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Up to Blog Posts in Field work with Nature Live
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Field work with Nature Live

March 3, 2012
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Ivvet-Modinou.jpg

 

On Friday and Saturday, I introduced everyone else who is going to the Bahamas, and now there’s only me left:

 

Being a Nature Live host, I have always worked closely with Museum scientists but I’ve never had the opportunity to accompany them on a field trip. I feel extremely lucky to be going to the Bahamas and it will definitely make a change from being in the Attenborough Studio at the Museum (see me hosting a recent session about the Bahamas with Adrian Glover here).

 

The really exciting thing for me about this field work trip is being able to engage our visitors with Museum science as it happens, live, on the other side of the Atlantic. Hopefully it will help people see we are much more than the ‘Dinosaur museum’!

 

Highlight?

A highlight for me would be to see sharks, even if it is through our eyes in the ocean - the remotely operated vehicle, REX. I also hope we find a new species of Osedax so that I can have first dibs on naming it! (I realise I won’t get the honour but a girl can dream!)

 

Anything worrying me?

I am a little worried about the possibility of getting sea sick. I don’t do well on boats – a fact I have kept to myself until now!

 

I hope you’ll follow our trip and check in for the latest on our journey...

2513 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: scientists, new_species, nature_live, attenborough_studio, field_work, science, zoology, boat, worm, field_work_with_nature_live, ivvet_modinou, bahamas, caribbean, osedax
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Tony-Vinhas.jpg

 

What do you do at the Museum?

I'm a Media Technician supporting Nature Live and other learning programmes.

 

What’s the best bit about your job?

I’m lucky, my job is pretty diverse. One minute I’m fixing the interactive exhibitions in the Museum’s galleries and the next I’m doing a Nature Live with video-links to NASA. I’m constantly researching all the coolest gadgets and trying to integrate them into our live events. I get to work with computers, cameras, video editing, special effects and sound.

 

What are you most excited about seeing on the trip?

Amazing HD footage of marine life - techno geek I know! But my favourite thing about this trip specifically is being able to reach out to Museum visitors and helping them engage with the science that goes on here.

 

Is anything worrying you about the trip?

I’m worried about getting sand in the technical equipment. Oh and sun burn.

1168 Views 0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: nature_live, attenborough_studio, field_work, film, video, museum_galleries, live_video_link, bahamas, hd, video_link, video_editing, media_technician, interactive_exhibitions, gadgets, special_effects, tony_vinhas
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Gill-Mapstone.jpg

 

What do you study at the Museum?

I study string jellyfish, or siphonophores, which are very delicate deep sea species that pass their whole life cycle in the plankton, and are not normally found anywhere near the shore because of turbulence.

 

The only jellyfish that lives on the surface of the water is the Physalia - also known as the Portuguese man of war. Once it has matured it has a massive float which means it cannot sink below the water.

 

What are you most excited about finding/seeing on the trip?

Rarely collected species of siphonophores from the Tongue of the Ocean - several new species were described from the area in the 1980s to 1990s - but have not been found since. I have only ever seen about 2 live siphonophores in my life, as I work on preserved material, so anything will be exciting for me.

 

What do you miss the most when you go on field work?

Probably my husband, who will be at home whilst I’m in the Bahamas. This trip is a first for me because I am a non-funded Scientific Associate in the Museum, and just do my research for fun, not money! This is the first time I’ve ever been offered a place on a Museum expedition, so I am very excited to be going, and grateful for being invited to participate.

957 Views 0 Comments 2 References Permalink Tags: biodiversity, new_species, field_work, fieldtrip, zoology, jellyfish, plankton, bahamas, caribbean, portuguese_man_of_war, siphonophores, tongue_of_the_ocean, physalia, gill_mapstone
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Helena-Wiklund.jpg

What do you study at the Museum?

I study polychaetes (marine segmented worms), from the deep sea and from whale-falls and hydrothermal vents. Polychaetes are related to earth worms but usually a lot prettier and more colourful. I am describing new species that we discover in the deep sea samples, and I sequence their DNA to see how they are related to each other.

 

The DNA sequences can also be used to study how these worms move around in the sea. It can be useful to know if they can go anywhere else if their current habitat becomes inhospitable or if they're stuck in one place and doomed when bad things happen.

 

What are you most excited about finding/seeing on the trip?

If we get those whale bones up from the sea floor, I am sure that there are undescribed worm species on them. I am very curious to see what they look like, and also to bring them back to the lab and sequence their DNA to see where they belong among the other worms from similar habitats.

 

Where have you been previously on field work?

In my undergraduate studies I spent one year on Svalbard studying Arctic Biology, and we went on several field trips both on sea and on land. And then I've been to New Zealand, Chile and on an expedition to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and on several expeditions at sea back home in Sweden.

 

What is your favourite thing about going on field work?

My favourite thing is getting the samples! It's a lot like looking for treasure; whenever the sampling gear comes aboard we're all very excited to see what is brought up with it. Even a heap of mud can cause quite a shuffle when everybody wants to see what's in it and pick out the things they work on.

3226 Views 0 Comments 2 References Permalink Tags: new_species, dna, field_work, zoology, new_zealand, hydrothermal_vent, worm, bahamas, ocean, the_bahamas, whale_fall, polychaete, sweden, chile, marine_segmented_worms, arctic_biology, svalbard, mid_atlantic_ridge, helena_wiklund

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