The Question: While walking along a busy section of Boston Harbor the other day, I noticed hundreds of jellyfish floating on the surface. I walked about a half mile stretch of water, and they were everywhere. They all seemed to be the same kind – translucent white, with four circular bits in the center of [...]
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How does the ocean deal with garbage?
The Question: How does the ocean manage all the garbage it gets every year? Submitted by: anonymous The Short Answer: I guess the really short answer is that it doesn’t. But a more complete answer would be that it depends on the type of garbage. Things like food waste and sewage probably get broken down [...]
Why do fall webworms prefer trees with compound leaves?
The Question: Why do fall webworms prefer to build their webs in trees with compound leaves? It seems that every time I see a web it is on a walnut, or ash or locust tree. Submitted by: Jim, USA The Short Answer: I can’t find any published information that the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) prefers [...]
What is horseshoe crab blood used for?
The Question: I’ve heard that horseshoe crabs’ blood is used to make medicine. Is this true? Submitted by: Rick, New York, USA The Short Answer: Hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are bled each year to produce a substance called Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL). LAL is used to test intravenous drugs and medical [...]
What is this Oily Sheen on the Marsh?
The Question: For years I have noticed an oily substance on a stretch of Lake Huron shoreline that leads into a wetland/marsh area. The oily substance has the rainbow pattern that you see when there is a film of oil on water. Is it possible that this is a natural occurrence of some oil deposits, [...]