In this installment of “Distinctive Discussion,” Matty Lamp spoke with world-renowned marine biologist and author Dr. Edith Widder. In the first segment, Dr. Widder talked about what bioluminescence is, why it occurs, and how she used special equipment to learn more about the creatures that utilize it. She also gave an explanation to why many deep-sea animals are unable to see the color red, and how she and her colleagues developed a new type of camera that allows people to have a look at organisms that they would not have been able to see otherwise. After that, Dr. Widder described how she felt when her team captured the first-ever footage of the Giant Squid.

In the second half of the interview, Dr. Widder spoke about the challenges she and her team faced when starting up the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (or ORCA.) Additionally, she elaborated on the processes ORCA uses to monitor and reduce pollution, particularly in the Indian River Lagoon. Later on, Dr. Widder expressed how important hands-on education is for the public’s understanding of science, and she listed ways that the audience can help ORCA in their conservation efforts.