Greenhouse gases, El Niño, and cleaner air fueled record heat in 2023
Peeled-apart Indian Plate could be affecting earthquake hazards
Country Life Magazine – August 16, 2023: This week’s issue features a look at Britain’s sharks, classic posters, nightjars and dramatic wallpaper.
Far from being scary, our native sharks are friendly, sleekly swift and even bioluminescent. Helen Scales takes a dip
The Roaring Twenties saw war-damaged Britain come alive in a swirl of cocktails and flapper dresses, finds Claire Jackson
The ruins of Hellifield Peel Tower, North Yorkshire, have been transformed. Jeremy Musson tours a splendid family home
Moves by WHO and U.S. usher pandemic into new phase of disease monitoring, even as coronavirus kills thousands weekly
These majestic top predators that are so essential to the natural order of marine ecosystems now face their most severe threat from overfishing. Many species are threatened with extinction, with some families of rays such as sawfishes in peril. While sharks and rays have been an irreplaceable resource for coastal communities in the developing world for centuries, this unique balance is in danger of being lost forever.
With our oceans severely degraded, restoring sharks is key to improving the resilience of these water bodies to climate change. While sharks’ diverse range of species adds complexity to our conservation efforts, the dwindling numbers of these amazing creatures from overfishing and demand for their fins and meat increases the urgency of the task. Through our multi-pronged strategies, and guided by the Global Priorities for Conserving Sharks and Rays – A 2015-2025 Strategy, we strive to restore the balance between humans and sharks.
The collection of 1,500 rapidly changing segments is rich in sequences associated with brain development and disease.
Ancient chefs made bitter plants taste better with techniques such as grinding and soaking.
Such interventions could greatly reduce accidental catches of threatened species.
Understanding the weather pattern known as the Indian Ocean Dipole might help to predict lack of rainfall in countries such as Kenya.
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC – THE WORLD’S LARGEST OCEAN AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC LONG BEACH MEET MORE THAN 12,000 SPECIES.
In the Southern California/Baja Gallery, you can meet giant sea bass, leopard sharks, eels, seals, sea lions, white abalone, and other species found locally or in Baja. Explore the cold-water habitats of the Northern Pacific Gallery to meet playful sea otters, diving birds, sea jellies, giant spider crabs, and other animals. Travel through the Tropical Pacific Gallery to see colorful fish and other species that inhabit those warm tropical waters.
Visit the Aquarium’s latest expansion—Pacific Visions. The 29,000-square-foot sustainable expansion includes an art gallery, orientation gallery, the Honda Pacific Visions Theater multimedia experience, and the Schubel Family Culmination Gallery, which features interactives, displays, educational game tables, and live animal exhibits.
Leighton Lum from ‘Aiea, O‘ahu
“I took this shot during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. This shot was only made possible because there were very few people going outside during the lockdowns, and bait balls were coming into beaches along Waikīkī. With the bait balls so close to shore and with so few people around, these sandbar sharks were able to come in and snag an easy meal.
I was lucky enough to be flying my drone that day and had a few great views of this interesting hunting behavior that is not often seen in heavily populated areas such as Waikīkī.”
Semaj Thomas from Honolulu, O‘ahu
“I went out for sunrise at Kualoa Regional Park. It was a cloud covered morning—which generally are my favorite times to shoot because there is always potential for light leaks. I sent up the drone, set the composition and Mother Nature did the rest. This image to me is indicative of the stories I’ve learned about historic Hawai‘i, and I hope it stands the test of time.”
Peter Tang from Honolulu, O‘ahu
“A high surf advisory ushered a procession of waves to O‘ahu’s Waimea Bay. The wind blew water off the lip and the morning sun illuminated the spray to create a rainbow in its wake.”
Lisa Titimacco from Wahiawā, O‘ahu
“I remember this day well—I got out a little before sunset during a decent winter south swell on O‘ahu. After a set rolled through, I saw my friend Nancy (@nancxyx) sitting on the nose of her longboard, taking a break and watching the other surfers. She was so relaxed and the golden hour light was hitting her face perfectly so I took a couple shots. They turned out pretty good.”
Bora Bora, Fakarava, Ranguiroa, Tahiti, Tikehau, Moorea, Maupiti…
Our Odyssey through these islands and atolls is one of the most spectacular diving expeditions we have had the chance to do.
A crystal clear water (visbility can reach 45 meters), hundreds of different reef fish species, corals and pelagic, to sum up : an exceptional beauty both in terms of flora and fauna.
French Polynesia is known as the largest shark santuary in the world,
probably the only place in the world where you can see 6 species of sharks in a single dive : Grey reef sharks, Tiger sharks, Black-tip sharks, White-tip sharks, Nurse sharks and Lemon sharks. Yes! In a single dive.
The dives are mainly drifting because of the underwater topography of its passes, this is where the show begins, life is teeming: Hammerhead sharks, dolphins, school of barracuda, eagle rays, turtles, manta rays, marbled groupers, tuna, napoleons… We are not going to give you an exhaustive list, because there are around 800 species, I’ll let you imagine.
We dived into the main passes:Tiputa, Tumakohua, Garuae, Avatoru,… But the one that offered us the most beautiful spectacle is undoubtedly Tetamanu, the southern pass of Fakarava. Imagine yourself in front of a wall of 700 sharks (We were there the third week of June).
If you do not yet practice scuba diving, no worries, you can fully enjoy the beauties that French Polynesia has to offer by practicing snorkeling.
In the stunning lagoon of Moorea, you can snorkel with stingrays, black tip sharks and colorful fishes.
If French Polynesia benefits from a unique underwater environment, magnificent coral reefs and amazing lagoons, it is also an earthly paradise, not only for its majestic scenery or its dream beaches but above all for the kindness of the Polynesians (Tahitians).
So far we have mainly traveled to the Society Islands and the Tuamotus but we are planning to go in the Austral archipelago to swim with the
Humpback whales. Exploring Polynesia is the adventure of a lifetime, because it is the size of Europe.
Shark cams take us where divers never could.
Boomers Daily 