What?? The...Science News??? Whoa.

So....I'm back. For today.

Last night, my band and I had our first show. Which was awesome.

We opened for some awesome people who deserved an opening act, and everyone who played was fantastic.
Huzzah!

And now, I find that I have a little while to spend writing about science.
I've been so busy lately that all I've been able to do is read about it. And it kills me.

So here we go. Excitement.



So the International Union for Conservation of Nature is very close to approving a 'Red List' for endangered ecosystems globally, as discussed at the World Conservation Congress.
This would highlight the areas that are most susceptible to irreversible change in the not so distant future.
Which is extremely important to say the least. These ecosystems are home to unique species who would not be able to just pack up and find a new home.
Goodness.
Just protect them, I say!
If we can protect an ecosystem first, the endangered species will follow. So...you know, just do it.

Madagascar. The brown areas are deforested land. So...the whole island basically.

http://news.yahoo.com/red-list-endangered-ecosystems-proposed-205905728.html?_esi=1


Examples of endangered ecosystems:


http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/134-8-of-the-worlds-most-endangered-places.html









Once again, humans annoy me.
Alaska is big.
So is Antarctica, but whatever.
There were plans to create a marine sanctuary the size of Alaska in Antarctica, but whatever.
If New Zealand politicians want to reject it like weirdos, whatever.
It just makes me sad.
If you want to read more about it you can, but it will make you sad too.
Whatever.

Ice rift, Ross Sea in Antarctica.

http://news.yahoo.com/plans-giant-antarctic-marine-sanctuary-falter-061625488.html?_esi=1









Giant.
Viruses.
Are.
Forms of life?

Mimivirus infecting an amoeba.

http://news.yahoo.com/giant-viruses-ancient-living-organisms-study-suggests-034707251.html?_esi=1

Ocean's largest?

http://www.livescience.com/8811-newfound-virus-giant-lifelike-properties.html









You know what's amazing?
Fish.
You know what else is amazing?
People who love fish.
And take pictures of them.

Check out Wayne Davis!


http://news.yahoo.com/whales-sharks-above-fish-spotters-amazing-tale-135822265.html?_esi=1

This is a cool story, but I found it weird that they didn't put more of his photos into the article.
Link.

http://oceanaerials.com/







Whew. That was fun. Goodness.

Well, I hope to do this again as soon as possible, and I have really missed all this blogging business.





P.S. If you want to check out my band, we have two fantastic homepages.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Quicksand-Rescue-Squad/219196041528229?ref=hl

https://twitter.com/QRSquad


P.S.P.S. If you just love me, I also have homepages.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Mooseeu?feature=mhee

https://twitter.com/Mooseeu

Sciiiiiiience.

Busy Girl is Busy.

My goodness. School has made me a busy person. Posts soon.



I promise.

A Faux-Post.

Well, I feel like it has been far too long since I have blogged, but I am pressed for time.

I am indeed at a super-swagtastic board game convention right now, and there's gaming to be done.

So, without further ado, I am going to give you a few wondrous links to follow to keep you updated on the scientific world of awesomeness.



On the conservation front:


Conservation. Do it.

http://www.treehugger.com/ocean-conservation/rebuilding-global-fisheries-would-make-them-5x-more-valuable-while-improving-oceanic-health.html



On the biological front:


Bottlenose dolphins are yet again in trouble due to humans' stupidity.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0041155


We also have some cool critters from hydrothermal vents! Huzzah!

http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-videos/hydrothermal-vent-creatures



On the weird and random news front:

Ummmmmm-kay.

http://www.news.com.au/national/live-sheep-exports-blamed-for-wa-shark-attacks/story-fndo4e3y-1226429751498?sv=28579b4d15297c7502cc09869c2c9170#.UAhfN80olv4.twitter

Science...links.

A Healthy Lack of Motivation Breeds Procrastination.

I know, I know.
That Marley has just lost all her motivation and is a complete failure in the eyes of the world.


And you may be right.


But I...


am still here.
Lurking in the shadows, waiting for my moment to start informing people of interesting tidbits again.


So just... bear with me.

*Sigh*

I'll write again soon.

...Science.

Rebels, Oceans, Acid, and Death. The R.O.A.D. to discovery....and sadness.

Good afternoon!
Let's get our science on.
Fo' shiz.






Ecocide.
(And the people who strive to end it.)
Bluefin tuna are a largely targeted species in our society today, and trapping is a major problem.
In Europe especially, governments do virtually nothing to stop trappers going above and beyond the regulations.
This is where the awesome people come in.
It takes a lot of guts to go in and cut the lines that will destroy a population against the will of their captors, and that is exactly what is happening.
Maybe right now.
Oooo.

A Sea Shepherd cuts the line of destiny.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/jul/13/activists-tuna


More on ecocide:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/apr/09/ecocide-crime-genocide-un-environmental-damage


More from excellent environmental blogger George Monbiot:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot










Well, sci-guys, prepare to be amazed.
There is a global, subsurface ocean on Titan, one of Saturn's moons.
Whoa.
But don't get too excited, Titan.
One of Jupiter's Galilean moons, Europa, had one first.
Space pwned.

http://science.kqed.org/quest/2012/07/13/deep-dark-waters-of-titan/










Yep. The oceans are getting hotter.
They're also getting more and more acidic.
This is, of course, due to human activities such as the mass burning of fossil fuels.
Bad.
Unfortunately, I could not read this entire article, due to my lack of subscription.
Eh.
You get the idea, right?

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/07/rising-acidity-brings-an-ocean-o.html










Chalk.
That most sinister of substances and dastardly of doodlers.
Meh.
Now I have more than just my weirdness to make me not want to buy chalk.
(I have never liked the stuff. It's just...so...powdery...and.... ugh. *shudder*)
Anyway.
Reading this article, I was wondering just what organism could the title have advertised?
Scrolling down, I observed a picture of a single cell.
A single, unmistakable cell.
It was EHUX, colleagues.
COCCOLITHS.
PHYTOPLANKTON.
THE VERY BUILDING BLOCK OF EVERY OCEANIC ECOSYSTEM.
Breathe.
Breathe.
Okay. I'm okay. Just...
I mean...
Ugh.
It doesn't even matter that they're dead! Why would I want to crush their poor little skeletons for my own amusement?!?
A note to my kids:
I WILL NEVER BUY YOU CHALK, DON'T ASK.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/07/12/156629934/thinking-too-much-about-chalk

Las ciencias!

TITANOBOA REX. Yeah, no... But still. TITANOBOA.

News, news, news...the science news!!!





TITANOBOA.
Titanoboa Cerrejonensis.
Whoa.
So, this magnificently extinct creature's remains were found in a Columbian coal mine, and, Oh Boy!
Is it a big one.
Up to 50 feet long and weighing over 2,000 pounds, this serpent could take on anything that crossed its path.
Whew.
This stuff's pretty cool.

It's TITANOBOA!!!

This should help show the scale of this beast when compared with puny humans... Sheesh. That is so boss.

This is a close-up of the exhibit... look how cute Titanoboa is devouring that crocodile.
Awwwwww.

http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/show.do?show=140671










Rescue programs make me happy.



Monterey Bay Aquarium releases snowy plover chicks at the beach.


http://montereybayaquarium.tumblr.com/post/27055280255/go-free-did-you-know-that-we-rescue-raise-and










More information on how to help out coral reefs can be found in this article!
Gosh. I just love people who do things like this...



Bleached coral in West Papua, Indonesia.


http://blog.conservation.org/2012/07/bold-action-needed-to-save-coral-reefs/






Petition:



http://www.thepetitionsite.com/713/963/713/tell-oceanographer-sylvia-earle-you-support-ocean-exploration/?cid=FB_Share


Dr. Sylvia Earle needs our help!
Save the oceans through exploration.

Science. Boom.

Interstellar Awesomesauce, Photographic Awesomesauce, and Ambiguously Honorous Awesomesauce.

Whoa. I just got back from The Amazing Spiderman.
It was super awesome. Go see it.

And now?
Some news.




Well, friends, we're either going to Mars, a comet, or Titan (one of Saturn's moons).
Excitement.

http://www.nature.com/news/nasa-set-to-choose-low-cost-solar-system-mission-1.10982









New species! New species!
Amazing pictures! Ama-
Yeah, you get it.

http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2012/07/arctic-sea-creatures/?pid=2707










Well. I guess this is an... honor... sort of.
Bob Marley has a new namesake (besides the swag-bucket that is meself)!
So, woo-hoo! He deserves namesakes!
But....uh.... It's a marine parasite.
Sooooooo.
Not sure what to make of this one, sci-guys.

Gnathia marleyi. A bloodsucking marine parasite. From the Caribbean, of course.

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/10/12664350-gnarly-tribute-to-bob-marley-parasite-named-for-reggae-star?lite



More on these Irie lil' dudes:


http://theblogaquatic.org/tag/gnathia-marleyi/













An interesting tidbit!  About the Aquarius Reef Base! Check it out!!

http://aquaviews.net/ocean-news/saving-aquarius/


You can follow Aquarius on Twitter! ------>     @ReefBase

Science! To the rescue!!!