Italian fisherman uses underwater sculptures to stop trawling
Italian fisherman Paolo Fanciulli had been fishing the waters of the Maremma coastline for almost 40 years. These sea habitats near Tuscany, and Fanciulli’s livelihood, came under threat, however, in the form of illegal trawling, dragging huge nets through the water to catch large amounts of Read More...
Eating less meat could help oceans and waterways by reducing nitrogen
It’s difficult for us to consider the long-term, downriver consequences of the simplest of our actions. It isn’t because we’re indifferent; it’s because there are several complicated results to everything we do. Take eating too much meat. When our bodies have more protein than they need, Read More...
Marine biologists come up with effective low-tech solution to bycatch
Bycatch, which is the accidental capture of non-target species such as dolphins, marine turtles, and seabirds, is a pervasive problem in the fishing industry. Thousands of whales, dolphins, and porpoises drown from getting entangled in nets and lobster potlines every year. The problem is that Read More...
New jellyfish species named after Monterey Bay Aquarium volunteer
As we explore further into space, we also discover new oddities every day in our own waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that more than 80 percent of the world’s oceans remain unmapped and undiscovered. Scientists estimate that 91 percent of ocean species have Read More...
As Iceland’s whaling industry decreases, its whale-watching increases
It’s nice when the economically responsible thing to do is also the right thing to do. Iceland announced in February its intentions to end whaling by 2024 because demand for whale meat has decreased significantly. “There is little proof that there is any economic advantage to this Read More...
Signs of life discovered deep in the Earth
We all know that things happening below the Earth’s crust, the top layer in which humans inhabit, impact what’s going on above. From volcanoes to tsunamis, the huge tectonic plates beneath our feet are hugely influential. For the first time ever, scientists have discovered how life above has Read More...
Australian humpback whales come back from endangered status
The majestic and graceful humpback whale is a sight to see in the wild, but unfortunately, these creatures were not only admired by those who have the pleasure of seeing them but desired so much that they became a target for whalers. Between the 19th and mid-20th centuries, the population of Read More...
This system takes CO2 from the air by taking it from the sea
The world over, researchers and scientists are looking for effective and economical ways to pull CO2 out of the air to mitigate the effects of climate change. There are many promising solutions out there, but the amount of CO2 that needs to be withdrawn is substantial and the process of pulling it Read More...
This is the UN plan to tackle plastic pollution
The Optimist Daily very much likes writing about plastic cleanup in the oceans. So, we were ecstatic when we learned about the beginnings of a treaty on par with the Paris Climate Accords to clean up plastics. The Paris Climate Accords made history as an international effort of 192 countries to Read More...
These wind-powered offshore chargers could change shipping
Wind energy is a major part of our energy future. As the technology develops it opens up new possibilities in different areas of our economies. The biggest CO2 emitter for offshore wind farms is the diesel boats that drive out for maintenance on the turbines. Scottish firm Oasis Marine Power Read More...