The Essential Rhythm 7/24/22: A Mystery at the Beach

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode details finding a mass of long fin squid eggs washed up on the shore at a local Maine beach. Squid life history and mating behavior are also discussed.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 7/17/22: Maine’s Most Active Clam

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes Ensis directus, otherwise known as razor or jack knife clams. These clams are known for being very active, rapidly burrowing into the sand using their large and powerful foot. Some sources report they can even swim in the water!

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 6/26/22: Attack of the clones

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes the complex phenomenon of self/non-self recognition in otherwise simple asexually reproducing animals, the anemones. Certain anemones are able to differentiate between their own clones and unrelated individuals in order to defend their territory. This research is featured in Adam Nicolson’s Life Between the Tides.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 6/12/22: Evolution in Action

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes research completed in the Gulf of Maine in the 1980’s by Robin Hadlock Seeley, exploring the changes of smooth periwinkle shell shape in response to predation pressure from green crabs. The research was featured in Adam Nicolson’s book Life Between the Tides.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 5/29/22: Periwinkles and Predators

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode features insights from Adam Nicolson’s Life Between the Tides and describes dynamics between common periwinkles and their predators, green crabs.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 5/15/22: Shrimp have deep thoughts too

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode features insights from Adam Nicolson’s Life Between the Tides and describes the parallels between the nervous systems of shrimp and humans. Both animal lineages have fast reacting, non brain linked neural pathways that drive life saving behaviors (sometimes called a “startle response” or reflex).

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 5/8/22: Sand fleas are smarter than you think

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode describes the water retaining properties of the exoskeleton of sand fleas as well as research into their unexpectedly complex navigational systems. Together these allow them to forage in the intertidal zone, breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.

The Essential Rhythm 5/1/22: Sand Fleas and Good Books

Producer/Host: Sarah O’Malley

This episode introduces the book Life Between the Tides by Adam Nicolson and highlights sand fleas, the organisms covered in the first chapter of the book. It also discusses protean flight, the adaptive anti predator behavior exhibited by sand fleas and many other prey animals.

About the host:
Sarah O’Malley is an ecologist, naturalist and science communicator passionate about deepening her listeners’ experiences with the natural world. She teaches biology and sustainability at Maine Maritime Academy and is currently collaborating on a guide book to the intertidal zone in the Gulf of Maine.