In one of the UKRI’s networking events I attended, I was telling a scientist about the Rethinking Fables project, and the importance of storytelling to raise awareness about the climate crisis, etc., and she told me about a group of oceanographers and other scientists who have already been telling stories to do just that! It was such a joy to invite Dr. Hadar Elyashiv (Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research), Dr. Camila Neder (IDEA-CONICET/Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and Dr. Gema Martínez Méndez (Climate Protection Manager for the city Delmenhorst) from the ‘Once Upon a Time… A Scientific Fairytale‘ team to speak about their project and their passion for this amazing ongoing initiative. Please see below the recording of their talk, given as part of the ‘Global Fables’ workshop (September, 12-13, 2024).  

This project uses a fascinating octopus image as its logo. According to Dr. Hadar Elyashiv, they came up with the idea in one of their first year’s group meetings. The image was drawn by one of the members of their group at the time, Dr. Deborah Tangunan (who is now a researcher in UCL, UK, Earth Science). She very interestingly says:

The octopus doesn’t represent a story but rather us – the scientists behind the stories. We wanted a figure that is not the traditional “scientist in a white coat” or an image that not only represented the sea but actually marine research – hence the octopus arms are full with scientific images and equipment. Unlike other sciences, marine research requires a multidisciplinary approach. Some of us studied biology, some geology and others chemistry and physics in our bachelor’s and master’s degrees,  and when you integrate to marine sciences you bring your previous and new methods together. A marine scientist can be in the lab setting up experiments to test a hypothesis, or out in the sea collecting observations. Observations can be made in the lab as well (using various microscopes) and as well in models to predict future behavior of (for example) ocean currents.

Upon my request to recommend one story from the project, Hadar mentioned a story called ‘The life cycle’ (Vol. 1) by Dr. Denise Müller-Dum: ‘It takes you deep into the forest and tells you about the carbon cycle in the most melodic and calming way a story can be’ (you can listen to the sneak preview here).

I asked the same question to Camila and Gema. Camila recommends ‘Ollin and Phoenix’s adventures in the city of corals’ (Vol.2, preview) and her own story ‘Plumi and the chocolate river’ (preview). Gema’s favourite story in the project is ‘Lophelina’ by Dr Leonardo Tamborrino, about a young coral girl (preview here). To quote Gema:

It is a challenge to integrate scientific information into a story without becoming a mere recitation of facts, and I think Leonardo has struck the right balance in his story. However, I’d like to stress that there are many great stories in the books! It has been a great pleasure to work on the project. With my current job I could not continue in this role and was very happy that Camila stepped in for Volume 3 with others at her side.

Their books are available for download on their website. For inquiries, contact the team via ouat.scientific.story@gmail.com.

Dr Hadar Elyashiv is a marine geoscientists, a writer and a science communicator. She earned her PhD from the Universities of Bremen and Haifa (cotutelle) studying how the physical properties of marine sediments affects submarine landslides. During her doctoral studies, she became a founder and a coordinator of the Once Upon a Time Project – a book of scientific fairy tales with a message for young and adults. While being frustrated from her own research progress (as many PhD students…) she channeled her passion for marine sciences into storytelling. She then went on to gain different experience specializing in science communication and digital media for laboratories and scientific associations. As of September 2024 Hadar will be the spokesperson of the Israeli National Oceanographic Center.

Dr. Camila Neder is a marine ecologist, writer and science communicator. She achieved her Doctorate at her hometown University, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina but her academic journey spans numerous locations where she completed internships. Her research focuses on the distribution of Antarctic benthic animals, examining how these species respond to climate change—facing both potential habitat expansion and the risk of extinction, a small wording difference with significant ecological implications. She is currently the co-coordinator of OUAT Book III.

Dr Gema Martínez Méndez obtained her PhD from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Her field of research was paleoceanography and paleoclimatology, the study of ocean circulation and climate in the past. How this can be done is the subject of one of her stories in the “Once upon a time” project. She continued her scientific career in Bremen and Bremerhaven (MARUM, AWI) and was one of the main coordinators of Volume 1 and the driving force, hand in hand with Hadar, behind Volume 2 of “Once upon a time… a scientific fairy tale”. After researching the natural state of the oceans and climate and communicating the dangers of our way of misusing resources, she moved from science to management and has been working as a climate protection manager for a city council since 2023.