What kind of car do you drive in the sea? An otter-mobile.
I know that was pretty funny, I know. Here are some memes to celebrate Sea Otter Awareness Week (this September 24-30) that really illustrates the breadth of sea otters.
Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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5 questions to test your ocean knowledge.
What causes ocean dead zones? a) Fertilizer run-off b) Sewage run-off c) Animal waste from farms d) All of the above What is the world’s saltiest ocean? a) Atlantic b) Pacific c) Indian d) Artic What is the world’s shallowest ocean? a) Artic b) Atlantic c) Indian d) Southern What percentage of the world’s oceans […]
Marine Mammal Monday: Elephant seals
Please feel free to share with your friends and family where you learned something new about elephant seals today! Also, ask away! If you have a question about something you found on the beach or just something you’re curious about just send an email to info@beachchairscientist.com or tweet us!
What is the rarest shark species?
There are plenty of candidates. The deep-diving, plankton-feeding megamouth shark was discovered as recently as 1976 and is only known from 40 or so specimens. A group of species called “river sharks” seem pretty rare. Some have been described from just a single collected specimen. There are many deep sea sharks that have only been […]
Do all horseshoe crabs molt?
All horseshoe crabs molt – until they reach adulthood. They grow on average a quarter of their size each time they shed. Females grow to be about two feet across and males a bit smaller. Molting occurs several times during the first few years and slows as they age. It usually takes 17 molts to […]
The flight of swallows
That’s a great title for a song if someone wants to use it. In any event, have you ever been to the beach or walking along the marsh and felt the gloom and doom of darkness approach even though it’s a bright and sunny day? Have you ever looked up into the sky to witness […]
Christmas critter countdown: Cookie cutter shark
Another day of the countdown. This time it’s the ferocious cookie cutter shark. There’s nothing short of remarkably awesome when it comes to these sharks. They are small but also skillful in their ability to sneak up and eat prey much larger. They even have the largest tooth-to-body-length ratio of any shark (including the great […]
The world’s horseshoe crab research finally finds a home
This month the Ecological Research & Development Group (ERDG) released a one-stop-shop for research, conservation, and education initiatives on the world’s four species of horseshoe crabs. This was a result of the discussions from the 2011 International Workshop of the Science and Conservation of the Asian Horseshoe Crabs held in Hong Kong. Be sure to […]
“Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” P.J. O’Rourke
Today Ira Flatow discussed summer science reads on Science Friday, my favorite radio program. So, I got to thinking about two very special books that I always wander back to when I want to reconnect with the ocean. Henry Beston’s, The Outermost House, and Jennifer Ackerman’s, Notes from the Shore, are two books written in […]
15 facts about sharks
1.) Sharks are divided into 8 orders. 2.) Sharks are again divided into 34 families. 3.) There are over 360 shark species. 4.) The largest meat eating shark is the great white shark (37 feet). 5.) The largest shark is the whale shark (and largest fish overall), a filter feeder. 6.) The second largest shark […]
Why is the blood of horseshoe crabs blue?
Horseshoe crabs use hemocyanin to distribute oxygen throughout their bodies. Hemocyanin is copper-based and gives the animal its distinctive blue blood. We use an iron-based hemoglobin to move oxygen around. The blood of this living fossil has the ability to clot in an instance when it detects unfamiliar germs, therefore building up protective barriers to […]
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