Naked Oceans, from the Naked Scientists

The bid to create the world's largest marine reserve, diseases threatening corals in the Caribbean, what is the best way to conserve coral reefs in Fiji, and why fish microbes matter too. Plus news of DNA sequences extracted from a 400,000 human ancestor in Spain, contraceptive pills for men, pain-free injection patches and the brain basis of dyslexia...

In the concluding installment of our two-part season finale of Naked Oceans, we get a bit thoughtful and contemplate what might lie in store for the future of the oceans. Helen catches up with some of the marine experts we've heard from throughout the last two series and asks them about what they think the future might hold. Are they ocean optimists or pessimists? What solutions will be needed to protect the oceans of the future? And on a more positive note, we ponder what great ocean discoveries might lie ahead.

The history of life in the oceans spans over 3.5 billion years. In this Naked Oceans we'll take a whistlestop tour of that story...

Why is it sometimes such a big deal when species end up in the wrong places? On Naked Oceans this month we explore marine invasions and find out how people shift species around the oceans, what problems this causes, and what can be done to stop them. We visit the Caribbean to get the lowdown on a notorious ocean alien, the lionfish, and find out how the best policy could be Eat 'em to beat 'em. Janet Voight tells us about her recent report that warns deepsea explorers to be very careful not to pick up any unwanted hitchhikers. And in Critter of the Month we ask Miriam Goldstein to tell us if she were a marine species, which would she be and why.

Is ambergris whale vomit or whale poo? We find out in Naked Oceans this month as we dive into ocean treasures, old and new. Last month we explored some of the ways we pollute the oceans by using them as a dumping ground for too much rubbish. And in this episode we look at the variety of things we've taken out of the ocean, from prized perfumes to inspiration for new medicines. Christopher Kemp tells us all about the mysterious stuff, ambergris - the subject of his new book. And at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, we call in on some researchers who are putting glowing critters to good use. And in Critter of the Month, Emmett Duffy tell us, if he was a marine creature, which one he'd be and why.

Naked Oceans goes from plastics to poo this month, as we get the low down on ocean pollution and find out how the stuff we dump into the seas causes all sorts of problems for the things that live there.

We're all about green grass and grazers this month on Naked Oceans as we take a look at the lush world of seagrasses. We find out why the diversity of critters, big and small, are vital for keeping seagrasses happy and healthy. We meet a mysterious seagrass muncher, the West African manatee and we discover that seagrasses themselves could be the oldest living things on the planet. Among our ocean news we hear how corals find it tough when things get too hot, and too cold; and in Critter of the Month we catch up with a sneaky fish that lurks about the dark depths with its own private sniper scope.

Naked Oceans takes to the skies this month to explore the world of seabirds. They may not have gills, and only some of them have flippers, but there are plenty of our feathered friends that spend some or all of their time at sea. We look into the threats they face today and find out about a new network of conservation zones, called Important Bird Areas, that are being set up to protect seabirds around the world. And we find out how scientists study the bird with the largest wings on the planet - the incredible wandering albatross. As always, we have a run down of some of the latest marine science and conservation news headlines. And in Critter of the Month, we meet a colourful denizen of the deep that has trouble keeping its emotions hidden.