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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What makes the swirly tracks at the ocean edge?
What I think you are referring to is the trail of a moon snail, or sometimes called a sand snail. This univalve animal has a cinnamon bun swirled shell. The shell is extremely thick to protect itself from the ocean and other animals that may try to eat it. If you try to pick it […]
If you gooble, gooble the turkeyfish know your source
The extravagant fins of the lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific, resemble the plumage of turkeys and have thus earned the additional common name of ‘turkeyfish’. What is so ironic about that particular nickname is that scientists and fisheries managers have urged us to ‘gooble’ up this exotic looking creature. What’s happened over time is a […]
Sand
Sand from islands or tropical sites have sand that is high in Calcium, since seashells are rich in Calcium and are broken down to form sand there. Inland lake, river, stream and pond sands are high in Silicon, since rocks are composed of various types of silicates which break down to form sand there. Most […]
My favorite posts from 2013
This isn’t the typical list of the most popular Beach Chair Scientist posts throughout the year (you can find those on the right sidebar under “Top Posts & Pages from BCS” any day of the year). Those posts typically include questions typed into a search bar such as ‘Are manatees and elephants really related?‘, ‘Do […]
GIVEAWAY CONTEST: How to politely refuse a plastic straw (BINGO edition!)
We’re making great strides of reducing the need for single use plastic bags and now the next great hurdle is letting go of plastic straws. They’re used for ten minutes but stay on the earth for centuries. Seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals, and other ocean creatures have all fallen victim to ingesting them. Not too […]
It’s as easy as A, B, Sea: I for Irish Moss
Irish moss is also known as carageen. Carageen is a deep red alga that grows around rocky substrates along both coasts of of the north Atlantic Ocean. Carrageenan is a gelatinous material extracted from Irish Moss and can be used as a vegetarian alternative to gelatin. It is found in ice cream, soy milk, diet […]
The Majestic Plastic Bag – Part II
Yesterday we brought you the “mockumentary”, The Majestic Plastic Bag. As a follow-up today check out this amazing infographic from reusablebag.com. Ireland reduced plastic bag consumption by 90% (1 billion bags!) from 2001-2011 by imposing a tax of 37-cents. Source: Reusable Grocery Bags image (c) http://www.reusethisbag.com Related articles A Worldwide Survey of Plastic Bag Bans […]
What’s it like to be a Maine lobsterman?
Are your kids interested in a career on the water? Sounds like a great time to check out this video and go out lobster fishing with the award winning Aqua Kids! They’ll learn from teen lobster fishermen in Maine some of the challenges of the job (e.g., timing how long their nets are in the […]
Carnival of the Blue #44 – December 30 deadline
Hey there! We have some very exciting updates for you today. First of all, I want to say that November was a slow month for posts since I was busy taking care of a little newborn. The next generation of Beach Chair Scientist was born November 3. All are happy and healthy. Secondly, can you […]
What children have to say about marine debris
I just think this review of what children from New York City have to say about beach pollution aka marine debris is too “right on” not to share. These quotes come directly from an article on the Ocean Conservancy’s website. Check out the entire article for some wonderful crayola images the kids did too! Fourth-graders […]
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- Robert Emahiser on Why you should never walk on dunes
- Lesa on 10 brief facts on bioluminescence
- Lisa on Limulus Love
- Beach Chair Scientist on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
- Bernard Rejterada on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
- Brian on What is the difference between a summer and winter flounder?
- Inbound marketing on 15 facts about the Portuguese man-of-war that’ll have you saying “Didya know…?”
- Donnie Huckabee on Wordless Wednesday | Shell art
- John on Why you should never walk on dunes
- ItzJaylaD on What I know about whale sharks
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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