The Mythical Mermaid – The Missing Link Between Man and Fish?
‘It was, apparently, a genuine letdown. Nearing the shores of the Dominican Republic in 1493, Christopher Columbus — yes, that Christopher Columbus — saw…
Weird Stuff
Seafaring Superstitions & Marine Myth Rituals Explored
You are a 19th-century mariner, living in the dank, dark quarters of a sailing ship, at the mercy of capricious wind and weather, six…
Gold of the Tropics: The Banana
In a dripping green jungle somewhere in the tropics, a banana plant shoots up from the moist ground. Laden with fruit, the tall shady…
Take a Left at Aruba: How Do Animals Navigate the Underwater World?
You’re a baby loggerhead sea turtle. A few days ago, you were tied up in knots in a dark, warm, although somewhat cramped, shell…
They’ve Got Faces Only Their Mothers Could Love: Frogfishes, Toadfishes, Scorpionfishes and Stonefishes
I have heard these fishes described as being so ugly that their looks are endearing, so ugly that they are cute. Grotesque, frumpy, grumpy,...
Do Fish Feel Pain?: A Matter of Scientific Debate
OK, “Finding Nemo” fans, you’d better sit down. I’ve got some bad news. First off, fish can’t talk. Matter of fact, fish can’t really…
Form and Function: Sea Creature Shapes Examined
My camera was set up with a relatively wide-angle lens but the sea lion was moving so fast and so unpredictably that I was…
Cephalopod Soup: An Underwater Phenomenon
Mother Nature is a master of the sleight of hand. Take the shallow waters off the San Diego beach known as La Jolla Shores,…
The Alien Invasion: Non-native Species Invade the U.S.
What has the power to shut down electrical utilities, disrupt drinking water facilities and cause upwards of $5 billion in damage? An earthquake, hurricane…
Superfish Is Here: Is This Super Good or Super Bad?
Imagine a “superfish” that grows twice as fast as its relatives in the wild and on fish farms. Now imagine that this superfish costs…