Can the ‘sand motor’ save West Africa’s eroding coast? – Grist Magazine
As sea levels rise, engineers are using massive Dutch-inspired sand sculptures to protect shorefront settlements…It’s called the “sand motor,” and it comes from the Netherlands, a low-lying nation with centuries of experience in coastal protection…
Ocean Wonders: A Symphony of Smells – Hakai Institute
“Take a whiff of the sea breeze. What happens to that scent when you sink below the surface? It turns out the sense of smell is crucial to those living in the deep. Hold your breath—but not your nose—as we explore olfaction in the ocean…”
10 Unique Beaches From Around the World – Atlas Obscura
An otherworldly landscape of twisted trees in Georgia. A marshland of bright red grass on China’s Red Beach. A Wisconsin beach so beautiful, that taking rocks from it is illegal. An island of pink shores and Komodo dragons in Indonesia. If you’re looking for a unique beach, these ten places each offer something unexpected…
How Terrestrial Turds Lead to Marine Maladies – Hakai Magazine
Diseases from land animals are killing marine mammals at an alarming rate. Can we stem the flow of feces?
The nurdle hunters: is combing UK beaches for tiny bits of plastic a waste of time? – the Guardian
More than 170tn plastic particles are floating in the world’s oceans – and millions of them wash up on our shores…
Six Spongy Sea Creatures Suggest Warming Might Be Worse Than Thought – the New York Times
Research on a long-lived but rarely seen species in the Caribbean is helping scientists piece together a revised history of climate change…
Category 6-level hurricanes are already here, a new study says – Grist Magazine
In the real world, Category 5 is synonymous with the biggest and baddest storms. But some U.S. scientists are making the case that it no longer captures the intensity of recent hurricanes. A paper published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences lays out a framework for extending the current hurricane-rating system…with a new category for storms that have winds topping 192 miles per hour. According to the study, the world has already seen storms that would qualify as Category 6s…
Inside the Crime Rings Trafficking Sand – Scientific American
Organized crime is mining sand from rivers and coasts to feed demand worldwide, ruining ecosystems and communities. Can it be stopped?…
Here’s How the Next Two Atmospheric Rivers Will Affect California – the New York Times
A “Pineapple Express” hitting California through Thursday will set the stage for another week of unsettled weather across the state…