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Wave action
I love this website-- The Mendo Coast Current. Whenever I start feeling there is little hope I read the Mendocino page and find something uplifting.
I am not a scientist and I do not know how wave energy may impact wildlife etc yet it seems more hopeful than tankers breaking up and releasing billions of gallons of oil.
The US certainly has an abundance of shoreline and many other countries are much further ahead of us on the study of wave energy. I love this website-- The Mendo Coast Current. Whenever I start feeling there is little hope I read the Mendocino page and find som... more -
Robot submarine gliding across the Atlantic Ocean
An unmanned submersible operated by Rutgers University's Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory (COOL) is "flying" -- underwater -- from New Jersey to Spain. The remote-controlled undersea glider will travel more than 3,800 miles, and will collect key scientific information on the temperature and salinity of the Atlantic Ocean.
"The big advantage is, it's totally unmanned," according to Conrad Lautenbacher, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which sponsors the submersible. "It's very efficient and can be used to obtain the same kind of data we gather from ships."
In general, sea gliders are Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) that use small changes in buoyancy in conjunction with wings to convert vertical motion to horizontal, and thereby propel themselves forward with very low power consumption. While not as fast as conventional AUVs with propulsion systems, gliders using buoyancy-based propulsion represent a significant increase in range and endurance compared to vehicles propelled by electric motor-driven propellers. The sea glider has a battery-powered data collection and satellite communication system. The U.S. Navy as well as NOAA have been developing such sea gliders for several years.
During its trans-Atlantic cruise the glider will periodically rise to the surface of the ocean to transmit data up to a satellite. But most of the time the COOL glider will travel at depths between 15 feet to 300 feet below the surface. The COOL researchers will share all collected oceanographic data with the Navy and other interested agencies. The lack of a propulsion system will aid in data collection, alleviating self-noise interference.
The Navy is also looking into glider-type AUVs -- which it calls UUVs for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles -- for several missions, primarily to undertake environmental measurements in areas where surface ships or aircraft (dropping sensors) cannot easily operate. And, of course, flotillas of such unmanned gliders would be much cheaper than manned research ships and craft.
The COOL-developed submersible is yellow, less than 8 feet long, and weighs about 130 pounds. Developed by Rutgers University, the craft will also provide the university with other important information, such as how long the craft’s batteries will last and systems reliability. Larger and more capable AUV/UUVs are being developed by the Navy under the auspices of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command’s systems center in San Diego and the Office of Naval Research.
According to the 2000 Program Guide to the U.S. Navy, the highest priority missions for Navy UUVs, presumably including gliders, are intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; mine countermeasures (i.e., locating and mapping mines); and anti-submarine warfare. Sea gliders could be very useful in collecting environmental information for ASW operations. An unmanned submersible operated by Rutgers University's Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory (COOL) is "flying" -- underwater -- from... more -
The 1st Girl Surfers
Great surfing never looked better than this. From the epic movie "Super Sessions," this is the first ever surfing competition for women. Held in 1976 on the beach in Malibu, CA twenty-three women competed for a first prize of $1,500. Great surfing never looked better than this. From the epic movie "Super Sessions," this is the first ever surfing competition for wome... more
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B-52 bomber Crashes in Guam kills at least 2
HONOLULU (AP) — The Air Force says at least two crew members are dead after the crash of a B-52 bomber off Guam.
Rescue teams are searching a vast area of the Pacific Ocean on Monday for the remaining four airmen.
The Coast Guard says six vessels, three helicopters, two F-15 fighter jets and a B-52 bomber are involved in the search.
The military says the B-52 was en route to a flyover in a parade when it crashed about 9:45 a.m. about 30 miles northwest of Apra Harbor. The plane was based at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
HONOLULU (AP) — Rescue crews were searching a vast area of floating debris and a sheen of oil Monday for crew members of an Air Force B-52 bomber that crashed off the island of Guam, officials said.
At least two people from the bomber's six-man crew were recovered from the waters, but their condition was not immediately available, the Coast Guard said.
Maj. Stuart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman, said the aircraft was unarmed.
Six vessels, three helicopters, two F-15 fighter jets and a B-52 bomber were involved in the search, which had covered about 70 square miles of ocean, said Coast Guard spokeswoman Lt. Elizabeth Buendia.
"We have an active search that's going to go on throughout the night," she said Monday. The Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and local fire and police departments were involved.
The B-52 bomber based at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana was en route to conduct a flyover in a parade when it crashed around 9:45 a.m. Monday about 30 miles northwest of Apra Harbor, the Air Force said.
The Liberation Day parade celebrates the day when the U.S. military arrived on Guam to retake control of the island from Japan.
The Air Force said a board of officers will investigate the accident.
The accident is the second for the Air Force this year on Guam, a U.S. territory 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.
In February, a B-2 crashed at Andersen Air Force Base shortly after takeoff in the first-ever crash of a stealth bomber. Both pilots ejected safely. The military estimated the cost of the loss of the aircraft at $1.4 billion.
The B-52 is a long-range, heavy bomber that can refuel in mid air. Since the 159 foot-long bomber was first placed into service in 1955, it has been used for a wide range of missions from attacks to ocean surveillance. Two B-52s, in two hours, can monitor 140,000 square miles of ocean surface.
According to the Air Force's Web site, the B-52 Stratofortress has been the backbone of the manned strategic bomber force for the United States for more than four decades. It is capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory, including cluster bombs and precision guided missiles. HONOLULU (AP) — The Air Force says at least two crew members are dead after the crash of a B-52 bomber off Guam. ... more -
Biofueled Powerboat Breaks World Record
Late last month, a bio-fueled powerboat named Earthrace broke a world record, circumnavigating the globe in just 60 days, 23 hours and 49 minutes. The fastest previous time for a powerboat to circle the planet was almost 14 days longer.
Late last month, a bio-fueled powerboat named Earthrace broke a world record, circumnavigating the globe in just 60 days, 23 hours and... more -
Why? Tell Me Why! :: Shark Decline
Discovery-News.com: Shark populations are declining worldwide. Kasey-Dee Gardner dives in for the answer.
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Tainted African Dust Clouds Harm U.S., Caribbean Reefs
[eXcERpTs]
"Coral reefs in the United States and the Caribbean may be under siege—from a surprising source half a world away.
Scientists say tons of dust from Africa's arid Sahara and Sahel regions could be polluting oceans in the Caribbean and southeastern U.S.
The dusty clouds carry contaminants like metals, pesticides and microorganisms—potentially disastrous news for coral reefs and other marine animals already stressed by warming waters.
"The pesticides associated with African dust are primarily insecticides. These can affect the coral host directly," Negri said.
Garrison believes that while certain contaminants may be linked to specific areas, such as the African pesticides, no one region is entirely to blame for air-quality issues.
"We're all responsible," she said. "We all have to watch what we're putting into the air."
[eXcERpTs] "Coral reefs in the United States and the Caribbean may be under siege—from a surprising source half a world away. ... more -
When Sharks attack!
These pictures speak for themselves: Great White sharks earning their name.
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Urban Aquaculture: Professor Martin Schreibman wants to bring fish farms into the ...
"Professor Martin Schreibman says our oceans have been overfished beyond repair. If we're going to keep eating fish and chips, tuna tartare, and all those omega-3 fatty acids, we may have to rely on aquaculture. Schreibman is working to bring those fish farms into the city. Urban aquaculture? We'll bite."
(End of excerpt)
Video by Lindsay Utz, Morgan Currie, Michael Schaubach, Danielle Flug, Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman, MacKenzie Fegan, Supermarché, Eric Winkowski, Jake Yuzna// GOOD Magazine
http://www.goodmagazine.com/section/Features/urban_aqua...
Work is licensed by GOOD Magazine under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/
"Professor Martin Schreibman says our oceans have been overfished beyond repair. If we're going to keep eating fish and chips, tuna ta... more -
Raw: Snake Eats Eel
Discovery-News.com: A hungry snake brings an interview to an abrupt halt. Jorge Ribas and Kasey-Dee Gardner watch nature's epic struggle. Discovery-News.com: A hungry snake brings an interview to an abrupt halt. Jorge Ribas and Kasey-Dee Gardner watch nature's epic strugg... more
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A Third of Coral Reefs Face Extinction
A third of the world's reef-building corals are now at risk of extinction, say scientists. A recent study has listed 231 of the 704 species classified as 'vulnerable', 'endangered' or 'critically endangered', up from only 13 species just a decade ago. The coral reefs support large ecosystems of marine life and vegetation and their extinction would have devastating consequences on the environment. A third of the world's reef-building corals are now at risk of extinction, say scientists. A recent study has listed 231 of the 704 s... more
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The old man who farms with the sea
"experts including Dennis Bushnell, chief scientist at NASA's Langley Research Center, say seawater agriculture could prove to be an important weapon in the fight against climate change.
Hodges has already built such a farm in Africa. Political upheaval there shut much of it down in 2003. That's why he's determined to construct a showcase project in North America to demonstrate what's possible.
All he needs now is $35 million. That's where salicornia comes in.
A so-called halophyte, or salt-loving plant, the briny succulent thrives in hellish heat and pitiful soil on little more than a regular dousing of ocean water. Several countries are experimenting with salicornia and other saltwater-tolerant species as sources of food. Known in some restaurants as sea asparagus, salicornia can be eaten fresh or steamed, squeezed into cooking oil or ground into high-protein meal.
Hodges, who now heads the nonprofit Seawater Foundation, plugged salicornia for years as the plant to help end world hunger. Do-gooders applauded. The private sector yawned.
Then oil prices exploded. Hodges saw his shot to lift his fleshy, leafless shrub from obscurity."
~~~~~~
This is a time for vision. Investors aren't laughing at him now.
"experts including Dennis Bushnell, chief scientist at NASA's Langley Research Center, say seawater agriculture could prove to be an i... more -
Chroniques de Mount Lavinia
The fascinating trip of a normal family to Sri Lanka, through the waves of the Indian ocean and chicken pox.
L'affascinante viaggio di una famiglia in Sri lanka , con le Onde dell'Oceano Indiano e la varicella. The fascinating trip of a normal family to Sri Lanka, through the waves of the Indian ocean and chicken pox. ... more -
Why we need underwater "National Parks"
"When you create marine protected areas, you end up impacting people's livelihoods," says Ugoretz. "It's good to know that it actually works."
MPAs protect a portion of the ocean and its inhabitants the way a national park does on land. Fishing and other human activities are restricted or banned, so fishermen tend to view them with suspicion. But scientists increasingly think that they are key to sustaining sea-life diversity and bounty." "When you create marine protected areas, you end up impacting people's livelihoods," says Ugoretz. "It's good to know that it actually... more -
Why? Tell Me Why! :: Salty Water
Discovery-News.com: Ever get a mouthful of water while swimming at the beach and wonder why the ocean tastes so salty? Discovery News' Kasey-Dee Gardner finds out why. Discovery-News.com: Ever get a mouthful of water while swimming at the beach and wonder why the ocean tastes so salty? Discovery News'... more
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Do octopuses have a favourite tentacle?
Twenty-five octopuses will today begin twiddling a Rubik's Cube in the name of scientific research.
Marine biologists concede they have little hope of the eight-limbed sea molluscs solving the fiendish plastic puzzle. Instead, the month-long project at 23 Sea Life Centres across Britain and Europe will examine octopus intelligence in an attempt to discover if they have a favourite tentacle for picking things up – much as humans are right or left-handed.
Octopuses belong to the same family as slugs and snails, but scientists believe they are far more intelligent than their relatives. The researchers will give the 25 assorted creatures food and toys to play with, and record which limbs the animals use.
Claire Little, a marine expert at the Weymouth Sea Life Centre, explained: "Uniquely, octopuses have more than half their nerves in their arms and have been shown to partially think with their arms.
"Many animals have been shown to favour a certain arm so we will see if octopuses can be added to that list."
If the experiment indicates a preference it could shed new light on the structure of octopus brains. What's more, octopuses are susceptible to stress, so finding if they have a favoured side on which to be fed could improve their well-being in captivity.
A diagram of an octopus will sit alongside the tanks with the tentacles on the right labelled R1, R2, R3 and R4 from front to back; the left tentacles labelled L1 and so on.
If the octopus uses a combination of arms, up to three will be recorded in sequence. A ball, a jam jar and Lego bricks will also be dropped in to the water for the octopuses' inspection. The giant Pacific octopus, the common octopus and the lesser octopus will all star in the research.
Previous work has shown them to have a capacity for learning and surprisingly complex memories. In 2003 an octopus in a German zoo wasrevealed to have learnt how to open jars of shrimps by copying staff. The five-month-old animal opened the jars by pressing its body on the lid and grasping the sides with its eight tentacles.
The results of the latest research will be analysed by Sea Life Centre biologists and the results announced in autumn. "We hope it will help towards solving the mystery of handedness in the animal kingdom," added Ms Little. Twenty-five octopuses will today begin twiddling a Rubik's Cube in the name of scientific research. ... more -
Monsters of the deep still undiscovered
GIVEN their size, you might assume they had all been found by now. But scientists believe the world's oceans are still hiding giant underwater creatures which have yet to be discovered.
Marine ecologists have predicted there could be as many as 18 unknown species, with body lengths greater than 1.8 metres, still swimming in the great expanses of unexplored sea. GIVEN their size, you might assume they had all been found by now. But scientists believe the world's oceans are still hiding giant un... more -
Scientists Get Closer to Center of the Earth
The results will lead to critical information for studying earthquakes, volcanoes, global sea-level rise and warming, and a post-glacial rise in some surface areas related to the melting of ice sheets.
Until now, scientists have defined Earth’s center of mass in two ways—either as the mass center of Earth as a single object or as the mass-center of Earth’s system, including ice sheets, oceans and our atmosphere in the equation. The results will lead to critical information for studying earthquakes, volcanoes, global sea-level rise and warming, and a post-glaci... more -
Giant rubber "snake" could be the future of wave power
"A giant rubber snake could be the future of renewable energy. The rippling "Anaconda" produces electricity as it is squeezed by passing waves. Its developers say it would produce more energy than existing wave-energy devices and be cheaper to maintain."
I think there is still a lot of innovation to be done in marine/wave power sector of renewable energy. This is one great idea that could be promising! "A giant rubber snake could be the future of renewable energy. The rippling "Anaconda" produces electricity as it is squeezed by passi... more -
Translucent Sea Creatures
National Geographic has a very neat photo gallery of translucent sea creatures by Chris Newbert of Minden Pictures. Aww, Pikachu does exist! National Geographic has a very neat photo gallery of translucent sea creatures by Chris Newbert of Minden Pictures. Aww, Pikachu does ... more
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