Public Health Closes Some Santa Barbara County Beaches, Ocean Waters After Testing
Ocean water samples taken on Tuesday were tested for bacteria levels and test results reveal that levels of bacteria do exceed standard levels in ocean water at some beaches.
California sea lion population rebounded to new highs
California sea lions have fully rebounded under the protection of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, with their population on the West Coast reaching carrying capacity in 2008 before unusually warm ocean conditions reduced their numbers, according to the first comprehensive population assessment of the species.
Hyams Beach, Australia: Beach with the whitest sand in the world
The whitest sand in the world: it’s a claim to fame Hyams Beach on Australia’s New South Wales South Coast has enjoyed for years, even securing it a place in the Guinness World Records.
Drones confirm importance of Costa Rican waters for sea turtles
A new drone-enabled population survey – the first ever on sea turtles – shows that larger-than-anticipated numbers of turtles aggregate in waters off Costa Rica’s Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, making it one of the most important nesting beaches in the world. Scientists estimate turtle densities may reach up to 2,086 animals per square kilometer.
Rising temperatures turning major sea turtle population female
Scientists have used a new research approach to show that warming temperatures are turning one of the world’s largest sea turtle colonies almost entirely female, running the risk that the colony cannot sustain itself in coming decades, newly published research concludes.
South Carolina wants offshore ‘no drill’ oil exemption just like Florida
Gov. Henry McMaster is asking the Trump administration to exempt South Carolina from offshore drilling, saying the state’s tourism-rich coast is too precious an entity to put at risk.
Only in Greenland: A beach for skiing and sledding
Sailing across the clear blue sea from the west coast of Greenland, a lush green island surrounded by dazzling white icebergs comes into view. Siorarsuit beach, which translated means “The Great Sand,” is a beach that’s particularly dramatic in the depths of winter, when a covering of snow makes skiing down to the water a real possibility.
Ocean Acidification Changing Mussel Shell Structure
For thousands of years, California mussel shells have been made up of long, cylindrical calcite crystals organized in neat, vertical rows. But scientists have found that as ocean acidification has accelerated over the past 15 years, these shells have undergone dramatic structural changes, being built out of unorganized, uneven minerals instead.
Monaco’s $2.3bn project to expand into Mediterranean Sea
Now construction has begun on a €2 billion ($2.3 billion) project to extend the natural contour of Monaco’s coastline a further 15 acres into the Mediterranean.