The Radiant Sea: Color and Light in the Underwater World

Speaker: Steven Haddock, Senior Scientist, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Dive into the wonders of the ocean with marine biologist and photographer Steven Haddock, coauthor with Sönke Johnsen of The Radiant Sea (Abrams Books, 2025). Through stunning photography, insightful captions, and engaging essays, the book explores how sea creatures display transparency, vivid pigmentation, iridescence, bioluminescence, and fluorescence—from the shallow tropics to the deep sea. In this presentation, Steven Haddock will share the science behind these luminous marine phenomena, along with stories from the scientific expeditions that enabled him to capture them. Videos, animations, and hands-on demonstrations will bring the book’s remarkable images to life. This event offers a unique glimpse into the vibrant world hidden beneath the waves. Advance registration is recommended. Free admission. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Harvard Museum Natural History and the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture. About the Speaker Steven Haddock studies marine diversity, molecular biology, and bioluminescence at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and the University of California,Santa Cruz. He specializes in fragile gelatinous animals that are abundant in the deep sea and open ocean. During his research expeditions, he uses scuba diving and submersibles to study the interactions between animals and has documented many bioluminescent species and behaviors for the first time. He uses genetic methods to reveal the relationships between organisms and to understand the proteins and chemicals that they use to make their own light. He also runs the Bioluminescence Web Page (biolum.eemb.ucsb.edu), the citizen-science project jellywatch.org, and teaches computing to scientists at practicalcomputing.org. His work has appeared frequently in the New York Times, National Geographic, and on the BBC.

Geological Lecture Hall

Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

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The Radiant Sea: Color and Light in the Underwater World

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