By Zachary Shahan •
November 29, 2009
As scientists continue to show, the oceans absorb CO2 and keep it from going into the atmosphere. Thus, they help to protect against global climate change. However, this is looking to be perhaps an even bigger problem than climate change!
When oceans absorb this CO2, it makes them more and more acidic. “Since the industrial revolution, the ocean acidity has increased by 30%,” according to Lisa Suatoni, Ph.D. If we continue polluting CO2 as we are now, “ocean acidity will double by the end of the century compared to pre-industrial times. That is a big problem.”
A beautiful short video of the issues related to this, the oceans, and the challenge we are facing follows. It includes commentary from leading scientists and narration by Sigourney Weaver.
One of the best videos I’ve seen in a long time!
By Bryan Nelson •
March 26, 2009
Scientists gathering specimens in a submersible off the coast of Hawaii have discovered the oldest living colonial creature on Earth, dated at 4,265 years old.
The geriatric discovery (Leiopathes sp.) is a deep water tree-like coral, which grows only a few micrometers every year. That’s an annual growth rate at around the size of a human blood cell. And the Leiopathes sp. wasn’t the only old creature found. Also discovered was a 2,742 year old gold coral (Gerardia sp.).
The discovery raises needed awareness about the delicate, fragile ecosystems of deep sea reefs, which are endangered due to trawling and global warming.
By Angelo S. •
May 17, 2008
Living in the Western world, we Americans aren’t quite attuned to the disposal of used chopsticks. It simply isn’t that big of a problem, as we hurl food into our gaping maws with spiky metal shovels. Generally speaking, the only time we chop down forests in order to feed ourselves is when McDonald’s expands its beef production into the Amazon. The Chinese, our brothers and sisters across the great blue expanse, have an additional problem: chopsticks. They produce approximately 45 billion pairs a year, most of which being as disposable as a Uwe Boll movie. That amounts to about 25 million trees a year.
