25 JAN 2022 The U.S. State Department’s ocean boundaries department has issued a comprehensive outline of the U.S. government’s views of China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. The South China Sea is a large, semi-enclosed sea surrounded by Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam. …
Read More »EVERY MODERN GOVERNMENT NEEDS A MINISTRY FOR THE OCEAN
24 JAN 2022 The ocean is becoming ever more central to our economies. Around 80 percent of internationally traded goods are transported by sea, and even brief blockages cause panic in global markets. Fishing remains big business, but in the 21st-century fish farming is even bigger. Most fossil fuel discoveries this century have happened …
Read More »HIDDEN MATHEMATICAL ‘LAW’ IN THE SAND MEGARIPPLES FOUND ALL OVER EARTH
23 JAN 2022 Wherever there is sand and an atmosphere, prevailing winds may whip the grains into undulating shapes, pleasing to the eye with their calming repetition. Certain sand waves, with wavelengths between 30 centimeters (almost 12 inches) and several meters (around 30 feet), are known as megaripples: they’re between ordinary …
Read More »DMAIB: VESSEL RAN AGROUND AFTER MASTER FELL ASLEEP IN HIS CABIN
22 JAN 2022 The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) has published its report on the grounding of the coastal freighter Beaumaiden just off the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm last year. The vessel missed a waypoint and headed straight into harm’s way because the captain left the bridge and fell asleep …
Read More »VOLCANIC EXPLOSION IN TONGA PROMPTS TSUNAMI WARNINGS ACROSS PACIFIC
21 JAN 2022 Over the weekend, a subsea volcano in two uninhabited islands of the Kingdom of Tonga, forced countries sharing the Pacific coastline to pay attention. The volcano named Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai has reportedly been having a modest eruption for several weeks. However, on Saturday, it erupted in a …
Read More »NEW EVIDENCE CHALLENGES THE IDEA THAT MUTATIONS ARE ENTIRELY RANDOM
21 JAN 2022 It’s a common misconception that evolution has a sense of direction – a notion that biology nerds around the world are constantly trying to correct. But new research reveals there may be a semblance of truth to this misconception, at least more than we ever realized. While …
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