Scientific Accuracy in The Octonauts

When it comes to preschool-level marine biology, *The Octonauts* has a reputation for accuracy, crystallized in their partnership with the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, a US scientific institution, with the shared goal of promoting awareness of marine science and exploration. On this wiki, we will be using 1x8 'The Great Algae Escape' and 1x13 'The Lost Sea Star' as case studies.

In 'The Great Algae Escape', the Octonauts find that the water around the Octopod is green and filthy. As the episode goes on, it transpires that there is an overproduction of algae due to a leaky pipe. While simplified, this is a fairly true-to-life depiction of harmful algal blooms. The overproduction of algae is caused by nitrogen and phosphorus, which can enter the ecosystem of a body of water due to nutrient pollution from human activity. and sometimes even create harmful toxins. *The Octonauts* reflects this through the crustacean characters, who attempt to steal the Octopod so they can find somewhere cleaner to recover.

'The Lost Sea Star' introduces Twinkle, a young sea star, or starfish, who has been separated from her family, and whom the Octonauts must help find her way home. Through interviewing other starfish and examining Twinkle's physiological traits, they attempt to work out if she is from the 'Sunlight Zone', 'Twilight Zone' or 'Midnight Zone'. While these classifications might sound like something made up for the benefit of a child audience, they are actually widely-recognised alternate names for the Epipelagic, Mesopelagic and Bathypelagic zones respectively.  The Octonauts are able to identify Twinkle as a Bathypelagic creature as she begins to glow in the dark.

In both of these cases, the scientific concepts, though simplified, are portrayed in a broadly accurate way. Some details are left unexplained— for example, exactly what species of starfish Twinkle is, or what toxins the algae was producing— but these do not have much of an effect on the main topics. In focusing on wide concepts, *The Octonauts* communicates a laid-back approach to science education, which prioritises a firm grounding in the fundamentals over any one individual fact.

There is, of course, the elephant in the room: the Octonauts are a crew of anthropomorphic animals. Obviously, this show does not feature a scientifically accurate portrayal of the behaviour of polar bears, cats or otters! Anthropomorphism, however, has enough specific significance and context of its own to merit its own page. To read more, see Anthropomorphism as an Educational Tactic.

### References

1. ↑ Janet Fang, 'NOAA partners with Captain Barnacles and the Octonauts', *ZDNet*. 29 October 2013. <https://www.zdnet.com/article/noaa-partners-with-captain-barnacles-and-the-octonauts/> [accessed 5 Dec 2020]
2. ↑ 'The Great Algae Escape', *The Octonauts*. Season 1, Episode 8. CBeebies, 13 October 2010.
3. ↑ 'The Lost Sea Star', *The Octonauts*. Season 1, Episode 13. CBeebies, 20 October 2010.
4. ↑ N/A, 'Harmful Algal Blooms', *United States Environmental Protection Agency*. 19 December 2019. <https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms> [accessed 5 Dec 2020]
5. ↑ N/A, 'The Effects: Dead Zones and Harmful Algal Blooms', *United States Environmental Protection Agency*. 10 March 2017. <https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms> [accessed 5 Dec 2020]
6. ↑ Jeremy Hance, 'Lethal algae blooms – an ecosystem out of balance', *The Guardian*. 4 January 2020. <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/04/lethal-algae-blooms-an-ecosystem-out-of-balance> [accessed 5 Dec 2020]
7. ↑ N/A, 'Layers of the Ocean', *Sea and Sky*. N/A <http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/ocean-layers.html> [accessed 5 Dec 2020]