In The News

[SailOar]

You now can bid on your very own T. Rex skeleton on eBay. Unfortunately, returns are not accepted.



YOUNG (BABY) T-REX TYRANNOSAURUS DINOSAUR FOSSIL

[GordMay]

Mueller Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election
(Vol I of II - redacted) ➥ https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf

"Once the redacted version of the report* has been released to the public, the Justice Department plans to make available for review by a limited number of Members of Congress and their staff a copy of the Special Counsel's report without certain redactions," prosecutors wrote in a court filing on Wednesday. They wrote that the less-redacted version would not be made public or made available for all members of Congress.

Though very important news, this subject is NOT appropriate for discussion, on the CruisersForum.
I provide this link, only that interested parties may privately inform themselves.
I WILL report ANY discussion, around this subject, to the Moderation team.

On May 17, 2017, Robert S. Mueller III was appointed by acting Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein to serve as Special Counsel by the order below.
Office of the Attorney General
ORDER NO. 3915-2017
APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE WITH THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND RELATED MATTERS
* ➥ https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-re...67231/download


I repeat, this subject is NOT appropriate for discussion, on the CF.

[a64pilot]

My cave instructor, very good friend and mentor has had another successful cave diver rescue today.
Rescues of cave divers are extremely rare, before Edd, I think it happened twice, it’s about as likely as saving a parachutist, and for the same reason, usually it’s extremely time limited, you only have so much air.

Edd has saved either four or five divers now, a phenomenal number.

By the way, anyone who is wanting to get cave certified, could do a lot worse than getting Edd to teach them, his shop is in Marianna Fl. And there are many cave systems around, including my favorite, Jackson Blue which has miles of diveable cave.
https://youtu.be/cDOIjadX354
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edd_Sorenson

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

My cave instructor, very good friend and mentor has had another successful cave diver rescue today...

Josh Bratchley, was retrieved safely by Edd Sorenson
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...nessee-n995691


More good news:
Why Sleeping on Your Stomach Leads to More Erotic Dreams
➥ https://www.medicaldaily.com/why-sle...-dreams-241863

[AndyEss]

https://www.livescience.com/65276-16...gn=20190420-ls
16th Century Dutch shipwreck found in North Sea.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by AndyEss

https://www.livescience.com/65276-16...gn=20190420-ls
16th Century Dutch shipwreck found in North Sea.

Interesting.
The shipwreck represents three key developments in Dutch history:
a pivotal change in shipbuilding techniques (clinker to carvel construction)
the growth of the Dutch economy after the 1500s
and the introduction of copper coinage.

[GordMay]

Earth Day—April 22—marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
It’s hard to believe, but 49 years ago a new awareness of our environmental responsibilities was born. The founding of Earth Day marked an important moment in time, a pivotal recognition of how precious and fragile and sacred our connection is to our natural world.
The Earth Day Network works year round to solve climate change, to end plastic pollution, to protect endangered species, and to broaden, educate, and activate the environmental movement across the globe.
➥ https://www.earthday.org/


The first-ever Earth Day and its evolution into a global event
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/archives/the-firs...vent-1.5083110

[Tetepare]

Lake Erie still has 250sq.m of ice. The ice boom in Niagara River is being removed for the season. Perhaps incomprehensible to some southern boaters...


https://www.syracuse.com/state/2019/...-to-begin.html


Live cameras: scroll down a bit to see all that wonderful ice. https://iceboom.nypa.gov/

[a64pilot]

Edd’s video of the cave rescue, it’s the Dive itself for those that are interested.
https://youtu.be/8y6pUXo32YU

[GordMay]

Nearly 200 Great Barrier Reef coral species also live in the deep sea.
That’s six times as many species as previously thought to be living in the dark, cold waters off northeastern Australia, researchers report*.
Perhaps more important than the number of species cataloged at those depths, is the fact that every evolutionary family of reef-building coral is represented, offering a potential boon for conservation efforts.
As climate change makes some ocean waters warmer, corals are experiencing more frequent severe bleaching events than they did just a few decades ago. Scientists are trying to learn which species might be able to survive, and where, as ocean conditions change.
From 2010 to 2016, Muir and his colleagues sampled 1,263 corals at depths between 30 meters to 125 meters. That range falls within a region called the mesophotic zone, because it receives relatively little sunlight. From those samples, as well as museum specimens and other data, the team identified 195 coral species living in this zone, most of which were previously thought to inhabit only shallow waters.
The finding provides support for the “deep reef refugia” hypothesis, the hotly debated idea that deep ocean corals are somewhat protected from the effects of climate change, and could one day help reestablish damaged shallow water reefs. But while researchers may know more about which corals can live in this deep ocean region, it’s unclear how common those corals are; or how they would fare if transplanted to shallower environments.
“High species richness and lineage diversity of reef corals in the mesophotic zone” ~ by Paul R. Muir et al.
➥ https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d...rspb.2018.1987
➥ https://figshare.com/collections/Sup..._zone_/4320827

[Puddleduck]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Nearly 200 Great Barrier Reef coral species also live in the deep sea.
That’s six times as many species as previously thought to be living in the dark, cold waters off northeastern Australia, researchers report*.
Perhaps more important than the number of species cataloged at those depths, is the fact that every evolutionary family of reef-building coral is represented, offering a potential boon for conservation efforts.
As climate change makes some ocean waters warmer, corals are experiencing more frequent severe bleaching events than they did just a few decades ago. Scientists are trying to learn which species might be able to survive, and where, as ocean conditions change.
From 2010 to 2016, Muir and his colleagues sampled 1,263 corals at depths between 30 meters to 125 meters. That range falls within a region called the mesophotic zone, because it receives relatively little sunlight. From those samples, as well as museum specimens and other data, the team identified 195 coral species living in this zone, most of which were previously thought to inhabit only shallow waters.
The finding provides support for the “deep reef refugia” hypothesis, the hotly debated idea that deep ocean corals are somewhat protected from the effects of climate change, and could one day help reestablish damaged shallow water reefs. But while researchers may know more about which corals can live in this deep ocean region, it’s unclear how common those corals are; or how they would fare if transplanted to shallower environments.
“High species richness and lineage diversity of reef corals in the mesophotic zone” ~ by Paul R. Muir et al.
➥ https://royalsocietypublishing.org/d...rspb.2018.1987
➥ https://figshare.com/collections/Sup..._zone_/4320827

Or to put it another way...


Out of 400 odd shallow water corals species surveyed (<30m depth), only 13 (3%) are found at depths below 45 meters!

The ‘deep dark’ bit of the ocean begins where usable light ends (see light attenuation vs PAR) for zooxanthella, errrrr around 45 meters!!!

As mentioned in a previous thread, the ‘cold’ bit allows corals less dependency on light due to increased zooplankton (heterotrophic feeding).

Nearly 200 Great Barrier Reef coral species also live in the deep sea. That’s six times as many species as previously thought to be living in the dark

So that’s up from the 33 different shallow water coral sp. previously thought to be living between 30-125 meters? not sure those numbers are correct unless I’m missing something? I’m sure I counted more on my last dive

The finding provides support for the “deep reef refugia” hypothesis, the hotly debated idea that deep ocean corals are somewhat protected from the effects of climate change, and could one day help reestablish damaged shallow water reefs.

If the shallow waters one day return to the recent ‘ideal’ baseline interplay between water temperature, chemistry, sunlight and plankton? Not convinced, still swaying towards the idea of a few corals surviving rapid change over the next 100ish years with the possibility of reefs returning (in some form) in the next million years or so using a combination of plasticity, adaptation and evolution. A more realistic Refugia hypothesis based on ancient history (realistic time frame).

Perhaps more important than the number of species cataloged at those depths, is the fact that every evolutionary family of reef-building coral is represented, offering a potential boon for conservation efforts.

Yes!!! If anyone’s interested in the more evolutionary important bit have a look at ‘EDGE corals’ criteria.

EDGE Corals | EDGE of Existence

In 2011 the EDGE programme produced the EDGE Corals list which highlights the top 25 Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered coral species

Gordmay, I’d chalk your original post up to a study 6 years in the making having to have something newsworthy to report

(Not that I’d refute the genuinely original and valid bits of the study, all goes towards building a bigger better picture)

[Puddleduck]

Nearly 200 Great Barrier Reef coral species also live in the deep sea. That’s six times as many species as previously thought to be living in the dark

So that’s up from the 33 different shallow water coral sp. previously thought to be living between 30-125 meters? not sure those numbers are correct unless I’m missing something? I’m sure I counted more on my last dive

No actually if your talking about the dark (more than 45m), then that would make 2 corals previously thought to be living in the dark (1/6th of the 13 different sp.)?

Sorry I’ve been drinking

[GordMay]

Watch firefighters save a cat from a tree.
Also, the cat is actually a cougar.
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...ting-1.5113695


Thanks for your critique, and the link, Puddleduck.

[Puddleduck]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Thanks for your critique, and the link, Puddleduck.

More of a drunken rant!



In other news....

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...prospect-life/

'Zombie' pig brains revived as scientists raise prospect of life after death

The brains of dead pigs have been restarted by scientists in an experiment which raises serious ethical and philosophical questions about what it means to be alive and the prospect of bringing people back from the dead.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1099-1

[SailOar]

Rapid melting of the world's largest ice shelf linked to solar heat in the ocean

An international team of scientists has found part of the world's largest ice shelf [Ross Ice Shelf] is melting 10 times faster than expected due to solar heating of the surrounding ocean....

"The stability of ice shelves is generally thought to be related to their exposure to warm deep ocean water, but we've found that solar heated surface water also plays a crucial role in melting ice shelves," said first author Dr. Craig Stewart from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in New Zealand....

"Previous studies have shown that when ice shelves collapse, the feeding glaciers can speed up by a factor or [sic] two or three," said co-author Dr. Poul Christoffersen from Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute. "The difference here is the sheer size of Ross Ice Shelf, which [sic] over one hundred times larger than the ice shelves we've already seen disappear."...

The findings suggest that conditions in the ice shelf cavity are more closely coupled with the surface ocean and atmosphere than previously assumed, implying that melt rates near the ice front will respond quickly to changes in the uppermost layer of the ocean.

"Climate change is likely to result in less sea ice, and higher surface ocean temperatures in the Ross Sea, suggesting that melt rates in this region will increase in the future," said Stewart.....