Save the Ocean Life and Save Earth

There Might Be Shark In Your Sunscreen ANIMALS Oil derived from shark livers is a common ingredient in cosmetics, and the demand for it could be putting deep-sea sharks in peril. BY  ANNIE ROTH PUBLISHED  JULY 23, 2018 The basking shark is hunted throughout much of its range for its oil-rich liver. The livers of these sharks, which can account for up to 25 percent of their body weight, are worth a sizeable sum of money. PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN J. SKERRY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Millions of rare, deep-sea  sharks are killed each year to support a multimillion-dollar industry —but which one might surprise you. In remote regions around the world, fishermen pull sharks out of the deep and harvest their livers. Shark livers contain an oil, known as squalene, that’s widespread in sunscreen, lipstick, foundation, lotion, and many other cosmetics. High in fatty acids and antioxidants , squalene is a key moisturizing agent, and its source varies by brand. Squalene ca...

The planet has seen sudden warming before. It wiped out almost everything! By  CARL ZIMMER The New York Times Fri., Dec. 7, 2018 Some 252 million years ago, Earth almost died. In the oceans, 96 per cent of all species became extinct. It’s harder to determine how many terrestrial species vanished, but the loss was comparable. According to recent research from a global collaboration of scientists, the Antarctic ice sheet has tripled its rate of ice loss over the last 25 years.   ( JILL SCHENSUL  /  TNS ) This mass extinction, at the end of the Permian Period , was the worst in the planet’s history, and it happened over a few thousand years at most — the blink of a geological eye. On Thursday, a team of scientists offered a detailed accounting of how marine life was wiped out during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Global warming robbed the oceans of oxygen, they say, putting many species under so much stress that they died off. And we may be repeatin...

Single-use plastics ban approved by European Parliament 24 October 2018           Ocean plastic is often eaten by sea animals, with fatal results.  GETTY IMAGES The European Parliament has voted for a complete ban on a range of single-use plastics across the union in a bid to stop pollution of the oceans. MEPs backed a ban on plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers and balloon sticks. The proposal also calls for a reduction in single-use plastic for food and drink containers like plastic cups. One MEP said, if no action was taken, "by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans". The European Commission proposed a ban in May, following a surge in public support attributed to documentaries such as David Attenborough's BBC Blue Planet series. The measure still has to clear some procedural hurdles, but is expected to go through. The EU hopes it will go into effect across the bloc by 2021. The UK will also have to incorporate ...

7 reasons why we're lucky to have sharks As Tracy Jordan famously said, 'Live every week like it's Shark Week.'   RUSSELL MCLENDON  July 22, 2018, 11:20 a.m. A lemon shark pup navigates through mangrove trees in the Bahamas. (Photo: Shane Gross/Shutterstock) Sharks are widely respected by people, but that doesn't always mean their presence is appreciated. We tend to focus on the small chance of being bitten, overlooking the valuable benefits these ancient fish have to offer. Of more than 375 known shark species, only about 30 are known to have attacked a human, and even these species pose little risk overall. Millions of people enter the ocean every year, yet the global yearly average for unprovoked shark attacks is 75, fewer than 10 of which are fatal. The odds of a shark attack are roughly 1 in 11 million, much lower than other beach hazards like rip currents, lightning or boats. Sharks, on the other hand, have very good reasons to fear us. Humans kill an est...

This Park Is Made Of Recycled Litter From A River by  TAYLOR MEAD     JUL 20, 2018 INSTAGRAM | @RECYCLEDPARK Here's a not so fun fact for you: " more than 60% of water pollution comes from things like trash and litter, excess fertilizer, and pet waste ," making clean water supplies around the world harder and harder to find. One city in the Netherlands though, is helping in (literally) the neatest way. Rotterdam's  Recycled Park  on the New Meuse river is working to prevent plastic litter from entering the North Sea and sustain aquatic life in the process. Yes, it's as ingenious as it sounds, believe me. Seating Area for Park-Goers    DESIGNBOOM To the rest of the world, please take notes! The  Recycled Park 's passive litter traps collect the river's garbage, so it can be retrieved, sorted, and then used to create floating park blocks that "improve the ecosystem and increase awareness of plastic pollution." Passive Litter Trap   ...

Worth Protecting: See the Vibrant Marine Life of New Caledonia’s Coral Sea Photos show the diverse and beautiful species along world’s second-longest barrier reef July 12, 2018 By:    Christophe Chevillon   &   Aline Schaffer The diverse ecosystems in New Caledonia’s marine waters—including this reef wall in Chesterfield plateau, 500 kilometers west of the country’s main island—contain thousands of marine species, including damselfish and 48 species of sharks. Ten years ago, the lagoons of New Caledonia—a huge area of ocean containing several coral reefs and associated ecosystems—earned designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The staggering biodiversity of this area, which includes islands and coastline, features brilliant, healthy corals and thousands of species of plants and animals found nowhere else. The wealth of New Caledonia’s marine life extends well beyond its lagoons. In an effort to conserve the country’s natural ecosystems, the government cre...