The curious case of living mud
In this live lesson, students will explore one of the ocean’s most surprising environments: seabed mud. What looks like lifeless sediment is, in fact, a living system filled with organisms that quietly shape how carbon is stored in the ocean.
Joining us live, marine scientists from Nelson Mandela University will share what it’s really like to study this hidden world, from collecting muddy samples at sea to uncovering how worms, shellfish, and other sealife interact on the seafloor. This session puts curiosity first, inviting students to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and discover how scientific understanding begins with noticing the unexpected.
Through short scientist stories, quick-fire questions, and an open Ask Me Anything discussion, students will experience how curiosity drives real-world ocean and climate science.
Upcoming broadcast
- 45 mins
- Ages 11-14
Broadcast via YouTube Live (please check school access)
Learning objectives
This live lesson focuses on the themes of:
Developing curiosity about the natural world
Discovering that seemingly ordinary environments can play important roles in Earth’s systems
Understanding how scientists ask questions and investigate the unknown
Exploring how life on the seabed influences carbon storage in the ocean
Preparation
This is a standalone lesson for British Science Week 2026. No prior knowledge or specific preparation is required. Teachers may wish to explore selected lower secondary (ages 11-14) resources from the Convex Seascape Survey to extend learning after the lesson.
A simple student reflection sheet focusing on what surprised me and what questions I have will be available to download from this page.
If you have never joined a live lesson before, visit the support centre, where you can find technical guidance and classroom tips.
Submitting questions in advance
Teachers and students are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the live lesson. This helps us group similar questions together, allowing the scientists to respond to more of them during the session.
Once you have registered for the lesson, use the question box on the right-hand side of the lesson page to submit your class’s questions. Questions can be added at any point before (and during) the live broadcast.
Lesson steps
1. Introduction: What’s going on under the mud? (5 minutes)
We welcome students to the live lesson and introduce the idea that some of the planet’s most important processes happen in places that look unremarkable. Students share first impressions of seabed mud and surface initial questions and assumptions.
2. Meet the scientists: What we do and what makes us curious (10 minutes)
Two marine scientists share short, personal accounts of their work in Algoa Bay: where they work, what they physically do, and what questions keep them curious. The focus is on how science happens, rather than on finished answers.
3. Quick-fire curiosity round (7 minutes)
Through a fast-paced question round, students hear scientists respond to unexpected prompts about surprises, challenges, and unanswered questions in their research.
4. What matters to scientists? (3 minutes)
Students reflect briefly on what they’ve heard, identifying moments of surprise or interest and noting questions they would like to ask.
5. Ask Me Anything (20 minutes)
Students take the lead, asking their own questions about seabed life, carbon storage, fieldwork at sea, technology, and scientific careers. Scientists respond live, modelling curiosity and uncertainty as part of scientific practice.
6. Closing reflection (5 minutes)
We end the session by reinforcing that curiosity - noticing something ordinary and asking better questions - is at the heart of science.
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In partnership with
Teach the goals
The curious case of living mud
In this live lesson, students will explore one of the ocean’s most surprising environments: seabed mud. What looks like lifeless sediment is, in fact, a living system filled with organisms that quietly shape how carbon is stored in the ocean.
Joining us live, marine scientists from Nelson Mandela University will share what it’s really like to study this hidden world, from collecting muddy samples at sea to uncovering how worms, shellfish, and other sealife interact on the seafloor. This session puts curiosity first, inviting students to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and discover how scientific understanding begins with noticing the unexpected.
Through short scientist stories, quick-fire questions, and an open Ask Me Anything discussion, students will experience how curiosity drives real-world ocean and climate science.
Upcoming broadcast
- 45 mins
- Ages 11-14
Broadcast via YouTube Live (please check school access)
Learning objectives
This live lesson focuses on the themes of:
Developing curiosity about the natural world
Discovering that seemingly ordinary environments can play important roles in Earth’s systems
Understanding how scientists ask questions and investigate the unknown
Exploring how life on the seabed influences carbon storage in the ocean
Preparation
This is a standalone lesson for British Science Week 2026. No prior knowledge or specific preparation is required. Teachers may wish to explore selected lower secondary (ages 11-14) resources from the Convex Seascape Survey to extend learning after the lesson.
A simple student reflection sheet focusing on what surprised me and what questions I have will be available to download from this page.
If you have never joined a live lesson before, visit the support centre, where you can find technical guidance and classroom tips.
Submitting questions in advance
Teachers and students are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the live lesson. This helps us group similar questions together, allowing the scientists to respond to more of them during the session.
Once you have registered for the lesson, use the question box on the right-hand side of the lesson page to submit your class’s questions. Questions can be added at any point before (and during) the live broadcast.
Lesson steps
1. Introduction: What’s going on under the mud? (5 minutes)
We welcome students to the live lesson and introduce the idea that some of the planet’s most important processes happen in places that look unremarkable. Students share first impressions of seabed mud and surface initial questions and assumptions.
2. Meet the scientists: What we do and what makes us curious (10 minutes)
Two marine scientists share short, personal accounts of their work in Algoa Bay: where they work, what they physically do, and what questions keep them curious. The focus is on how science happens, rather than on finished answers.
3. Quick-fire curiosity round (7 minutes)
Through a fast-paced question round, students hear scientists respond to unexpected prompts about surprises, challenges, and unanswered questions in their research.
4. What matters to scientists? (3 minutes)
Students reflect briefly on what they’ve heard, identifying moments of surprise or interest and noting questions they would like to ask.
5. Ask Me Anything (20 minutes)
Students take the lead, asking their own questions about seabed life, carbon storage, fieldwork at sea, technology, and scientific careers. Scientists respond live, modelling curiosity and uncertainty as part of scientific practice.
6. Closing reflection (5 minutes)
We end the session by reinforcing that curiosity - noticing something ordinary and asking better questions - is at the heart of science.
Brought to you by
In partnership with
Teach the goals