Meet the Expert: Dr. Karen Osborn, Curator of Marine Invertebrates, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Dr. Karen Osborn is the Curator of Marine Invertebrates at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and studies the evolution of life in the deep, open ocean. Many animals that live in this largest of the earth’s habitats are very bizarre and dramatically different from their closest relatives. Most animal groups have representatives living in the open ocean and learning about the differences in the way these animals live compared to how their relatives in shallow water or on the sea floor live, tells us a lot about how this environment changes and shapes the many animals that survive there.
Karen came to the Smithsonian after working at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She spends a lot of time at sea using remotely operated vehicles to explore and study the deep, open ocean.
What is a Polychaetas?
Polychaete worms (polychaete translates to “many bristles”) that she launched International Polychaete Day. There are five different polychaete worm families found only in the midwater and they’re all a little odd, which intrigues Karen. These midwater worms are gelatinous, like so many animals in the midwater. How they evolved and how they survive is yet to be discovered for so many of them.
Learn more HERE–> https://shapeoflife.org/news/featured-scientist/2025/02/13/karen-osborn-curator-marine-invertebrates-smithsonian-national
Find out more about the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of Natural History and consider visiting!
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/
****************************************************************************************************************************
Challenge: How would you swim in a big vat of honey? Would you need wings? Fins? A Tail?
Send us a picture or leave a comment below.We LOVE hearing from you!! If you liked this episode, leave a comment below OR share with us on our Instagram or Facebook page.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Highlighted Book for this Episode!
BEASTLY BIONICS: Rad Robots, Brilliant Biomimicry, and Incredible Inventions Inspired by Nature by Jennifer Swanson (NGKids)
From robots that protect people and gather information to everyday inventions, like reflectors on the roads and ice-proof coatings for airplanes, to new sources of renewable energy, this book dives into the ways that nature can give us ideas on how to improve our world. Discover more than 40 examples of technology influenced by animals, learn about some of the incredible creatures who have inspired multiple creations, and meet some of the scientists and the stories behind their inventions.
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson
Ocean: A Visual Encyclopedia by Doring Kindersly Books
Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark by Heather Lang (Albert Whitman Books)
Dive In: Swim With Sea Creatures at Their Actual Size by Roxie Munro (Holiday House)
Ocean Animals: Who’s Who in the Deep Blue by Johanna Rizzo (NGKids Books)
