Ocean Junk : A Sad Litany of the Prosaic and the Strange
For years along the Cornish coast of Britain, Atlantic Ocean currents have carried thousands of Lego pieces onto the beaches. In Kenya, cheap flip-flop sandals are churned relentlessly in the Indian Ocean surf, until finally being spit out onto the sand.
Blooms off Both North American Coasts
Phytoplankton are to the ocean what grasses and other ground cover are to land: the primary producers, the basic food source and carbon recycler for the rest of the environment. Algae and other forms of phytoplankton are floating, plant-like organisms that soak up sunshine, sponge up nutrients, and create their own food (energy).
Adele Island
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of Adele Island, off of Australia’s north coast. Adele Island has been classified as an important bird area because it is a breeding site of world importance for lesser frigatebirds and three other species.
The Barrier Islands: Islands in Motion
North Carolina is famous for its beautiful set of coastal barrier islands. But did you know that those islands are mobile? Around 14 thousand years ago, as the last ice age was coming to a close, sea level began to rise as water was released from the glaciers.
Beach Towns Push to be Accessible to All, NC
Beach towns in New Hanover County, North Carolina, have made their shores more wheelchair-accessible in recent years, most notably with the big-wheeled chairs that glide easily across the sand.
Mysterious Balls of Goo Are Rolling Onto American Beaches
Stranded jellyfish are common sights along beaches around the world. Some places can see up to a billion animals coating the sand. But beachgoers along the U.S. East Coast are running across a surprising sight this summer…
Predicting the Shape of River Deltas
New method may help engineers determine coastal impact of dams and levees.
What Should You Do if a Shark Attacks? A) Fight it? B) Play Dead? C) Swim Away?
Mick Fanning’s narrow escape is a reminder that there are ways surfers can have a fighting chance when faced by the jaws of a shark. The best thing to do, according to the University of Florida’s international shark attack file, is “leave the water – swim quickly but smoothly”…
Mystery Shipwreck Found off North Carolina Coast
The remains of a centuries-old shipwreck have been discovered more than a mile below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina, a reminder that history can be found anywhere.