#marine-life

#marine-life

La Nina, the climate pattern that helped fuel the extremely active hurricane seasons and drought in the southwest over the past two and a half years, has ended, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.The intermittent phenomenon which occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are below average typically brings drier, warmer conditions to the southern half of the United States and wetter weather to the northern half.

Scientist Amy Apprill, with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, places a recording device onto a coral reef in the U.S. Virgin Islands.Paul Caiger/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Do fish bay at the moon?The answer to that question may also point to a way to protect the ocean's damaged coral reefs.

As plastics accumulate in rivers and bays, localities across the country are seeking creative, affordable solutions to keep their waterways clean.Many have turned to trash skimmers, boats that are designed to remove litter.Tampa, Fla., is one of the latest cities to invest in such a vessel, a $565,000 boat that it has named the Litter Skimmer.

Lower courts ruled that fracking for oil and gas in the Pacific Ocean could pose a threat to marine life.Gas is flared off from a flame boom aboard offshore oil and gas platform Edith in the Beta field off the coast of Long Beach, California.Tim Rue / Corbis via Getty Images On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the fossil fuel industry's challenge to a 2018 court-ordered moratorium on offshore fracking in federal Pacific Ocean waters off the coast of California, a rare victory for environmental groups and coastal conservationists who say producing oil and gas from under the seafloor poses a serious threat to ocean ecosystems and the climate.

Waves crash.Tree branches vibrate.Mosquitoes hum.These phenomena take place every day but not everyone necessarily hears them.Indeed, some sounds happen in places that are hard for humans to access or below the level of what we can perceive.But more and more, scientists are listening in.From a root system up to 90 feet underground, to balloons floating 70,000 feet above earth, a series of recent audible insights are being showcased this week by experts gathering at the annual Acoustical Society of America conference.

A sign is posted for depositing dead marine life from the "red tide" bacteria into dumpsters is seen at Bay Vista Park on July 21, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida.Octavio Jones/Getty Images The harmful "red tide," which has been known to discolor coastal waters and kill marine life off the coast of Florida, has returned for another year.

Preparations for the annual Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge are underway, with this year's event on New Year's Day marking the 120th anniversary of the traditional icy dip into the Atlantic.Organized by the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, this year's "Plunge for Coney" event will see thousands of fearless participants descend onto Coney Island Beach in blankets and bathing suits in an effort to fundraise for the community.

Pharmaceuticals, pesticides, illegal drugs and E.coli are among a cocktail of chemicals found in water off the south coast, a study has found.And now the substances are even being found in oysters and crabs in the area.Scientists have been investigating the water quality between Chichester and Langstone harbours near Portsmouth and have found more than 50 compounds in 228 samples across 22 sites.

When Jace Tunnell spotted what appeared to be a leg on the Gulf of Mexico shoreline in Texas, he thought that his greatest fear a body washing up on the beach was coming true.I thought, Oh my gosh.It's happening,' said Mr. Tunnell, who is director of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve in Port Aransas, Texas.

Pomegranate (fiction - hardbound) by Helen Elaine Lee
The new novel Pomegranate is perfect for fans of Jesmyn Ward and Yaa Gyasi.It is a complex portrayal of queer Black
womanhood and marginalization in America: a story of loss, healing, redemption, and strength.With an utterly captivating and distinct writing style, Lee paints a humane and unflinching portrait of the devastating effects of incarceration and addiction, and of one woman's determination to tell her story.

Oceans have absorbed some 90 percent of the heat caused by human-induced climate change - at a devastating cost.Gatis Vilaks via Unsplash
This story was originally published by Grist.Sign up for Grist's weekly newsletter here.The world's oceans have reached their warmest levels in modern history, outpacing climate forecasts and alarming scientists.

19 minutes ago19 minutes ago A new study says that rapidly melting Antarctic ice could impact oceans "for centuries to come."The fast melting of Antarctic ice threatens to slow deep currents in the world's oceans, adversely affecting the climate, the spread of fresh water and oxygen as well as life-sustaining nutrients for centuries, scientists have said.

Demonstrators smeared oil over a fake, human-sized gannet to protest against plans to develop the Rosebank oil and gas field.Ocean Rebellion climate protesters staged the stunt near Dundee harbour on Thursday, pouring containers filled with fake oil over the mock bird until it became unrecognisable.

Using sunscreen plays a key role in protecting skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.Namthip Muanthongthae/Getty Images If you find a bottle of sunscreen packed in last year's pool bag, here's a suggestion: Toss it out.Since the active compounds can degrade and lose their effectiveness, slathering on old lotion or spray is one mistake people make when trying to protect their skin.

Almost 300,000 New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity fed for a day and 2,306 metric tonnes of carbon sequestered from the atmosphere through the restoration of mangrove forests and seagrass meadows.That's just some of the social and environmental impact purpose-led ad platform Good-Loop has had - just by getting people to watch online ads.

"Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky," an exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, explores the impact of light pollution on different organisms.(Avalon.red/AlamyStock Photo)One of the darkest places in daytime Washington at the moment is a tribute to the night sky.The notably low-lit exhibition "Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky" is the National Museum of Natural History's effort to illustrate what's been lost as artificial illumination bleaches out the heavens.

Balloons can be a real menace, and not just those that may have been deployed by China to spy on the United States.Even the child-size pink plastic "Happy Birthday" balloon can be hazardous if left in the wrong hands.Or, more precisely, left from the wrong hands.That's because many of these innocuous party favors are filled with helium for loft and then released, either intentionally or by accident, to float gracefully away.

Animal campaigners say time is running out for the dolphin population off France's west coast and are calling on the government to ban fishing in areas where the animals are at risk.A record number of dead dolphins have washed up on the country's Atlantic beaches in the last month, but activists believe this is only a fraction of those being injured and killed by fishing boats.

Soup - Bird's Nest: discarded fishing line that has formed nest-like balls due to tidal and oceanic movement around the UK.Soup is the name that scientists give to plastic debris suspended in the sea.In her series of the same name, Mandy Barker creates detailed composite images of discarded plastic objects recovered around the world.

CLIMATEWIRE | New research has revealed an unexpected consequence of climate change.Some crabs are losing their sense of smell.As more carbon dioxide seeps into the ocean and the water becomes more acidic, it's degrading one of the most important senses they use to find food.That could cause their populations to decline.

Fresno is a bustling city located in the heart of California, offering plenty of things to do and see.However, sometimes it's nice to get out of the city and explore the surrounding areas.Fortunately, Fresno is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, historic sites, and quaint towns, making it a great starting point for a variety of day trips.

Since the transition from home offices to actual corporate offices has begun, it's important to ensure that employees feel comfortable, safe, and motivated in their workplace.And adding the right furniture designs can greatly contribute to creating an office that is conducive to motivation and productivity.

Dezeen Showroom: nearly one kilogram of abandoned fishing nets found in the sea is used to make a Liberty Ocean task chair, designed by office furniture brand Humanscale.Described by Humanscale as the "first task chairs made from recycled fishing nets", the Liberty Ocean range is intended to help tackle the problem of ocean plastic.

Get a taste of New Orleans flavor on South Beach at newcomer Joliet, the latest restaurant from Chris Hudnall and Randy Alonso of Lost Boy & Co., the team behind places like Lost Boy Co., Tropezon, and Fox's Lounge.The seafood-filled menu by chef Juan Garrido offers a variety of appetizers, entrees, and larger dishes to share.

Plans for a Coney Island ferry have been cast to sea for the foreseeable future, months after dredging at the proposed Coney Island Creek landing site was halted and the New York City Economic Development Corporation began to seek alternative locations.The creek-side option - selected for its seemingly simple construction, according to an EDC spokesperson - was met by opposition from local residents, and eventually hit a snag after construction began in 2021.