It is gearing up for summertime so if you see a jellyfish on the beach, report it here. They actually want to hear about all your fun and exciting ocean finds. And best of all there is no registration – so get to it!
Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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Do you know your seafood?
With the holidays right around the corner there will no doubt be plenty of indulgences. It is important to keep in mind that seafood can also be considered an extravagance if you’re choosing an unsustainable option to serve or taste. Did you know that the global fishing fleet can catch up to two and a […]
How do you talk about climate change to your neighbors?
On this website I’ve written about climate change extensively over the years. Sea level rise is a settled fact and 10 justifications ocean acidification is a serious concern were posts from five years ago and still very timely topics. But nonetheless it still seems like a subject that I tend to hesitate or stall when […]
What’s the difference between a conch and a whelk?
Good rule of thumb would be that whelks are found in temperate water and conchs are found in more tropical waters. Also, conchs have eyeballs, while whelks have eyespots. If you’re lucky enough to catch them while feasting, whelks are carnivores and conchs are herbivores. Also, their body colors are different. Conchs tend to be […]
Syzygy and Supermoons
OK, just in case you are playing some pub trivia this summer I want to mention the phenomenons of syzygy and supermoons. In celestial terms, syzygy refers to when three heavenly bodies (for instance the sun, the moon, and the Earth) are aligned. This alignment typically enhances tides to an exceptional level. In marine science, […]
In what way can a beach be compared to a desert?
…It’s Charismatic Microfauna! Well, yes there’s the sand, but there is also an unrecognized and perhaps even shocking biodiversity that lies not quite below the surface. Would you believe me if I told you that in a single handful of wet sand you could be holding a community of organisms equaling, if not exceeding, the […]
The Dating Game: Marine Biologist Edition
With just ten days until Valentine’s Day, I thought I would try to uncover the most sought out after fictional marine biologist. Fill out the survey and on Valentine’s Day, the character with the most votes will be revealed. I do recognize that this is skewed and only includes male marine biologist characters. What can […]
Sea slug actually anything but a lug
This might sound familiar (since I recently retweeted from @NOAAOceanToday) but there was recently an article discussing the virtues of sea slugs. In particular that they have been used to understand how to maximize the effectiveness of long-term memory in humans. Also, check out these divers (with the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre in Bamfield, BC) […]
Are the fried scallops at the take-out place really scallops?
These days – Absolutely! In past decades it was not uncommon to substitute succulent scallops with shark or the wings of a sting ray. The scallop industry has been thriving since 1970’s and this has not been the norm. How can you tell? Real scallops will break apart very easily when separated, also, the meat […]
Top 5 beachcomber questions answered
Take a look at this quarter’s top 5 reasons folks end up on our site. (Due to the amazing power of WordPress I can see what you’re typing into a search that would lead you here!) 1. How do fish give birth? 2. How do flamingos get their color? 3. What is the biggest fish […]
Why are horseshoe crabs essential to biotechnology?
First of all, let’s chat biotechnology, or, ‘biotech’, as those in the industry call it. The concept of biotech has been around for ages, just, not given the fancy term. For instance, planting seeds to produce food, fermenting juice for wine and churning milk into cheese (that are tested with the help of mycotoxin testing […]
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Top posts & pages from BCS …
- Hurricane vs. Cyclone vs. Typhoon
- A House for Hermit Crab
- How to handle a horseshoe crab
- Snot's your house
- Wednesday Wisdom: Various quotes (Alaska scenes)
- A naturalist's must-see destination: Fossil Hunting at Bayfront State Park in Chesapeake Beach, MD
- Belly biology creates lasting memories
- Five awful puns about courtship in the sea
- Horseshoe crabs confirmed as members of arachnid family
- Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
What people are saying …