Turquoise Tendrils
A natural-color image of what appears to be a phytoplankton bloom off the coast of Tunisia. It is also possible that the discoloration is from sediment.Most blooms are benign, but some can become harmful when they consume too much of the oxygen in the water or when the phytoplankton species are toxic.
Preparing for Tsunami Hazards on Washington’s Pacific Coast
Conventional wisdom about tsunamis says that if you feel an earthquake’s shaking, move to high ground immediately. But what if the area has no natural high ground? Many coastal communities in the Northwest are built on low-lying coastal spits of sand.
India: Govt plans to ease coastal rules, allow land reclamation for commercial use
Bringing in some significant changes in the way it governs its coasts, the government is moving to remove the ban on reclamation of land in coastal areas for commercial or entertainment purposes while also allowing tourism activities even in ecologically sensitive areas along the shores.
A river of rubbish: the ugly secret threatening China’s most beautiful city
Despite Beijing’s increased transparency with air pollution, water pollution remains a taboo in China. Prominent environmentalists have been charged with espionage for speaking out about the situation. Greenpeace China told the Guardian that one third of the country’s rivers are contaminated.
Record-Low Ice Confirmed at North and South Poles
Sea ice at Earth’s poles is dwindling, and it reached record lows this month, scientists report.
Dead zones may threaten coral reefs worldwide
Dead zones affect dozens of coral reefs around the world and threaten hundreds more according to a new study. Watching a massive coral reef die-off on the Caribbean coast of Panama, they suspected it was caused by a dead zone – a low-oxygen area that snuffs out marine life – rather than by ocean warming or acidification.
Support pours in for woman journalist being harassed by sand mining mafia, India
Students, IT professionals and activists have pledged to stand by independent journalist Sandhya Ravishankar who is under attack for writing a series of articles on alleged illegal beach sand mining
Ganges and Yamuna rivers granted same legal rights as human beings
A court in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand ordered on Monday that the Ganges and its main tributary, the Yamuna, be accorded the status of living human entities.
From entanglement to invasions of alien species: the harm caused by marine litter
Marine litter is a threat to the marine ecosystem, human health and economic activities. A new European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) report sheds light on the many effects of litter in our oceans, and highlights the severity and scale of the issue. The report confirms that plastic items have the highest direct and indirect damaging impact.