Marine surveys discovered fifteen rare species of fish during 2011, one of which was faceless and brainless. In the waters of Orkney off Tankerness the prehistoric Amphioxus was found. It is representative of the early evolution of the backbone with…
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Imagine hitting a rock with a hammer and revealing an impression of an animal or plant that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, and being the first human to ever see it. Besides experiencing the excitement that comes with…
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Rivers flow from their source, in hills or mountains, to the sea and in doing so they shape the land by eroding, transporting, and depositing silt, gravel, and other material. The flow or energy of the water depends on the…
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An American family uses about 100 gallons of water each day according to statistics. When you consider the number of countries around the world who don’t have clean water to drink, we are in an enviable position. However, each of…
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The churning of the great bodies of water on the earth is a vital part of the health of the planet. As the ocean’s water rises and falls with the ebb and flow of the tides, nutrients are stirred about…
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Most tsunamis are associated with subduction earthquakes along the Pacific Ring of Fire, and to a lesser extent with earthquakes along the edges of continental plates in the Indian Ocean. However, the Atlantic Ocean is also vulnerable to tsunamis. Causes…
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Rivers are amazing sculptors of land. Over eons of time, waterways, both large and small, are responsible for much of what is observable about the landscape. The fact that water runs downhill is well known, but the way rivers shape…
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One of the primary methods of survival for any organism is adaptation. Intertidal organisms are no different. These organisms specifically inhabit the area or zone between high and low tide along rocky coasts, sandy beaches or tidal wetlands/marshes. Some examples…
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As Oregon moves to zone the ocean off its coast, it must balance competing interests and conflicting uses. It is not the first government body to attempt to plan for the future of its territorial waters. The United Kingdom, Massachusetts,…
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Intertidal organisms must adapt to a variety of conditions that are very threatening to life where land meets sea. The intertidal zone is a very harsh environment for three reasons, the violence of wave action, rapidly changing environmental conditions, and…
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