tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20967789598249084132024-03-19T01:47:39.205-07:00Writing About Science, the Environment, and NatureMelissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.comBlogger461125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-37492566911748426512024-02-15T11:40:00.000-08:002024-02-15T11:40:21.567-08:00New Whale Species in the Gulf of Mexico<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">A whale long known to inhabit the Gulf of Mexico, believed
since 1965 to be a subspecies of the Bryde’s whale, was identified last year as
a separate species, Rice’s whale (<i>Balaenoptera ricei</i>). It soon may be extinct. Read my piece about it <a href="https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2023/mar/scout14_conservation/" target="_blank">here</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-27946096324823238422023-11-21T15:44:00.000-08:002023-11-21T15:44:13.673-08:00The Pros and Cons of Cold Water Immersion<p><span style="color: #595959; font-family: FreightSansW01, FreightSansW01-robotoFallback, FreightSansW01-localFallback, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;">Studies show a freezing dunk can improve your immune system and stave off depression—or cause a heart attack or frostbite. <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a45874238/the-science-behind-cold-water-plunges/" target="_blank">Read more </a>about the possible benefits and the risks of cold water immersion.</span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-47823134394757865822023-10-17T14:33:00.002-07:002023-10-17T14:33:27.907-07:00Playing Matchmaker for Corals<p>Improving the success of sexual reproduction is another tool
for restoring the world’s coral reefs. <a href="https://therevelator.org/matchmaker-corals/" target="_blank">Read</a> about a project working on this method in Florida and the Caribbean. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-57619293666064336372023-08-16T13:21:00.002-07:002023-08-16T13:21:32.532-07:00Tracking whales to prevent ship strikes<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Noto Sans"; font-size: 18px;">Collisions with ships are a leading cause of death for large whales worldwide. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Noto Sans"; font-size: 18px;">Whale Safe, a technology created by the Marine Mammal Center and UCSB’s Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, can let ship crews know </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: "Noto Sans"; font-size: 18px;">when whales are present so they can slow down, which dramatically reduces the risk of fatal collisions. Read more <a href="https://www.scubadiving.com/navigating-safer-future-for-whales" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-23009046181899608322023-08-01T07:15:00.000-07:002023-08-01T07:15:00.596-07:00The sources of Earth's water<p> Earth has a lot of water. Scientists aren't sure where it all came from, but they may be getting close to finding out. Read more <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a44269425/where-did-earths-water-come-from/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-64358427056954009652023-07-22T08:10:00.003-07:002023-07-22T08:10:52.106-07:00Planting Coral Reefs<p> The Coral Restoration Foundation in Florida heads up a massive outplanting project to help save coral reefs. This <a href="https://therevelator.org/planting-coral-florida/" target="_blank">piece</a> for The Revelator explains how volunteers are integral to the effort. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-83979438412780598382023-05-02T13:10:00.002-07:002023-05-02T13:10:32.463-07:00Coral Reefs in Crisis<p> First in a series about efforts to restore coral reefs in Florida and the Caribbean. This one looks at seascape genomics as a restoration tool and a controversial idea: controlled invasion. Read more <a href="https://therevelator.org/coral-reefs-assisted-migration/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-84929277057805552472023-01-30T07:47:00.002-08:002023-01-30T07:47:15.047-08:00Protecting whales from underwater noise<p> Underwater noise generated by human activity wreaks havoc with marine animals that rely on sound, including whales. Technology could help make things quieter in the sea. Read more <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/bubble-curtains-protect-whales-ocean-noise" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-43339264814868204432022-12-06T16:31:00.004-08:002022-12-06T16:31:39.945-08:00Playing Outside<p>City Kids Adventures gives San Antonio youngsters the gift of the outdoors. <a href="https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2022/nov/scout10_trailblazers/index.phtml" target="_blank">Read about</a> its founder Leon McNeil and how it works. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-70697220859332676302022-12-06T16:29:00.001-08:002022-12-06T16:29:12.354-08:00Pints in Port A<p> Beer and beaches - a great combination. <a href="https://texashighways.com/travel-news/sip-local-brews-on-the-beach-at-these-port-aransas-pubs/" target="_blank">Check out</a> this list of where to get tasty local beers in Port Aransas. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-38395435420812047242022-12-06T16:26:00.006-08:002022-12-06T16:26:53.926-08:00Gulf of Mexico coral reefs threatened<p>Warming waters threaten coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico's Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, which have escaped most damage so far. Read more<a href="https://texasclimatenews.org/2022/11/23/coral-reefs-near-texas-may-not-escape-greater-damage-from-climate-change/" target="_blank"> here</a>. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-12467682779654267162022-09-13T07:27:00.001-07:002022-09-13T07:27:38.956-07:00Citizen Science Opportunities in Texas<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Tiempos Regular", Georgia, serif;">Thousands of people volunteer as citizen scientists, lending their eyes, ears, hands and time to professional scientists conducting all kinds of research around the world.</span> M<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Tiempos Regular", Georgia, serif;">ost citizen science projects require no special skill or knowledge. Some even can be done sitting on your couch with a computer or smartphone. <a href="https://texascooppower.com/channel-your-inner-scientist/" target="_blank">Read about</a> opportunities to contribute in Texas. </span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-75388756363607565682022-08-04T18:11:00.005-07:002022-08-04T18:12:01.165-07:00Flowers in a Different Light<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #58585a; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17px;">In the quest for pollinators, plants really pull out the stops, producing flowers with powerful scents, elaborate structures, and dramatic colors -- including in parts of the light spectrum that humans can't see but that insects and other pollinators can. Learn and see how that works in this <a href="https://www.wildflower.org/magazine/native-plants/a-different-light" target="_blank">piece </a>for Wildflower Magazine</span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-55050139876250523892022-07-21T07:15:00.002-07:002022-07-21T07:15:25.309-07:00Wildlife on the Border<p>Official borders may be a big deal to humans, but not for wild
creatures. Along the Texas-Mexico border, for example, animals like ocelots,
beavers, and black bears rely on habitat in both countries. Read more in this <a href="https://texashighways.com/things-to-do/wildlife/the-habitats-of-wild-creatures-transcend-lines-drawn-on-paper/" target="_blank">piece</a> for Texas Highways. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-36219926557481734822022-07-15T12:59:00.002-07:002022-07-15T12:59:49.162-07:00Elusive Eels in Texas<p> Scientists are working to track down the various (and somewhat bizarre) life stages of eels in Texas waters. Read more in this <a href="https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2022/jul/ed_2_eels/index.phtml" target="_blank">piece</a> for Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-42325358646635047682022-06-30T11:27:00.001-07:002022-06-30T11:27:09.616-07:00The Trost Hotels of West Texas<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "breve text book", serif; font-size: 18px;">El Paso architecture firm Trost & Trost designed hundreds of buildings throughout the Southwest in the early 1900s, including four famous West Texas hotels: Hotel Paso del Norte in El Paso, Hotel Paisano in Marfa, Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn, and The Gage Hotel in Marathon.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "breve text book", serif; font-size: 18px;"> Read more about them <a href="https://texashighways.com/travel-news/the-trost-trail-offers-a-look-at-west-texas-gorgeously-crafted-hotels/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-50700149081285795422022-06-14T16:26:00.004-07:002022-06-30T11:27:30.413-07:00Trouble in paradise<p>Gray whales are struggling off the Pacific Coast. Scientists are trying to figure out why and what to do about it. Read more <a href="https://www.scubadiving.com/scientists-race-to-figure-out-why-grey-whale-deaths-are-spiking" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-9754049937223499132022-05-02T11:10:00.004-07:002022-05-02T11:10:42.003-07:00Green roofs are cool. Really cool.<p>As heat waves increase due to climate change, research shows that green roofs could help cool off our cities. Read more about how they work <a href="https://texasclimatenews.org/2022/04/28/as-heat-waves-increase-green-roofs-could-help-cool-texas-cities/" target="_blank">here</a>. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-37208051484824534342022-04-12T14:21:00.001-07:002022-04-12T14:21:41.104-07:00Scuba diving in Texas<p> A brief <a href="https://texashighways.com/things-to-do/on-the-water/where-to-scuba-dive-in-texas/" target="_blank">primer</a> on recreational dive sites, scientific diving, and more. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-12454654997500724552022-04-11T11:03:00.002-07:002022-04-11T11:03:45.081-07:00Helping Coral Deal with Climate Change<p>A<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sentinel SSm A", "Sentinel SSm B", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">s sea temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, coral reefs around the planet have experienced repeated bouts of mass bleaching.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sentinel SSm A", "Sentinel SSm B", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;"> M</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sentinel SSm A", "Sentinel SSm B", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">arine biologists from around the world are studying</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sentinel SSm A", "Sentinel SSm B", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;"> various ways reef-building corals might be able to acclimatize or adapt to climate change. Read more <a href="https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/03/white-out-how-climate-change-is-killing-earths-coral-reefs/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-5851745332510725492022-04-10T13:57:00.003-07:002022-04-10T13:57:41.121-07:00From Dinosaurs to Ducks<p> Research by <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Sentinel SSm A", "Sentinel SSm B", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">Julia Clarke, a vertebrate paleontologist and professor at The University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences, shows what dinosaurs sounded like, why some of them had feathers, and how avian dinos evolved into modern-day birds. Read more <a href="https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2017/03/duck-dynasty/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-4966896539160375732022-03-25T09:24:00.003-07:002022-03-25T09:24:32.816-07:00Coral restoration in Florida<p><span style="background-color: white;">M</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, Georgia, "serif";">arine photographer Brandon Cole and I produced this <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/03/a-photo-essay-on-coral-reef-restoration-efforts-in-florida/" target="_blank">photo essay</a> exploring efforts to protect at-risk coral reefs off Florida’s Atlantic coast for Yale Climate Connections. </span></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-76271025527114766722021-12-23T08:41:00.000-08:002021-12-23T08:41:11.818-08:00More plastic, more plastic waste, more problems<p> As the problems from plastic waste continue to grow, we keep cranking out more plastic. Read the latest in this <a href="https://texasclimatenews.org/2021/12/16/as-climate-linked-crisis-of-plastic-pollution-grows-we-keep-cranking-out-more-plastic/" target="_blank">piece</a> for Texas Climate News. </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-66934557087444927292021-11-01T07:20:00.002-07:002021-11-01T07:20:27.163-07:00Hatchlings on Heron Island <p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Exo 2", sans-serif;">Australia’s Heron Island, a National Marine Park at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Protected Zone, is home to an eco-resort, a science station, and nesting sea turtles. <a href="https://www.scubadiving.com/what-its-like-to-watch-sea-turtles-hatch-in-wild" target="_blank">Read</a> what it is like to watch a nest hatch in the wild. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJYxngeLXrf7xnH1aeawhQUHOsqfsRTPYMYJnGQ5Fb_sO6ATb2L5xkl-YOKRSNsLPGZvuEK0Ksda4ZDtfy3GsZEPQRQO1o1mSdizL2vd9uOd5uFGQxnqOogoGiMmy6SeGBzQWBelUzX-D/s2048/turtle.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJYxngeLXrf7xnH1aeawhQUHOsqfsRTPYMYJnGQ5Fb_sO6ATb2L5xkl-YOKRSNsLPGZvuEK0Ksda4ZDtfy3GsZEPQRQO1o1mSdizL2vd9uOd5uFGQxnqOogoGiMmy6SeGBzQWBelUzX-D/s320/turtle.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Exo 2", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Credit: Holley Gaskill</i></span></span><p></p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2096778959824908413.post-72649105957127540212021-11-01T07:12:00.002-07:002021-11-01T07:12:36.627-07:00Farewell to a Fish <p> The U.S. FWS proposes removing the San Marcos gambusia from the endangered species list, not because the fish has recovered, but because it is extinct. Read more <a href="https://texashighways.com/travel-news/farewell-to-a-fish-once-found-only-in-the-san-marcos-river-the-san-marcos-gambusia-has-gone-extinct/" target="_blank">here.</a> </p>Melissa Gaskillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06107127608154866731noreply@blogger.com0