TGIF: Marine Snow
TGIF: Marine Snow avatar

From Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute…In the ocean, there are places where it looks like it is snowing. These magical places are near undersea volcanic activity. The snow particles are clumps of bacteria that use chemicals to make food. Chemicals they use include hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic to virtually all other life. Most . . . → Read More: TGIF: Marine Snow

TGIF: Marine Snow avatar

Another New Yeti Crab!!??
Another New Yeti Crab!!?? avatar

Yeti crab clambers over a scaly-foot snail You heard here first people, another new species of Yeti crab may be out there! Jon Copley just sent this message along. Well hey, a couple of weeks ago we found yet more yeti crabs out here at vents on the SW Indian Ridge, different in morphology to . . . → Read More: Another New Yeti Crab!!??

Another New Yeti Crab!!?? avatar

Yeti Crab Roundup
Yeti Crab Roundup avatar

Back in 2005, three researchers described and named a very unusual crab from a hydrothermal vent in the Indian Ocean (paper here). The scientists christened this crustacean Kiwa hirsuta from the name of the goddess of shellfish in Polynesian mythology and the Latin hirsutus meaning hairy. The later specifically referring some very hairy claws . . . → Read More: Yeti Crab Roundup

Yeti Crab Roundup avatar

The EPR Chronicles XII
The EPR Chronicles XII avatar

For background on the EPR Chronicles, see this post. The expedition was also recorded online at the Field Museum during this time (before science blogs!) and includes dispatches, videos and photos! Wednesday 11/19/03 3:30 am I love the warm winds of the tropical ocean. They caress me & run their invisible fingers me through my . . . → Read More: The EPR Chronicles XII

The EPR Chronicles XII avatar

The EPR Chronicles X
The EPR Chronicles X avatar

For background on the EPR Chronicles, see this post. The expedition was also recorded online at the Field Museum during this time (before science blogs!) and includes dispatches, videos and photos! Sunday 11/16/03 3:00 am Wow, I just realized I haven’t written for awhile & haven’t written about my diving experience. Now that the euphoria . . . → Read More: The EPR Chronicles X

The EPR Chronicles X avatar

Mining The Deep: All About $ For the Government
Mining The Deep: All About $ For the Government avatar

The PNG Mine Watch blog posts some unfortunate news today about mining the hydrothermal vents of the PNG coast at the Solwara 1 site. Papua New Guinea’s Mining Minister, John Pundari told Nautilus chief executive officer Steve Roger that the PNG government was fully committed to supporting the project as indicated through its decision to . . . → Read More: Mining The Deep: All About $ For the Government

Mining The Deep: All About $ For the Government avatar

Fool’s Gold from Hydrothermal Vents to Plankton
Fool’s Gold from Hydrothermal Vents to Plankton avatar

A nice little paper in Nature Geoscience that helps reconcile iron budgets for the word’s oceans. The hot, mineral rich water that spews from hydrothermal vents contains a significant amount of fool’s gold, or iron pyrite. Because iron pyrite is more resistant to rusting than basic iron and much of the iron pyrite venting is . . . → Read More: Fool’s Gold from Hydrothermal Vents to Plankton

Fool’s Gold from Hydrothermal Vents to Plankton avatar

A Southerner Relays Tales of Ship Wrecks and Worms
A Southerner Relays Tales of Ship Wrecks and Worms avatar

Dear Readers, Mint Julep In the summer of ‘06 I, a Southern gentleman in my finest white linen suit*, find myself in the lower portion of England. The heat smothers me. Now if I found myself in the land of Delta Blues, I would quench my thirst with a mint julep. But alas, I’m in . . . → Read More: A Southerner Relays Tales of Ship Wrecks and Worms

A Southerner Relays Tales of Ship Wrecks and Worms avatar

Deep-Sea Mining is Coming
Deep-Sea Mining is Coming avatar

In an interview with Yale Environment 360, Van Dover compared the deep sea to America’s Wild West and cautioned that wildlife losses could be similar if mining companies and the International Seabed Authority — the regulatory agency in charge of the ocean’s mineral resources — fail to establish environmentally sound mining practices before deep-sea exploitation . . . → Read More: Deep-Sea Mining is Coming

Deep-Sea Mining is Coming avatar

Mollusks Who Take Advantage of Others and the Scientist Who Study Them
Mollusks Who Take Advantage of Others and the Scientist Who Study Them avatar

An upcoming meeting was brought to my attention. Let’s just say the subject made me squeal a bit. I’m as giddy as school kid with a new Aquaman lunchbox. Molluscs! Symbioses! Vents! It may be way more awesomeness that one meeting deserves. You scientist types should definitely attend this one because the only thing that . . . → Read More: Mollusks Who Take Advantage of Others and the Scientist Who Study Them

Mollusks Who Take Advantage of Others and the Scientist Who Study Them avatar