I recently went to the grocer to buy oranges and they were $1.59 a pound. I realized that citrus takes a lot of water to produce juicy fruit and that the price per pound was about the cost of water.
So how are we doing at saving water?
In my neighborhood, lawns, trees, bushes, and other plant life is dying because watering twice a week isn't enough water. I hear people with dry coughs coughing everywhere I go as well, and I think it's because there is more dry dirt and dust in the air now that lawns are dying out.
The local water company is giving money back to people who get rid of thirsty lawns and plant drought tolerant plants instead, but instead I see people spending hundreds of dollars to cement in once grassy or garden areas.
Of course we must have water for drinking and water for agriculture, even more than we need water for bathing.
So sink bath between showers, shut the shower off when you are soaping or shampooing, and continue to save water.
12/27/14
12/25/14
12/21/14
11/22/14
FEMALE ORCA WHALES FOLLOWED BY A DRONE : SOME STARVED TO DEATH
TECH TIMES : DRONE STALKS KILLER WHALES AND HERE IS WHAT IT LEARNED full article....
Some of the whales appeared to be skeletal and some died at sea.
Some of the whales appeared to be skeletal and some died at sea.
11/18/14
SEA OTTER PUP WILL LEARN TO BE AN OTTER AT SHEDD AQUARIUM
Luckily this little otter has baby hair that allows it to float without much effort!
"Though stable, the orphaned otter will still need extra care and attention to ensure its transition is a success. Having been abandoned as a one-week-old pup, the baby otter must be essentially taught how to be an otter by the staff at Shedd. "It truly takes a village to rehabilitate a young sea otter. Our animal care team is teaching the pup how to be an otter," said Binder. "While the process is lengthy, our hands-on experience and long history rehabilitating sea otters allows us to use our expertise to work on saving this pup's life by providing her with a home and the care she needs." So far so good. The otter, which weighed roughly one pound when it was rescued -- tiny even for an otter pup -- is now over six pounds and is beginning to eat whole foods like shrimp and clams. She's grown to roughly 22 inches in length and is off the charts on the unofficial adorable scale."
"Though stable, the orphaned otter will still need extra care and attention to ensure its transition is a success. Having been abandoned as a one-week-old pup, the baby otter must be essentially taught how to be an otter by the staff at Shedd. "It truly takes a village to rehabilitate a young sea otter. Our animal care team is teaching the pup how to be an otter," said Binder. "While the process is lengthy, our hands-on experience and long history rehabilitating sea otters allows us to use our expertise to work on saving this pup's life by providing her with a home and the care she needs." So far so good. The otter, which weighed roughly one pound when it was rescued -- tiny even for an otter pup -- is now over six pounds and is beginning to eat whole foods like shrimp and clams. She's grown to roughly 22 inches in length and is off the charts on the unofficial adorable scale."
11/15/14
DOLPHINS ARE MAGNET SENSITIVE
SCIENCE DAILY - DOLPHINS ARE ATTRACTED TO MAGNETS
The article begins " Add dolphins to the list of magnetosensitive animals, French researchers say. Dolphins are indeed sensitive to magnetic stimuli, as they behave differently when swimming near magnetized objects. So says Dorothee Kremers and her colleagues at Ethos unit of the Université de Rennes in France, in a study in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften -- The Science of Nature. Their research, conducted in the delphinarium of Planète Sauvage in France, provides experimental behavioral proof that these marine animals are magnetoreceptive..."
The article begins " Add dolphins to the list of magnetosensitive animals, French researchers say. Dolphins are indeed sensitive to magnetic stimuli, as they behave differently when swimming near magnetized objects. So says Dorothee Kremers and her colleagues at Ethos unit of the Université de Rennes in France, in a study in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften -- The Science of Nature. Their research, conducted in the delphinarium of Planète Sauvage in France, provides experimental behavioral proof that these marine animals are magnetoreceptive..."
11/9/14
BEAKED WHALE DIVE CHAMPION - SATELLITE TAGS USED TO RECORD DIVES
BBC SCIENCE : BEAKED WHALE IS DIVE CHAMP by Jonathan Amos
EXCERPT:
"Satellite tags attached to these animals, swimming off the coast of California, recorded a dive to nearly 3km below the ocean surface, and one that lasted 137 minutes.
This performance exceeds that for any southern elephant seal, which is also known to be an extreme breath-holder.
The Cuvier's record-breaking dives are reported in the journal Plos One.
Erin Falcone is a research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective in Washington State, US, which led the research project.
She told BBC News that beaked whales had very high levels of the myoglobin protein in their muscles, to the point where the tissues appeared almost black.
This functions like haemoglobin in the blood, allowing the whales to store much higher levels of oxygen, and thus breathe less frequently while remaining active."
EXCERPT:
"Satellite tags attached to these animals, swimming off the coast of California, recorded a dive to nearly 3km below the ocean surface, and one that lasted 137 minutes.
This performance exceeds that for any southern elephant seal, which is also known to be an extreme breath-holder.
The Cuvier's record-breaking dives are reported in the journal Plos One.
Erin Falcone is a research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective in Washington State, US, which led the research project.
She told BBC News that beaked whales had very high levels of the myoglobin protein in their muscles, to the point where the tissues appeared almost black.
This functions like haemoglobin in the blood, allowing the whales to store much higher levels of oxygen, and thus breathe less frequently while remaining active."
11/7/14
COMING UP - SOME ARTICLES THAT INVOLVE THE LATEST AMAZING SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY
These days it's easy to bring up articles of interest on your cell phone or news feed. However, the articles I'm posting to are the ones I found the most interesting our of many. For the next couple weeks at least I'll be posting articles about sea life and the ocean that involve the latest amazing science technology.
11/5/14
MORE WAYS TO SAVE WATER! by SIREN! SIREN'S LINK TO SEA!
1) When you make tea and don't drink it all, use it to water plants.
2) Since coffee grounds are good fertilizer for acid loving plants, which includes geraniums, go ahead and pour undrunk coffee cold (without sugar or creamer or milk) to water plants.
3) Clean but for your hair? Consider brushing it, allowing the natural oils to accumulate an extra day, and wear a scarf over your hair, or braid it. For some this is a deliberate "bad hair day," but your hair and scalp sometimes need a day off from shampoos, conditioners, and all the rest.
4) Do less laundry or less often. If an item of clothing isn't smelly or truly dirty, consider airing it out and wearing it a second time before you put it into the laundry.
5) When hand washing dishes, be sure you aren't wasting water as you rinse. Soap dishes and set aside soaped up, then rinse a load all together. You do want all the soap off the dishes since you don't want to ingest it, but this method should use less water than rinsing items one at a time or letting the water run.
2) Since coffee grounds are good fertilizer for acid loving plants, which includes geraniums, go ahead and pour undrunk coffee cold (without sugar or creamer or milk) to water plants.
3) Clean but for your hair? Consider brushing it, allowing the natural oils to accumulate an extra day, and wear a scarf over your hair, or braid it. For some this is a deliberate "bad hair day," but your hair and scalp sometimes need a day off from shampoos, conditioners, and all the rest.
4) Do less laundry or less often. If an item of clothing isn't smelly or truly dirty, consider airing it out and wearing it a second time before you put it into the laundry.
5) When hand washing dishes, be sure you aren't wasting water as you rinse. Soap dishes and set aside soaped up, then rinse a load all together. You do want all the soap off the dishes since you don't want to ingest it, but this method should use less water than rinsing items one at a time or letting the water run.
10/8/14
35,000 WALRUS HAUL OUT ON SAND INSTEAD OF ICE IN ALASKA
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - 35,000 WALRUS - GLOBAL WARMING - ALASKA
EXCERPT: Summer sea ice is retreating far north of the shallow continental shelf waters of the Chukchi Sea in U.S. and Russian waters, a condition that did not occur a decade ago," the USGS website says. "To keep up with their normal resting periods between feeding bouts to the seafloor, walruses have simply hauled out onto shore."
...
EXCERPT: Summer sea ice is retreating far north of the shallow continental shelf waters of the Chukchi Sea in U.S. and Russian waters, a condition that did not occur a decade ago," the USGS website says. "To keep up with their normal resting periods between feeding bouts to the seafloor, walruses have simply hauled out onto shore."
...
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which tracks the status of species worldwide, says there's not enough information about walrus population trends to say whether the species—which has three subspecies, the Atlantic, Pacific, and Laptev walrus—is in decline.
However, "climate change is expected to have negative consequences for Walruses, and particularly severe consequences for the Pacific subspecies," according to the IUCN website.
For one, calves are particularly at risk of disease and from stampedes. Upon a disturbance, whether that's a polar bear or a boat in the distance, walruses tend to rush to the water.
10/5/14
10/2/14
ONE GREEN PLANET REPORTS ON WHALES AND DOLPHINS IN PRISON
ONE GREEN PLANET - WHY WHALES AND DOLPHINS DO NOT BELONG IN TANKS
EXCERPT: Depression, aggression, poor dental health, self-mutilation, vomiting, suicide attempts, drugs, illnesses – don’t these all seem like signs ultimately leading to death? According to a research study conducted in 1995 by Robert Small and Douglas Demaster, the annual mortality rate for captive dolphins was two and a half times higher than that of wild cetaceans. Sadly, not much has changed since then for the benefit of captive cetaceans. While wild killer whales have been known to live as long as 80 to 90 years, only two female orcas in captivity have passed the age of 40, and no males have lived longer than 35.
EXCERPT: Depression, aggression, poor dental health, self-mutilation, vomiting, suicide attempts, drugs, illnesses – don’t these all seem like signs ultimately leading to death? According to a research study conducted in 1995 by Robert Small and Douglas Demaster, the annual mortality rate for captive dolphins was two and a half times higher than that of wild cetaceans. Sadly, not much has changed since then for the benefit of captive cetaceans. While wild killer whales have been known to live as long as 80 to 90 years, only two female orcas in captivity have passed the age of 40, and no males have lived longer than 35.
9/24/14
GREY WATER ! WHAT IS IT?
GREYWATER.COM some points:
Greywater contains far less nitrogen than blackwater
Nine-tenths of the nitrogen contained in combined wastewater derives from toilet wastes (i.e., from the blackwater). Nitrogen is one of the most serious and difficult-to-remove pollutants affecting our potential drinking water supply.
Greywater contains far fewer pathogens than blackwaterMedical and public health professionals view feces as the most significant source of human pathogens. Keeping toilet wastes out of the wastewater stream dramatically reduces the danger of spreading such organisms via water.
Greywater decomposes much faster than blackwaterThe implication of the more rapid decomposition of greywater pollutants is the quicker stabilization and therefore enhanced prevention of water pollution.
*****
Can you use bath water or dish sink water to water your plants? Yes, with provisions!
Greywater contains far less nitrogen than blackwater
Nine-tenths of the nitrogen contained in combined wastewater derives from toilet wastes (i.e., from the blackwater). Nitrogen is one of the most serious and difficult-to-remove pollutants affecting our potential drinking water supply.
Greywater contains far fewer pathogens than blackwaterMedical and public health professionals view feces as the most significant source of human pathogens. Keeping toilet wastes out of the wastewater stream dramatically reduces the danger of spreading such organisms via water.
Greywater decomposes much faster than blackwaterThe implication of the more rapid decomposition of greywater pollutants is the quicker stabilization and therefore enhanced prevention of water pollution.
*****
Can you use bath water or dish sink water to water your plants? Yes, with provisions!
9/21/14
9/18/14
KILLER WHALE POPULATION IN PUGET SOUND WASHINGTON SEVERLY ENDANGERED
NEWS MAINE: ALARMING KILLER WHALE POPULATION DECREASE by Felix Balthasar
EXCERPT: The population of endangered killer whales in the Puget Sound, off the US state of Washington, is on the decline so much so that their current recorded number is the lowest in the last 29 years. Birth of no new calves since 2012 and the natural death of two adult whales can be blamed for the decline.
EXCERPT: The population of endangered killer whales in the Puget Sound, off the US state of Washington, is on the decline so much so that their current recorded number is the lowest in the last 29 years. Birth of no new calves since 2012 and the natural death of two adult whales can be blamed for the decline.
9/17/14
9/16/14
CBS NEWS : CALIFORNIA BLUE WHALES REBOUND FROM WHALING by Agata Blaszczak-Boxe CBS News on September 5, 2014
EXCERPT:
Scientists estimate that there are now about 2,200 California blue whales, which constitutes 97 percent of historic levels. This is also the only population of the blue whale species that has recovered from whaling and from being near extinction as a consequence.
"The recovery of California blue whales from whaling demonstrates the ability of blue whale populations to rebuild under careful management and conservation measures," study author Cole Monnahan, a doctoral student in quantitative ecology and resource management at University of Washington, said in a statement. ... "Considering the 3,400 caught in comparison to the 346,000 caught near Antarctica gives an idea how much smaller the population of California blue whales was likely to have been," study author Trevor Branch, a UW assistant professor of aquatic and fishery sciences, said in a statement.
EXCERPT:
Scientists estimate that there are now about 2,200 California blue whales, which constitutes 97 percent of historic levels. This is also the only population of the blue whale species that has recovered from whaling and from being near extinction as a consequence.
"The recovery of California blue whales from whaling demonstrates the ability of blue whale populations to rebuild under careful management and conservation measures," study author Cole Monnahan, a doctoral student in quantitative ecology and resource management at University of Washington, said in a statement. ... "Considering the 3,400 caught in comparison to the 346,000 caught near Antarctica gives an idea how much smaller the population of California blue whales was likely to have been," study author Trevor Branch, a UW assistant professor of aquatic and fishery sciences, said in a statement.
9/13/14
DID HUMANS EVOLVE TO BE AWAKE ON FULL MOON NIGHTS TO COLLECT SEAFOOD?
DAILY MAIL HEALTH - FULL MOON -TIDES- SEAFOOD full interesting article by Pat Hagan
EXCERPT:
EXCERPT:
In a report on their findings they said: ‘It cannot be excluded that the change in the electromagnetic radiation, or the gravitational 'pull off' of the moon during this phase, may influence the release of neurohormones.
‘Several observations suggest the lunar tidal force affects certain biochemical processes.
‘The solar radiation reflected by the full moon and the lunar tidal force might modify brain activity.’
But Professor Jim Horne, former head of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, said it may simply be that humans evolved to stay awake on moonlit nights in order to capture seafood exposed on shorelines.
‘At least some of our early human ancestors lived by estuaries, where life was very dependent on the tides in terms of seafood.
‘A full moon means particularly high ‘spring’ tides and with the extra moonlight as well it would be worthwhile sacrificing some sleep at night for more food.’
9/6/14
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC IN LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA IS A MUST SEE!
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC ORG check the site out even if you don't think you can make it to Long Beach any time soon.
DID YOU KNOW THIS AQUARIUM HAS A HOSPITAL?
"The Aquarium’s veterinary hospital features advanced digital equipment. With an Eklin digital radiography system, x-ray film does not need processing and images are easily stored for diagnostic and record-keeping purposes. This equipment also speeds up the entire process of taking x-rays, which is better for the animals. A high-tech microscope with a camera imaging system can take pictures of slides. Just as with the x-ray machine, this microscope allows images to be e-mailed to colleagues. Endoscopy and laparoscopy equipment provide opportunities to perform minimally invasive techniques and view the patient internally with a camera."
DID YOU KNOW THIS AQUARIUM HAS A HOSPITAL?
"The Aquarium’s veterinary hospital features advanced digital equipment. With an Eklin digital radiography system, x-ray film does not need processing and images are easily stored for diagnostic and record-keeping purposes. This equipment also speeds up the entire process of taking x-rays, which is better for the animals. A high-tech microscope with a camera imaging system can take pictures of slides. Just as with the x-ray machine, this microscope allows images to be e-mailed to colleagues. Endoscopy and laparoscopy equipment provide opportunities to perform minimally invasive techniques and view the patient internally with a camera."
8/12/14
8/9/14
RED ALGAE BLOOM TIDE TOXIC TO MARINE LIFE - FLORIDA
NBC SCIENCE on the RED ALGAE BLOOM FLORIDA
"The patchy bloom stretches from the curve of the Panhandle to the central Tampa Bay region. It measures approximately 80 miles long by 50 miles wide. Red tide occurs when naturally occurring algae bloom out of control, producing toxins deadly to fish and other marine life. The chemicals can trigger respiratory distress in people, such as coughing and wheezing."
We often hear about man made chemicals and products polluting the ocean but in this case the algae is a natural living sea plant which can take over an area of the sea and kill marine life. Last year manatees died from a similar bloom.
"The patchy bloom stretches from the curve of the Panhandle to the central Tampa Bay region. It measures approximately 80 miles long by 50 miles wide. Red tide occurs when naturally occurring algae bloom out of control, producing toxins deadly to fish and other marine life. The chemicals can trigger respiratory distress in people, such as coughing and wheezing."
We often hear about man made chemicals and products polluting the ocean but in this case the algae is a natural living sea plant which can take over an area of the sea and kill marine life. Last year manatees died from a similar bloom.
8/5/14
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE WATER!
A you probably know already, there is drought and as a result in many places there is water rationing.
You can help save water by not wasting it. Here is a list of things you can do that will help us save water so that there's enough for everyone for drinking and bathing, and so our farmers can water their crops. You can probably think of other ways.
1) When you take a shower, after you're all wet and your hair is all wet, shut the water off while you soap up. Turn it back on to rinse. YOU WILL SAVE GALLONS.
2) Don't use the water to heat a bathroom when it's too chilly to shower or bath. Use a small portable heater to raise the air temperature first, shut it off, and then start with hotter water, and as the air temperature in the room rises, lower the water temperature.
3) Your dog and cat need to drink fresh water so you change the water in the bowl a couple times a day. Don't throw that water down the sink. Take it and water the vegetation that is on the "parkway" between the side walk and the street. INSECTS NEED WATER and when they can't find it where they live they will come inside looking for it. Then we kill them.
4) Consider changing part of your lawn from grass to a succulent or arid garden. Put down stone for walkways around plantings.
5) Be sure that your lawn and garden sprinklers are working and adjusted to not waste water that goes down the street to the sewer.
6) Toilets with low water flush are a puzzle. Some of them have to be flushed twice to do the job. However, you may have a toilet that would work just fine with less water. Try filling a gallon water bottle, put the lid on it, set it down in the tank, and see what happens. Displacing one gallon of water each time you flush will also save gallons.
7) Hand wash and hang to dry some of your clothing rather than put it through the machine. Hand washing is not only more gentle to fabrics but it also sometimes does a better job than the machine. Over time you will save money and water.
You can help save water by not wasting it. Here is a list of things you can do that will help us save water so that there's enough for everyone for drinking and bathing, and so our farmers can water their crops. You can probably think of other ways.
1) When you take a shower, after you're all wet and your hair is all wet, shut the water off while you soap up. Turn it back on to rinse. YOU WILL SAVE GALLONS.
2) Don't use the water to heat a bathroom when it's too chilly to shower or bath. Use a small portable heater to raise the air temperature first, shut it off, and then start with hotter water, and as the air temperature in the room rises, lower the water temperature.
3) Your dog and cat need to drink fresh water so you change the water in the bowl a couple times a day. Don't throw that water down the sink. Take it and water the vegetation that is on the "parkway" between the side walk and the street. INSECTS NEED WATER and when they can't find it where they live they will come inside looking for it. Then we kill them.
4) Consider changing part of your lawn from grass to a succulent or arid garden. Put down stone for walkways around plantings.
5) Be sure that your lawn and garden sprinklers are working and adjusted to not waste water that goes down the street to the sewer.
6) Toilets with low water flush are a puzzle. Some of them have to be flushed twice to do the job. However, you may have a toilet that would work just fine with less water. Try filling a gallon water bottle, put the lid on it, set it down in the tank, and see what happens. Displacing one gallon of water each time you flush will also save gallons.
7) Hand wash and hang to dry some of your clothing rather than put it through the machine. Hand washing is not only more gentle to fabrics but it also sometimes does a better job than the machine. Over time you will save money and water.
7/31/14
7/15/14
7/8/14
AQUANAUT FABIEN COUSTEAU BACK ON DRY LAND AFTER 31 DAYS UNDERWATER!
MASHABLE - FABIEN COUSTEAU 31 DAYS UNDER WATER
The 46-year-old ocean explorer and documentary filmmaker finished his stint in an underwater lab 63 feet deep off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, on Wednesday, rising to the surface after a brief layover in a decompression unit. The project, called Mission 31, provided a platform to study oceanic pollution and climate change and their impact on wildlife, as well as to conduct scientific experiments on coral reef.
The 46-year-old ocean explorer and documentary filmmaker finished his stint in an underwater lab 63 feet deep off the coast of Key Largo, Florida, on Wednesday, rising to the surface after a brief layover in a decompression unit. The project, called Mission 31, provided a platform to study oceanic pollution and climate change and their impact on wildlife, as well as to conduct scientific experiments on coral reef.
7/1/14
6/24/14
IS THERE AN UNDERWATER CITY 6 MILES OFF THE COAST OF MALIBU?
HUFF POST: TRUTH MALIBU UNDERWATER ALIEN BASE
An excellent article by Lee Speigel explores a large strange formation like an undersea plateau that was discovered by viewers of Google Earth. Are Aliens living under there in a city or does science explain best?
An excerpt: "
"I didn't see anything special about it. I think it's because it looks like there's a flat surface and then, below it, it looks like there are these vertical columns, so somebody can say, 'Oh, this is the entryway to something special,'" said earthquake geologist David Schwartz of the U.S. Geological Survey.
"I think it's natural and is a part of the continental shelf," Schwartz told HuffPost. "It's just a complicated part of what's now offshore that has seen some erosion and, maybe, slumping when perhaps this was partially exposed when sea level was lower. This is a really major earthquake area and perhaps some of these features are a result of slope failures, due to shaking..."
An excellent article by Lee Speigel explores a large strange formation like an undersea plateau that was discovered by viewers of Google Earth. Are Aliens living under there in a city or does science explain best?
An excerpt: "
"I didn't see anything special about it. I think it's because it looks like there's a flat surface and then, below it, it looks like there are these vertical columns, so somebody can say, 'Oh, this is the entryway to something special,'" said earthquake geologist David Schwartz of the U.S. Geological Survey.
"I think it's natural and is a part of the continental shelf," Schwartz told HuffPost. "It's just a complicated part of what's now offshore that has seen some erosion and, maybe, slumping when perhaps this was partially exposed when sea level was lower. This is a really major earthquake area and perhaps some of these features are a result of slope failures, due to shaking..."
6/21/14
6/16/14
6/5/14
HISTORICAL FEMALE PIRATES and THE "CAPTAIN PHILLIPS" FILM
I first learned that women had been pirates in 1998. Of course I knew that women probably dreamed of being pirates but I just didn't think women were ALLOWED to become pirates. It was a feminist issue. Then I began to read about women pirates, in particular the Chinese women pirates, and I realized that the pirate mentality was that NO ONE WAS ASKING ANY PERMISSION.
Some of the women pirates I learned about dressed as men at the time they were pirating. Women's clothing was too cumbersome or limiting to move in. These women pirates had to have a lot of daring and courage but they were just as dangerous, cunning, and criminal as the men.
I learned that the idea of the law that we have now, as being a rule of society that everyone was to respect, was not in place in most cultures where these historical pirates operated. Back then the attitude was more like "May the smarter or stronger person win." Some pirates were respected, some were hired to pirate by a business person's enemy, and some quit while they were still alive and used their fortunes to settle down into a land-based normal life! Basically, if they got away with pirating then it was considered fair enough!
So recently when I saw the actor Tom Hank's recent film about the Somali pirates, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, which is based on a true story, I also learned that warlords and other authorities can order other people to pirate to make them rich or to enrich the local economy.
I enjoyed the movie. Have you seen it?
Siren
Some of the women pirates I learned about dressed as men at the time they were pirating. Women's clothing was too cumbersome or limiting to move in. These women pirates had to have a lot of daring and courage but they were just as dangerous, cunning, and criminal as the men.
I learned that the idea of the law that we have now, as being a rule of society that everyone was to respect, was not in place in most cultures where these historical pirates operated. Back then the attitude was more like "May the smarter or stronger person win." Some pirates were respected, some were hired to pirate by a business person's enemy, and some quit while they were still alive and used their fortunes to settle down into a land-based normal life! Basically, if they got away with pirating then it was considered fair enough!
So recently when I saw the actor Tom Hank's recent film about the Somali pirates, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, which is based on a true story, I also learned that warlords and other authorities can order other people to pirate to make them rich or to enrich the local economy.
I enjoyed the movie. Have you seen it?
Siren
6/4/14
SEA LEVELS ARE RISING! WILL YOUR CITY BE 10 FEET UNDER WATER? CHECK THIS SITE MAP!
SEALEVEL - CLIMATECENTRAL- MAP go to the map and see how deep under your city will be.
"Global warming has raised global sea level about 8 inches since 1880, and the rate of rise is accelerating. Rising seas dramatically increase the odds of damaging floods from storm surges. A Climate Central analysis finds the odds of “century” or worse floods occurring by 2030 are on track to double or more, over widespread areas of the U.S. These increases threaten an enormous amount of damage. Across the country, nearly 5 million people live in 2.6 million homes at less than 4 feet above high tide — a level lower than the century flood line for most locations analyzed. And compounding this risk, scientists expect roughly 2 to 7 more feet of sea level rise this century — a lot depending upon how much more heat-trapping pollution humanity puts into the sky."
"Global warming has raised global sea level about 8 inches since 1880, and the rate of rise is accelerating. Rising seas dramatically increase the odds of damaging floods from storm surges. A Climate Central analysis finds the odds of “century” or worse floods occurring by 2030 are on track to double or more, over widespread areas of the U.S. These increases threaten an enormous amount of damage. Across the country, nearly 5 million people live in 2.6 million homes at less than 4 feet above high tide — a level lower than the century flood line for most locations analyzed. And compounding this risk, scientists expect roughly 2 to 7 more feet of sea level rise this century — a lot depending upon how much more heat-trapping pollution humanity puts into the sky."
5/24/14
HAS COLUMBUS' SHIP THE SANTA MARIA WRECK FOUND OFF HAITI?
WASHINGTON POST : SHIPWRECK OFF HAITI - SANTA MARIA inc video
Off the northern coast of Haiti and in only 10 to 15 feet of water...1492...a 15th century cannon.
"Explorer Barry Clifford said evidence that the wreck is the Santa Maria, which struck a reef and foundered on Christmas Day in 1492, includes ballast stones that appear to have come from Spain or Portugal and what looks like a 15th century cannon that was at the site during an initial inspection but has since disappeared." ... "Kevin Crisman, director of the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation at Texas A&M University, said many Spanish ships sunk off Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and it will be difficult to confirm that this is the Santa Maria. The ship sank slowly in 1492 and the crew had time to strip it and remove valuable items that would help document the identity of the vessel."
Off the northern coast of Haiti and in only 10 to 15 feet of water...1492...a 15th century cannon.
"Explorer Barry Clifford said evidence that the wreck is the Santa Maria, which struck a reef and foundered on Christmas Day in 1492, includes ballast stones that appear to have come from Spain or Portugal and what looks like a 15th century cannon that was at the site during an initial inspection but has since disappeared." ... "Kevin Crisman, director of the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation at Texas A&M University, said many Spanish ships sunk off Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and it will be difficult to confirm that this is the Santa Maria. The ship sank slowly in 1492 and the crew had time to strip it and remove valuable items that would help document the identity of the vessel."
5/17/14
COULD THIS GRANNY WHALE BE BORN THE YEAR THE TITANIC SANK?
SCIENCE RECORDER : KILLER WHALE TITANIC
Most killer whales die at 60 to 80 years of age. GRANNY may be 103!
"And she’s quite mobile for her advanced years. This week, she turned up this in the Strait of Georgia, a waterway that cuts between Vancouver and British Columbia. She would have to have travelled 800 miles to reach this point from southern California, where she was originally spotted.
Granny runs in a 25-whale group that researchers call the “J-Pod,” or the “Southern Resident Killer Whales.” And longevity runs strong in this group. Two other members, females dubbed “Ocean Sun” and “Lummi,” died at ages 85 and 98, respectively. Granny is the oldest in this group, however. More than that, in fact: She is, as of now, the oldest known killer whale on the planet."
Most killer whales die at 60 to 80 years of age. GRANNY may be 103!
"And she’s quite mobile for her advanced years. This week, she turned up this in the Strait of Georgia, a waterway that cuts between Vancouver and British Columbia. She would have to have travelled 800 miles to reach this point from southern California, where she was originally spotted.
Granny runs in a 25-whale group that researchers call the “J-Pod,” or the “Southern Resident Killer Whales.” And longevity runs strong in this group. Two other members, females dubbed “Ocean Sun” and “Lummi,” died at ages 85 and 98, respectively. Granny is the oldest in this group, however. More than that, in fact: She is, as of now, the oldest known killer whale on the planet."
5/15/14
REAL PIRATES EXHIBIT AT THE SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
SDNHM : REAL PIRATES
"The year was 1717. Valuable cargos were being shipped across the Atlantic. Piracy was at an all-time high. Sam Bellamy and his fearsome flotilla had just captured the slave ship Whydah on her way to England, laden with gold and silver. But before the crew had a chance to divvy up the abundant spoils, a storm would send the ship, its treasure, and 143 men to the bottom of the sea. Discover the perils and privileges of 18th century pirate life as you explore more than 200 authentic artifacts recovered from her wreck."
Siren here! I'm hoping to see this before summer's end. It sounds exciting. The ship sunk off Cape Cod. I want to learn more about the Golden Age of Piracy
"The year was 1717. Valuable cargos were being shipped across the Atlantic. Piracy was at an all-time high. Sam Bellamy and his fearsome flotilla had just captured the slave ship Whydah on her way to England, laden with gold and silver. But before the crew had a chance to divvy up the abundant spoils, a storm would send the ship, its treasure, and 143 men to the bottom of the sea. Discover the perils and privileges of 18th century pirate life as you explore more than 200 authentic artifacts recovered from her wreck."
Siren here! I'm hoping to see this before summer's end. It sounds exciting. The ship sunk off Cape Cod. I want to learn more about the Golden Age of Piracy
5/12/14
DEEP SEA ROBOT IMPLODES 6 MILES DOWN
YAHOO NEWS - DEEP SEA ROBOT IMPLODES 6 MILES BENEATH THE SEA
And no humans aboard...
EXCERPT:
Part of the ROV, diving in the Kermadec Trench, may have imploded under pressures reaching a seam-bursting 16,000 lbs. per square inch (psi). (On Earth, humans are exposed to pressures of nearly 15 psi.)
And no humans aboard...
EXCERPT:
Part of the ROV, diving in the Kermadec Trench, may have imploded under pressures reaching a seam-bursting 16,000 lbs. per square inch (psi). (On Earth, humans are exposed to pressures of nearly 15 psi.)
The Kermadec Trench is the world's second-deepest trench, plunging 32,963 feet (10,047 meters) below the sea surface, second only to the Mariana Trench, which reaches 36,201 feet (11,034 m) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
The deep-diving vehicle, which operates remotely via an optical fiber tether and also as a free-swimming autonomous vehicle, was 30 days into a 40-day expedition to explore the deep-ocean trench aboard the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson.
5/9/14
TINY PLASTIC BEAD POLLUTION MIGHT BE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO FIX
WASHINGTON POST : GREAT LAKES and TINY PLASTIC BEADS POLLUTION Already ravaged by toxic algae, invasive mussels and industrial pollution, the Great Lakes now confront another potential threat that few had even imagined until recently: untold millions of plastic litter bits, some visible only through a microscope. Scientists who have studied gigantic masses of floating plastic in the world’s oceans are now reporting similar discoveries in the lakes that make up nearly one-fifth of the world’s fresh water. They retrieved the particles from Lakes Superior, Huron and Erie last year. This summer, they’re widening the search to Lakes Michigan and Ontario, skimming the surface with finely meshed netting dragged behind sailing vessels.
4/13/14
4/12/14
THE REAL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : FILM REVIEW
THE REAL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN is a DVD that was put out in 2005 by A and E TV and there are many films out with the name or similar so... What this film will reveal to you is that pirating in its day was like corporate theft today - people got hired to do it and people got away with it all the time. Pirating was considered fair game. It was considered unfair that Spain got all that gold and stealing gold off a ship was prime activity. Pirates could be hired. Pirates were sometimes female. And some of the most famous pirate characters we hear about today were not hiding out when they were on land. They were celebrated.
You may want to see this film or read on the subject of pirates and women pirates and compare it to what you see in the famous Disney series "Pirates of the Caribbean."
You may want to see this film or read on the subject of pirates and women pirates and compare it to what you see in the famous Disney series "Pirates of the Caribbean."
4/9/14
4/5/14
INTRICATE PLANTS CALLED VESCICLES ARE LIKE A MARINE MEALS ON WHEELS
NAMONITOR : MARINE MEALS ON WHEELS full article!
Marine scientists at the National Science Foundation’s Center for Microbial Oceanography have discovered that marine cyanobacteria create tiny “vesicles” of carbon and nutrients that act as a food source for ocean life. This is in addition to themselves being the tiny plant life that forms the very foundations of the oceanic food chain. They are very busy little bees, only they are plants, and not bees.
Vesicles themselves are not news, having been observed in human-related bacteria since the 1960s. However, this study marks the first instance of their observation in ocean life, adding a new wrinkle to scientists’ understanding of these tiny workhorses.
Marine scientists at the National Science Foundation’s Center for Microbial Oceanography have discovered that marine cyanobacteria create tiny “vesicles” of carbon and nutrients that act as a food source for ocean life. This is in addition to themselves being the tiny plant life that forms the very foundations of the oceanic food chain. They are very busy little bees, only they are plants, and not bees.
Vesicles themselves are not news, having been observed in human-related bacteria since the 1960s. However, this study marks the first instance of their observation in ocean life, adding a new wrinkle to scientists’ understanding of these tiny workhorses.
4/2/14
PYTOPLANKTON and ZOOPLANKTON are BIOLOGICAL PUMPS OF THE OCEAN
AMAGEST : NEW STUDY FINDS HOW OCEANS ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE
Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, analyzed data of ocean life and observed how the organic matters are used in producing carbon dioxide inside water.
Director of the Earth Research Institute at University of California, Oceanographer David Siegel, and his colleagues analyzed the role of excrement from phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Pytoplankton and zooplankton are tiny little animals placed at the bottom of the food chain.
The new study is published in the Global Biogeochemical Cycles journal titled as “Global assessment of ocean carbon export by combining satellite observations and food-web models.”
Researchers say the biological pump of the ocean export organic carbon into the deep ocean from the upper part through sinking particulate matter and mostly from the zooplankton feces and aggregates of algae.
Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, analyzed data of ocean life and observed how the organic matters are used in producing carbon dioxide inside water.
Director of the Earth Research Institute at University of California, Oceanographer David Siegel, and his colleagues analyzed the role of excrement from phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Pytoplankton and zooplankton are tiny little animals placed at the bottom of the food chain.
The new study is published in the Global Biogeochemical Cycles journal titled as “Global assessment of ocean carbon export by combining satellite observations and food-web models.”
Researchers say the biological pump of the ocean export organic carbon into the deep ocean from the upper part through sinking particulate matter and mostly from the zooplankton feces and aggregates of algae.
UN COURT ORDERS JAPAN TO STOP ANTARTIC WHALE HUNTING
CBS NEWS JAPAN ORDERED TO HAULT ANNUAL ANTARTIC WHALE HUNT link to video:
March 31, 2014, 6:49 PM|
The UN’s highest court has ordered Japan to stop its annual whale hunt in the Antarctic, ruling that the research produced didn’t justify the number of animals killed. Japan is one of the few countries to practice whaling. Seth Doane reports.
PBS : ON UN COURT ORDER plus video and text
"Japan has killed as many as 3,600 minke whales and issued permits for hunting humpback and fin whales within the Whale Sanctuary since the issuing of the JARPA II permits in 2005, The New York Times reports. The U.N. found that not only does Japan lack significant scientific results from their purported studies, but the evidence suggests that Japan has been exploiting the whales for other reasons. The U.N. has determined that Japan has breached its obligations under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling...."
March 31, 2014, 6:49 PM|
The UN’s highest court has ordered Japan to stop its annual whale hunt in the Antarctic, ruling that the research produced didn’t justify the number of animals killed. Japan is one of the few countries to practice whaling. Seth Doane reports.
PBS : ON UN COURT ORDER plus video and text
"Japan has killed as many as 3,600 minke whales and issued permits for hunting humpback and fin whales within the Whale Sanctuary since the issuing of the JARPA II permits in 2005, The New York Times reports. The U.N. found that not only does Japan lack significant scientific results from their purported studies, but the evidence suggests that Japan has been exploiting the whales for other reasons. The U.N. has determined that Japan has breached its obligations under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling...."
3/22/14
SPRING - SEASONAL CHANGE - EARTH CHANGE
Spring has arrived officially on our calander with the Spring Soltice on March 20/21 2014, but spring has arrived early if you feel the warm to hot air temperature and see that some trees and plants are blooming early here in Southern California. If it can reach 90 in early March, what will the summer be like? Temperatures in the 100's are hard to bear and no doubt with higher air temperature comes higher water temperature in our streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Much of California is in drought and there are reports of severe water shortages in areas where the farmers grow food for the entire nation. Since they will either have to buy water from other areas or not plant, we can expect even higher food prices.
Global Warming seems to be a reality, but yet much of the United States has had a long and bitterly cold winter... so I prefer the term EARTH CHANGES or WEATHER PATTERN CHANGES.
Here at SIREN'S LINK TO SEA, ocean ecology is an important topic.
Siren
Much of California is in drought and there are reports of severe water shortages in areas where the farmers grow food for the entire nation. Since they will either have to buy water from other areas or not plant, we can expect even higher food prices.
Global Warming seems to be a reality, but yet much of the United States has had a long and bitterly cold winter... so I prefer the term EARTH CHANGES or WEATHER PATTERN CHANGES.
Here at SIREN'S LINK TO SEA, ocean ecology is an important topic.
Siren
3/18/14
3/15/14
UPPER LAYERS OF OCEAN GETTING LESS SALTY! CLIMATE CHANGE PAPER!
NATURE WORLD NEWS - CLIMATE CHANGE - TRAPPED HEAT OCEAN full article link.
Part of the article:
"For the study, researchers worked with their colleagues at University of Pennsylvania to analyze data from the past 60 years.
They found that the ocean surface has been getting less salty in the past few decades, which has prevented the water underneath from mixing with the top layer. Thus, the heat trapped in deep oceanic water hasn't had an escape route in several years.
"Deep ocean waters only mix directly to the surface in a few small regions of the global ocean, so this has effectively shut one of the main conduits for deep ocean heat to escape," says Casimir de Lavergne, at McGill University and lead author of the paper."
Part of the article:
"For the study, researchers worked with their colleagues at University of Pennsylvania to analyze data from the past 60 years.
They found that the ocean surface has been getting less salty in the past few decades, which has prevented the water underneath from mixing with the top layer. Thus, the heat trapped in deep oceanic water hasn't had an escape route in several years.
"Deep ocean waters only mix directly to the surface in a few small regions of the global ocean, so this has effectively shut one of the main conduits for deep ocean heat to escape," says Casimir de Lavergne, at McGill University and lead author of the paper."
3/12/14
PANDORA THE OCTOPUS DIES AT THE NATIONAL ZOO
WASHINGTON POST : PANDORA DIES AT NATIONAL ZOO full article link
At five years old Pandora was in old age...
"The cause of the octopus’s death is still unknown, although most octopuses die after breeding. Pandora had released unfertilized eggs, each the size of a grain of rice, in April 2013.
Zoo curators began to worry about Pandora on Feb. 10, when she started exhibiting the common signs of old age in octopuses: limited movement and less muscle tone."
(GOOD PICTURE OF PANDORA AT THE LINK!)
At five years old Pandora was in old age...
"The cause of the octopus’s death is still unknown, although most octopuses die after breeding. Pandora had released unfertilized eggs, each the size of a grain of rice, in April 2013.
Zoo curators began to worry about Pandora on Feb. 10, when she started exhibiting the common signs of old age in octopuses: limited movement and less muscle tone."
(GOOD PICTURE OF PANDORA AT THE LINK!)
3/9/14
FRENCH TRIBUNE : INCREASED RISK OF SHIP-WHALE COLLISIONS - BERING STRAIGHT full article link
"Actually, migrating whales are increasingly using the route through the Bering Strait because of less ice there and more number of ships use the same route. This has increased the risk of collision between ships and migrating whales.
It was reported by Discovery News that a research team has recorded more and more whales migrating through the Bering Strait between 2009 and 2012 as Arctic ice melts. Some whales that usually reside further south have begun using the Strait in more numbers."
"Actually, migrating whales are increasingly using the route through the Bering Strait because of less ice there and more number of ships use the same route. This has increased the risk of collision between ships and migrating whales.
It was reported by Discovery News that a research team has recorded more and more whales migrating through the Bering Strait between 2009 and 2012 as Arctic ice melts. Some whales that usually reside further south have begun using the Strait in more numbers."
3/6/14
WHALE WITH 280 FEET FISHING LINE IN MOUTH- THAT WASN'T DENTAL FLOSS
MERCURY NEWS - WHALE WITH 280 FEET OF FISHING LINE IN ITS MOUTH full article link.
"Entanglement in commercial fishing gear and collisions with ships off the East Coast are considered the greatest threats to the right whale's survival. Experts estimate only about 450 of the large whales remain. Each winter they migrate to the warmer waters off Georgia and Florida to give birth to their calves...."
"Entanglement in commercial fishing gear and collisions with ships off the East Coast are considered the greatest threats to the right whale's survival. Experts estimate only about 450 of the large whales remain. Each winter they migrate to the warmer waters off Georgia and Florida to give birth to their calves...."
3/3/14
WHALE GRAVEYARD IN THE CHILIAN DESERT MYSTERY SOLVED
MYSTERY BEHIND WHALE GRAVEYARD IN DESERT full article link:
"Over 5 million years ago, a mass stranding of whales created what is now a whale graveyard in modern day Chile....
"
THEY USED THE SMITHSONIANS new 3D Modeling tools...
"Over 5 million years ago, a mass stranding of whales created what is now a whale graveyard in modern day Chile....
"
THEY USED THE SMITHSONIANS new 3D Modeling tools...
2/23/14
ANOTHER LOOK AT GREENPEACE
GREENPEACE ORG - USA OFFICIAL SITE
Greenpeace is the largest independent direct-action environmental organization in the world... and the OCEANS are just part of that picture!
Greenpeace is the largest independent direct-action environmental organization in the world... and the OCEANS are just part of that picture!
2/22/14
OREGON CHUB FIRST FISH TO BE TAKEN OFF ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST AFTER 21 YEARS - FRESH WATER MINNOW
SC MONITOR : OREGON MINNOW BOUNCES BACK FROM ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST
full article link above
... The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that it was proposing that the Oregon chub was recovered, 21 years after it went on the endangered species list. The proposal will go through a 60-day public comment period before becoming final. The agency will monitor the fish for nine years to make sure populations continue to grow.
"We're not saying it won't need management," Paul Henson, Oregon director of Fish and Wildlife, said in an interview. "But they can leave the hospital and get out to be an outpatient." ...
full article link above
... The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that it was proposing that the Oregon chub was recovered, 21 years after it went on the endangered species list. The proposal will go through a 60-day public comment period before becoming final. The agency will monitor the fish for nine years to make sure populations continue to grow.
"We're not saying it won't need management," Paul Henson, Oregon director of Fish and Wildlife, said in an interview. "But they can leave the hospital and get out to be an outpatient." ...
2/19/14
AXOLOH - TINY WATER MONSTER FISH - MAY BE EXTINCT
io9: MEXICO TINY WATER MONSTER MAY BE EXTINCT full article link - great picture!
...The iconic axolotl — a salamander-like creature capable of extraordinary regenerative abilities — has disappeared from its only known natural habitat in Mexico's few remaining lakes...
Biologist Luis Zambrano of Mexico's National Autonomous University says the most recent three-month attempt to net axolotls found not one of the creatures. He says researchers are planning a second three-month hunt for the creatures, which still survive in labs and breeding tanks...
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SIREN HERE : THE AXOLOTL does exist in tanks if not the wild. The question I have is, will this species ever be able to live in the wild again anywhere?
...The iconic axolotl — a salamander-like creature capable of extraordinary regenerative abilities — has disappeared from its only known natural habitat in Mexico's few remaining lakes...
Biologist Luis Zambrano of Mexico's National Autonomous University says the most recent three-month attempt to net axolotls found not one of the creatures. He says researchers are planning a second three-month hunt for the creatures, which still survive in labs and breeding tanks...
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SIREN HERE : THE AXOLOTL does exist in tanks if not the wild. The question I have is, will this species ever be able to live in the wild again anywhere?
2/18/14
STAR FISH PULLING OFF OWN ARMS - TURNING TO GOO! MYSTERY DISEASE HORROR!
LATIN POST - STARFISH MUTILATE THEMSLEVES THEN DIE full article
... mysterious health condition is actually causing starfish to tear themselves to pieces, literally.
Scientists with the United States Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center say the arms of infected starfish begin to twist and then crawl, pulling away from and eventually off of the bodies entirely.
To make things worse, the resulting holes, from which the starfish's innards are then spilling out, are not able to heal, due to the disease...
Divers and scientists first reported the macabre illness along the Washington state coast, although infected starfish have since been sighted in the waters of Alaska, as well as Southern California.
Scientists say they first detected the mass deaths among one star species, the sunflower starfish, last June.
Now the condition, dubbed "sea star wasting syndrome," has spread to 12 species, affecting stars in the wild and also in captivity, according to Jonathan Sleeman, director of the wildlife health center....
... mysterious health condition is actually causing starfish to tear themselves to pieces, literally.
Scientists with the United States Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center say the arms of infected starfish begin to twist and then crawl, pulling away from and eventually off of the bodies entirely.
To make things worse, the resulting holes, from which the starfish's innards are then spilling out, are not able to heal, due to the disease...
Divers and scientists first reported the macabre illness along the Washington state coast, although infected starfish have since been sighted in the waters of Alaska, as well as Southern California.
Scientists say they first detected the mass deaths among one star species, the sunflower starfish, last June.
Now the condition, dubbed "sea star wasting syndrome," has spread to 12 species, affecting stars in the wild and also in captivity, according to Jonathan Sleeman, director of the wildlife health center....
2/15/14
CUTTLEFISH COLOR CHANGES MAY PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY FOR BATTLEFIELD CAMOUFLAGE
UPI SCIENCE - CAMOUFLAGE INSPIRATION - CUTTLEFISH full article
... Nature solved the riddle of adaptive camouflage a long time ago," Harvard bioengineering Professor Kevin Kit Parker said. "Now the challenge is to reverse-engineer this system in a cost-efficient, synthetic system that is amenable to mass manufacturing." Neurall controlled pigmented organs called chromatophore allow a cuttlefish to change its color...
... Nature solved the riddle of adaptive camouflage a long time ago," Harvard bioengineering Professor Kevin Kit Parker said. "Now the challenge is to reverse-engineer this system in a cost-efficient, synthetic system that is amenable to mass manufacturing." Neurall controlled pigmented organs called chromatophore allow a cuttlefish to change its color...
2/12/14
SWEET PEA THE RAY SHARK GIVES BIRTH TO SEPTUPLETS - SIX LIVE - BORN DIFFERENT SIZES
DISCOVERY : CAPTIVE RAY SHARK GIVES BIRTH full article
A shark ray mom from the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky gave birth last Friday to seven pups, making her the first known shark ray to breed in captivity, according to the aquarium.
One of the pups, a little female, did not survive, but the rest did. “Sweet Pea” — the shark ray mom — now has three female pups and three males. One can only imagine that Sweet Pea is relieved … and tired. The birthing process took an arduous five hours.
At birth, the pups’ weight ranged from 2.1 to 2.4 pounds. The longest was 1 foot, 7.3 inches, and the shortest was 1 foot, 6.4 inches....Sweet Pea and her pups, however, are part of Newport Aquarium’s Shark Ray Breeding Program, which now has 10 shark rays in total — the most in the world for one institution.
A shark ray mom from the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky gave birth last Friday to seven pups, making her the first known shark ray to breed in captivity, according to the aquarium.
One of the pups, a little female, did not survive, but the rest did. “Sweet Pea” — the shark ray mom — now has three female pups and three males. One can only imagine that Sweet Pea is relieved … and tired. The birthing process took an arduous five hours.
At birth, the pups’ weight ranged from 2.1 to 2.4 pounds. The longest was 1 foot, 7.3 inches, and the shortest was 1 foot, 6.4 inches....Sweet Pea and her pups, however, are part of Newport Aquarium’s Shark Ray Breeding Program, which now has 10 shark rays in total — the most in the world for one institution.
2/10/14
EELGRASS RINGS CAUSED BY POISON NOT FAIRIES OR ALIENS
DISCOVERY - UNDEREATER FAIRY RINGS EXPLAINED full article
...The biologists concluded that the rings formed because of the radiating pattern in which the eelgrass grows — and dies when exposed to toxins. In the mud around the eelgrass, the scientists detected high levels of sulfide, a substance that's poisonous to eelgrass and can build up naturally in a chalky seabed like the one off Møn (or unnaturally when agricultural pollutants enter an ecosystem)...But biologists Marianne Holmer from University of Southern Denmark and Jens Borum from University of Copenhagen assure that the circles have "nothing to do with either bomb craters or landing marks for aliens."
...The biologists concluded that the rings formed because of the radiating pattern in which the eelgrass grows — and dies when exposed to toxins. In the mud around the eelgrass, the scientists detected high levels of sulfide, a substance that's poisonous to eelgrass and can build up naturally in a chalky seabed like the one off Møn (or unnaturally when agricultural pollutants enter an ecosystem)...But biologists Marianne Holmer from University of Southern Denmark and Jens Borum from University of Copenhagen assure that the circles have "nothing to do with either bomb craters or landing marks for aliens."
2/8/14
KELP WATCH 2014 UCLA and CAL STATE LONG BEACH SCIENTISTS CHECKING FOR RADIATION - FUKISAHAMA JAPAN DISASTER
FOX NEWS : KEP OFF CALIFORNIA COAST TO BE TESTED FOR RADIATION full article
... the Kelp Project is a research program launched by Steve Manley, a Cal State Long Beach biologist who has been studying the environmental impact of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that damaged the plant in March 2011.
MALIBU TIMES : MALIBU KEPT TO BE TESTED FOR RADIATION full article
... In California, kelp is at once admired for its underwater beauty, grumbled over as a beach obstacle and served up on dinner plates. Now it is being used in the name of science...A research team led by UCLA ecologist Peggy Fong will take 15-lb. samples at locations off Escondido Beach and a second site near County Line Beach sometime between Feb. 24 and March 5. More than 20 labs and universities will take place in a West Coast-wide effort called Kelp Watch 2014, testing 35 sites from Alaska to Baja.
... the Kelp Project is a research program launched by Steve Manley, a Cal State Long Beach biologist who has been studying the environmental impact of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that damaged the plant in March 2011.
MALIBU TIMES : MALIBU KEPT TO BE TESTED FOR RADIATION full article
... In California, kelp is at once admired for its underwater beauty, grumbled over as a beach obstacle and served up on dinner plates. Now it is being used in the name of science...A research team led by UCLA ecologist Peggy Fong will take 15-lb. samples at locations off Escondido Beach and a second site near County Line Beach sometime between Feb. 24 and March 5. More than 20 labs and universities will take place in a West Coast-wide effort called Kelp Watch 2014, testing 35 sites from Alaska to Baja.
2/7/14
ENDANGERED SPECIES - AN IMPORTANT ISSUE
While we're concerned about drought on land and having enough water for drinking, bathing, cooking... never mind watering lawns! And having enough fresh water so that farmers can water their crops and their animals will have enough too ... so we can eat... live... is of utmost importance, there is always evidence of environmental changes that effect FISH and SEA CREATURES in fresh and salt water. Over the next few days I'll be posting links to some important news articles that cover these issues.
2/6/14
1/30/14
GET YOUR NEXT GLASS OF WATER FROM UNDER SEA FLOOR?
FORBES _ FRESHWAER FOUND UNDER OCEAN FLOOR
Massive reserves of “freshwater” are buried beneath the seabed on continental shelves around the world, including off Australia, China, North America and South Africa.
This is the conclusion of a new study by a team of Australian scientists that appears in this week’s issue of the journal, Nature.
Based on an analysis of seafloor water studies conducted for oil and gas exploration purposes, the study showed that an estimated that 500,000 cubic kilometers of low-salinity water is trapped in aquifers under the ocean floor."
Massive reserves of “freshwater” are buried beneath the seabed on continental shelves around the world, including off Australia, China, North America and South Africa.
This is the conclusion of a new study by a team of Australian scientists that appears in this week’s issue of the journal, Nature.
1/28/14
17 YEAR STUDY ON FEMALE LEMON SHARKS - BAHAMA NESTING GROUND
BBC SCIENCE : LEMON SHARKS GO HOME TO REPRODUCE
"In the study, scientists tracked lemon sharks in the Bahamas for 17 years to prove the case.
Even though this species is highly migratory, pregnant females prefer to give birth where they themselves were born.
The researchers say it strengthens the argument for restrictions on fishing at specific sites.
The idea of females returning to their own place of birth to reproduce has been observed in a number of marine species most notably in salmon but it has also been seen in sea turtles.
"In the study, scientists tracked lemon sharks in the Bahamas for 17 years to prove the case.
Even though this species is highly migratory, pregnant females prefer to give birth where they themselves were born.
The researchers say it strengthens the argument for restrictions on fishing at specific sites.
The idea of females returning to their own place of birth to reproduce has been observed in a number of marine species most notably in salmon but it has also been seen in sea turtles.
In this new work, researchers looked at lemon sharks in
their largest nursery area around the Bimini Islands in the Bahamas."
1/25/14
SHIPWRECK "FROLIC" FOCUS OF ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM - CAL STATE CHICO
INTO THE BLUE MUSEUM EXHIBIT - SHIPWRECKS
"Into the Blue" is centered on the story of the Frolic that went down following a voyage from China to deliver luxury goods along the coast of Gold Rush-era California. Its captain, E.H. Faucon, working with outdated maps unknowingly steered the ship into Mendocino's treacherous coast. None of the ship's crew were lost, but its contents of silks, ginger jars and bottles of champagne were scattered among the waves."
"Into the Blue" is centered on the story of the Frolic that went down following a voyage from China to deliver luxury goods along the coast of Gold Rush-era California. Its captain, E.H. Faucon, working with outdated maps unknowingly steered the ship into Mendocino's treacherous coast. None of the ship's crew were lost, but its contents of silks, ginger jars and bottles of champagne were scattered among the waves."
1/13/14
A NEON LIGHT SHOW OF FISH! BIOFLOURESCENT!
LA TIMES SCIENCE : UNDERSEA LIGHT SHOW THE SECRET
"Scientists have discovered more than 180 species of biofluorescent fish that glow in neon shades of blue, red, orange and green -- most of them hiding out in tropical coral reefs.
"Scientists have discovered more than 180 species of biofluorescent fish that glow in neon shades of blue, red, orange and green -- most of them hiding out in tropical coral reefs.
Some of the fish glow just around their eyes. Others have intricate fluorescent patterns on their bellies or backs. And some of the fish glow all the way through their bodies. If you slice a false moray eel like a salami and shine a blue light on it, the entire cross-section would illuminate.
And it turns out that reef fish that are the most mottled and brown and difficult to see are the ones that tend to fluoresce the most."
And it turns out that reef fish that are the most mottled and brown and difficult to see are the ones that tend to fluoresce the most."
1/8/14
JOHN ALDRIDGE SURVIVED FALLING INTO THE SEA BOOTS ON - AN ADVENTURE STORY
NEW YORK TIMES article SPECK IN THE SEA about JOHN ALDRIDGE
"The first thing you’re supposed to do, if you’re a fisherman and you fall in the ocean, is to kick off your boots. They’re dead weight that will pull you down. But as Aldridge treaded water, he realized that his boots were not pulling him down; in fact, they were lifting him up, weirdly elevating his feet and tipping him backward. Aldridge’s boots were an oddity among the members of Montauk’s commercial fishing fleet: thick green rubber monstrosities that were guaranteed to keep your feet warm down to minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature Montauk had not experienced since the ice age. Sosinski made fun of the boots, but Aldridge liked them: they were comfortable and sturdy and easy to slip on and off. And now, as he bobbed in the Atlantic, he had an idea of how they might save his life."
Just loved this story! An adventure!
1/6/14
WELCOME TO 2014 and SIREN'S LINK TO SEA!
Happy New Year!
SIREN'S LINK TO SEA is a blog about the ocean, the sea, and not much all about me, for I'm a mermaid don't you see!
I share interesting articles and links with you that focus on the subjects of sea life and ocean ecology, subjects that are about hard science as well as the adventure and delicious fictions and fantasy of mermaids, pirates, deserted islands...
COME UNDER THE SEA WITH ME!
SIREN'S LINK TO SEA is a blog about the ocean, the sea, and not much all about me, for I'm a mermaid don't you see!
I share interesting articles and links with you that focus on the subjects of sea life and ocean ecology, subjects that are about hard science as well as the adventure and delicious fictions and fantasy of mermaids, pirates, deserted islands...
COME UNDER THE SEA WITH ME!
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