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Reposted by Dr Thom

Schmidt Ocean Institute @schmidtocean.bsky.social · Apr 15

Dr Kat Bolstad (@autsquidsquad.bsky.social ) worked with glass squid expert Dr. Aaron Evans to help confirm this observation; she narrated this video. Read the full Schmidt Ocean Institute announcement here: schmidtocean.org/first-coloss...

First Confirmed Footage of a Colossal Squid—and it’s a Baby! - Schmidt Ocean Institute

One hundred years after its discovery, the colossal squid has been filmed alive in its environment for the first time by a team on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) in waters off the So...

schmidtocean.org

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Reposted by Dr Thom

AUT Squid Squad @autsquidsquad.bsky.social · Apr 15

Young colossal squid footage!

theconversation.com/a-century-af...

A century after its discovery, scientists capture first confirmed footage of a colossal squid in the deep

The first confirmed footage of a juvenile colossal squid in its natural habitat shows a delicate and graceful animal – far from the “monster” narrative we see all too often.

theconversation.com

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Reposted by Dr Thom

Schmidt Ocean Institute @schmidtocean.bsky.social · Apr 15

🦑 This baby is COLOSSAL! 🦑
First confirmed live observation of the colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, in its natural habitat. Filmed at about 600m near the South Sandwich Islands during the #SouthSandwichIslands expedition. youtu.be/lzPoG9H8Hlo

Colossal Squid, 1st Live Observation | Searching for New Species in the South Sandwich Islands

YouTube video by Schmidt Ocean

youtu.be

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Apr 15

#ColossalSquid has been filmed in its natural habitat for the first time!
Filmed in #Antarctica by @schmidtocean.bsky.social, we just had a press conference to share the news. @autsquidsquad.bsky.social provides the voiceover and context for the video. youtu.be/lzPoG9H8Hlo

@pure-ocean.bsky.social

Colossal Squid, 1st Live Observation | Searching for New Species in the South Sandwich Islands

YouTube video by Schmidt Ocean

youtu.be

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Apr 11

I was on @rnz.co.nz.web.brid.gy #NinetoNoon this morning talking about joining the @schmidtocean.bsky.social expedition to explore a newly exposed area of #Antarctic #deepsea

www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

#TePapa @pure-ocean.bsky.social

Thriving ecosystem revealed after Antarctic iceberg sheared

Giant foot-long sea spiders, icefish with milky-white blood, and 200 year-old coral communities - these are among the creatures a team of international scientists came across when an iceberg the size ...

www.rnz.co.nz

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Apr 8

It was the Faceless Cusk I had a hand in but I appreciate the new acronym for the boney!

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 26

I hope I didn't break anything...

Me and the podcast now have our own domains!

You can find The Deep-Sea #Podcast @deepseapod.com

And me here @thomaslinley.com

Hopefully old tags should still go to the right place.

#deepsea #deepocean #marinebiology #science

Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 21

We can now talk about what we found on the @schmidtocean.bsky.social #AntarcticClimateConnections expedition!
A huge section of #iceshelf broke off and politely got out of the way, allowing us to observe pristine under-ice habitat.

#TePapa
@pure-ocean.bsky.social

phys.org/news/2025-03...

Thriving Antarctic ecosystems found in wake of recently detached iceberg

An international team on board Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) working in the Bellingshausen Sea rapidly pivoted their research plans to study an area that was, until last month, covered by...

phys.org

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 20

The #blobfish is #NZFishoftheyear! Our maligned ambassador of the #deepsea and precious baby finally gets recognition. 2nd place went to another #deepocean fish, the #OrangeRoughy.

Check out the #TePapa #blog for the origin of that iconic image.

blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2024/09/09/t...

The blob blog | Te Papa’s Blog

This Psychrolutes microporos, also known as “Mr Blobby,” the blobfish, is the iconic ambassador for The Deep Sea and personifies everything we air-breathers seem to find weird about it. The image, …

blog.tepapa.govt.nz

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 20

A huge thanks to #IntrepidTravel for having me and @autsquidsquad.bsky.social aboard to deploy our #ProjectESCA #squid lure in #Antartica.

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 19

Not our poor precious baby!

We wrote a blog about the origin of the famous image.

blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2024/09/09/t...

The blob blog | Te Papa’s Blog

This Psychrolutes microporos, also known as “Mr Blobby,” the blobfish, is the iconic ambassador for The Deep Sea and personifies everything we air-breathers seem to find weird about it. The image, …

blog.tepapa.govt.nz

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Reposted by Dr Thom

AUT Squid Squad @autsquidsquad.bsky.social · Mar 10

Happy bday colossal squid! The species was described in 1925 so @deepseapod.com & I did a centenary episode on the @deepseapodcast.bsky.social - www.armatusoceanic.com/podcast/056-... 🦑🎉
Gorgeous artwork thanks to Gareth, a guest on our recent #Antarctic voyage with #IntrepidTravel for #ProjectESCA

Black-and-white ink drawing of a colossal squid holding a birthday cake

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 10

The score card is in, over 800 #newspecies for @oceancensus.bsky.social!

Our new #eelpout are among them. Here's to many more!

Ocean Census @oceancensus.bsky.social · Mar 10

📣 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣

After less than 16 months exploring the ocean’s depths, we’re thrilled to reveal the first 866 new marine species discovered by the Ocean Census Alliance!

This isn’t only a significant step in documenting ocean #biodiversity. 👇

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Dr Thom @thomaslinley.com · Mar 6

A nice side effect of joining #IntrepidTravel is the chance for #scicomm - talks on #ProjectESCA & #colossalsquid.
Loving the guest engagement and #fanart! Last night they were on the @deepseapodcast.bsky.social

@autsquidsquad.bsky.social
@pure-ocean.bsky.social
#Te_Papa
@autnews.bsky.social

Kat Bolstad gives a lecture in the lounge aboard the Ocean Endeavour. A life-sized plush colossal squid joins her on stage.

Some of the fan art we have gotten from guests. Drawings and stories about squid and fish.

Thom Linley gives a lecture in the lounge aboard the Ocean Endeavour.

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Reposted by Dr Thom

AUT Squid Squad @autsquidsquad.bsky.social · Mar 6

Master Squidcrafter Heather has been at it again. Not sure #IntrepidTravel realized just what they were in for by having the #ProjectESCA team aboard--we brought a rather large stowaway!
#colossalsquid

@deepseapod.bsky.social
@pure-ocean.bsky.social
@AUTnews.bsky.social

#Antarctica
#deepsea

Two scientists and a full-sized stuffed colossal squid on a couch aboard a ship

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