Oceans Of Life Photography Competition 2013 – In Pictures
The annual Oceans of Life photography competition, run by BirdLife South Africa aims to use inspirational images of seabirds, cetaceans, fish and other coastal species to promote the conservation of marine biodiversity and ecosystems…
Plastic Waste Threatens Lakes As Well As Oceans
Pollution with plastic waste is not confined to the oceans but poses a growing threat to lakes as well.
Typhoon Fitow Hits China: Half A Million People Forced To Evacuate
A typhoon slammed into southeastern China on Monday with powerful winds and heavy rains that cut power, canceled flights and suspended train services.
Sponges Help Coral Reefs Thrive In Ocean Deserts
The mystery of how coral reefs thrive in “ocean deserts” has been solved, scientists say.
How Not to Love Nature: Shove a Coal Plant Next to Earth’s Biggest Mangrove Forest
Tigers have long provided the best defense for Bangladesh’s Sundarbans National Park, the planet’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage site. These days, however, environmentalists are alarmed by a more insidious threat to the park’s future: a massive 1,320-MW coal-fired power plant that’s due to be constructed just 14 km away, in the city of Rampal.
A Quest For Resilient Reefs
All the coral reefs in the world together occupy less than one percent of the ocean seafloor, a tiny area of the global ocean. Yet 25 percent all ocean species, an estimated 9 million species, are found on coral reefs. Also, coral reefs are barriers that protect coastlines from sea-level rise and storm surges. It is estimated that coral reefs provide about $375 billion to the global economy each year.
The Most Striking Visualizations To Date of Hurricane Sandy, revealed
Scientists have recently developed striking visualizations of Hurricane Sandy, which devastated parts of the U.S. East Coast last year. The visualizations, created using state-of-the-art computer models at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), provide some of the most detailed looks at any hurricane to date.
Fukushima Leaks: Radioactive Water Overflows Tank Into The Sea
Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has a new leak of radioactive water after workers overfilled a storage tank, its operator says. Around 430 litres (100 gallons) of water may have leaked from the tank, and could have flowed into the sea.
Oceans Face Deadly Trio Of Threats, Study Says
The world’s oceans are under greater threat than previously believed from a “deadly trio” of global warming, declining oxygen levels and acidification, an international study said on Thursday.