Athletes of the Reef brings you into the world of sharks and reef fishes pushing the limits of life in a changing ocean. Hosted by marine biologist Dr Jodie Rummer, along with guest host Alex Morgan, and the RummerLab team, the series shares discoveries from the Physioshark Project and collaborations across the Great Barrier Reef and Indo-Pacific. From heatwaves and low oxygen to surprising survival strategies, each episode reveals how these remarkable animals perform, adapt, and thrive — and what their stories mean for the future of our reefs.
In Episode 4 of Athletes of the Reef, host Alex Morgan and Dr. Jodie Rummer tackle a systemic issue in marine science: the disconnect between biological data and government policy. Based on the 2025 perspective paper "Harnessing physiological research for smarter environmental policy" published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Episode 3 of Athletes of the Reef dives into 2025 research by Joel H. Gayford and Jodie L. Rummer in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, reframing tonic immobility in sharks as evolutionary baggage rather than adaptation.
Episode 2 of Athletes of the Reef highlights new research revealing that baby reef sharks are astonishingly resilient, healing from open umbilical wounds without slowing growth or losing condition. Studying neonatal sharks in Moorea and the Seychelles, scientists show how temperature, injury, and energy budgets shape survival in a warming ocean - with major implications for shark conservation and climate change.
Episode 1 of Athletes of the Reef explores new research revealing that epaulette sharks can lay eggs without any measurable rise in metabolic cost, challenging long-held assumptions about reproductive energetics in marine animals.