Tag: biodiversity
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Ocean Chemistry Unbalanced
Ocean acidification is a decrease in the pH of the oceans, caused by the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere. It’s a problem; a real problem. One that marine ecologist Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called global warming’s “equally evil twin.” If pH levels in the ocean continue to decline, as a…
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Asteroids, extinctions, and biodiversity: Wiping the slate clean for new life to flourish
The recent meteor strike in Russia has been a rather sobering reminder that Earth has been regularly battered during its history, by space rocks. Actually, the amount of meteoritic material constantly landing on Earth is startling – on average, over 100 tons every day which we don’t even notice. Now, most of that is in…
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Weekly Science Picks
I’ve just returned from a fantastic holiday in Australia (sad I had to leave). The great thing about travel is that it opens your mind and exposes your senses – elevates it to a higher level of thinking, thinking that is clear and uninterrupted. The not so great thing about travelling to far away places…
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Weekly Science Picks
Ah, the weekend! Time to kick back, relax, and look back over everything that’s happened over the past few days. And I’m rather happy to say that some quite interesting things have happened, including the Leonid meteor shower which peaked on Friday night (though if you step outside after dark and watch the sky, you…
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Great danger for the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is easily among the world’s great natural wonders. A world heritage site since 1981, it’s known everywhere as a showcase for the beauty which Earth’s oceans are capable of producing. The world’s largest system of coral reefs, it’s actually composed of over 2900 smaller reefs, stretching along Australia’s coastline for 2600…
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Weekly Science Picks
This past week was made notable by the Nobel Prizes awarded. So much great research being done, it can make your head spin. Chinese literature took center stage, and for peace…the European Union… Be sure to catch up on all the action here. Just some of the stories that grabbed me, motivated me and infuriated me…
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Botanist Wins Prestigious Nature Conservancy Award to Work on Grass Trees
24 September 2012. MEDIA RELEASE Botanist Todd McLay has won the 2012 prestigious Australian Conservation Taxonomy Award to delve further into the mysteries of the iconic Xanthorrhoea genus or, Australia¹s native grass trees. The Nature Conservancy and The Thomas Foundation launched the award last year to foster research by young scientists into important taxonomic works with significant implications…