Current+Events

**Current Events**
Patch || [| Fishes' impact on marine nutrients] || A study was conducted to see what impact fish have on the marine environment, with regards to providing nutrients for the surrounding life. Researchers found that the more fish are in an area, the better of the rest of the environment is, contrary to what was previously thought that fish were only predators and did not contribute to the surrounding area. || 12/29/12 || Brian M ||
 * Feb 6, 2013**
 * Name of Source || Article Name/Page || Description || Date || Student ||
 * Smithsonian Institute ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * CNN || [|Research Ship Finds the World's Oceans are "Plasticized"] || A marine expedition of two environmentalist groups has discovered that the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" is bigger than previously known. The group sailed from the Marshall Islands to Japan through a sea of synthetic waste. Marcus Eriksen is leading the expedition. He says they are getting an idea of how much plastic is out there. || 5/22/12 || Cayla R ||
 * New York Times || [| Sea of Trash] || Gulf of Alaska Keeper is a non-profit group working to "enhance and restore the ecological integrity" of the North Gulf Coast of Alaska. The group picks up debris, mostly plastics, along the outer beaches of Alaska. Alaska is not the only place with a debris problem, the entire ocean is filled with debris causing many problems because commercial plastics are not biodegradable in seawater, resulting in a "chronic problem." The article continues to talk about the plastic pollution problem the oceans are facing. || 6/22/08 || Molly N ||
 * USGS || [|Magnitude 8 Earthquake in Solomon Islands] || A magnitude 8 earthquake was recorded in the Solomon Islands due to a shallow thrust falling between the Australia and Pacific plates. This caused much damage and tsunami warnings are issued. || 2/6/2013 ||  ||
 * Athens
 * NASA || [|Organic Molecules from Hydrothermal Vents]

|| NASA built a Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The jet propulsion mimics the conditions of the hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the Earths ocean. NASA wants to see if sending these two liquids through a sample of rocks that simulate ancient volcanic ocean crust can lead to the formation of simple organic molecules. "Scientists have long considered these compounds the precursor ingredients for what later led to chains of RNA, DNA and microbes." || 1/16/13 || KarahC ||
 * SCIENCE DAILY || [|Shimmering Water Reveals Cold Volcanic Vent in Antarctic Waters] || An unusual vent has recently been discovered in the Southern Ocean. This hydrothermal vent was found over 1,000 meters deep in the ocean and was spotted using SHRIMP, a very high resolution camera. Hydrothermal fluid was seen through the camera as shimmering water. || 1/6/13 || CodyT ||
 * New York Times || [|Red Tide Epidemic] || Red Tide has been striking in many places around the world. Places that have been affected by it are China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and other nations. Scientists are trying to find out why these algae blooms are happening more often. || 9/13/2012 || Nick L ||