Ep 011: What would you say if someone told you there was a thriving coral reef in a bay full of industrial pollution, sediment runoff, and unusually warm water — and that it had been there for many years? You'd probably say that's impossible. Juli Berwald said the same thing, and then she got on a plane to Honduras to see it for herself.

Juli is an ocean scientist, award-winning author of Spineless and Life on the Rocks, and founder of the nonprofit Tela Coral. In this episode, we get into the mystery behind Tela Bay's improbable elkhorn coral population, the "Flonduran" coral hybrids that are making waves in Florida reef restoration, what it actually takes to build a biobank from scratch in a foreign country, and how a violinist helped raise $86,000 for coral conservation through the power of live music.

We also talk about science writing — how Juli went from textbooks to National Geographic, why she writes memoir into her science books, and what she'd tell anyone who wants to do what she does.

This one genuinely made me want to book a flight to Honduras. I think you'll feel the same way.

EPISODE SHOW NOTES (click for all the links!)

Juli's website: JuliBerwald.com

Follow Juli: @JuliBerwald

Juli's nonprofit, Tela Coral: TelaCoral.org

Follow Tela Coral: @TelaCoral

Preorder Juli's newest book!! The Shell Seeker: Encounters with 30 Seashells comes out July 7, 2026

Podcast website

Casey's Instagram - @caseysnook_

Podcast Instagram - @thisismarineconservation

Say hello! Contact Casey here.

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