This glistening beach is not part of a magical Disney or Pixar sequence – it’s actually a perfectly natural occurrence. These glistening dots of light, captured on a beach in the Maldives by Taiwanese photographer William Ho, are caused by microscopic organisms called bioluminescent phytoplankton, or Lingulodinium polyedrum for the scientifically inclined.
The average depth of the ocean is about 4,267 meters (14,000 feet). The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep and is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean in the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which runs several hundred kilometers southwest of the U.S. territorial island of Guam. Challenger Deep is approximately 11,030 meters (36,200 feet) deep.
Red tides, which often contain harmful algal blooms (HABs), are caused by chemical reactions that occur between algae and other substances. Red by day, blue by night, this colorful ocean phenomenon is a relatively rare natural occurrence that has spawned a number of imitations in movies and literature.
You may have seen that image purportedly showing the alarming spread of Fukushima radiation across the Pacific. But dig deeper, and you’ll find that’s not the case at all. And that’s not the only piece of false information spreading about this scary nuclear disaster. Trace dispels the rumors and tells us what’s really going on.
The highest waves and strong winds traditionally have come to the coast of England. In autumn, the huge waves attract hundreds of photographers and onlookers. See photos from this fascinating spectacle!
Our coral reefs are dying, but forward-thinking eco-minded artists are helping nature by creating stunning life-sized sculptures . . . and then sinking them. While it may look like abandoned statues starting to decay, it is actually art being rebirthed into living, breathing reefs.