PRESSURISED: 063 – Bioluminescent Symbiosis with Margaret McFall-Ngai

Welcome to the PRESSURISED version of episode 63, just the science, none of the waffle PRESSURISED: Bioluminescent Symbiosis with Margaret McFall-Ngai | The Deep-Sea Podcast | Episode 63 Our guest this month is Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai, an animal physiologist and biochemist who is a staff researcher at Carnegie Institution for Science’s Division of Biosphere Sciences and Engineering, with her lab stationed at the California Institute of Technology in Biology and Biological Engineering. Dr. McFal-Ngai talks us through her work on the stable beneficial relationship between the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and its partner, the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Although technically not a deep-sea species, this relationship and its details might help us understand how deep-sea life creates bioluminescence and the possible life cycle impacts for the creatures involved. Glossary Crypt - The chambers within the squid's light organ. Support the show The podcast is self-sustaining (just) thanks to our lovely listeners. Thom and Alan take no money for the show. All money is put back into running it. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us: Sophie Bagshaw Laura Check out our podcast merch here! Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on: podcast@deepseapod.com We’d love to actually play your voice, so feel free to record a short audio note on our brand new answerphone! Thanks again for tuning in; we’ll deep-see you next time! Find out more Social media BlueSky: @deepseapod.com Twitter: @DeepSeaPod Instagram: @deepsea_podcast Keep up with the team on social media Twitter: Alan - @Hadalbloke Thom - @ThomLinley Instagram: Thom - @thom.linley Inkfish - @inkfishexpeditions BlueSky: Thom @ thomaslinley.com Alan @hadalbloke Reference list Interview Links A lasting symbiosis: how the Hawaiian bobtail squid finds and keeps its bioluminescent bacterial partner A lasting symbiosis: how Vibrio fischeri finds a squid partner and persists within its natural host Credits Logo image: Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai Theme: Hadal Zone Express by Märvel

You can listen to PRESSURISED: 063 – Bioluminescent Symbiosis with Margaret McFall-Ngai online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

PRESSURISED: 063 – Bioluminescent Symbiosis with Margaret McFall-Ngai is an episode from The Deep-Sea Podcast by deepseapod.

This episode is 37:49 long.

This episode was published on Nov 15, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Deep-Sea Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.