The Asteroid Blog
Young Scientist Spotlight: Boyan Slat
Boyan Slat was born in the Netherlands in 1994. He was interested in Science and Engineering from a young age. When he was 14, he (along with help from some Delft University of Technology students) launched 213 water rockets.
Fashion from Plastic Waste
Adidas is one of the biggest names in the sports shoe business. What isn’t as well known is that they are also very committed to reducing the amount of plastics consumed.
Now You See Them, Now You Don’t
Human beings use a lot of plastic. Plastic is cheap and convenient and can be used in almost everything. This plastic addiction has led to big problems for the environment, especially the oceans.
Young Scientist Spotlight: Annie Ostojic
Annie Ostojic began winning state and national recognition for her scientific projects and inventions as a 9-year-old student at Frank Hammond Elementary School. She won her grade division at the Indiana State Science Fair in Indianapolis for her project, “Bee a Good Packer,” which explored prism shapes for better container packing.
NASA Training for Future Lunar Missions
When Gene Cernan stepped back into the Challenger lander on 14 December, 1972 and departed the surface of the moon, many thought that man’s time on the moon was over forever.
But maybe not.
Lionfish for Lunch
Lionfish are a problem. They’ve been a problem in the Western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico for at least 40 years. They’re a problem because, as an invasive species with no natural predators and voracious appetites, their population has boomed, and native species have suffered.
Dubai Unleashes Robotic Shark!
There is something lurking along the waterfronts of Dubai, South Africa, and the Netherlands, but it isn’t out to get you – it’s out to get trash.
Deep Water Coral Reef Discovered
At the Rockall Bank, 480 kilometers west of Ireland, in the deep ocean waters past the continental shelf, Irish and British scientists have discovered a potential “sponge” reef.
Grow Your Own Coral
Keeping a saltwater aquarium is a beautiful and popular hobby. It’s also an expensive one. There’s the cost of the tank, the fish, the equipment, and of course, the coral. Aquarium coral can cost anywhere from $40 for beginner corals, up to $300 for exotic types.
What is Coral Bleaching?
Coral reefs are famous for their brilliant colours. What many people don’t realize is that the coral themselves are white. They get those fabulous colours via a symbiotic relationship with tiny plants called zooxanthellae that usually live inside the coral.
Take a Deep Breath
Freediving has a very simple premise: you, underwater. That’s it. No SCUBA tanks or any other breathing assistance. Just you, holding your breath for as long as you can. Simple, but increasingly popular, and potentially very dangerous.
Beating Climate Change
Coral is picky. Too hot, too cold, not enough sunlight, too much sunlight, too much salt in the water, pollution; coral is the Goldilocks of the ocean world.
Limpet, Heal Thyself…
Bioengineers at Trinity University in Dublin, Ireland, have discovered that limpets, a marine mollusk with a shallow conical shell, are able to remodel their shells when damaged.
Coral Teamwork
As a rule, coral eat tiny floating animals called zooplankton. It’s a pretty passive way of getting a meal. But there’s a new study that shows that some coral might be more aggressive about their dinner.
Red Handfish
The Red Handfish is an extremely rare reef fish that doesn’t swim around the Tasman Sea (between Australia and New Zealand). Instead, it walks on its distinctively hand-like fins.
Light Cleanup
The sun is one of our primary sources of energy (unless you’re a cat—then, the point of a ray of sunshine is to sleep in it). Sunshine makes plants grow, keeps us from freezing to death, and can power our homes and workplaces.
Who’s WHOI?
No matter where you live, the ocean affects your life.
Half the world’s oxygen comes from photosynthesis in the ocean. Almost half of the world’s population lives within 150 km of a coast. Almost all international trade is via ship. Only 5% of the ocean has been explored by humans. 90% of the heat from global warming has been absorbed by the oceans.
If you’re interested in oceanic research, Woods Hole, Massachusetts is the place to be.
Home Sweet (cough, gag) Venus
Humans have been looking into space, and even thinking about living there, for a long time. The Moon has been considered for colonization for decades, but Mars is currently the most popular choice for potential colonization—just ask Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX.