Category: oceans

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NASA Animation Shows Oceans Draining and What’s Beneath the Sea

Approximately three-fifths of the planet’s surface lies beneath our vast oceans, including Earth’s longest mountain range and the land bridges early humans used to travel from one continent to another.

Recently, planetary scientist James O’Donoghue remade a 2008 NASA video to show what could be revealed if all ocean water drained.

From the Japanese space agency, JAXA, where he works, O’Donoghue, a former NASA scientist, took the video created by NASA physicist and animator Horace Mitchell and tweaked the timing. He also added a tracker to show the amount of water draining in animation.

As the water drains, you can see the underwater edges of the continents first. These are known as the continental shelves.

O’Donoghue told Business Insider,

“I slowed down the start since, rather surprisingly, there’s a lot of undersea landscape instantly revealed in the first tens of meters.”

The continental shelves also make up some of the land bridges humans used to cross to other continents. Our ancestors, from tens of thousands of years ago, were able to traverse from Europe to the U.K., and Siberia to Alaska, by land.

Early inhabitants of Australia could even walk to what are now islands surrounding the Australian continent.

O’Donoghue explained that water frozen at the poles during the last ice age melted and created the continents we know today while enclosing the humans where they were.

Earth’s longest chain of mountains, called the mid-ocean ridge, appears once the sea levels drop 2,000 to 3,000 meters, revealing its 37,000 global stretch. More than 90 percent of the range is underwater.

Volcanic mountains can be seen between the Earth’s tectonic plates. Most of the planet is revealed at 6,000 meters, with the Marianas Trench needing another 5,000 meters before totally emptying.

The video really does showcase how interesting the topography of the Earth is underneath the oceans and the chapters of our earliest existence.

What do you think about this revealing video? Let us know in the comments!

The post NASA Animation Shows Oceans Draining and What’s Beneath the Sea appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

NASA Animation Shows Oceans Draining and What’s Beneath the Sea

Approximately three-fifths of the planet’s surface lies beneath our vast oceans, including Earth’s longest mountain range and the land bridges early humans used to travel from one continent to another.

Recently, planetary scientist James O’Donoghue remade a 2008 NASA video to show what could be revealed if all ocean water drained.

From the Japanese space agency, JAXA, where he works, O’Donoghue, a former NASA scientist, took the video created by NASA physicist and animator Horace Mitchell and tweaked the timing. He also added a tracker to show the amount of water draining in animation.

As the water drains, you can see the underwater edges of the continents first. These are known as the continental shelves.

O’Donoghue told Business Insider,

“I slowed down the start since, rather surprisingly, there’s a lot of undersea landscape instantly revealed in the first tens of meters.”

The continental shelves also make up some of the land bridges humans used to cross to other continents. Our ancestors, from tens of thousands of years ago, were able to traverse from Europe to the U.K., and Siberia to Alaska, by land.

Early inhabitants of Australia could even walk to what are now islands surrounding the Australian continent.

O’Donoghue explained that water frozen at the poles during the last ice age melted and created the continents we know today while enclosing the humans where they were.

Earth’s longest chain of mountains, called the mid-ocean ridge, appears once the sea levels drop 2,000 to 3,000 meters, revealing its 37,000 global stretch. More than 90 percent of the range is underwater.

Volcanic mountains can be seen between the Earth’s tectonic plates. Most of the planet is revealed at 6,000 meters, with the Marianas Trench needing another 5,000 meters before totally emptying.

The video really does showcase how interesting the topography of the Earth is underneath the oceans and the chapters of our earliest existence.

What do you think about this revealing video? Let us know in the comments!

The post NASA Animation Shows Oceans Draining and What’s Beneath the Sea appeared first on UberFacts.

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Research Shows That Underwater Speakers Can Help Revive Dying Coral Reefs

Dying coral reefs have been a problem for years now, and scientists have struggled to figure out ways to revive struggling reef ecosystems. But a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications has given scientists (and everyone, really) newfound hope about this critically important issue.

The study found that playing sounds on underwater speakers could entice fish to come to dying reefs. The sounds being played on these speakers aren’t pop music, to be clear. Rather, they mimic the sounds of a healthy reef. Researchers found that when a loudspeaker played the sounds of a healthy reef, double the number of fish came by, and 50% more fish species visited compared to dead coral reef areas without any artificial sounds.

The experiment lasted 40 days, and the species of fish that flocked to the coral with the loudspeakers were very diverse. This is valuable because fish clean reefs of choking algae and help make space for new coral to grow. While this certainly isn’t the only ingredient in reviving dying coral reefs, it definitely can help reefs begin to recover. And diverse fish species bring different functions to coral reefs, which further helps recovery.

Andy Radford, a co-author of the study, said, “If combined with habitat restoration and other conservation measures, rebuilding fish communities in this manner might accelerate ecosystem recovery.”

Coral Reef, Florida

There are many factors that cause a cause reef to suffer or die. In the Florida Keys, sewage and fertilizer runoff has led to nitrogen enrichment in areas with coral reefs, killing corals. Rising ocean temperatures kill coral as well – around 50% of Australia’s famous Great Barrier Reef has been bleached to death because of high oceanic temperature caused by climate change. Though, on a positive note, it looks like some corals are becoming more resistant to increasing temperatures in the water.

Let’s hope that research and ACTION continues to develop for this very important cause. We only have one Earth, let’s take care of it!

The post Research Shows That Underwater Speakers Can Help Revive Dying Coral Reefs appeared first on UberFacts.

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Kenya Installed First Solar Power Plant That Transforms Ocean Water into Drinking Water

A lot of us, as Americans, take clean water for granted. It’s just something that’s part of our everyday routine, whether we need to grab a drink from the faucet, to wash the dishes, or to take a shower – water is always (mostly) there for us.

But that’s not the case in certain parts of the world.

Roughly 2.2 billion people around the globe don’t have access to clean drinking water, but an organization called GivePower is looking to change that. The nonprofit recently installed a solar-powered plant in Kenya that turns salty ocean water into fresh drinking water, benefiting 25,000 people per day.

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The plant was built in the small town Kiunga, Kenya because of the lack of clean drinking water in sub-Saharan Africa. Turning saltwater into drinking water is both expensive and energy-intensive, which is why GivePower decided to build the plant using solar panels that harvest energy. The two water pumps at the solar-powered plant provide clean drinking water to residents 24 hours a day.

Before the plant was built, people in Kiunga had to travel more than an hour to get clean drinking water. And bathing and washing clothing in saltwater is harsh on skin and fabrics, so access to clean water helps the people in that way, too.

Because of the success of the plant in Kenya, GivePower wants to use this technology to help out people around the world. The organization is already planning projects in Colombia and Haiti. If you want to help out this great cause and donate, you can do that HERE.

Great work!

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The Sunscreen You Wear May Be Harming the Environment

There are a lot of sunscreens that are claiming to be “reef friendly” these days.

Photo Credit: Public Domain Pictures

A new label on sunscreens allows consumers to see at a glance how safe the product is for ocean life. If you see the words “reef friendly” printed next to an image of a coral, then the sunscreen should be lacking damaging chemicals. Should be…

A couple of years ago, a report about the effects of sunblock use in the oceans was published by the Environmental Contamination Toxicology journal. According to the study, the common sunscreen ingredients octinoxate and oxybenzone are capable of contributing to bleaching in coral reefs.

Since then, Palau, Hawaii and Key West, Florida, have banned consumer use of these sunblock ingredients. Other tropical locations popular with vacationers, like Mexico, advise visitors about the potential of damage.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Out of concern for the reefs, many companies like ThinkSport and All Good Sport offer coral friendly formulas. Other brands, such as Coppertone (for their Water Babies line) and Alba Botanical use minerals as a blocker. Thankfully, these sunscreen alternatives are easy to find.

Everyone should want to keep coral reefs from bleaching because the phenomenon is devastating to ocean health. But before you throw out all your drugstore sunscreen and suntan lotions, something to note: some environmentalists and scientists have come out against the report.

This is because Coral reef damage is caused more by environmental factors, such as climate change and pollution, than beach-goers slathered in sunscreen. Even if octinoxate and oxybenzone were successfully eliminated from the ocean, the damage would continue.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Also, the reef-friendly labeling itself is an issue. As is typical with other kinds of labeling—for example, food sold as all-natural or whole grain—there are no set standards. Consumers may be misled to believe they are using a reef safe sunblock because any manufacturer can make the claim. Consumer Reports also consistently finds mineral based sunscreens as not matching their SPF claims.

But because tropical beaches and diving spots do test for elevated levels of sunscreen, it wouldn’t hurt to use products without octinoxate and oxybenzone. Even if there are larger issues than sunscreen in the decline of the world’s coral reefs, every little stressor adds to the cumulative effect. So using reef-safe sunblock may not solve the issue, but it prevents you from being a direct contributor. Plus, they’re not even that expensive.

From an environmental standpoint, small changes sometimes result in big wins.

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There are microorganisms living…

There are microorganisms living on the seafloor that reproduce only once every 10,000 years and have been alive for millions. These are likely the oldest living things on Earth.

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Florida Brewery Creates Edible Six-Pack Rings, Ensuring No Turtles Will Ever Die Eating Them Again

Human activity has put the oceans in extreme peril. There is enough plastic in the oceans to form a minor continent and to say that it’s killing marine wildlife would be putting it too kindly.

Turtles, in particular, can get seriously injured or killed when they get tangled in the plastic rings used to connect six-packs of beer or soft drinks, or when they eat floating plastic bags thinking they’re tasty jellyfish.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Fortunately, one of those problems might have a solution!

A Florida brewery believes they can help end the scourge of six-pack rings ending up in the water. Their goal is to keep turtles and their marine friends healthy and happy, while maintaining the convenience of grabbing a six-pack from the grocery store. To that end, SaltWater Brewery, working in conjunction with startup E6PR, has launched the biodegradable/compostable/edible six-pack ring.

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P A S S I O N F R U I T ?

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The craft beer microbrewery, based in Delray Beach, Florida, now uses rings made out of barley and wheat instead of plastic. If the environmentally friendly packaging ends up in the ocean, it begins to break down within 2 hours – plus, it can be safely consumed by turtles and other animals. It should totally biodegrade within 2-3 months, on land  or in the water.

South Florida stores already have the rings on their shelves.

The rings are the first of their kind, and the idea is an excellent one. But the innovation doesn’t come cheap. The Mexican company behind the development, E6PR, is marketing the packaging to other beverage companies in the hopes of both bringing costs down and encouraging the use of plastic alternatives in creative ways.

So, expect to see these on your favorite beverages in the near future (hopefully!).

Just an FYI, the manufacturer does not suggest that anyone actually eat the rings or feed them to wildlife. The best way to dispose of the eco-rings is to put them in a compost pile.

The use of biodegradable packaging is a great development for the Gulf region, which has one of the world’s highest concentrations of plastic trash.

Over 50 other beverage companies have expressed interest in jumping on the edible ring bandwagon, which is a great start to reducing their contribution to our current garbage crisis!

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Releasing Balloons May Look Pretty, but It’s an Environmental Disaster

Releasing balloons has been a staple of many celebratory events, from graduation ceremonies to funerals. They may have been inspired by the Chinese tradition of sky lantern ceremonies, but while sky lanterns are usually made of paper and bamboo and float down in a short time, helium balloons sail high and far away.

A gazillion balloons carried in the wind are pretty to watch and certainly can add buoyancy to the spirit…

But unfortunately, this cheerful sight portends an oncoming disaster for the environment.

Balloons waste is especially hard on wildlife. Sea animals, like turtles, pelicans, whales, as well as forest-dwellers, frequently come in contact with deflated balloons and string. Turtles may think a deflated balloon is a tasty jellyfish, while a seabird might see it as a fish to be snatched up.

Either way, they’re both wrong – and their errors can be deadly.

Not too long ago, a sperm whale corpse washed up on the beach of a resort town in Spain. An autopsy showed the whale had ingested 64 pounds of garbage, including plastic. This incident highlighted how polluted the earth’s waterways are, how clogged with waste. Though it may not seem an obvious effect of joyously sending some balloons soaring, marine life is dying because of what we do without considering the consequences.

People who patrol beaches and shoreline report finding sea turtles and birds tangled in balloons and ribbons. Some of these animals are rescued and cleaned up for rehabilitation and eventual release. Others are already dead.

Photo Credit: Pam Bedsole

Along with plastic bags and fishing nets, balloon are classed by the Ocean Conservancy as one of the three deadliest litter types.

Nick Mallos, Trash Free Seas’ program director for Ocean Conservancy, told The Dodo, “It’s not uncommon for sea turtles to be found emaciated, sick or dead, only to find out later after X-rays or a necropsy that they’ve ingested a balloon.”

His team often finds balloon fragments and string inside the GI tracts of turtles.

Even if the balloons are released many miles inland, they are often carried out over water where they burst or float down. Mallos said balloons released in the U.K. have reportedly been found as far away as Hong Kong and Australia.

But, like the balloons, information about how celebrations that literally call for releasing garbage into the environment has traveled to faraway places. Cities and towns all over the U.S. and other countries are banning balloon releases in favor of less impactful commemorations. Colorful streamers or paper spheres can be released and cleaned up afterward. And even if they floated away and out of reach, they would biodegrade fairly quickly.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Other alternatives are banners, kites or bunting.

To learn more about keeping balloons and other trash out of the sky, forests and waters, visit Ocean Conservancy and South Florida-based Balloons Blow.

Maybe do something a little more environmentally friendly for your kid’s next birthday party? Just a thought.

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