Chinese Beaches Overwhelmed by Algae
The seas of China have been hit by their largest ever growth of algae. A large quantity of non-poisonous green seaweed, enteromorpha prolifera, hit the Qingdao coast in recent days. More than 20,000 tons of such seaweed has been removed from the city’s beaches.
French Nuclear Tests Showered Vast Area of Polynesia With Radioactivity
French nuclear tests in the South Pacific in the 1960s and 1970s were far more toxic than has been previously acknowledged and hit a vast swath of Polynesia with radioactive fallout, according to newly declassified ministry of defence documents…
Military Sonar Can Alter Blue Whale Behavior
Some blue whales off the coast of California change their behavior when exposed to the sort of underwater sounds used during U.S. military exercises. The whales may alter diving behavior or temporarily avoid important feeding areas, according to new research.
Fukushima: One Man’s Story
It was Japan’s worst nightmare: an earthquake, a tsunami, and a nuclear meltdown. Two years on, the fallout has left the people facing up to some inconvenient truths… A story by Henry Tricks, for The Economist.
Predicting Hurricane-Induced Coastal Change
The probability of hurricane-induced coastal change on sandy beaches from Florida to New York has been assessed for the first time in two U.S. Geological Survey studies.
Desert Solar Power: Opportunities For Green Energy, Yet Challenges In Application
The appeal of building solar power plants in deserts like Ivanpah’s Mojave is obvious, especially when the mind-blowing statistics get thrown around, such as: The world’s deserts receive more energy beamed down from the sun in six hours than humankind uses in a year.
NRDC Annual Beach Report: Reveals 13 “Superstar Beaches” and 11 “Repeat Offenders”
America’s beaches experienced over 20,000 closing and advisory days for the third consecutive year because of polluted water or threatened contamination, according to the 23rd annual beachwater quality report released June 26th, by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Black Sand Mining Unabated, Watchdog Says
Black sand mining in Ilocos Sur, Philippines, continues to thrive despite an order from higher police and environmental authorities for a more aggressive campaign against the illegal activity…
Boat Noise Stops Fish Finding Home
Boat noise disrupts orientation behaviour in larval coral reef fish, according to new research from the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Liège. Reef fish are normally attracted by reef sound but the study, conducted in French Polynesia, found that fish are more likely to swim away from recordings of reefs when boat noise is added.