Unless you live near the coast, you probably think about the ocean more as a destination for a nice beach vacation as anything that directly affects you. To put it bluntly: even if you don't eat fish, hate swimming, and the idea of the beach disgusts you: the ocean affects you, too. Every single person on this planet is affected by the health of the ocean. Every. Single. Person.
Sea urchins are essentially folded-up sea stars. Very poky folded-up sea stars with spikes poky enough that even I might consider putting some shoes on my feet. Maybe.
Unreachable to most humans, the deepest depths of the ocean hold endless wonders from the totally adorable to really creepy, from the hot to the cold, from the dark to the—no, all dark. Unless you meet one of those creatures that can make their own light.
You know that cartoon with the dog drinking coffee while his house in on fire. "This is fine," says the title. Greta Thunberg used the same idea when she said that our house is on fire. While this is true almost literally in some parts of the worlds with fires spreading destruction all over the globe during the summer months, it's also metaphorically true on a much deeper level.
To most people, the ocean is a more or less flat-surface, just like the ground beneath our feet. But there is so much more under the waves. From the surface to the deepest depths, from the shore to the open ocean, we'll take it apart—and even get into some special zones.
When I learned how to dive, a whole new world opened up—but it soon felt like this world was dying!
Sargassum seaweed was taking over where kelp forests had been, and bristle stars took over entire reefs. It was at the height of the mysterious sea star wasting syndrome, and many thought one of the coolest sea stars of California had been lost—but then we saw them return.
The planet is in dire straits. Temperatures are rising. The ocean is getting sour. People are suffering.
Companies make promises. Governments sign pledges. You are recycling your plastics. Even your neighbor is using that green dish soap now. With millions of trees getting planted, surely, we’re making a dent, right?
Eating baby turtles got crabs a bad reputation, but there is much more to these ten-legged living armors—and more to their relationship with turtles, too. So, let's take a deep breath and dive in.
Fishing is more than taking fish out of the ocean. Depending on the fishing method, there are issues with bycatch, waste, and plain inefficiency to deal with. And one fishing method releases more CO2 than the entire airline industry. Yes, really. Let's dive in.
Between lobsters the color of cotton candy, depressed lobster men, and misinformation spread by the wonderful Phoebe from Friends, there is a lot to learn about lobsters. Let's dive in.