Happy Friday Everyone! We frequently link to other important marine and general science blogs, to the extent that regular readers can probably guess which science blogs we read and how often, but science isn’t everything. We decided to take a moment to tell y’all about the non-science blogs that we enjoy.
Andrew
- Papua New Guinea Mine Watch – As many of you know, my research is centered in Papua New Guinea and has implications for deep-sea mining and related policy. Papua New Guinea Mine Watch started as a hyper-local blog to monitor the progress of a single mine in PNG – the Ramu Nickel Mine, but has since expanded to cover all mining politics in New Guinea. It’s an excellent source of information, from the ground, on the state of the PNG mining industry and the politics that surround it.
- I Blame the Patriarchy – The number one spot for serious patriarchy blaming from Savage Death Island. Everyone’s favorite Spinster Aunt, Twisty Faster, is a constant source of wit, keen social observation, and deep insight. I Blame the Patriarchy frequently forces me to step back and assess my own privilege. If you haven’t been there before you should check out the comment policy first, and male readers are strongly encouraged to practice the philosophy of “shut the hell up and listen”.
- Sea-Fever Blog – My go to blog for maritime news, nautical tales, and updates from Nantucket. Tons of resources for people interested in the more literary aspects of the sea and some seriously top-notch analyses of maritime accidents and incidents.
- Skepchick – Probably the best resource out there for the skeptical community. Skepchick features not only the standard debunking of extreme bunk, but also interviews with prominent skeptics, self-reflection on the skeptical community, semi-daily shorty link aggregations, and the excellent, and often hilarious, afternoon inquisition.
- Failbook – Yup, I check it every morning. Facebook can be hilarious.
David
- 538 – Nate Silver’s political blog has some of the most thought-provoking and thorough analysis of the U.S. political scene available anywhere.
- Duke Basketball Report – DBR is where I go to learn about an opposing team before a game, for in-depth analysis of sports stories, and to remain excited in the off-season.
- Eatocracy – CNN’s foodie blog explores funny and interesting stories of food as it pertains to culture, both American and worldwide. It also makes me hungry
- Tuned in – Time Magazine’s television blog. As regular readers know, I watch a lot of TV, and no TV watching is complete without discussing the latest episode of your favorite show. Tuned In lets me do that virtually.
- Damn You Autocorrect – As an iPhone user, this collection of funny auto-corrects cracks me up every time.
Amy
- Civil Eats – The team of authors for Civil Eats makes sure that readers leave no stone unturned in the challenges of providing healthy food to all. Learn a little more about where your sustenance comes from.
- Bay Daily – Updates from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. A good way to keep in touch with my first study site and my childhood watershed.
- Notes from the High Country – Ever wonder what a ranger for Denali does in her daily life? She writes about it in between sled dog trips and talking to visitors.
- Knitty – Everybody needs a good knitting pattern once in awhile, and they have fabulous socks.
- You Grow Girl – Garden pictures that make me drool. Enough said.
Hi Andrew,
I used to work in New Ireland and attended a community meeting/workshop held by Nautilus Minerals around 3 years ago. The message they promoted very much emphasized the low impact of deep sea mining relative to say, Lihir. Since then I’ve seen Post-Courier stories and blog reports, but nothing from a deep-sea biologist. What’s your viewpoint on the potential impact of the Solwara project? Or could you guide me to anything you know that has been written about it?
Cheers
Sorry for the delayed response, I put the laptop down for Memorial Day Weekend.
There are several recent commentaries that have come out from scientists, most notably Mining seafloor massive sulphides and biodiversity: what is at risk? and Tighten regulations on deep-sea mining both by deep-sea ecologist and former Alvin Pilot Cindy Van Dover.
Also of note are Curb deep-sea mining now, Deep-sea mining of seafloor massive sulfides, and Danger of Deep-Sea Mining.
I’m still on the fence about the PNG project, as it’s a matter of scale. A few deep-sea mines probably won’t leave a lasting impression on an ecosystems that’s driven by frequent catastrophic disruption, but if the industry actually proves to be viable and profitable, than sustained mining over the course of many decades and across several ocean basins will no doubt create an indelible mark on the sea-floor.
The difference between the Solwara project and most other potential deep-sea mining projects is that it’s inside PNG’s territorial waters, so doesn’t fall under ISA regulations. It’s up to the government of PNG to decide how deep-sea mining will proceed.