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China launches armada to head off algae plume | World news | The Guardian

Having just gone diving in an slight algae bloom this past weekend, I can honestly attest – algae blooms suck.

Chinese authorities have dispatched a flotilla of more than 60 ships to head off a massive tide of algae that is approaching the coast of Qingdao.The outbreak is thought to be caused by high ocean temperatures and excess nitrogen runoff from agriculture and fish farms.Scientists involved in the operation say the seaweed known as enteromorpha needs to be cleaned up before it decomposes on beaches and releases noxious gases.

via China launches armada to head off algae plume | World news | The Guardian.

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By ReefHugger – July 16, 2010

No oil leaking as BP conducts critical pressure tests in Gulf oil well – CNN.com

The first test appears to be working! Hurray!!!! If it holds, let’s not forget that this whole operation was about ‘containment’ vs. ‘closure’. That’s the difference between profits and unsustainable financial losses. I still firmly believe deep-sea offshore drilling should be banned. Sure, there’d be some energy growing pains – but sometimes that’s how progress works. We just need to get off our oil dependency altogether. The long-term effects of this disaster are barely just beginning. End of story.

A highly anticipated test designed to measure pressure within BP’s ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well finally began Thursday, and for the first time in nearly three months, oil stopped flowing into the Gulf.

via No oil leaking as BP conducts critical pressure tests in Gulf oil well – CNN.com.

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By ReefHugger – July 15, 2010

Ancient species discovered in Barrier Reef depths

There’s so much down there we still don’t know about.  Hell, the MOON has been studied in more detail than the depths…

AFP – Australian scientists have discovered bizarre prehistoric sea life hundreds of kilometres below the Great Barrier Reef, in an unprecedented mission to document species under threat from ocean warming.Ancient sharks, giant oil fish, swarms of crustaceans and a primitive shell-dwelling squid species called the Nautilus were among the astonishing life captured by remote controlled cameras at Osprey Reef.

via France24 – Ancient species discovered in Barrier Reef depths.

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By ReefHugger – July 15, 2010

Not exactly what they had in mind…

The shoot-from-the-hip plan by Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to build artificial islands to protect the sensitive shoreline marshes is a sinking mess… literally.

“A dramatic series of of aerial images show that plans to build artificial islands to block oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill from reaching Louisiana’s sensitive marshland appear to be crumbling. Literally.

Two months ago, against the advice of many coastal scientists, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal began furiously campaigning for the construction of six artificial islands to hold back the advancing oil. The federal government quickly granted Jindal his wish, and construction on the islands has been continuing apace.”

It always befuddles me when politicians don’t listen to what the scientists are trying to tell them… plenty of geologists said it wouldn’t work.

Embiggen the pic below to get a view of the bulldozer sinking into the gulf – along with the artificial island.

img credit: discovery.com

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Posted in damage, oil spill.

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By ReefHugger – July 13, 2010