Green Options » scuba diving

Why Don’t Whales Get “The Bends” ?

Michael Ricciardi — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:53:45 +0000

Scuba divers are quite familiar with the dangers associated with decompression. Diving deep into high-pressure waters forces the compressed air in their tanks into solution in the blood stream. As they surface, some of the nitrogen in this dissolved air emerges as bubbles of nitrogen gas, which is highly damaging to blood vessels, and can be lethal. This is known commonly as “the bends”, and medically as decompression syndrome. Thus, divers know that they must resurface at a slow rate to give the body time to dispense with the nitrogen. Even with this precaution, many divers experience pain and even bone damage (known as osteonecrosis) from repeated diving over many years.

Scientists who study Cetacea (the group that includes whales, porpoises and dolphins) have long puzzled over how deep-diving whales (which are also air-breathing mammals like us) avoid this dangerous, decompression condition, that is, why don’t whales get the bends?

Scuba & Surfing Fans– Win Raffle Prizes for Signing Petition in Support of Coral Reefs

Levi Novey — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 11:00:17 +0000

Perhaps best known for its wetsuits, the water sports company Body Glove has partnered with Reef Check and surfline.com to help rally support for the protection of coral reefs.

The three organizations want you to sign a largely symbolic online pledge that serves as an “International Declaration of Reef Rights.” Body Glove is throwing in some prizes such as a wet suit as an additional incentive for us to take a few minutes to sign the pledge.

Florida Town Wants to Grow Coral Reefs with Electricity

Levi Novey — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:34:27 +0000

As coral reefs around the world continue to disappear, one Florida town has taken the initiative by investing $60,000 to stimulate coral reef growth using electricity. While there is not yet peer-reviewed evidence to suggest that using a low powered electrical current works, scientists are not dismissing the idea. The company that has been hired to make the reefs claims that they have had many prior successes.