We as humans use quite a bit of plastic in our everyday lives, but are we truly aware of just how much plastic we use? Plastic bags, bottles, straws, and utensils are readily available, but how aware are we that our tech, personal care products, and clothing contain plastic too? Sometimes we can recycle plastic, … More Guest Blog: The Plastics Problem
At Kraken, we’re pretty dedicated to marine conservation and we don’t really like to perpetuate the idea of the scary sea monsters. But we’ll readily admit that there’s something mysterious and sometimes scary about the depths of the ocean. And we’re not the only ones who feel that way. If you’ve ever seen old maps, … More What is a Kraken? And Who Are Its Friends?
Here at Kraken, we have a very special place in our hearts for the mighty penguin. First described as “strange geese” by Italian scholar Antonio Pigafetta, these iconic animals are now considered marine sentinels. Depending upon who you talk to, there are 17-19 species distinct species of penguin. Interestingly, there is still some debate over exactly … More What Makes These Feet So Happy? World Penguin Day 2017
The US is on a roll! Last week, the establishment of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was announced. This 4,913 square mile region off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts is home to a variety of species, including a host of cold-water corals, extinct volcanoes, and vast canyons. The creation of this … More Protecting the Oceans… One Monument at a Time?
Recently, it seems that my news feed has been littered with cases of whale carcasses washing up on popular beaches. On the 4th of July, a heavily decomposed whale carcass washed up on a popular Martha’s Vineyard beach. A few days before that a beloved humpback whale named Wally washed up on a Las Angeles … More All Whales Go to Heaven… Kinda
Every year at the end of June, my social media accounts explode with anxious fans excited about the return of the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. And every year I get frustrated with all of my Facebook friends for supporting what has been one of the most egregious cases of pseudoscience and fearmongering. Sharks are really cool. … More It’s Shark Week – But Don’t Forget, the Goal is Conservation Not Fear
For those of you not constantly thinking about ocean creatures, it may have escaped your notice that it’s Cephalopod Week. But that’s okay – we’re here to remedy that unfortunate situation. What is a cephalopod? Cephalopods are a class of mollusk, the diverse group of animals that lack a spine including clams, snails, and octopi. … More Happy Cephalopod Week!
In honor of World Sea Turtle Day, check out this view of the Great Barrier Reef from a sea turtle’s perspective! As part of a project on how pollution affects sea turtles, the World Wildlife Fund and collaborators were able to obtain this outstanding video footage of a tagged turtle interacting with its environment.
A few weeks ago, Leigh introduced us to marine food webs: the who-eats-who of the ocean. She told us about commercially important lingcod and rockfish, both of which are voracious predators – meaning they’re pretty high in the food web. But we’re fishing for a lot of other species, too. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that over … More The Powerhouse of the Ocean: The plight of the forage fish
As a native New Englander, I firmly believe that it wouldn’t be Memorial Day Weekend without flags flying, veterans handing out poppies, and a seafood picnic. And while family and friends chow down of copious amounts of various marine invertebrates (yup, that’s the scientist in me coming out), I invariably field questions about the life … More Questions My Mother Asks Me: Shellfish edition
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