Weddell Sea is the southern most part of the Atlantic Ocean and is usually ice filled. It was discovered by James Weddell in 1823.
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Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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Action Project Ideas: During the Holidays (4 of 5)
One idea I had when I started this website almost ten years ago was that I wanted to make science simple and accessible. I hope I have created a place where questions on anything from barnacles to whales can be answered in a knowledgeable no-nonsense or overly jargon tone. My secondary goal has also been […]
What is shark finning?
There has been a lot in the news recently about shark finning. It’s the inhumane practice of capturing a shark, slicing its fins off (shark fin soup is an expensive delicacy popular at Chinese weddings and Chinese New Year celebrations), and tossing the rest of the animal overboard to bleed out a die. As noted […]
Why is the ocean blue?
My immediate answer is that the ocean had a rough day at the office. A lot of people think it is because of the reflection of the sky, but, that is missing an important part of the puzzle. If you think about it the ocean is not really blue everywhere, is it? What needs to […]
It’s as easy as A, B, Sea: D for Diaz, Bartholomeu
Bartholomeu Diaz was a Portuguese navigator who was the first person to sail around the Cape of Good Hope. His flotilla of three ships are thought to have rounded the tip of Africa the first week of February in 1488. He was sent by Prince John (eventually King) to explore the west coast of Africa […]
Are stingrays related to sharks?
Stingrays and sharks are very closely related. They belong to a group of fishes called the elasmobranchs. All elasmobranchs have 1) skeletons made of cartilage (the flexible material that makes up the tip of our nose and ears) and 2) 5-7 gill slits. Elasmobrachs includes sharks, rays, and skates. It’s not entirely incorrect to think […]
Why don’t fish freeze in the Arctic Ocean?
Fish species that frequent the cold temperatures of the Arctic Ocean (e.g., toothfish, cod, ice fish, etc.) have special ‘antifreeze’ proteins within their blood stream that enables them not to freeze in the cold waters of the northern hemisphere. This discovery was made about 50 years ago. Recently, scientists from the Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany […]
Five surprising facts about sharks
Why are we so enamored with sharks? Why are we glued to the television in the summer during the last hours of daylight to watch fish on TV rather than playing a final game of wiffle ball or pick-up basketball? Does it have something to do with the fact that there are over 400 different […]
North Carolina: The mecca for marine science?
We all know North Carolina has research triangle between Raleigh-Durham and incorporates Chapel Hill. But, did you know that there is a marine science research quadrant in the state as well. First, you have the Division of Marine Fisheries in Morehead City (as well as the Duke and NOAA labs in nearby Beaufort). Next, in […]
Is seaweed really a “weed”?
Actually seaweed is a term given too many different types of marine plants that grow in the ocean and none of them are weeds, in the sense that we would try to get rid up them with a weed killer. The basic scientific term would really be algae. Algae (Red, brown, or green) are a […]
Earth Day, Every Day
I tend to be a little quiet and not post often in April. With Earth Day as a central theme for so many organizations this month, what more can I offer? Well, I can share 50 simple ways to make Earth Day, Every Day! These small actions will have you thinking more about how we’re […]
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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
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