5 Films + Podcasts to Begin Your Coral Education Journey

Whether you’ve been diving all your life, or you plan on going on snorkeling with Coral Friends for the first time, there’s always more to learn about the world underwater. I encourage you to explore these films and podcasts to get the facts about the state of coral reefs, the interconnected nature of the bigger ocean ecosystem, and begin to find hope in the solutions out there. Maybe you can see where your efforts can fit into the bigger puzzle of this problem. Oh and yes, I threw in some coral-adjacent wild cards into this list to spark our imagination.

1. Chasing Coral (2017)

This documentary is the go-to resource for coral bleaching education. It captured some of the first underwater footage of the bleaching process, including discovering the neon glow effect that corals produce before they completely bleach. According to the film Chasing Coral, Coral Reefs may not be around by 2034. That’s practically 10 years from now. The film is nothing less than a wake-up call.

You can watch it on Netflix and for free on Youtube. Also, the film’s website is full of educational resources. I highly recommend that you host a screening with your friends and family to discuss it after. Also, it might a good idea to set a Climate Grief appointment with your therapist, or bestie.

2. NYT The Daily Podcast: Why the Coral Reef Crisis in Florida is a Problem for All of Us (2023)

The Keys reefs are one of the biggest barrier reefs in the world. This podcast was released in August 2023. We had a summer full of record-breaking heat waves that led to the biggest coral bleaching event yet. For reference, the last mass bleaching event had been 2014. Since then scientists and advocates had begun coral farming off-shore. These heat waves bleached most of those and turned the coral conservation conversation toward aquarium technology. The podcast is a basic introduction to coral biology, ecosystem benefits like storm protection and sustenance for 30% of fish, and economic statistics like coral generates $3.4 billion economic benefits a year. Solutions discussed included gene banks and selective breeding of coral.

3. Ologies with Alie Ward Podcast: Cnidariology (CORAL) with Shayle Matsuda (2019)

No, your sunscreen is not coral reef safe. And no, your sunscreen is not the biggest problem affecting corals. Get geeky with a coral biologist to learn more. Corals are mysterious creatures, and no amount of explanation is ever enough to comprehend their diversity and symbiotic relationships. I loved learning about anti-cancer medicines developed from coral as well the biome ecosystem in singular corals that may support their resistance to coral bleaching. Go listen and find your own gems in this treasure trove of scientific knowledge. There’s some great rabbit hole links in the podcast page, too.

4. Seaspiracy (2021)

Do you know where the fish you eat comes from? This documentary opens the Pandora’s box of corruption and politics for our comprehension. Corals exist as part of a larger marine ecosystem that desperately needs regulation and accountability. It is not enough to create fishing law protections for fish populations to restore themselves for more fishing, but also for fish populations to provide healthy ecosystem services in their own interconnected web in their marine world. It is estimated that 30% of fish depend on coral reefs. Overfishing of top predators like sharks for things like fin soup leads to domino effects that throw fish populations off balance in ways that affect reef ecosystems. Though coral bleaching is the deadliest problem affecting coral reefs, it is not the only one.

You can watch it on Netflix.

5. Merpeople (2023)

Mermaids are ancient creatures. Now, thanks to the internet and advances in mermaid tail technology, they are also a very real, global subculture. This recent docuseries on Netflix is an entertaining and heart-stirring introduction to the fantasy world of real life merpeople. Mermaids now are a Tiktok phenomenon building momentum past the cute mermaid tail Christmas gift for your little sister. This subculture has now a full mermaid tail industry, a merpeople global event empire, and a new trend of scuba PADI certification retreats that come with mermaid tails and social media ready photoshoots fashioned after the yoga teacher trainings business model. Though the series has no focus at all on ocean conservation, there is a rising tide of eco-mermaids if you start to google… which is what caught my eye!

You can watch it on Netflix.


That’s the list. Bon voyage! Drop your comments on these resources in the Coral Friends What’s App group or dm @coralfriends305 to get involved. I’m always happy to talk through ideas and turn them into reality.

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Business Insights for Coral x Climate Tech from Coral Friends Make-a-Thon