Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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Are we breaking up with Mother Nature?
Has it gotten to the point that when you do connect with Mother Nature it seems like an awkward hug? It’s been said time and time again that we’re better off taking a step away from technology to reconnect with Mother Nature as a regular part of our daily lives. The benefits of establishing a […]
Nine signs of summer you’re still a kid at heart
Exercise and Teenagers Exercise is an important part of keeping teens healthy. Encouraging healthy lifestyles in children and teens is important for when they grow older. Lifestyles that are learned in childhood are more likely to stay with the child into adulthood. Some changes in lifestyle can be harder to make as a person ages. […]
Hands Across the Sand
So if you do not have any weekend plans as of yet, what could be better than rallying some friends and family to participate in your nearest Hands Across the Sand event (June 25, 2011). It’s really quite simple. Once you find your nearest participating beach follow these three steps: STEP 1 – Go to […]
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 […]
How did the loggerhead sea turtle get its name?
The loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta, was given the common name because it has such a massive head. On this massive head is an incredibly powerful jaw that aids the turtle in consuming any type of food it can get its mouth on. This can include corals, sponges, crabs, jellies, fish, other sea turtles, sea […]
How have horseshoe crabs been able to remain unchanged for centuries?
In case you have not had the opportunity to get your hands on the new book, Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms, about animals that have remained unchanged through time (Richard Fortey) here is a video from the BBC on how the horseshoe crab has been able to survive through the ages. I am particularly fond […]
The Fisheries Industry is a Ponzi Scheme?
Yes, it is unfortunate. Please read the article from the New Republic “Aquacalypse Now: The End of Fish” by Daniel Pauly (pictured) to find out more. Daniel Pauly is a professor at the Fisheries Centre of the University of British Columbia and the principal investigator of its Sea Around Us Project. Image (c) carmelfinley.wordpress.com
Do all jellies sting?
Yes, they do. All jellies have specialized structures called cnidoblasts. Inside the cnidoblasts are capsules called nematocysts. Inside each nematocyst is a coiled, hollow thread. Nematocysts are triggered by mechanical (touch) or chemical stimuli. When they fire, the thread turns inside out, pierces its prey and delivers its venom. A jelly’s tentacles and oral arms […]
What am I?
Here are some clues: Lives at the surface of the ocean. It is only one cell. It is an animal that eats, breathes and moves like any other animal. The blue rays in the center hold algae. You can find it at the American Museum of Natural History. Do you have another great question? Check […]
Did you know what we add to our garden affects the ocean?
It’s officially day 4 of the “We affect what goes in our watershed” week (see posts on marine debris, oil, and pharmaceuticals). This time it’s all about fertilizers. Researchers whom published in the February 2011 edition of the journal Environmental Research Letters pointed out the human use of phosphorous, primarily in the industrialized world, is […]
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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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