It’s a familiar story—one I’ve been told throughout the majority of my career: conservation and development can’t co-exist. Another version is that with the rapidly growing population and increasing demands on our planet’s natural resources, we’ll never be able to keep up. The ocean is often considered the last frontier. And while we still have … Read more
Along the Gulf of Maine, you might be lucky enough to see Atlantic puffins—small black-and-white seabirds with comical-looking orange beaks. Back in the late 1800s, these birds were nearly hunted out of existence in the United States. Conservationists stepped in to protect them, and Project Puffin, established by the National Audubon Society, has since re-established … Read more
From its very beginning, the study of the sea has been conducted from ships. The Challenger Expedition of the mid-19th century is a classic example of men going to sea in ships for years at a time to attempt to unlock the ocean’s secrets. However, as useful as ships are for sampling beneath the ocean’s … Read more
The sounds around me are familiar – the quiet chirp of the depth sounder, the slap of the swell on the hull, and the gentle hum of the main engine behind it all. I am aboard the SSV Robert C. Seamans, where I have worked since 2011 as an assistant scientist with Sea Education Association, … Read more
bruv deployment from Global FinPrint on Vimeo. The beauty and power of sharks captivate the public like almost no other animal. For some, they are the stuff of nightmares and for others, amazing species to seek out for an encounter in the wild. Despite the long-held fascination with these predators, only recently have … Read more
The correct answer just might be seawater. Our oceans are rich in biodiversity, provide 50% percent of the oxygen we breathe and sustain billions of people with fish as their primary source of protein – it’s virtually priceless. The noble Dr. Sylvia Earle points out, “the ocean is our life support system.” And while it … Read more
Sailing to Block Island this summer? Get ready to see history in the making! The foundations for America’s first offshore wind power project will be installed three miles off the southeast bluff of Block Island in the coming months, putting the project on track to generate energy for the entire island in 2016 and beyond. … Read more
A unique, citizen science study uses a Secchi disk and a free mobile phone app called Secchi to conduct a vital global study of the sea’s phytoplankton. These microscopic phytoplankton begin the marine food chain. What are Phytoplankton? They are microscopic, plant-like cells that live at the sunlit sea surface and they begin the marine … Read more
On this planet there exist pink dolphins. Not just “pinkish,” but bubblegum pink. And not just a single mutant or ‘pink’ individual among the masses, but an entire species of pink dolphin: Sousa chinensis. Well, to be accurate, only the oldest and wisest of the Sousa chinensis clan exhibit full-fledged pinkness. Younger individuals start out … Read more
Okay, you can exhale now. Breathe. Much like your body just experienced – the ocean’s pH is dropping Pteropods, often nicknamed sea butterflies, are free-swimming sea snails about the size of a small pea. Their name is Greek meaning “winged-foot” their thin, transparent shells are made from calcium carbonate. Pteropods are an important source of … Read more
