PCB chemical threat to Europe’s killer whales and dolphins
A pollutant is present at “dangerously high levels” in Europe’s killer whales and dolphins, scientists say.
Ocean current in Gulf of Mexico linked to red tide, study
A major ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico plays an important role in sustaining Florida red tide blooms, a new study indicates. Researchers suggest that the position of the Loop Current can serve as an indicator of whether the algal bloom will be sustained, and provide warning of possible hazardous red tide conditions in coastal areas.
The Great Barrier Reef Like You’ve Never Seen It Before
Sir David Attenborough uses new technologies to create an interactive journey, highlighting the perils of climate change.
Over 80 Whales Wash Ashore on Indian Coast
More than 80 whales have washed up on a beach in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Beach erosion making St Clair too dangerous, New Zealand
Dunedin surfers and lifeguards are calling for urgent council action to save St Clair beach. The call comes as the city prepares to host the National Surf Championships next week. Beach erosion has been a problem at St Clair for more than a century, as waves hitting the sea wall bounce off with more energy than those washing back from a regular beach.
Spread of algal toxin through marine food web broke records in 2015
While Dungeness crab captured headlines, record levels of the neurotoxin domoic acid were found in a range of species, and the toxin showed up in new places.
Turtles’ age determined by atomic-bomb fallout in their shells
During the years spanning the mid-1950s to 1970, the US government conducted some serious atomic bomb testing above the waters of the Pacific Ocean. As a result, the corals accumulated a lot of nuclear fallout into their structures. But the coral wasn’t the only sea creature to take radioactive material onboard, hawksbill sea turtles incorporated the material into their shells as well.
Human impact has pushed Earth into the Anthropocene, scientists say
There is now compelling evidence to show that humanity’s impact on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and wildlife has pushed the world into a new geological epoch, an “Anthropocene” – ending the current Holocene which began around 12,000 years ago.
Dam projects on world’s largest rivers threaten ecosystems, rural livelihoods
Advocates of huge hydroelectric dam projects on the Amazon, Congo, and Mekong river basins often overestimate economic benefits and underestimate far-reaching effects on biodiversity, according to a new article by scientists representing 30 academic, government, and conservation organizations in eight countries.