Tag: marine life
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Tasting by touch, the unique way octopuses explore the world
Imagine you could taste the things your hands touch. You reach out to grab a slice of apple and can already feel its sweetness before it even touches your mouth. Science fiction? Not for the peculiar creature that is the octopus. This invertebrate is able to touch as well as taste its environment through its…
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Sea otter decline accelerating effects of climate change
In a new study published by the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, researchers have found that the loss of key predators may be accelerating the effects of climate change in their habitats. The study focussed on the kelp forests of the Aleutian Archipelago off the western coast of Alaska, which have experienced a sharp decline…
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Fancy a shark for a friend, or must this friendliness end?
On being asked about the dangers of his deep sea adventures, Michael Mueller, the famous shark photographer from Los Angeles, also fondly known as ‘shark paparazzo’ in journalistic circles, said “People don’t need to be scared. I tickle sharks, I do, when they swim by.” Mueller’s words may have said these words in good humour,…
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Can whales learn deafness?
If you’re reading this on your computer then you’re probably within reaching distance of them. Go anywhere amongst the public and you’ll notice that a lot of people are wearing them. Headphones and earphones are becoming more and more commonplace throughout our lives. Some particularly sophisticated versions can even suppress environmental noises and enhance the…