ocean acidification

Sea Cucumbers: The Excremental Heroes of Coral Reef Ecosystems

Sea Cucumbers: The Excremental Heroes of Coral Reef Ecosystems

By Hannah Thomasy On its own, a single sea cucumber may not be very impressive. But get enough of these floppy, faceless creatures together, and they—or, more specifically, their poop—can physically and biochemically reshape a coral reef habitat. In a recently published study, an Australian research team used drone surveys, satellite imagery, and observations of […]

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    Hey, Oregon Senators: You Can’t Run Away From Climate Change

    Hey, Oregon Senators: You Can’t Run Away From Climate Change

    By Adrienne Alvord This week Oregon stands on the cusp of approving historic cap-and-invest legislation, HB 2020, that experts have said will help grow the Oregon economy. After three years of legislative consideration, numerous studies, hearings, public meetings and debate, the Oregon House approved the legislation decisively (36-22) on June 18th, and the bill moved […]

    Commonwealth Science Bodies Urge Climate Action in Unprecedented Plea

    Commonwealth Science Bodies Urge Climate Action in Unprecedented Plea

    Scientific organizations from Commonwealth nations around the world have come together for the first time to urge governments to act on climate change. The “Consensus Statement on Climate Change“—issued Monday ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the United Kingdom—is an unprecedented plea signed by the heads of 22 national academies and […]

    Gardening the Seas to Save the World’s Corals

    Gardening the Seas to Save the World’s Corals

    As ocean waters warm and acidify, corals across the globe are disappearing. Desperate to prevent the demise of these vital ecosystems, researchers have developed ways to “garden” corals, buying the oceans some much-needed time. University of Miami Rosenstiel School marine biologist Diego Lirman sat down with Josh Chamot of Nexus Media to describe the process […]

    Is Geoengineering the Answer to Limit Global Warming?

    Is Geoengineering the Answer to Limit Global Warming?

    By Tim Radford Geoengineering, the deliberate alteration of the planet to undo its inadvertent alteration by humans over the past 200 years, is back on the scientific agenda, with a climate compromise suggested as a possible solution. One group wants to turn down the global thermostat and reverse the global warming trend set in train […]

    Could Artificial Reefs Save Our Oceans?

    Could Artificial Reefs Save Our Oceans?

    By Marlene Cimons The Smithsonian Institution calls coralline algae “the unsung architects of coral reefs.” These pink-colored seaweed, with a skeletal structure that resembles honeycomb, live in harmony with coral. They strengthen the corals’ foundation by growing over and between gaps in coral reefs, essentially gluing sections of coral together. They provide a surface for […]

    Billionaire Gives Away His Fortune to Help Save the Ocean

    Billionaire Gives Away His Fortune to Help Save the Ocean

    Norwegian businessman Kjell Inge Røkke is not someone usually admired for environmental stewardship. Described by Forbes as a “ruthless corporate raider,” Røkke made his billions as the majority stakeholder in shipping and offshore drilling conglomerate, Aker. The twist to this story? Røkke has decided to give “the lion’s share” of his estimated $2.7 billion fortune […]

    Spaceship Earth, Your Main Oxygen Systems Are Collapsing

    Spaceship Earth, Your Main Oxygen Systems Are Collapsing

    Yes, Houston, we have a problem: Our oceans are dying. As the brilliant futurist Buckminster Fuller used to point out, our Spaceship Earth is hurtling through space at a great speed. Imagine if someone told you (a passenger on that ship) that the main oxygen systems were failing because of how food was being grown. […]