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Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

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The next OpenCTD is here!
June 22, 2026
humpback whale in Antarctica
The evolution of the International Whaling Commission – from  whaling quotas to whale conservation
June 10, 2026
Isn’t ironic, don’t you think: dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative on World Oceans Day
June 9, 2026
“Why Sustainable Seafood Matters” is now available for preorder! Here’s what it’s about, and why I decided to write it.
June 8, 2026
Here’s how to join my IMCC8 symposium, “Ocean Science Communication: What’s New and What’s Next?”
April 22, 2026
Deep Sea Mining Symposium Announcement
April 21, 2026

Chemistry of the Great Big Blue: Sewage

Posted on September 28, 2010 By Bluegrass Blue Crab 3 Comments on Chemistry of the Great Big Blue: Sewage
Uncategorized

"Warning! Stormwater discharge area may be contaminated by discharge from pipe. Swimming is not recommended within 200 feet of this sign during active discharge"

You live on a rural island. You poop. You flush. Does your island have a sewage treatment plant? Is your plant large enough to deal with the influx of tourists that increases the population of your island by an order of magnitude in the summer? Ever stop to look at the metal pipes on your island’s beach to see what was coming out? More than likely, there’s an ocean outfall involved in your island’s wastewater treatment plan. It may only be for overflow, but it’s an option.

What does “ocean outfall” really mean? Well, often it means raw sewage is dumped into the coastal environment that we all love to swim in.

Read More “Chemistry of the Great Big Blue: Sewage” »

Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 15 – Chowder

Posted on September 28, 2010August 5, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
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Chapter 15 of Herman Melville’s classic – Moby Dick. Read along with us and discuss this chapter or the book as a whole in the comments. Chowder Cod or clam chowder, these were the choices at the Try Pots, the inn recommended by Peter Coffin at the Spouter-Inn. So Ishmael and Queequeg ordered chowder. First … Read More “Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 15 – Chowder” »

365 days of Darwin: September 28, 2010

Posted on September 28, 2010September 27, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Charlie gets inspired to learn himself some music.

Sailing by Starlight: the lost art of celestial navigation

Posted on September 27, 2010September 27, 2010 By Andrew Thaler 12 Comments on Sailing by Starlight: the lost art of celestial navigation
Science

This post is a slightly modified transcript of a talk I gave on celestial navigation. As some of you know, I like to build things, and I recently decided to build some classic navigational tools. Of course, in the process of building these instruments, I had to learn how they work. The history of celestial navigation is fascinating and deeply connected to the history of astronomy and mathematics. The original slide show can be found at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!

I’m going to begin with a seemingly simple question, then hopefully give you some basic tools to answer that question. Where are you?

Read More “Sailing by Starlight: the lost art of celestial navigation” »

Shark Science…Thursday?

Posted on September 27, 2010September 27, 2010 By David Shiffman
Uncategorized

I apologize for the delay, but due to weekend-long computer trouble and a research trip all day Monday and Tuesday, this week’s Shark Science Monday will have to wait until later in the week.

365 days of Darwin: September 27, 2010

Posted on September 27, 2010September 25, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Charlie sights Polaris through his Latitude Hook

Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 14 – Nantucket

Posted on September 26, 2010August 5, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Chapter 14 of Herman Melville’s classic – Moby Dick. Read along with us and discuss this chapter or the book as a whole in the comments. Nantucket At last the two arrive in Nantucket. Nothing but sand and the whalers’ resolve. No timber nor weeds, everything that built this island was brought by men that … Read More “Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 14 – Nantucket” »

365 days of Darwin: September 26, 2010

Posted on September 26, 2010September 25, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Latitude Hook complete, Charlie gets ready to test it out.

Compact Fluorescent Lights, Energy, and Mercury

Posted on September 25, 2010September 26, 2010 By Andrew Thaler 38 Comments on Compact Fluorescent Lights, Energy, and Mercury
Conservation, Science

We recieved several responses to Dave’s post this week on the bizarre “Save the Light Bulb” movement. A movement that seeks to ban energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFL) and return to the old, energy expensive, incandescent bulbs. The primary critique is that CFL’s contain mercury, and thus, any environmental benefit is negated by mercury exposure when the bulbs break or are thrown out.

Read More “Compact Fluorescent Lights, Energy, and Mercury” »

365 days of Darwin: September 25,2010

Posted on September 25, 2010September 25, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Charlie learns how to build a Latitude Hook

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