Once in a while, geek-deity Randall Munroe of XKCD creates special extra-large webcomics that are more educational than funny. His most recent one shows the depth (to scale) of various lakes and oceans.

Accumulating ‘microplastic’ threat to shores

There’s no doubt we’ve seen an uptake in jellyfish numbers over the last few years, but does that mean they’ll dominate the seas for year’s to come? A group of scientists aren’t so sure about that, and are taking a closer look.

Many TreeHugger readers are already familiar with the concept of peak fish — but even those that are may not want to ask themselves this question: Will there be any fish left in our oceans in 2050? Jonathan M. Gitlin delves into the depressing topic in a nonetheless hopeful article over at Ars Technica. …Read the full story on TreeHugger

Photo via Saltwater Now

The practice of finning is the primary reason why sharks are disappearing from our oceans. The apex predator that play a major role in keeping marine systems in balance are caught, their fins cut from their bodies, and the still-living animals tossed back into the oceans. The disastrous practice could be dialed back if nations take a more active stance on setting up regulations and enforcing them. The US is on track to do just that with the …Read the full story on TreeHugger

Image via: Algalita Marine Research Foundation

We must recognize that everything we create as a society has a future that we cannot see. Every product we make lives on after our brief interaction with it. Nowhere is that more apparent than the plastic legacy we are leaving in our oceans. …Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Photo via Ma.Ka.

What would the world be like without oceans? What does it feel like to be in the ocean? How does the ocean affect your life on a daily basis? These are some of the prompts given to participants in an extraordinary new sound project called Ocean Voices. Last week, the California Academy of Sciences hosted the premiere of Ocean Voices, a project that collects people’s thoughts, experiences, impressions and musings on our oceans. It’s a powerful listening experience, with layers of sound creating an i…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Image: cortomaltese, Flickr

Scientists are reporting that Greenland is rising as the large weight of ice pressing down on land is melting. And the country’s elevation gains are speeding up. Glacial melt on Greenland is being watched very carefully because ice that is piled up on land flows into the oceans when it melts, raising sea levels. Floating ice, on the other hand, already displaces a lot of water and has less impact of sea levels when it melts. …Read the full story on TreeHugger

photo: echoforesberg

I have to say that this one just really depresses me (but please look straight at this one): AFP writes that a new report by the UNEP shows that at current fishing rates, and if we don’t do anything to stop it, in 40 years there will not be any commercially-viable amounts of fish left in the oceans. Consider that for a moment before continui…Read the full story on TreeHugger

Photo by the Tahoe guy

The Ted Oceans’ Mission Blue conference in the Galapagos is under full swing, and there are some big concepts being discussed among the attendees and speakers. The mission of the conference is to try to further Sylvia Earl’s TED wish of expanding our marine protected areas. But that requires all eyes on the oceans, and when we focus our attention…Read the full story on TreeHugger