Paramount Importance
Welcome to Paramount Importance — where science meets curiosity.
Hosted by marine scientist Kurt Krispyn, this podcast dives into the weird, wonderful, and wildly important questions about our world. Through open, honest, laid-back conversations with scientists, explorers, and big thinkers, we unpack the mysteries of nature, discovery, and human innovation.
If you're into the unknown, the unexplained, and the unbelievable, you're in the right place.
Paramount Importance
2025 Ep 36 Southern Right Whales: Max Fabry and Katy Fannei
In this episode Kurt dives into the wild coastline of Western Australia with whale researchers Katy Fannei and Max Fabry, two scientists who built a groundbreaking whale-monitoring program from scratch, fueled by passion, volunteers, and community pilots.
From flying light aircraft over 450 km of coastline to navigating remote beaches with drones and 4WDs, Katharina and Max reveal how a chance meeting led to a unique collaboration linking whale behavior with estuaries, drones, and citizen science. Discover how storm-driven estuary openings may shape whale movements, hear incredible close-encounter stories with southern right whales and great white sharks, and learn how community-powered science can unlock secrets of our oceans.
It is science in the sky and surf, equal parts inspiring, adventurous, and awe-filled. Tune in to explore the frontier where whales, people, and place meet.