What’s green and gold and red all over?
What’s green and gold and red all over? avatar

By , on November 29th, 2012 3 comments   Microbes, Plankton   , , , ,  

There’s a sizable red tide event unfolding in Australia right now, where thick slicks of red planktonic algae are washing up on Sydney’s iconic beaches, including the most famous beach in the whole country: Bondi. Web news sources are replete with dramatic pictures; I especially liked this one of vermilion surf juxtaposed with the tuquoise . . . → Read More: What’s green and gold and red all over?

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Dhugal’s Deep Sea Wonders and Expedition Art Aboard the JOIDES
Dhugal’s Deep Sea Wonders and Expedition Art Aboard the JOIDES avatar

By , on May 23rd, 2011 Leave a comment   Art, Expeditions   , , , , , ,  

A nice 5 minute podcast and article about new research in the twilight zone off of Australia! Using a one of a kind remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named Picasso the team explored the mesopelagic zone, 200 to 1000 metres below sea level between the reef and the deep sea. The two and a half week . . . → Read More: Dhugal’s Deep Sea Wonders and Expedition Art Aboard the JOIDES

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Some Aussie fish I have known
Some Aussie fish I have known avatar

By , on April 21st, 2011 2 comments   Fish, Fishing, Organisms   ,  

In honour of a current visit to the ancestral homeland (Australia), I thought I’d share some fish species Aussies (from the southern states at least) are familiar with, but others may not know. Not too much science here, but I thought it might be interesting for fisher folk and ichthyology-bods alike. Snapper, Pagrus auratus Snapper . . . → Read More: Some Aussie fish I have known

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Molluscan sexcapades cause unrest in Australia
Molluscan sexcapades cause unrest in Australia avatar

By , on September 23rd, 2010 5 comments   Mating & Reproduction   , ,  

[EDIT: Except the slugs are in New Zealand, not Australia - brain fail! Sorry to all Down Under. See comments below for an invigorating discussion of who is more toxic.] The very fate of Australia hinges on the shenanigans of slutty sea slugs. Ok, maybe not the fate of an entire continent, but certainly the . . . → Read More: Molluscan sexcapades cause unrest in Australia

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Oil: Not just for autos but coral reefs as well
Oil: Not just for autos but coral reefs as well avatar

By , on April 6th, 2010 One comment   Conservation & Environment, Dumping, Industry & Government, Uncategorized, Vessels and Equipment   , , , ,  

Photo from Queensland Government. Some of the 1,075 tons of fuel carried by the Chinese freighter Shen Neng 1 could be seen leaking from its tanks on Sunday. In part two of unintended series on oil… Unless you live under an oil covered rock you probably already know that a Chinese ship carrying 65,000 tons . . . → Read More: Oil: Not just for autos but coral reefs as well

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Sea slugs have self esteem, too
Sea slugs have self esteem, too avatar

By , on January 27th, 2010 8 comments   Adaptations, Organisms   , , ,  

Twitter was all aflutter yesterday over a foul slandering of the sea slug Glaucus atlanticus. The culprit was an Australian article discussing these sea slugs washing up on Gold Coast beaches. Ugly, blue, slimy, venomous, bluebottle-eating cannibals. Those are just some of the words used to describe the strange sea creatures that have been turning . . . → Read More: Sea slugs have self esteem, too

Sea slugs have self esteem, too avatar