Acid Jacuzzi roundup - June 10, 2008
On Sunday, Nature published a paper sort of previewing the future of the oceans if CO2 levels continue to rise. To recap, Jason Hall-Spencer at the University of Plymouth and colleagues conducted a survey of aquatic life around CO2-spewing ocean vents. In addition to being an excuse to go diving off the coast of Italy, the work showed that corals, urchins and other organisms could not live in the acidified shadow of the vents. The group theorized it may be bad news for future oceans.
The work got a fair bit of pick up in British papers, as well as overseas. But for real science envy, check out the BBC's video of the team as they swan around what Hall-Spencer himself describes as "a 300-meter-long Jacuzzi."
Would that we were all so lucky that we could dive in the name of science.
Image: Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa
