CBBC Newsround | Sci/Tech | 'Robofish' swims into UK aquarium:
"Real Fish Companions
The three robots will live in the tank with real fish and will be on display in the London Aquarium.
In July 2003 a shark model called Roboshark 2 was put into a tank with fish at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth."
Really cool... a robo-fish!!! The one that will never die on you... just charge it up again!
Fascinating!
Jay
A pinch of salt may aid coral growth:
"By exposing embryonic coral cells to concentrated salt water, researchers at St. Louis' World Aquarium have been able to accelerate the growth of this notoriously sluggish species.
'With this rate of growth, we think coral-reef growth can be dramatically altered across the planet,' said Leonard Sonnenschein, president of the World Aquarium."
How all so very fascinating.
This is probably what was being referred to in an earlier post I made. Sounds like they are just able to propogate certain corals faster, not necessarily grow out older specimans faster (but who knows... maybe they'll find out).
Jay
Scientists speed coral growth:
"The key to saving coral, a crucial oceanic species, just might have sprung from the muddy banks of the Mississippi.
By exposing embryonic coral cells to concentrated salt water, researchers at St. Louis' World Aquarium have been able to accelerate the growth of this notoriously sluggish species."
The coral reefs are struggling for survival all around the world. We should do our part to help restore them and help build them again.
This could be wonderful discovery to do just that.
But could this also cause the coral reefs to "overgrow"?
Could the coral reefs become a nausience by growing too big?
Could some species that accept this method kill off other species that are less receptive to this method?
Let me know what you think about it... leave a comment!
Think about it,
Jay Kahn
Great White Shark: The truth about great white sharks finally comes out!
Marine biologists and educators have urged people to shed the perception of the great white shark as a vengeful, man-eating machine in favor of an intelligent, misunderstood, ancient sea creature.
Do you really know the truth?
Or do you still hold those same old perceptions?
Read this article to truly know about the Great White Shark.
Jay Kahn
Digging into underwater crevices with equipment that hops over rocks and using technology that allows them to reach increasingly deeper on the edges of the continental shelf, the trawler fleet is designed to haul in a wealth of cod and other species. But the bottom dragging gear can't avoid the coral and sponge reefs, which once broken up are unlikely to recover for centuries, Ms. Lash said.
Did you know that it would take that long for coral and sponges, or reefs in general, to recover?
Isn't there a better way, perhaps more technologically reff friendly way, to go about the fishing business?
It seems as if the fishing business is always behind the horrible reef stories that we hear.
Jay Kahn
Exciting Stuff, Dontcha Know
We arrive at the marine park, grab our snorkels, and all jump boat. I swear....down there, in the reef, it was amazing. I felt like I was swimming in a giant aquarium--the NICE kind, like at the dentist's office. There were fish of every color--we saw four turtles, cuttlefish, lionfish, parrotfish, bearfish (okay, we didn't see any of those bearfish, but you get the picture) and even a moray eel (which opened its mouth RIGHT at me. Tried to eat me, it did.
That has got to be the ultimate aquarists experience! Most of us have these little tanks to try to get into that world, this girl has had the experience.
Jay
Red Sea liveaboard sinks
British divers aboard the MV Coral Queen liveaboard were forced to abandon ship when the vessel hit a reef..
Some people just aren't careful enough. The reefs are very delicate communities. Those of us who keep corals are well aware that the hobby has taken a big enough toll on the hobby. We don't need ships crashing into the reefs!
We ought to do the best that we can to help our reefs rebuild and grow. On this note, I would encourage all reef aquarists to buy captive bred corals and species only. Check with your local pet store or suppliers if they sell captive raised corals and liverock. There are tons of suppliers out there that raise corals in captivity... it is also a good idea to buy just captive raised fishes as well (but for some species may be impossible but I highly encourage you to look into it). Also, many coral raisers take intitiative to help save and grow coral reefs, and I would encourage you all the more to support those companies that do such beneficial activities!
Jay Kahn
New species of lobster discovered in Australia
A bizarre crustacean, tagged the 'musical furry lobster', has been found in Australian waters for the first time.
It's so unusual, with a furry shell and the ability to chirp, that scientists have placed it in its own genus.
What an interesting article about an interesting creature. What a pet... wish you had one?
It's under safe keeping at Townsville's Reef HQ aquarium... go to the article and check it out!
Jay
Right Whale Babies Booming!
The North Atlantic Right Whales have been busy breeding this year! In April, when the season ended, it was thought that only 27 calves had been born. But a mother/calf pair that had been sighted off the Florida coast earlier has now been sighted in South Carolina waters and declared by the New England Aquarium to be the 28th NARW born this breeding season.
These whales were hunted almost to extinction until a moratorium was declared by the International Whaling Commission in 1986. Their recovery has been very slow, with the best year since the moratorium being 2001, with 31 mother/calf pairs sighted.
What great news! The North Atlantic Right Whales might be able to make it... there's hope... always hope!
Jay
