065: Giant Testate Protists with Professor Andrew Gooday

January 2nd, 2026

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Welcome back to the Deep-Sea Podcast, your punk take on all things deep sea!

Giant testate protists, the coolest things you have probably never heard of. Did you know there are giant cells on the deep seabed that can reach 20 cm or more? They build elaborate shells in lots of different shapes, and despite having known about them for hundreds of years, there’s still loads about them we don't understand.

Thom and Alan discuss Christmas from opposite ends of the planet, where Alan gets ‘proper’ Christmas in Scotland with snow and everything. At the opposite end, Thom insists on using his new BBQ, despite a rainstorm turning the air to liquid.

The exhibit that Thom was curating, Breathe | Mauri Ora at Te Papa, is an examination of science into art by Marshmallow Lazer Feast. It is open now if you find yourself in Wellington, New Zealand.

This month we are talking giant testate protists, the coolest things you have probably never heard of. Giant cells on the deep seabed that can reach 20 cm or more. They build elaborate shells, and despite having known about them for hundreds of years, there are still loads about them we don't understand.

Our Guest This Month:

Our guest this month is Professor Andrew Gooday from the National Oceanography Centre in the UK, who has spent decades studying giant testate protists; foraminifera, xenophyophores and gromiids. Growing up to 20cm long, with shells built from a variety of materials, these single celled organisms are often overlooked and yet are a crucial part of the deep-sea community.

File:Xenophyophore (10.1016-j.ejop.2020.125715) Figure 18.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Xenophyophore

File:Stannophyllum zonarium (10.1016-j.ejop.2020.125715) Figure 13.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

What's happening in our Deep-Sea Discord Community:

The Deep-Sea Pets Channel continues to give back with excellent photos of our fav friends
Our Holiday party was a total success with many episodes of Octonauts watched and ‘enjoyed’ by all
We assessed some of the ‘animal saving’ videos, as discussed by Tyler on the Mythbusting Ai episode.
Excellent Dragon based book recommendations.
We all wished we could visits Thom’s New show opening at Te Papa.
Thom shared a beautiful video about Antarctica from his Falkor Too trip last year.
Planning a Time Machine to scuba dive ancient seas, study the squid therein, and then hop on a boat trip with Darwin.
Squid versus the Toilet brush of science
Compared holiday baking recipes
Photos and observations shared from SOA divestream viewing
And, as always, vicarious travel to aquariums around the world!

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Deep Sea Science + Art Collaborations

The Unseen Ocean Collective

We hear from the Unseen Ocean Collective again this month, with Meghan Jones, giving an update about what the collective is getting ready for the gallery visitors in Juneau Alaska and Spokane Washington.