Births Down and Deaths Up in Gulf Dolphins

Scientists are reporting a high rate of reproductive failure in dolphins exposed to oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill. The team has monitored these bottlenose dolphins in heavily oiled Barataria Bay for five years following the spill. Their findings suggest that the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be long-lasting.

“Coastlines: The Story of Our Shores” A book by Patrick Barkham

It is often said that Britain is a maritime nation but, writes Patrick Barkham in his new biography of the British shore, we might be more accurately described as “a coastal nation, happiest when looking seaward”. Examining our enduring love of the seaside “Coastlines” addresses themes of childhood, passion, war, industrialism, art and faith, and the ways in which each has coloured perceptions of the shore.

Here’s How El Nino is Going to Wreck Your Life, Southern California

El Niño, a warming of the Pacific Ocean, is causing the jet stream to direct storms into Southern California. El Niño storms are unpredictable. That can mean lightning strikes and high tides in the beach areas, flash floods in the high desert and mud flows in communities down stream of burn areas.