This episode is presented by eBay.

Rob, everyone loves a deal and a bargain from time to time, don't they? Absolutely, mate. And you know where you can grab a great deal? Talk to me. Where? The eBay app. Yes, you are correct. You didn't need to talk to me. I already knew it. I love eBay. When you're buying, you can discover loads of hidden gems. there's so many items where you think I would have never found that anywhere else.

Then when you're buying, you can discover loads of hidden gems. There's so many items where you think I would have never found that anywhere else. Then when you're selling, it's so simple and most

importantly, free. It's free, Rob. When it's this easy to sell for free and there's great deals

on things you love. You can't help but say when it's eBay. It excludes vehicles and business

sellers.

Welcome to Science Talk, the weekly podcast of Scientific American for the seven days starting November 12th, 2008. I'm Steve Murski. This week we'll go down to the sea and ships.

Well, boats, very small boats. First in kayaks in Antarctica, then in an autonomous submarine

off the Cape Cod coast, plus we'll test your knowledge about some recent science in the news.

The Scientific American website features an in-depth report this week on the future of the

North and South Poles. Coincidentally, last week I had a chance to talk to veteran journalist John Bowermaster,

who has spent a great deal of time in Antarctica.

John's a longtime contributor to National Geographic.

He recently completed a project called Oceans 8, a video series featuring John traveling

around the world a continent at a time,

looking at the health of the world's seas and the lives of the people who depend on them.

We talked about the series and then concentrated on his most recent kayaking expedition to Antarctica.

Half the world's population lives within 50, 60 miles of a coastline,

so what happens to the coastlines, what happens to the world's oceans, impacts half the population.

We used kayaks as kind of a lure.

The people we met, most of them who are fishermen, boating people, accepted us as brethren, sisters, depending upon the makeup of the team. And never once,

except for one of the trips, never once did they ask is, what are you doing here? Because they all

...