Ocean | Blue Living Ideas

Report: Toxins Found in Whales Bad News for Humans

Posted on Jul 21, 2010 by Zachary Shahan.

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Bad news and bad news for whales these days — endangered baby whales are dying from the BP oil spill and the toxic dispersants used to “clean it up” and the International Whaling Committee has been discussing whether or not to legalize whaling of endangered whale species.

Now, a new study finds that sperm whales in even the most remote areas of the Earth’s oceans contain extremely high levels of toxins and heavy metals.

Of course, this is not only bad news for the whales, but also for humans
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Australia’s Integrated Marine Information System Makes a Splash

Posted on Jun 15, 2010 by Scott James.

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There is literally an ocean of information floating around out there about almost anything you can think of, but seldom is that information brought together in an integrated, meaningful and useful way- especially when there are multiple governmental and scientific groups involved. But a new high-technology marine information system in the waters off of South Australia is looking to condense puddles into a usable stream. The new system will record information about wind speed, ocean currents, water temperature and salinity and make it available on the Internet for anyone who needs it.
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Hormone Disruptor BPA is in the Water Now

Posted on Apr 16, 2010 by Zachary Shahan.

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Scientists have now confirmed that an increasingly infamous chemical (or hormone disruptor) that is linked to obesity, miscarriage, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other health concerns is not just in our plastic bottles, soda cans and canned food, but it’s also in the water.

What is likely to be the number one source? “Unbreakable” polycarbonate plastic — the plastic they use in screwdriver handles, shatterproof eyeglass lenses and other things that are “unbreakable”.

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Rivers in the Desert: Solar-Powered Desalination

Posted on Apr 15, 2010 by Scott James.

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Water crises and water shortages are increasing around the world- at this point there are 1.2 billion people in 40 countries without reliable access to clean water. But what if there were a way to use the sun to turn oceans into drinking water? IBM and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the national research and development organization in Saudi Arabia, announced this week that they are collaborating on research to create a solar-powered desalination plant. The project combines two technologies that IBM and KACST have been working on: ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic (UHCPV) technology and energy-efficient filtration through nanotechnology.
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Birth of an Ocean Occurring in the Ethiopian Desert

Posted on Nov 11, 2009 by Jennifer Lance.

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Can an ocean be born out of a desert?Â Scientists believe that is what they are witnessing in Ethiopia.Â In 2005, the 35-mile Ethiopian rift emerged from volcanic processes occurring under the earth’s surface.Â These processes mimic those found at the bottom of the ocean, and scientists believe it is “likely the beginning of a new sea“.
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