Health of the oceans If the Oceans were to go to the doctors for a physical, they would be told that they are overheated, acidifying, and full of trash; but this isn’t a new diagnosis. On a global scale, the ocean surface (upper ~250 ft) has warmed by about 0.2 degrees fahrenheit every 10 years from 1971-2010 (IPCC ). Since the early 1800s, the oceans … Continue reading Sustainable Choices for Healthy Oceans
For their fourth and final dive day in Cozumel, Mexico, OGL divers took a fast boat and headed to Cozumel’s wild north coast. There they encountered not only the strong swells and high currents that the north coast is famous for, but also a completely different fauna and reef structure than is typically seen by recreational divers in the more placid waters to the south. … Continue reading Dispatch from the field – OGL expedition to Cozumel, Part 4
On the third day of the Cozumel Expedition, OGL divers explored two new dive sites on deep walls. Moderate currents gently guided the divers past vast expanses of coral and sponge. Highlights from the dive included green moray eels (Gymnothorax funebris), a massive Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)with alarge school of bluestiped grunt (Haemulon sciurus) in tow, Christmas tree worms, (Spirobranchus giganteus) and bearded fireworms, (Hermodice … Continue reading Dispatch from the field – OGL expedition to Cozumel, Part 3
On the second day of OGL’s scouting trip in Mexico, divers explored the breathtaking biodiversity at two locations along Cozumel’s coral reef. Surveys of fish and coral abundance at both sites revealed a variety of corals unparalleled elsewhere in the region. The first dive was on Palencar Reef and took divers through a network of cave-like structures. These revealed four species of black corals and … Continue reading Dispatch from the field – OGL expedition to Cozumel, Part 2
A team of divers from the MSC and the Ocean Genome Legacy are in Cozumel, Mexico this week scoping future research and teaching opportunities for MSC students and scientists. OGL Director, Dr. Dan Distel, is joined by Dive Safety Officer, Liz Magee, undergrad marine biology major, Jaxon Derow, and OGL Board Member, Carol Horvitz. Below are photos from the first day of diving. Continue reading Dispatch from the field – OGL expedition to Cozumel, Part 1
I was cleaning up storm debris in Nahant the other day with some coworkers and other community members, and we came across these bizarre creatures in a mass of algae that had been washed up onto the sidewalk. None of us had seen anything like them before. I am a fan of invertebrate zoology, and my initial thought was that these were peanut worms (phylum … Continue reading Mysterious marine creatures washed up by storm
By: Lisa Wu This past Monday, January 15th, the city of Lynn came together to celebrate its 7th annual Martin Luther King Jr. day of service. After a presentation about Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, participants were invited to join different activities. Volunteers from the Marine Science Center (MSC) hosted a table in the Lynn Museum and talked … Continue reading MLK Day in Lynn
