NOAA: Making Waves: Recent Episodes
National Ocean Service
From corals to coastal science, catch the current of the ocean with our audio and video podcast, Making Waves
The Making Waves podcast has retired, but have no fear! We combined our Making Waves, Ocean Shorts, and Diving Deeper pods into one NEW podcast called NOAA Ocean. Subscribe in your favorite podcatcher so you never miss an episode. Just search for "NOAA Ocean." If you are looking for an older Making Waves episode, head to oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast to view our archive.
The Making Waves podcast has retired, but have no fear! We combined our Making Waves, Ocean Shorts, and Diving Deeper pods into one NEW podcast called NOAA Ocean. Subscribe in your favorite podcatcher so you never miss an episode. Just search for "NOAA Ocean." If you are looking for an older Making Waves episode, head to oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast to view our archive.
The Making Waves podcast has retired, but have no fear! We combined our Making Waves, Ocean Shorts, and Diving Deeper podcasts into one NEW podcast called NOAA Ocean. Subscribe to the new podcast in your favorite podcatcher so you never miss an episode. Just search for "NOAA Ocean." If you are looking for an older Making Waves episode, head to oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast to view our archive.
What is ocean noise and what is NOAA doing to reduce this threat in our national marine sanctuaries? Many marine organisms, including marine mammals, sea turtles, fish and invertebrates, rely on sound and hearing for their survival. Over the last century, increases in human activity within our ocean have led to increasing levels of noise. This increasing amount of noise from human sources is a rising concern for the health and well-being of marine organisms and ecosystems. In this episode, we talk with NOAA marine ecologist Dr. Leila Hatch about her work to better understand the ocean soundscape by developing programs that can establish baselines, detect changes in noise levels, and support the design of methods to reduce noise impacts.
Episode permanent link and show notes
Money does not grow on trees, but it could be growing in our coastal salt marshes and sea grass beds. A team of researchers is working at Waquoit Bay Research Reserve on Cape Cod in Massachusetts on the "Bringing Wetlands to Market" project to study the connections between coastal wetlands, carbon dioxide uptake and storage, and the global carbon trading economy. Wetlands have the potential to serve as valuable assets in carbon trading markets – but only if we protect them, and don't dig up the treasure!
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Boaters rely on NOAA's nautical charts for depth measurements so they don't accidentally ground on sandbars or other underwater obstructions. Take three minutes out of your day to hear Captain Shepard Smith of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson discuss how nautical charts are updated—and how NOAA is using promising new technology (ocean robots!) that will add shallow depths to nautical charts.
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Coral reefs are under intense pressure from climate change, pollution, and unsustainable use. So what can we do about it? To answer that question, we need to better understand the main threat to our reefs. Humans.
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Alaska—the largest and most remote state in the United States—is filled with wilderness and beauty, and unfortunately with marine debris. With a longer coastline than all the other U.S. states combined, Alaska finds itself with the greatest concentration of marine debris in our country. In this episode, we learn just how challenging the issue of marine debris can be in the vast wilderness of this state, how the NOAA Marine Debris program is working to solve this problem, and how the key to beating this issue is in the innovation and ingenuity of the community working to address it.
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Take a virtual journey to Penobscot Bay, Maine, to see how harbor pilots use U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) data for real-time ocean and weather conditions. This information is critical for safe navigation as pilots carefully move tankers and other vessels often carrying dangerous cargo safely in and out of port. IOOS coastal and marine data (e.g., water temperature, water level, currents, winds, and waves) are collected by many different tools including satellites, buoys, tide gauges, radar stations, and underwater vehicles. Most of the data collected are streamed online and viewable on digital maps for easy access.
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Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, are developing atomic clocks that are so accurate that the effects of the general theory of relativity come into play. That means if two of these clocks are at slightly different elevations—even a few centimeters—the higher clock runs noticeably faster. In this episode, find out why this is a problem for NIST, how the National Geodetic Survey helped to solve this problem, and how these amazing atomic clocks may someday play an important role in the science of geodesy.
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What do you know about our ocean? We bet you'll learn something new in this short video.
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Ocean Today is premiering this 15-minute TRASH TALK special feature for World Ocean Day. It is specially designed to be part of your World Ocean Day festivities and beyond. In addition to the video, we have a pre-recorded 10-minute webinar for educators that provides fun activities that you can organize after the film! A perfect event for museums, zoos, aquariums, learning centers and schools. Enjoy!
Please note that this movie is a large file (260 MB).
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Creating a habitat ecosystem map of the seafloor is a tricky process, but it's a key tool that scientists use to better understand our ocean. Learn more in this two-minute video.
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Join us for an interview with oceanographer Tim Battista about mapping coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Caribbean.
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A NOAA "shipwreck detective" talks about a two-year study to locate and document shipwrecks in Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and the surrounding area.
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In this episode, we visit a research station perched at the end of a long pier in Duck, North Carolina, to get a close-up look at the microwave radar water level sensor--a revolutionary step forward in how NOAA measures water levels around the nation.
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As sea ice continues to shrink in the Arctic, we’re likely to see more shipping, more oil exploration, more tourism, and more fishing. And all of this activity means that in the future, we’ll probably going have to deal with an oil spill in this remote region. So how do we prepare for that? The Coast Guard cutter Healy, a 420-foot-long icebreaker, is now heading north in answer to this question. The mission: an annual exercise called Arctic Shield led by the U.S. Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center. Onboard the Healy, scientists are gearing up to deal with a simulated oil spill in the icy Arctic. To tell us all about Arctic Shield and NOAA’s role in this expedition, we talk to Zachary Winters-Staszak, a spatial data specialist on the mission from the National Ocean Service’s Response and Restoration office.
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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of many areas in the ocean where marine debris naturally concentrates because of ocean currents. In this episode, an expert from the NOAA Marine Debris Program explains what a garbage patch is and isn't, what we know and don't know, and what we can do about this ocean-sized problem.
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This is Making Waves from NOAA's National Ocean Service. Hurricane season runs from June 1 - November 30. You know that powerful winds are destructive and can be deadly during a hurricane. But did you know that the greatest threat to life actually comes from the water — in the form of storm surge. See for yourself with this video from NOAA's Ocean Today.
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Coastal Blue Carbon. Heard of it? A NOAA environmental scientist explains how certain small coastal areas play an outsized role in reducing climate change.
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You know about ocean tides, but how much do you know about ocean currents? Watch our three-minute video podcast to learn what puts the motion in the ocean.
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Prior to the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Exxon Valdez was the largest spill to ever occur in U.S. coastal waters. In this episode, we talk with NOAA marine biologist Gary Shigenaka to find out how marine life is faring today in Prince William Sound, Alaska. We also look at lessons we might learn from this environmental disaster in light of growing oil exploration and shipping traffic in the Arctic.
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How do we use sound to 'see' the sea floor? Our latest podcast explains how sonar works and includes a great visualization that shows how sound data is used to make nautical charts.
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In this video episode: two Civil War-era sailors lost over 150 years ago aboard the U.S.S. Monitor are laid to rest. Don't miss this moving three-minute video brought to you by NOAA's Ocean Today.
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It's Shark Week! Tune in to hear 'Hooked on Sharks,' the latest episode of 'On the Line,' a new podcast from our colleagues at NOAA Fisheries. 'On the Line' features interviews with NOAA scientists who study fish, marine mammals, and other ocean life. In 'Hooked on Sharks,' we hear about a research project to see if a special type of hook can help vulnerable populations of sharks to survive.
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Coral reefs are under intense pressure from climate change, pollution, and unsustainable use. So what can we do about it? To answer that question, we need to better understand the main threat to our reefs. Humans. Join us for a discussion about the social side of protecting coral reefs with scientist Peter Edwards from NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.
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In this video podcast, see how real-time ocean data is aiding Coast Guard search and rescue operations.
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It's hurricane season. Are you prepared? Find out with this video from NOAA's Ocean Today .
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How do we measure elevation changes in estuaries--marshy areas where land elevations are constantly shifting? How will sea level rise affect the flora and fauna that live in these places? See how National Geodetic Survey experts are laying the groundwork to help answer these challenging questions at Waquoit Bay in Mass.
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In this video podcast, learn what ocean acidification is, how it's affecting marine life, and how NOAA tools are helping people monitor and adapt to changes in ocean chemistry.
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In this episode, watch a video about marine protected areas in North America produced by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, a partnership between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
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In this episode, we introduce you to a new occasional podcast series called 'Sanctuary Shorts' from our National Marine Sanctuaries office. Host Matt Dozier tells us about a pioneering effort to dive on Cordell Bank in the late 1970s and a returning mission nearly 30 years later.
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In this episode, watch the first installment of a new three-part video series from NOAA's Ocean Today about the role of ice in our ocean. What is sea ice and why is it shrinking?
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In this episode: learn about the Challenger mission, an effort from the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System and Rutgers to send ocean gliders around the world. We then look back to the 2009 Scarlet Knight mission, the first successful ocean glider crossing of the Atlantic. We end with a screening of a teaser from the 2010 documentary 'Atlantic Crossing: a robot's daring mission.' (5:41 minutes)
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Think you know the ocean? In this episode, we showcase an Ocean Today video that answers many commons questions about the body of what that covers 70 percent of our Earth. (3:45 minutes)
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We've got an oldie but a goodie lined up for the final podcast of 2012. Did you know that the National Ocean Service helps to ensure that Santa doesn't get lost on his journey around the country on December 25th. Here's an episode that originally aired way back in 2008 about Santa and the National Geodetic Survey. Enjoy!
NOAA's Ocean Today just launched its 100th video! In this episode, we highlight this achievement and showcase the latest video from Ocean Today about an effort to promote safe and responsible whale watching. (3:32 minutes)
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NOAA and independent scientists recently discovered rocky reef habitats in an area of NOAA's Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary at depths reaching 457 meters meters—places where corals and sponges had not been seen before. Did you know that corals, sponges, and countless other creatures thrive in the deep ocean—in places where sunlight doesn't reach? In this episode, learn more about the fascinating world of deep sea coral habitats in 'Coral Forests of the Deep,' a video from NOAA's Ocean Today. (3:31 minutes)
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We’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of what some call the most important national coastal legislation you've probably never heard of. It’s called the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). We're joined by Laura McKay, Virginia's Coastal Zone Program manager, who talks about an eelgrass restoration project along Virginia’s eastern shore made possible by this Act.
This month marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, which created our nation's national marine sanctuary system. What are sanctuaries? How do these special areas help to protect and conserve our ocean? We have a NOAA Ocean Today video for you in this episode to put this milestone in perspective. (4:49 minutes)
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We've all heard that hurricanes are one of the most powerful and destructive forces on Earth. But where do they get their strength? You’ll find the answer on this episode of Making Waves. Tune in to watch a brand new video from NOAA’s Ocean Today called 'Fuel for the Storm.' (3:31 minutes)
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Have you ever been to Four Corners? It’s the only place in the U.S. where four states meet at one point. A few years back, there was some confusion over the position of a monument at Four Corners that marks this spot. Some reports claimed that the position of this marker was off by two and a half miles. Today, we’re revisiting a 2009 interview with Dave Doyle, chief geodetic surveyor from NOS’s National Geodetic Survey. As you’ll hear, Four Corners is exactly where it’s supposed to be — and the reason for that is that surveying isn’t only about taking precise measurements with sophisticated equipment, it's also about history, technology, and law. Episode permanent link and show notes
Take three minutes out of your day to watch a video from NOAA's Ocean Today about marine protected areas in North America. Episode permanent link and show notes
How much do you know about NOAA’s navigation services? In this episode, Dr. Holly Bamford, National Ocean Service Deputy Assistant Administrator, talks about ‘positioning America for the future,’ an effort to focus NOS navigation services on upcoming challenges as coastal populations grow, sea levels rise, maritime commerce increases, and new navigation routes open up in the Arctic. Episode permanent link and show notes
It’s the end of May -- and that means it’s not only the start of the summer season, it’s the beginning of hurricane season. Most people know that NOAA’s National Weather Service plays a huge role when hurricanes threaten our coasts, but what role does NOAA’s National Ocean Service play? Find out in this episode -- and learn about some of the online tools and information that you can use before, during, and after hurricanes strike. Episode permanent link and show notes
Making Waves Ocean Today video
Take three minutes out of your day to watch a video from NOAA's Ocean Today. In this episode, learn about the effect of black carbon -- better known as soot -- on Arctic climate. Episode permanent link and show notes
One hundred years ago this month, the RMS Titanic sank after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from the United Kingdom to New York City. Nearly three-quarters of the 2,200 people on board the ship perished. In recognition of this anniversary, this episode features a moving interview with Jim Delgado, Director of Maritime Heritage with NOS's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. You don't want to miss this one. This is the first half of a special two-part series. Episode permanent link and show notes
One hundred years ago this month, the RMS Titanic sank after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from the United Kingdom to New York City. Nearly three-quarters of the 2,200 people on board the ship perished. In recognition of this anniversary, this episode features a moving interview with Jim Delgado, Director of Maritime Heritage with NOS's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. This is the second half of a two-part interview. Episode permanent link and show notes
NOS's National Geodetic Survey is conducting a study on the National Mall to help the National Park Service understand the settling and shifting of the ground underneath the monuments on the National Mall, particularly after the August 2011 earthquake. Tune in to our interview with Dave Doyle, NGS Chief Geodetic Surveyor, to learn more. Episode permanent link and show notes
In 2007, hundreds of birds were found stranded or dead in California's Monterey Bay, coated with an unknown yellow-green substance that was eating away at the protective covering on their feathers. In this episode, we revisit a 2009 interview with a researcher from the University of California at Santa Cruz to learn how and why this happened. Episode permanent link and show notes
Making Waves Ocean Today video
Join us as we kick off a new ocassional series to highlight some of the great videos available on NOAA's Ocean Today website. In this episode, we showcase a fantastic video about exploring the deep ocean.Episode permanent link and show notes
Join us for a talk with two NOAA experts about a multi-year effort to restore the environment in the aftermath of an oil spill that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. While we're focusing on this one spill, you'll get a good idea of how we deal as a nation with big spills wherever and whenever they occur along our coasts. Guests for this episode include Greg Baker, regional resource coordinator with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, and Natalie Cosentino-Manning, restoration program manager for the Southwest region of the U.S. with NOAA's Fisheries Restoration Center. Episode permanent link and show notes
A new chemical analysis study confirms the official estimate of how fast gases and oil were leaking during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill; public comment period is now open for initial Gulf of Mexico restoration projects. Episode permanent link and show notes
Did you know we provide answers to over 180 questions about the ocean on our website? In this episode, we run down the top five most popular Ocean Facts as determined by readership statistics. Episode permanent link and show notes
The powerful Japanese earthquake and resulting tsunami in March, 2011, washed untold tons of marine debris into the Pacific Ocean. Carey Morishige, Pacific Islands Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program, explains where this debris may be, where it's heading, what's being done about it, and what you can do to help.
NOAA is providing grants totaling over $1.6 million dollars to create seasonal and weekly toxic algal bloom forecasts that are more accurate and provide better early warning of toxic blooms in the Gulf of Maine.
A peer-reviewed study commissioned by NOAA shows the American people assign an estimated total economic value of $33.57 billion for the coral reefs of the main Hawaiian Islands.
Figuring out the exact location of a point on the Earth's surface in three dimensions is what the science of geodesy is all about. Thanks to the network of satellites in space known as the Global Positioning System, we can determine latitude and longitude with great accuracy. Heights, however, are a trickier business to nail down.
In this episode, we talk with NOAA Chief Geodesist Dru Smith to learn how scientists are using measurements of gravity to refine a complex mathematical model of the Earth's shape known as the geoid. Once the new model is deployed, the hope is that we'll be able to use GPS receivers to figure out our current elevation in most places across the nation within an accuracy of two centimeters or less.
State and federal trustee agencies will use most of the funds from a $36.8 million settlement of natural resource damages to restore natural resources injured by the Nov. 7, 2007 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay and to improve Bay Area recreational opportunities impacted by the spill. The funds are part of a $44.4 million settlement with Regal Stone Limited and Fleet Management Limited, the companies responsible for the container ship Cosco Busan that spilled 53,000 gallons of oil into the bay after hitting the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Join us this week for two stories and an Ocean Fact:
Arctic Sea Floor Inventory. NOAA scientists are collecting environmental data off the coast of Alaska in the Chukchi Sea to get a clear picture of this underwater ecosystem before any offshore development begins.
A Whale of a Partnership. NOAA, French sanctuaries join forces to protect endangered humpback whales along their annual migration route.
Ocean Fact. Where is the largest protected area in NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary system?
Join us this week to take a look at the many roles and activities of the National Ocean Service when hurricanes threaten our coasts.
The NOAA Ship Fairweather is surveying remote areas of the Arctic in places where ocean depths haven’t been measured since 1867. We talk with the NOAA Corps Capt. David Neander, commander of the vessel, about the current expedition in Alaska and NOAA's broader efforts to map sparsely charted regions of the Arctic Ocean.
In this episode:
NOS Responds to Yellowstone River Oil Spill. NOS is on hand to assist with last month's oil spill on the Yellowstone River in Montana.
NOAA Study May Help East Coast Prepare for El Nino Years. Coastal communities along the U.S. East Coast may be at risk of higher sea levels accompanied by more destructive storm surges during future El Nino years, according to a new NOAA study published in the Monthly Weather Review, a journal of the American Meteorological Society (AMS).
NOS Ocean Fact. What does peanut butter have to do with the ocean?
Climate Change and Harmful Algal Blooms. In a recent study, researchers from NOAA's West Coast Center for Oceans and Human Health used cutting-edge technologies to model future ocean and weather patterns.
Atmospheric Dust and the Ocean Environment. In a recent NOAA-funded study, University of Georgia and U.S. Geological Survey researchers considered how global desertification and the resulting increase in atmospheric dust based on some climate-change scenarios could fuel the presence of harmful bacteria in the ocean and seafood.
In this video episode, we take a look at the National Marine Protected Areas Center and preview one of four new videos available on the MPA.gov website.
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Major Flooding on the Mississippi River Predicted to Cause Largest Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Ever Recorded. The Gulf of Mexico's hypoxic zone is predicted to be the largest ever recorded due to extreme flooding of the Mississippi River this spring, according to an annual forecast by a team of NOAA-supported scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Louisiana State University and the University of Michigan.
Study Sheds Light On Red Tide Toxin. NOAA-supported researchers at Texas A&M University have determined why red tide algae in the Gulf of Mexico make toxin, a development that could prove beneficial to both human and marine life.
It's World Ocean Day! In this episode, we bring you a special video from NOAA's Ocean Today and preview a gallery of photos sent in by NOS Facebook fans and Twitter followers.
In this episode:
Collecting Ocean Data with Marine Mammals. Scientists are enlisting marine mammals with electronic tags to collect critical ocean data from around the nation. NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System is working to standardize various tagging programs so researchers can better tap into this data stream.
New Smartphone App Targets Marine Debris. With bottles, cans, abandoned or lost fishing gear, and other marine debris washing up on our shores each year, the University of Georgia and NOAA have teamed up to create a new, innovative cell phone reporting mechanism to combat the marine debris problem.
NOS Photo Contest. World Ocean Day is June 8. Help us celebrate the beauty, mystery, and importance of the ocean by submitting your best ocean photos!
Do you remember filling out a 2010 census form from the U.S. Census Bureau? In this episode, we tell you about the '2010 centroid of the U.S. population' -- a very interesting piece of information gleaned from census data that tells us a lot about how our nation's population has changed over time.
Climate Change and Harmful Algal Blooms. In a recent study, researchers from NOAA's West Coast Center for Oceans and Human Health used cutting-edge technologies to model future ocean and weather patterns.
Atmospheric Dust and the Ocean Environment. In a recent NOAA-funded study, University of Georgia and U.S. Geological Survey researchers considered how global desertification and the resulting increase in atmospheric dust based on some climate-change scenarios could fuel the presence of harmful bacteria in the ocean and seafood.
Last year, on April 20, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon MC252 drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico killed eleven people and caused the rig to sink. Then, oil began leaking into the Gulf. Before the wellhead was finally capped in mid-July, almost 5 million barrels of oil were released. Today, we look back at NOAA's role in the Deepwater Horizon spill response--the months when oil was spilling into the Gulf--through the eyes of one of the first NOAA responders to the spill. We're joined by Debbie Payton, chief of the Office of Response and Restoration's Emergency Response Division.
Three stories: (1) A new NOAA-funded study links algae to a harmful estrogen-like compound; (2) a new 'marine etiquette' video is launched for visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico; (3) NOAA researchers kick off the eighth year of a mission to explore and map underwater realms of the U.S. Caribbean.
This week, we revisit a May 2010 interview with marine biologist Peter Etnoyer. Etnoyer and colleagues published a study last year that found that seamounts -- underwater mountains formed by volcanic activity -- may collectively form one of the largest habitats on Earth, encompassing more of the planet's surface than South America.
International Marine Debris Conference. The Fifth International Marine Debris Conference is set to take place next month from March 20-25 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The event is bringing together international marine debris experts from around the world to look at marine debris from a global perspective.
Historic 19th-Century Whaler Found. Archeologists working with the Ocean Service's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries have found wreckage of a famous 1800's Nantucket whale ship nearly six hundred miles northwest of Honolulu, within NOAA's Papahãnaumokuãkea Marine National Monument.
Civil-War Era Map Shows Mapmaking Innovations. It isn't often that a map can visually display a moral issue facing a divided nation. Nearly 150 years ago, the U.S. Coast Survey -- NOAA's predecessor organization -- achieved that landmark representation.
NOAA's new Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center (DRC) is now under construction in Mobile County, Alabama. The Center -- the first of its kind -- promises to change the way people prepare for and respond to the many hard-hitting storms, spills, and other events that too often strike this fragile region. In this episode, we talk with the acting director of the new DRC.
A big part of the Ocean Service's mission is about providing 'navigation services' ... things like measuring tides and currents, providing up-to-date nautical charts, and determining exact positions on sea or land. These services help keep the nation's maritime commerce humming along safely. But what else could this information be used for? Who else could use it? And what would you get if you focused all of NOAA's combined navigational tools and services to study one specific coastal area in intense detail, all at one time? In this episode, learn how NOAA's navigational services are evolving beyond navigation.
We have three stories for you this week: A new NOAA archive is launched on the web for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; Texas gets a new forecast system to warn of toxic algal outbreaks along the coast; the first ocean glider to successfully cross the Atlantic goes on display at the Smithsonian Institution.
We have three stories this week: Funds are delivered to restore sections of the Delaware River damaged by a 2004 oil spill; the rules change for sewage discharge in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; and the Smithsonian Institution launches a new Ocean Portal.
Looking for something to entertain the kids while you're cooking Thanksgiving dinner this week? How about an educational game? In this episode, we revisit a 2009 interview with the National Ocean Service's education director to hear about NOAA's foray into educational games and to learn why there's a growing trend to teach kids using fun gaming experiences. We also preview what's available on NOAA's 'Planet Arcade' game portal.
NOS News Update: we bring you stories about plastic in the marine environment, a new estuarine reserve in Wisconsin, and a new PORTS station.
This week, we take an audio journey to NOAA's Aquarius Reef Base--the world's only undersea research lab. We talk with the director of the Aquarius to learn about some of the tech, science and logistics that make this one-of-a-kind underwater lab possible. Then we speak with the National Educational Coordinator from NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Office to hear about Aquarius 2010, a 10-day research mission that just wrapped up on Aquarius Reef Base that doubled as a powerful educational outreach event.
We have three stories for you this week. First, we take a look at NOAA's Historical Hurricane Tracks, a website that lets anyone track and map historical tropical cyclone activity from 1851-2009. Then, we head to Canada where Office of Coast Survey officials met with other nations that share an Arctic boundary to form a new commission focused on creating better nautical charts for the region. Finally, we head out into the Pacific to point out some new ocean observing tools now available in Hawaii.
Earlier this month, a new interagency report was delivered to Congress that warns of the growing threat of low oxygen "dead zones" in coastal waters around the U.S. This condition is known as hypoxia -- where oxygen levels drop so low that creatures in the water are stressed or killed. In this episode, we hear from two of the scientists behind the report: Dr. Libby Jewett from NOAA and Herb Buxton from the US Geological Survey. They help us learn more about the extent of this problem, its causes, and how this trend might be reversed.
A 2009 NOAA report finds that man-made toxic chemicals used as flame retardants in consumer products are found in all U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. The chemicals-Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, or PBDEs-have generated international concern in recent years due to their global distribution and associated adverse environmental and human health effects. We talk with one of the authors of the report. [This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on April 1, 2009]
We have three stories for you this week: A new report suggests that fishing could help control invasive lionfish in some Atlantic waters. NOAA-supported scientists find that this year's Gulf of Mexico dead zone is fifth largest on record. And Papahãnaumokuãkea Marine National Monument is designated a UN World Heritage Site.
Join us this week for a talk with Doug Helton, Incident Operations Coordinator with the Ocean Service's Office of Response and Restoration, to learn about the role this office plays in support of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill recovery effort in the Gulf of Mexico.
We have three stories for you this week: NOAA rolls out new online game for kids about loggerhead sea turtle conservation; have your say about NOAA's new strategic plan; the next round of existing Marine Protected Areas nominated to join the national system of MPAs is up for public comment.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the U.S. and one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Join us for interview with the director of the Cooperative Oxford Lab to learn how this unique federal-state agency works to protect and restore this important national resource.
In recognition of World Hydrography Day, we have a special interview for you this week with the commander of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, currently in the Gulf of Mexico conducting research in support of the ongoing oil spill response effort.
On the latest Making Waves: NOAA's nowCOAST goes mobile; the 20th PORTS® is dedicated in Texas; a new buoy hits the water in the Chesapeake Bay; and where to go to get the latest Gulf of Maine 'red tide' information.
A new report finds that seamounts -- underwater mountains formed by volcanic activity -- may collectively form one of the largest habitats on Earth, encompassing more of the planet's surface than South America. We talk with NOAA's Dr. Peter Etnoyer, lead author of the new study.
This week, we bring you the latest news from an ongoing oil spill response effort in the Gulf of Mexico. We also cover National Ocean Service news highlights from around the nation.
This week, we continue our coverage of NOAA's participation in the 2010 National Science Teachers Association conference with a focus on education outreach efforts at the event.
In this episode, we spend some time at the NOAA booth at the recent National Science Teachers Association annual meeting held in Philadelphia, Penn. This huge convention was an opportunity for NOAA men and women from a variety of backgrounds and expertise to meet face to face with thousands of science teachers. This is the first half of a two-part series recorded live at the event.
We've got three stories for you this week. First, we talk about a new NOAA Web site that serves up an interactive journey to highlight the need to better understand, manage, and protect our nation's coastal resources. Then we head to the Florida Keys, where cold ocean temperatures in January have caused the most significant cold-water coral die-off in 30 years. Finally, we take you to Hawaii for the annual Sanctuary Ocean Count. This annual event helps researchers learn more about endangered whale populations that travel to the islands from Alaska every year.
This week, we take a look at the 'red tide' outlook for the Gulf of Maine in 2010. Then, we investigate what we know about pharmaceuticals in our environment.
This week, we take a virtual journey to the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). At the event, NOAA's Oceans and Human Health Initiative unveiled six new studies that offer insights into how diseases found in dolphins and other marine mammals are similar to humans. We talk with NOAA scientists about two of the six studies presented at the meeting. In our first story, we discuss unprecedented contaminant levels found in coastal dolphins in Georgia. Then, we look at new research that shows marine exposure to a type of toxic algae may cause epilepsy.
Join us for three stories this week:
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NOAA provides support for Haiti Recovery Efforts
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NOS Responds to an Oil Spill in Texas
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News About the National Marine Protected Areas System
We've got three stories for you in this episode: * A new Marine Debris Action Plan is Launched in Hawaii
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Ground is broken on new Ocean Education Center in California
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NCCOS Study Sheds Light on Lionfish Diet in Bahamas
Last month, an unmanned, underwater ocean glider named the Scarlet Knight completed a record-breaking 7,410 km (4,604 mile) trip from the U.S. to Europe. We talk with Zdenka Willis, director of NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System, about the historic mission.
How does the National Ocean Service help Santa on his journey around the country? Tune in to this special holiday edition to find out.
What does the National Ocean Service have to do with your Thanksgiving dinner? We bring you the answer in this special holiday edition of Making Waves.
Harmful algal blooms. They're called HABs for short. Heard of them? If you live in a coastal area or near the Great Lakes, chances are you have, but you may know them by the more popular name 'red tide.' HABs are caused by microscopic algae -- tiny plants in the ocean -- that grow out of control. As they bloom, they produce powerful toxins that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to eat. In this episode, we take a look at three stories about how NOAA is addressing this serious problem.
Join us for a talk with one of the key people behind 'WaterLife: Where the River Meets the Sea,' NOAA's first major foray into the world of educational gaming.
In recognition of World Maritime Day, celebrated in the U.S. on Oct. 16, we're joined by the director of NOAA's Coast Survey to talk about nautical charts and the maritime transportation system. Want to know what nautical charts have to do with Thomas Jefferson, mine sweepers, and the stuff you buy in a big box store? Just how big are some of the ships plying our waterways these days? What effect might rising sea levels have on the future of shipping? Find out in this special edition of Making Waves.
Could a deadly toxic chemical produced by Euglena Sanguinea, a type of algae known for well over a century -- algae that you may have even seen before under a microscope in your High School biology class -- someday be used to treat cancer?
Battle of the Atlantic Expedition:
NOAA leads an underwater archeology project to find World War II shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina.
New Gulf Marine Sanctuary Report:
A new report finds that the coral reefs in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary are doing quite well, but are at risk of future threats.
A High Tide Mystery off the Atlantic Coast:
NOAA's Tides and Currents office is investigating the causes behind an unusually high tide in June that stretched from Maine to Florida.
nowCOAST:
An online interactive map from NOAA's Office of Coast Survey provides an amazing amount of near real-time weather forecasts and ocean surface observations for all of the U.S.
Texas Wetlands Restoration Project Completed:
NOAA's Damage Assessment, Remediation and Restoration Program just completed shepherding a major coastal restoration project -- over 2,500 acres of wetlands -- near Port Arthur, Texas.
In this episode, we head north to Kachemak Bay, Alaska, for Hydropalooza 2009. No, this isn't a rock concert on the water, and you can't get a T-shirt, but for the people up in Alaska taking part in Hydropalooza this month, it's like a festival--a festival of data collection in the Bay.
2009 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Size Measured:
The size of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is slightly smaller than expected this year, but it's still going to be severe.
NOAA Funding Helps Manage New England Red Tide:
NOAA provides emergency funding to support sampling, mapping, and forecasting of a massive red tide in New England.
A new program called Ocean for Life is bringing together students from around the world to help bridge cultural divides through ocean science. We talk with the NOAA coordinator for Ocean for Life to learn more.
Preparing for the Arctic Future:
Within the next two decades, the Arctic Ocean is expected to be free of ice in the summer. That means lots of ship traffic, and lots of ship traffic means the potential for lots of accidents and oil spills.
Positioning Activities Worth $2.4 Billion Annually:
A new study shows that the economic value of services provided by NOS's National Geodetic Service is in the range of billions of dollars.
This week, we travel north of Baltimore to Otter Point Creek to join up with scores of NOAA volunteers gathered for NOAA Restoration Day. Over the past six years, Restoration Day has grown to become one of the largest federal employee-sponsored environmental stewardship events in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Podcast guests include Restoration Day event organizer, park manager at Otter Point Creek's Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, the deputy secretary of Maryland's Department of Natural Resources, and the deputy director of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay office.
Join us this week for a talk with environmental marine life artist Wyland about a new campaign to inspire kids with art and science. It's called FOCUS -- Forests, Oceans, Climate, and US -- and it kicks off on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on June 11. The five-year campaign is a partnership between the Wyland Foundation, NOAA, the National Aquarium, and the U.S. Forest Service.
Hurricane season starts June 1. Join us this week to take a look at the many roles and activities of the National Ocean Service when hurricanes threaten our coasts.
Mariners can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for the Port of Lake Charles, La., from a new NOAA ocean observing system at the port called NOAA Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS). We talk with the PORTS program manager to learn what this system is all about.
Join us this week to learn about EstuaryLive, an annual event that allows students to take a virtual field trip to estuaries around the country. And we hear from Chief Geodetic Surveyor Dave Doyle on the recent controversy surrounding the position of the Four Corners monument, located at the point where the states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet up.
Join us this week to learn about Bay Hydro II, the newest addition to NOAA's fleet of hydrographic research vessels. We also take a look at a new NOAA-led study that finds a type of tropical fungus called lobomycosis is now infecting bottlenose dolphins off the coast of North Carolina.
Undergraduate students from Rutgers University are finalizing preparations to launch an ocean glider on a journey from New Jersey to Spain. If the craft completes the trip, it will be the first unmanned underwater vehicle to successfully cross the Atlantic. We talk to Zdenka Willis, program director for NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System, about the upcoming mission and the future of ocean observing.
A new NOAA report finds that man-made toxic chemicals used as flame retardants in consumer products are found in all U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. The chemicals--Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, or PBDEs--have generated international concern in recent years due to their global distribution and associated adverse environmental and human health effects. We talk with one of the authors of the report.
Ocean service scientists are heading out to sea on the NOAA ship Nancy Foster for a two-week Caribbean mission to study coral reef ecosystems and fish habitats. And NOS launches a new Flash-based online game for kids called "Waterlife; Where the Rivers Meet the Sea."
Twenty years ago this month, nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into Alaska's Prince William Sound after the oil tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on a reef. It was and still is the single largest spill to ever occur along the coastal U.S. Join us in this special podcast as we talk with Dr. Alan Mearns, senior staff scientist with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. Mearns was involved in the initial spill response for the Exxon Valdez accident, and spent years leading a project that continues to monitor the long-term impact of the huge oil spill.
In 2007, hundreds of birds were found stranded or dead in California's Monterey Bay, coated with an unknown yellow-green substance that was eating away at the protective covering on their feathers. A new study partly funded by NOAA reveals what happened. We talk with one of the researchers involved in the effort.
An early 20th century shipwreck located in a NOAA National Marine Sanctuary is added to the National Register of Historic Places. And the National Geodetic Survey celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Continuously Operating Reference Station program.
This week, we talk about NOAA's role in the recent U.S. Airways airplane crash on the Hudson River near Manhattan. We then head west to learn why experts from NOAA, California, Oregon, and Washington State met last week to talk about harmful algal blooms, more commonly known as 'red tides.'
In this special edition, we're focusing on antibiotic resistance in the marine environment and potential new cures from the sea. We'll hear about three new studies presented at a NOAA-sponsored symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago.
Users of Google Earth can now explore the depths of the ocean and discover NOAA information and images along their journey. And using ocean observations from satellites to predict the outbreak of cholera.
A new report looks at effects of and solutions for sea-level rise on coastal areas. And the first reported invasive lionfish is captured in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
This week, we preview a new NOS podcast premiering on Jan. 26. It's called Diving Deeper. The new audio podcast will be coming out once every two weeks, and will feature interviews with NOS scientists and experts. We think you're going to like it.
The new director of the National Geodetic Survey makes history. We'll tell you how. And we'll take a few minutes to chat about some new features about this Web site on this week's Making Waves.
This week, NOAA and partners announce a restoration plan for shoreline and habitats of the Delaware River damaged by a 2004 oil spill. The plan is now up for public comment. And we travel to the Florida Keys to find out why NOS researchers are studying lobster trap debris.
In this special New Years episode, we take a look back at some of the major NOS accomplishments of 2008. .
How does the National Ocean Service help Santa on his journey around the country? Tune in to this special holiday edition to find out.
A new study finds significant ocean acidification in the Caribbean, and may lead to a better understanding of how coral reefs will adapt to this harmful process. And find out what teams in coastal states around the nation are doing to help communities develop in a way that preserves water quality, protects natural areas, and improves quality of life.
Toxins from red tides are showing up in bottlenose dolphins in higher-than-expected amounts. We'll find out what's goin on. We'll also tell you why you should cross coral jewelry off of your shopping list this holiday season.
This week, we talk about a new national system of marine protected areas. Then we go to California to look at what three marine sanctuaries are up to there. The boundaries of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of the three, just expanded to include a huge underwater mountain.
What does the National Ocean Service have to do with your Thanksgiving dinner? We bring you the answer in this special holiday edition of Making Waves.
This week, the head of the NOS traveled to Florida for the first-ever Coastal Cities Summit hosted by the International Ocean Institute. We also take a look at the devastating harmful algal bloom in New England. Finally, we talk about the latest case to come through the lab in the NOS Marine Forensics Program -- and we take a closer look at what this program is all about.
This week, we bring you news about a recent expedition to map an unknown sea floor in the Arctic. Then we travel to California, where staff of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary work to prevent ships from striking blue whales in the Santa Barbara Channel. Finally, we head down to Texas to talk about a new digital map of underwater vegetation in the Coastal Bend region near Corpus Christi.
This week, we talk about NOAA's role in a new public-private partnership called the EcoZone® Green Schools Initiative. Then we look at the busiest year on record for the NOS Office of Response and Restoration, the NOAA office that responds to oil and chemical spills around the nation. Finally, we talk about a National Geodetic Survey effort to revolutionize the measurement of height by measuring gravity around the country. We wrap up the episode with a closer look at how gravity and height are related.
This week we bring you research on the use of sonar to track threatened sea turtles, NOAA's new Ocean Today Kiosk, and recent upgrades to the space-based global coral bleaching monitoring network. We end the show with a look at some of the things reef managers and scientists can do to protect a reef when the ocean overheats.