Mantis Shrimp may look beautiful on the outside but they are arguably the most unforgiving and voracious predators in the ocean. How well does EM The Master’s song Killer Shrimp convey the intricacies of their incredible biology and ecology?

Join Em and Dr Max Bodmer as they explore the fine line between artistic interpretation and the spreading of misinformation. Can a mantis shrimp really be used to x-ray broken bones? If you threw a cat really hard against a wall would it burst like a balloon or a pufferfish? How does that question even find its way into a podcast such as this? And will Em ever really get to the bottom of the meaning of the term ‘hexinocular vision’?

Deep Dive in and find out.

Octopuses are one of the most intelligent and biologically interesting creatures on the planet. Join performance artist EM The Master, as she presents her latest song, "Master Of Disguise", a musical ode to the octopus, to marine biologist Dr Max Bodmer. But how good a job does Em do of capturing the nuances of this extraordinary animal's existence? Deep Dive with Em & Max as they explore the fine line between artistic interpretation and scientific accuracy. Can octopuses really make themselves look like yachts? Is octopus blood blue because they’re cold or sad, or is there another explanation? And, are male octopuses so desperate to have children that they will willingly sacrifice an arm in the name of procreation?

We are thrilled to dedicate our first episode to the High Seas Treaty, a historic milestone for ocean protection and global cooperation. This moment shows what multilateralism can achieve. For the first time, the world will have the tools to create marine protected areas in the High Seas and ensure ocean resources are used fairly and sustainably. The Treaty will enter into force on January 17th, 2026, becoming international law and enabling the protection of two thirds of our oceans; almost 50% of our blue planet.

We'd like to congratulate the High Seas Alliance on this incredible achievement, which was of course helped by their mascot, Octavia the Octopus! We hope this episode will be a fitting tribute to Octavia, and this historic milestone for the oceans.