Did you know some species of puffers and other fish can live in both fresh and saltwater? It’s called euryhaline. Like … rhymes with “your-e-hey-leen!”. What’s it called when an animal isn’t this adaptable? Find out here.
Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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5 most dangerous shark species
Since you asked … but, I’d like to preface this list of the 5 most dangerous sharks with this excerpt taken from an article in Time by Terry McCarthy. “In California there is only one shark attack for every 1 million surfing days, according to the Surfrider Foundation. You are 30 times as likely to […]
How does an oyster make a pearl?
Oysters are another bivalve animal. In the case of all bivalves, the part of the animal that lines the shell is known as the nacre and the part of the animal that make up the outer shell is known as the mantle. A pearl is created rather by accident when something foreign gets stuck inside […]
How to win a game of Survivor if stranded on a beach
While I am not here to tell you how to form alliances, I can mention some edible seaside plants found along the Atlantic coast. These include: Sea rocket, sea lettuce, prickly pear, bull thistle, dewberry and winged sumac. You can eat the blackberries of the dewberry with milk and honey. For a refreshingly cool drink […]
Sherman’s Lagoon
In case you have not had a chance to check it out you may want to investigate Sherman’s Lagoon, a comic strip by Jim Toomey. Jim uses Sherman, a shark, and his band of misfit friends (a shrimp, a sea turtle, among others) to bring to light their view of the anthropogenic impacts on the […]
How do fish give birth?
There are three general ways fish in the sea give birth to a new generation. I will start off explaining what is most familiar to us, fish that give birth to live young. This is called being viviparous. There is a structure similar to the placenta that connects the embryo to the mother’s blood supply. […]
What they’re into … with Jim Wharton (Seattle Aquarium)
This is a series I’ve been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is […]
Why is being near saltwater good for your health?
I can not believe I am answering this question since I am not a doctor or a beautician on any level. However, I will happily give you my opinion as a person that has grown up near the ocean. Salt water is amazing for skin – it really moisturizes and tones. That being said, my […]
10 justifications ocean acidification is a serious concern
Ocean acidification (OA) is the process by which the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2). This process creates chemical reactions that reduce 1) seawater pH, 2) carbonate ion concentration, and 3) saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals (the minerals floating within the water column that many shellfish absorb to create stronger shells). Here are […]
Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
Lonely Whale, a UK Marketing Company, took over Seattle in 2017 for its “Strawless in Seattle” campaign and this summer (effective July 2018) Seattle will be the largest metropolitan city to ban the single-use plastic straw. Many local and some national brands, including Century Field and Seattle Seahawks, Safeco Field and Seattle Mariners, and Sea-Tac […]
The “Osprey”, they’re bone breakers alright
The Latin name for osprey, Pandion haliaetus, means “bone breaker” and explains quite well how the bird of prey gets his main source of food, fish. Ospreys plummet down from almost 30 stories above water and use their barbed talons to grab onto mullet, menhaden, or other fish found in estuaries. These barbs can be […]
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