Underwater Times: Operation Squid Skin: Team To Mimic Camouflage Skill Of Marine Animals In High-Tech Materials
WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts -- Camouflage expert Roger Hanlon of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is co-recipient of a $6 million grant from the Office of Naval Research to study and ultimately emulate the exquisite ability of some marine animals to instantly change their skin color and pattern to blend into their environment.
Hanlon, who has spent more than three decades studying the camouflage artistry of squid, octopus, and cuttlefish (a class of animals known as the cephalopods), is collaborating with materials scientists and nanotechnologists at Rice University toward the goal of developing materials that can mimic cephalopod camouflage.
"Our internal name for this project is 'squid skin,' but it is really about fundamental research," says Naomi Halas, an expert in nano-optics at Rice University and the principal investigator on the four-year grant. "Our deliverable is knowledge, the basic discoveries that will allow us to make materials that are observant, adaptive, and responsive to their environment."
In 2008, Hanlon and MBL colleagues Lydia Mäthger and Steven Roberts discovered that cephalopod skin contains opsins, the same type of light-sensing proteins that function in the eyes.
"This project will enable us to explore an exciting new avenue of vision research – distributed light sensing throughout the skin," Hanlon says. "How and where that visual information is used by the nervous system is likely to uncover some novel neural circuitry."
Hanlon and his team will perform experiments with cephalopods to determine how opsin molecules receive light and aid the animal's visual system in adjusting skin patterns for communication and camouflage. A wide range of techniques will be used to accomplish these aims. The MBL team, which includes scientists Mäthger and Alan Kuzurian, will be collaborating with marine biologist Thomas Cronin of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, on these investigations.
"This is inherently a multidisciplinary problem," Halas says. "What can we, as engineers, learn from the way these animals perceive light and color?" The project team's engineers will focus on emulating cephalopod skin using new metamaterials—materials that blur the line between material and machine.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Divers find 'oldest shipwreck in the Caribbean'
DailyMailOnline: 'We've just scratched the surface': Divers find 'oldest shipwreck in the Caribbean'.... and treasure that could be worth MILLIONS
Silver coins and jade figurines from 1500s discovered off Dominican Republic
A chance encounter with a fisherman has led one team of treasure hunters to discover what they believe is the oldest shipwreck in the Caribbean.
And after only diving the site - located off the Dominican Republic coast - a handful of times, the team at Deep Blue Marine has unearthed some serious treasure.
At the last count Captain Billy Rawson and his crew had uncovered 700 silver coins that could be worth millions, jade figurines and even a mirrored stone that was possibly used in Shamanic rituals.
Everything was in pretty good condition, despite dating back to the 1500s.
'We only started diving last autumn and haven't gone down that much because it's been the winter,' said Randy Champion, vice president of the Utah-based company.
'We have just scratched the surface,' he added. 'All of the stuff we've found is just from mucking about really.'
Although the team haven't officially confirmed which ship they are diving, Mr Champion said they had a pretty fair idea - but were keeping quiet for now.
'If it's the ship we think it is, she probably went down in a hurricane,' Mr Champion said.
'We have looked at the prevailing currents and wind directions in archives and found a cannon and ballast stone on the wreck that was all going in the wrong direction.
'That suggests it was probably a hurricane as winds go counter clockwise.'
The Blue Water Marine team believe this ship was heading back to Spain with a haul of newly minted coins.
It would have been quite small, around 50ft to 60ft, with 25 to 45 people on board, Mr Champion said.
Enlarge Map: The dive site is a closely guarded secret, but is off the north side of the Dominican Republic
There were almost certainly a few dignitaries on board hitching a lift, and they wouldn't have made the journey all the way back to Spain with just 700 coins.
'There are thousands and thousands down there,' Mr Champion added.
Most of the coins don't have dates on, so the team have been busy cleaning them up and trawling through reference books to identify them.
'These coins could be worth just $1,000,' Mr Champion said. 'But then one similar to ours sold for $132,000 the other day.
'They could be worth millions. But they aren't worth anything unless someone buys them.'
One set of coins could be worth $1million on its own. The crew won't know whether they have it until the clean up operation is complete.
The pre-Columbian carved jade figurines, all approximately 2in to 3in high, could be 500 years older than the wreck itself.
Mr Champion said some had holes in the back side suggesting they could have been part of a head piece.
This also suggests the crew of the 1500s ship probably weren't altogether that straight laced and almost certainly stole a lot of their booty.
'They had to satisfy the king's request, but would have taken other things too,' said Mr Champion.
The crew also found what were thought to be mirrors made out of iron pyrite, but Mr Champion isn't convinced.
'Mirrors weren't common at the time,' he said. 'They could have been used in a Shaman-type ritual.'
But he insists that they don't dive the site just for the money.
'We're not just looking for things that glitter and things that are real pretty,' he said. 'We're trying to find out what happened to this ship.'
Deep Blue Marine are contracted by the Dominican Republic to search and uncover treasure from the wreck. They then split the proceeds 50/50.
They had been surveying 42 miles of coastline with high-tech equipment in an effort to find the wreck.
But they got lucky after the chance encounter with a local fisherman who sold them an old coin he had found while diving.
To their astonishment the team discovered it was one of the oldest coins ever minted and knew they had found what they were looking for.
'We said to this guy: "If you show us where you found the coin you can come and work for us",' said Mr Champion.
The team are planning another dive in two weeks but it is a gruelling process as the wreck is covered in sand and coral.
It takes them 12 hours to sail around the island to the dive site. They then drop anchor and take smaller boats out to dive from.
It's a 6am start and the team often don't return until 8pm. They can be out there for weeks at a time.
And it's not without its dangers. 'There are just as many pirates right now as there were then,' Mr Champion said.
The crew have been fired upon by the Dominican Republic's Navy - 'a case of mistaken identity' - and have even been pillaged by a gang of thieves who boarded their boat in the middle of the night.
They made off with thousand of dollars worth of diving equipment - despite an armed guard, provided by the government, being on board.
Sharks too are always in the back of their minds, Mr Champion said, as are the treacherous diving conditions, waves and being crushed by rocks.
'It's better than being stuck at a desk,' Mr Champion added.
And it's certainly worth it when the crew strikes gold - or, in this case, silver.
Silver coins and jade figurines from 1500s discovered off Dominican Republic
A chance encounter with a fisherman has led one team of treasure hunters to discover what they believe is the oldest shipwreck in the Caribbean.
And after only diving the site - located off the Dominican Republic coast - a handful of times, the team at Deep Blue Marine has unearthed some serious treasure.
At the last count Captain Billy Rawson and his crew had uncovered 700 silver coins that could be worth millions, jade figurines and even a mirrored stone that was possibly used in Shamanic rituals.
Everything was in pretty good condition, despite dating back to the 1500s.
'We only started diving last autumn and haven't gone down that much because it's been the winter,' said Randy Champion, vice president of the Utah-based company.
'We have just scratched the surface,' he added. 'All of the stuff we've found is just from mucking about really.'
Although the team haven't officially confirmed which ship they are diving, Mr Champion said they had a pretty fair idea - but were keeping quiet for now.
'If it's the ship we think it is, she probably went down in a hurricane,' Mr Champion said.
'We have looked at the prevailing currents and wind directions in archives and found a cannon and ballast stone on the wreck that was all going in the wrong direction.
'That suggests it was probably a hurricane as winds go counter clockwise.'
The Blue Water Marine team believe this ship was heading back to Spain with a haul of newly minted coins.
It would have been quite small, around 50ft to 60ft, with 25 to 45 people on board, Mr Champion said.
Enlarge Map: The dive site is a closely guarded secret, but is off the north side of the Dominican Republic
There were almost certainly a few dignitaries on board hitching a lift, and they wouldn't have made the journey all the way back to Spain with just 700 coins.
'There are thousands and thousands down there,' Mr Champion added.
Most of the coins don't have dates on, so the team have been busy cleaning them up and trawling through reference books to identify them.
'These coins could be worth just $1,000,' Mr Champion said. 'But then one similar to ours sold for $132,000 the other day.
'They could be worth millions. But they aren't worth anything unless someone buys them.'
One set of coins could be worth $1million on its own. The crew won't know whether they have it until the clean up operation is complete.
The pre-Columbian carved jade figurines, all approximately 2in to 3in high, could be 500 years older than the wreck itself.
Mr Champion said some had holes in the back side suggesting they could have been part of a head piece.
This also suggests the crew of the 1500s ship probably weren't altogether that straight laced and almost certainly stole a lot of their booty.
'They had to satisfy the king's request, but would have taken other things too,' said Mr Champion.
The crew also found what were thought to be mirrors made out of iron pyrite, but Mr Champion isn't convinced.
'Mirrors weren't common at the time,' he said. 'They could have been used in a Shaman-type ritual.'
But he insists that they don't dive the site just for the money.
'We're not just looking for things that glitter and things that are real pretty,' he said. 'We're trying to find out what happened to this ship.'
Deep Blue Marine are contracted by the Dominican Republic to search and uncover treasure from the wreck. They then split the proceeds 50/50.
They had been surveying 42 miles of coastline with high-tech equipment in an effort to find the wreck.
But they got lucky after the chance encounter with a local fisherman who sold them an old coin he had found while diving.
To their astonishment the team discovered it was one of the oldest coins ever minted and knew they had found what they were looking for.
'We said to this guy: "If you show us where you found the coin you can come and work for us",' said Mr Champion.
The team are planning another dive in two weeks but it is a gruelling process as the wreck is covered in sand and coral.
It takes them 12 hours to sail around the island to the dive site. They then drop anchor and take smaller boats out to dive from.
It's a 6am start and the team often don't return until 8pm. They can be out there for weeks at a time.
And it's not without its dangers. 'There are just as many pirates right now as there were then,' Mr Champion said.
The crew have been fired upon by the Dominican Republic's Navy - 'a case of mistaken identity' - and have even been pillaged by a gang of thieves who boarded their boat in the middle of the night.
They made off with thousand of dollars worth of diving equipment - despite an armed guard, provided by the government, being on board.
Sharks too are always in the back of their minds, Mr Champion said, as are the treacherous diving conditions, waves and being crushed by rocks.
'It's better than being stuck at a desk,' Mr Champion added.
And it's certainly worth it when the crew strikes gold - or, in this case, silver.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Recovery ship arrives at Air France crash site
The crash occurred in 2009, and now, 2 years later, a recovery ship has arrived to search for black boxes? Surely it couldn't have taken them 2 years to find out the location where the plane wreckage lay!
ArabNews.com: Recovery ship arrives at Air France crash site
SAO PAULO: A French investigation agency says a recovery ship has arrived in the area where an Air France jet crashed off Brazil's coast about two years ago. All 228 people aboard the Airbus aircraft were killed when Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed June 1, 2009.
The cause of the crash remains unclear. The agency said in a statement that the private cable-laying ship Ile de Sein arrived at the wreckage spot early Tuesday morning and that an underwater robot will be used to help locate and recover the flight recorders in the jetliner's rear section.
Experts have said that without retrieving the voice and data recorders there would be almost no chance of determining what caused the crash - the worst disaster in Air France's history.
ArabNews.com: Recovery ship arrives at Air France crash site
SAO PAULO: A French investigation agency says a recovery ship has arrived in the area where an Air France jet crashed off Brazil's coast about two years ago. All 228 people aboard the Airbus aircraft were killed when Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed June 1, 2009.
The cause of the crash remains unclear. The agency said in a statement that the private cable-laying ship Ile de Sein arrived at the wreckage spot early Tuesday morning and that an underwater robot will be used to help locate and recover the flight recorders in the jetliner's rear section.
Experts have said that without retrieving the voice and data recorders there would be almost no chance of determining what caused the crash - the worst disaster in Air France's history.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Hidden World Offers Exclusive Dive In Riviera Maya Experience
The Open Press (press releases): Hidden World Offers Exclusive Dive In Riviera Maya Experience
Ridgefield, WA (OPENPRESS) March 31, 2011 -- Hidden World is a family amusement park, settled in the midst of the many exotic cenotes of Riviera Maya. It offers exclusive cenote diving experience to the tourists.
Riviera Maya has recently shot to popularity as an exotic destination for vacationers who want to enjoy an adrenaline rushing holiday. Hidden World has arranged many adventure sports around the most exotic cenotes where the visitors can enjoy activities like- rides, snorkelling, scuba and diving into the cenotes of Riviera Maya.
The landscape of the Hidden World encompasses the most famous cenotes of the world- Takbeha, Takbelum, The Church, and Halarios well. These cenotes are full of marine life which help amplifying the excitement of diving into them. Hidden World also arranges diving into the Caribbean. Their combo pack deal offers excitement of both diving in Riviera Maya and in the Caribbean, which is a treat to the adventure seekers.
Hidden World has ensured that people visiting in their park in Riviera Maya would go on talking about their experiences to their peers and therefore the list of excitement that they offer is endless. Along with diving into the World famous centoes of Cancun they also offer- cenote rappel, zipline, skycycle, snorkelling, scuba diving and even swimming with the whale sharks. The management of the park is continuously trying to offer more excitement to the visitors to make their Riviera Maya experience one of a kind.
One can check out the various packages offered by Hidden World in their website where they promise to offer the lowest price for the deals. For more information check out their website at http://www.hiddenworlds.com/.
About Hidden World
Hidden World is the famous family amusement park situated in the midst of the many cenotes of Riviera Maya area. They offer wide range of adventure sports and activities to the visitors. They arrange for diving into the cenotes as well as in the Caribbean.
Contact Details:
Hidden World
Street: 2515 NE 163
City: Ridgefield
State: WA
Country: USA
Pin: 98364
Ridgefield, WA (OPENPRESS) March 31, 2011 -- Hidden World is a family amusement park, settled in the midst of the many exotic cenotes of Riviera Maya. It offers exclusive cenote diving experience to the tourists.
Riviera Maya has recently shot to popularity as an exotic destination for vacationers who want to enjoy an adrenaline rushing holiday. Hidden World has arranged many adventure sports around the most exotic cenotes where the visitors can enjoy activities like- rides, snorkelling, scuba and diving into the cenotes of Riviera Maya.
The landscape of the Hidden World encompasses the most famous cenotes of the world- Takbeha, Takbelum, The Church, and Halarios well. These cenotes are full of marine life which help amplifying the excitement of diving into them. Hidden World also arranges diving into the Caribbean. Their combo pack deal offers excitement of both diving in Riviera Maya and in the Caribbean, which is a treat to the adventure seekers.
Hidden World has ensured that people visiting in their park in Riviera Maya would go on talking about their experiences to their peers and therefore the list of excitement that they offer is endless. Along with diving into the World famous centoes of Cancun they also offer- cenote rappel, zipline, skycycle, snorkelling, scuba diving and even swimming with the whale sharks. The management of the park is continuously trying to offer more excitement to the visitors to make their Riviera Maya experience one of a kind.
One can check out the various packages offered by Hidden World in their website where they promise to offer the lowest price for the deals. For more information check out their website at http://www.hiddenworlds.com/.
About Hidden World
Hidden World is the famous family amusement park situated in the midst of the many cenotes of Riviera Maya area. They offer wide range of adventure sports and activities to the visitors. They arrange for diving into the cenotes as well as in the Caribbean.
Contact Details:
Hidden World
Street: 2515 NE 163
City: Ridgefield
State: WA
Country: USA
Pin: 98364
Friday, April 22, 2011
Sea Shepherd: how we sank the Japanese whaling fleet
This is an interesting article at teh Ecologist - an interview with Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson.
Sea Shepherd: how we sank the Japanese whaling fleet
In one sense you've got to laugh at the guy and his macho-ness. He went up against civilized people - Japanese and Canadians - who wouldn't shoot him out of the water without facing censure from the rest of the world.
I'd like to see him go up against the Somalian pirates. Let's see him talk big then!
(Frankly, I'd like to see somebody , anybody go up against the Somalian pirates. The fact that the US doesn't have an aircraft flying high overhead, shooting any and all Somalian ships out of the water the instant they leave land, is just ridiculous. Kill a couple of boatloads - that ends the piracy problem.)
Sea Shepherd: how we sank the Japanese whaling fleet
In one sense you've got to laugh at the guy and his macho-ness. He went up against civilized people - Japanese and Canadians - who wouldn't shoot him out of the water without facing censure from the rest of the world.
I'd like to see him go up against the Somalian pirates. Let's see him talk big then!
(Frankly, I'd like to see somebody , anybody go up against the Somalian pirates. The fact that the US doesn't have an aircraft flying high overhead, shooting any and all Somalian ships out of the water the instant they leave land, is just ridiculous. Kill a couple of boatloads - that ends the piracy problem.)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Shipwreck of the California Gold Rush Steamship Winfield Scott
Santa Barbara Independent: Shipwreck of the California Gold Rush Steamship Winfield Scott
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is pleased to unveil its newest permanent exhibit, Shipwreck of the California Gold Rush Steamship Winfield Scott.
During the California Gold Rush, ships propelled by steam regularly carried passengers and cargos between San Francisco and Panama. One such vessel was the Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s side-wheel steamer, Winfield Scott. In 1853, the steamer was en-route from San Francisco south bound to Panama with over 500 passengers and a cargo of gold and mail when it ran aground on Anacapa Island becoming permanently stranded.
“Several passenger steamships were lost in 1853. Winfield Scott was the final act that plagued the movement of passengers and cargo. Few shipwrecks have been lost while on their way to Panama, and the Winfield Scott furthers our understanding of what people were taking away from California” said Robert Schwemmer, Maritime Heritage Coordinator for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
This new exhibit will feature intriguing stories of shipwreck survival as told by the marooned passengers, historic artifacts and imagery. Robert Schwemmer will be presenting “Winfield Scott, Life and Death of California Gold Rush Steamship” May 3 at 7pm, in the Museum’s Munger Theater. Local historian Willard Thompson will be presenting “Going for the Gold; how Pacific Mail Steamship Company brought miners to California” May 17 at 7pm, in the Museum’s Munger Theater.
For additional information, call (805) 962-8404, ext. 111 or visit www.sbmm.org.
Opening April 21, 2011
Reception 5-7pm
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
113 Harbor Way
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is pleased to unveil its newest permanent exhibit, Shipwreck of the California Gold Rush Steamship Winfield Scott.
During the California Gold Rush, ships propelled by steam regularly carried passengers and cargos between San Francisco and Panama. One such vessel was the Pacific Mail Steamship Company’s side-wheel steamer, Winfield Scott. In 1853, the steamer was en-route from San Francisco south bound to Panama with over 500 passengers and a cargo of gold and mail when it ran aground on Anacapa Island becoming permanently stranded.
“Several passenger steamships were lost in 1853. Winfield Scott was the final act that plagued the movement of passengers and cargo. Few shipwrecks have been lost while on their way to Panama, and the Winfield Scott furthers our understanding of what people were taking away from California” said Robert Schwemmer, Maritime Heritage Coordinator for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
This new exhibit will feature intriguing stories of shipwreck survival as told by the marooned passengers, historic artifacts and imagery. Robert Schwemmer will be presenting “Winfield Scott, Life and Death of California Gold Rush Steamship” May 3 at 7pm, in the Museum’s Munger Theater. Local historian Willard Thompson will be presenting “Going for the Gold; how Pacific Mail Steamship Company brought miners to California” May 17 at 7pm, in the Museum’s Munger Theater.
For additional information, call (805) 962-8404, ext. 111 or visit www.sbmm.org.
Opening April 21, 2011
Reception 5-7pm
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
113 Harbor Way
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
Friday, April 15, 2011
Secretary Mabus Indicates He Is Open to Women Joining the SEALs
Secretary Mabus Indicates He Is Open to Women Joining the SEALs
We have seen it happen before – albeit only on the silver screen. Many will remember witnessing actress Demi Moore take a clipper to her head, shaving off her glorious, dark mane, which was documented in a scene for the movie G.I. Jane. In the film, Ms. Moore played the first woman to undergo SEAL training, Lt. Jordan O’Neil.
More than a decade after the movie hit theaters, the SEALs remains to be a team that is open exclusively for male applicants.
In an interview with the Navy Times, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus confided that he believed that all Navy jobs should be open to women – including submarine attack crews, as well as the elite SEALs – if they qualify. Incidentally, the plot of the movie G.I. Jane also begins with a candidate for Secretary of Navy, who was being pressured to fully integrate the service.
Secratry Mabus was quoted by the Navy Times: “It’s my notion that women should have the same opportunities as men in the Navy… They should be able to go as far as their talents take them. They should be able to serve in whatever communities. The only reason I’m being a little hesitant for the SEALs is some of the physical things you’ve got to go through to be a SEAL. I think women ought to have whatever opportunities men do.”
While that was not exactly a full blessing, the statement does indicate a certain level of openness to that possibility.
In addition to SEAL teams, special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC), Fleet Marine Force corpsmen serving in direct combat units and riverines, are also closed to women. Enlisted women are also barred from serving on board coast patrol craft and frigates.
We have seen it happen before – albeit only on the silver screen. Many will remember witnessing actress Demi Moore take a clipper to her head, shaving off her glorious, dark mane, which was documented in a scene for the movie G.I. Jane. In the film, Ms. Moore played the first woman to undergo SEAL training, Lt. Jordan O’Neil.
More than a decade after the movie hit theaters, the SEALs remains to be a team that is open exclusively for male applicants.
In an interview with the Navy Times, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus confided that he believed that all Navy jobs should be open to women – including submarine attack crews, as well as the elite SEALs – if they qualify. Incidentally, the plot of the movie G.I. Jane also begins with a candidate for Secretary of Navy, who was being pressured to fully integrate the service.
Secratry Mabus was quoted by the Navy Times: “It’s my notion that women should have the same opportunities as men in the Navy… They should be able to go as far as their talents take them. They should be able to serve in whatever communities. The only reason I’m being a little hesitant for the SEALs is some of the physical things you’ve got to go through to be a SEAL. I think women ought to have whatever opportunities men do.”
While that was not exactly a full blessing, the statement does indicate a certain level of openness to that possibility.
In addition to SEAL teams, special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC), Fleet Marine Force corpsmen serving in direct combat units and riverines, are also closed to women. Enlisted women are also barred from serving on board coast patrol craft and frigates.
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