#oceanographer

Alan Churchill Jones lived a remarkably resilient life defined by scientific dedication, profound personal endurance, and an exceptional artistic eye. Raised in Berkeley, California, he spent his youth alongside his lifelong sweetheart and wife, Olga, with whom he navigated both great joy and deep personal tragedy. Alan’s early military service exposed him to a devastating radiation blast; remarkably, he was one of only two scientists in that group to survive into old age without ever succumbing to cancer. He channelled his brilliant intellect into a distinguished career as a geophysicist, dedicating many years to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California before joining the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, where he conducted vital seismic field studies.

Beyond his scientific achievements, Alan was an enthusiastic amateur photographer. He collected cameras with pure passion and spent decades developing his own film and prints, using his keen artistic eye to document his global travels along with quiet everyday moments. This enduring love for photography beautifully mirrored his deep affection for birds, animals, and the global network of friends he maintained throughout his 99 years. Alan remained a kind, quietly funny, and steady presence on in Menlo Park, California until his peaceful passing on February 28, 2026. He leaves behind a rich, meticulously preserved visual and scientific legacy.

the other water-based science. apparently distinct from hydrology which I did not know before embarking on this quest but I understand now

they're a colossal squid (sidenote this had kind of helped in how I imagine anthro cephalopods are in Pelagos... the only example of one I have is Marshall the mimic octopus and so I haven't really figured out how to do squids.... the combination of the mantle and tentacles make for a good hair proxy!) The mark on their mantle is a cookiecutter shark bite :(

also they are covered in marine snow

so hard to not make just Neptunium Element Cats again

On 16th March 1914, Sir John Murray, the noted oceanographer, died at Kirkliston.

Born in Coburg, Ontario, the son of a Scottish emigrant, John Murray left Canada for Scotland at the age of 17, attending Stirling High School and Edinburgh University.

His main academic reputation was gained in the field of oceanography, and he took part in several famous scientific expeditions. Between 1872-6 he was on board HMS Challenger in her mapping and examination of the world’s oceans, and from 1881 publishing the findings.

Through Murray’s efforts the Challenger Office, founded in Edinburgh, became an international centre for marine science as well as the office for the co-ordination of the Bathymetrical Survey. Murray also founded the Granton Marine Station, which went on to research and investigate the Firth of Forth and North Sea.

Further afield, Murray went on to explore the sea bed off Spitzbergen and the Faeroe Islands, and in 1884, he researched the sea lochs on the west coast of Scotland in his own purpose-built yacht, Medusa.