Environmental Science

Samoa Chain

November 9, 2018

Hotspots like Samoa and Hawaii form island chains as magma erupts through the crust while tectonic plates drift over a fixed source deep in the mantle.

Arctic Halocline

As sea ice forms, it releases salt, making surface water sink—creating a cold layer that shields the ice from deeper, warmer waters below.

Elemental Journeys

Vast amounts of elements move via nature and humans—through erosion, rivers, farming, and more—measured in Pg, Tg, and Gg. HANPP tracks our impact.

How biofilm forms in the sea

Biofilms form as bacteria settle and produce slime. Fighting them may work better by boosting natural biofilm reduction: bacterial detachment and protist predation.

Where the whales are

Fresh coastal currents meet salty ocean water to form a front where copepods aggregate in dense surface patches, creating feeding hotspots for marine life.

Radioactivity in the Ocean: Natural vs. Human Sources

Nuclear accidents released PBqs of radiation, but natural sources like potassium-40 far exceed them—15 million PBq already exist in seawater.

Between the beach and the deep sea

The shallow inner shelf connects beach and ocean, where waves, tides, and seasonal changes mix sand, water, and nutrients, shaping coastal transport.

Noah’s Not-so-big Flood

10,000 years ago, the Black Sea was a freshwater lake dammed by the Bosphorus Sill. Rising sea levels later flooded it, possibly inspiring the Noah’s flood story.

Does Sand Move Bacteria at the Beach?

Sand that had moved onto the beach during days 3 and 5 of this study contained bacterial DNA, indicating the movement of sand can redistribute microbes.

Greenland-Scotland Ridge

The Greenland-Scotland Ridge is a tall undersea ridge that rises within 500 meters of the sea surface and extends from East Greenland to Iceland and across to Scotland.

Fukushima and Radiation in the Ocean: How much?

March 7, 2016

Fukushima released radioactive water into the Pacific. Explore how much, how it spread, and what it means for ocean health, seafood, and human safety.

Outlaw Algae in Alaskan Waters

July 25, 2015

Algae gangs are on the move in Alaska! From “Chain Gangs” to “Cloudmakers,” test your skills and see if you can ID these microscopic troublemakers.

Carbon Around the World

April 10, 2015

Carbon makes up the backbone of all life on Earth. It’s found in the cells of all living things, is abundant in rocks and sediments, and is also found in the atmosphere and ocean.