NOAA's National Ocean Service: Making Waves

Titanic, 100 Years Later, Part II (Episode 96)

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:52:47 -0400

One hundred years ago this month, the RMS Titanic sank after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from the United Kingdom to New York City. Nearly three-quarters of the 2,200 people on board the ship perished. In recognition of this anniversary, this episode features a moving interview with Jim Delgado, Director of Maritime Heritage with NOS's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. This is the second half of a two-part interview. Episode permanent link and show notes

Titanic, 100 Years Later, Part I (Episode 95)

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:52:47 -0400

One hundred years ago this month, the RMS Titanic sank after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from the United Kingdom to New York City. Nearly three-quarters of the 2,200 people on board the ship perished. In recognition of this anniversary, this episode features a moving interview with Jim Delgado, Director of Maritime Heritage with NOS's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. You don't want to miss this one. This is the first half of a special two-part series. Episode permanent link and show notes

Surveying on the National Mall (Episode 94)

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:52:26 -0400

NOS's National Geodetic Survey is conducting a study on the National Mall to help the National Park Service understand the settling and shifting of the ground underneath the monuments on the National Mall, particularly after the August 2011 earthquake. Tune in to our interview with Dave Doyle, NGS Chief Geodetic Surveyor, to learn more. Episode permanent link and show notes

Solving a Sea Foam Mystery (Episode 93)

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:24:27 -0400

In 2007, hundreds of birds were found stranded or dead in California's Monterey Bay, coated with an unknown yellow-green substance that was eating away at the protective covering on their feathers. In this episode, we revisit a 2009 interview with a researcher from the University of California at Santa Cruz to learn how and why this happened. Episode permanent link and show notes

Ocean Today Video (Episode 92)

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:06:32 -0500

Making Waves Ocean Today video

Join us as we kick off a new ocassional series to highlight some of the great videos available on NOAA's Ocean Today website. In this episode, we showcase a fantastic video about exploring the deep ocean.Episode permanent link and show notes

Restoring San Francisco Bay (Episode 91)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:56:18 -0500

Join us for a talk with two NOAA experts about a multi-year effort to restore the environment in the aftermath of an oil spill that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. While we're focusing on this one spill, you'll get a good idea of how we deal as a nation with big spills wherever and whenever they occur along our coasts. Guests for this episode include Greg Baker, regional resource coordinator with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, and Natalie Cosentino-Manning, restoration program manager for the Southwest region of the U.S. with NOAA's Fisheries Restoration Center. Episode permanent link and show notes

Deepwater Horizon Update (Episode 90)

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:26:47 -0500

A new chemical analysis study confirms the official estimate of how fast gases and oil were leaking during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill; public comment period is now open for initial Gulf of Mexico restoration projects. Episode permanent link and show notes

Top Five Ocean Facts (Episode 89)

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:48:06 -0500

Did you know we provide answers to over 180 questions about the ocean on our website? In this episode, we run down the top five most popular Ocean Facts as determined by readership statistics. Episode permanent link and show notes

Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris (Episode 88)

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:30:34 -0500

The powerful Japanese earthquake and resulting tsunami in March, 2011, washed untold tons of marine debris into the Pacific Ocean. Carey Morishige, Pacific Islands Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program, explains where this debris may be, where it's heading, what's being done about it, and what you can do to help.

New Red Tide Research (Episode 87)

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:28:40 -0500

NOAA is providing grants totaling over $1.6 million dollars to create seasonal and weekly toxic algal bloom forecasts that are more accurate and provide better early warning of toxic blooms in the Gulf of Maine.

The value of Hawaii's Coral Reefs (Episode 86)

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:13:27 -0400

A peer-reviewed study commissioned by NOAA shows the American people assign an estimated total economic value of $33.57 billion for the coral reefs of the main Hawaiian Islands.

Building a Better Geoid (Episode 85)

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:13:27 -0400

Figuring out the exact location of a point on the Earth's surface in three dimensions is what the science of geodesy is all about. Thanks to the network of satellites in space known as the Global Positioning System, we can determine latitude and longitude with great accuracy. Heights, however, are a trickier business to nail down.

In this episode, we talk with NOAA Chief Geodesist Dru Smith to learn how scientists are using measurements of gravity to refine a complex mathematical model of the Earth's shape known as the geoid. Once the new model is deployed, the hope is that we'll be able to use GPS receivers to figure out our current elevation in most places across the nation within an accuracy of two centimeters or less.

Cosco Busan Settlement (Episode 84)

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:37:01 -0400

State and federal trustee agencies will use most of the funds from a $36.8 million settlement of natural resource damages to restore natural resources injured by the Nov. 7, 2007 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay and to improve Bay Area recreational opportunities impacted by the spill. The funds are part of a $44.4 million settlement with Regal Stone Limited and Fleet Management Limited, the companies responsible for the container ship Cosco Busan that spilled 53,000 gallons of oil into the bay after hitting the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Arctic Sea Inventory; Whale of a Partnership (Episode 83)

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:02:15 -0400

Join us this week for two stories and an Ocean Fact:

Arctic Sea Floor Inventory. NOAA scientists are collecting environmental data off the coast of Alaska in the Chukchi Sea to get a clear picture of this underwater ecosystem before any offshore development begins.

A Whale of a Partnership. NOAA, French sanctuaries join forces to protect endangered humpback whales along their annual migration route.

Ocean Fact. Where is the largest protected area in NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary system?

NOS Hurricane Response (Episode 82)

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 07:51:28 -0400

Join us this week to take a look at the many roles and activities of the National Ocean Service when hurricanes threaten our coasts.

Surveying the Arctic (Episode 81)

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:03:56 -0400

The NOAA Ship Fairweather is surveying remote areas of the Arctic in places where ocean depths haven’t been measured since 1867. We talk with the NOAA Corps Capt. David Neander, commander of the vessel, about the current expedition in Alaska and NOAA's broader efforts to map sparsely charted regions of the Arctic Ocean.

NOS Assists with Oil Spill; New El Nino Study; Ocean Fact (Episode 80)

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:01:54 -0400

In this episode:

NOS Responds to Yellowstone River Oil Spill. NOS is on hand to assist with last month's oil spill on the Yellowstone River in Montana.

NOAA Study May Help East Coast Prepare for El Nino Years. Coastal communities along the U.S. East Coast may be at risk of higher sea levels accompanied by more destructive storm surges during future El Nino years, according to a new NOAA study published in the Monthly Weather Review, a journal of the American Meteorological Society (AMS).

NOS Ocean Fact. What does peanut butter have to do with the ocean?

Human Health and Climate Change (Episode 79)

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:46:38 -0400

Climate Change and Harmful Algal Blooms. In a recent study, researchers from NOAA's West Coast Center for Oceans and Human Health used cutting-edge technologies to model future ocean and weather patterns.

Atmospheric Dust and the Ocean Environment. In a recent NOAA-funded study, University of Georgia and U.S. Geological Survey researchers considered how global desertification and the resulting increase in atmospheric dust based on some climate-change scenarios could fuel the presence of harmful bacteria in the ocean and seafood.

Marine Protected Areas (Episode 78)

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:37:49 -0400

In this video episode, we take a look at the National Marine Protected Areas Center and preview one of four new videos available on the MPA.gov website.

Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone and Red Tide News (Episode 77)

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:16:48 -0400

In this episode:

Major Flooding on the Mississippi River Predicted to Cause Largest Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Ever Recorded. The Gulf of Mexico's hypoxic zone is predicted to be the largest ever recorded due to extreme flooding of the Mississippi River this spring, according to an annual forecast by a team of NOAA-supported scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Louisiana State University and the University of Michigan.

Study Sheds Light On Red Tide Toxin. NOAA-supported researchers at Texas A&M University have determined why red tide algae in the Gulf of Mexico make toxin, a development that could prove beneficial to both human and marine life.

World Ocean Day 2011 (Episode 76)

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:21:55 -0400

It's World Ocean Day! In this episode, we bring you a special video from NOAA's Ocean Today and preview a gallery of photos sent in by NOS Facebook fans and Twitter followers.

Marine Mammals Help Collect Ocean Info; New Marine Debris App (Episode 75)

Thu, 26 May 2011 09:56:35 -0400

In this episode:

Collecting Ocean Data with Marine Mammals. Scientists are enlisting marine mammals with electronic tags to collect critical ocean data from around the nation. NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System is working to standardize various tagging programs so researchers can better tap into this data stream.

New Smartphone App Targets Marine Debris. With bottles, cans, abandoned or lost fishing gear, and other marine debris washing up on our shores each year, the University of Georgia and NOAA have teamed up to create a new, innovative cell phone reporting mechanism to combat the marine debris problem.

NOS Photo Contest. World Ocean Day is June 8. Help us celebrate the beauty, mystery, and importance of the ocean by submitting your best ocean photos!

Centroid of the U.S. Population (Episode 74)

Thu, 05 May 2011 08:31:44 -0400

Do you remember filling out a 2010 census form from the U.S. Census Bureau? In this episode, we tell you about the '2010 centroid of the U.S. population' -- a very interesting piece of information gleaned from census data that tells us a lot about how our nation's population has changed over time.

Deepwater Horizon, one year later (Episode 73)

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 08:40:16 -0400

Last year, on April 20, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon MC252 drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico killed eleven people and caused the rig to sink. Then, oil began leaking into the Gulf. Before the wellhead was finally capped in mid-July, almost 5 million barrels of oil were released. Today, we look back at NOAA's role in the Deepwater Horizon spill response--the months when oil was spilling into the Gulf--through the eyes of one of the first NOAA responders to the spill. We're joined by Debbie Payton, chief of the Office of Response and Restoration's Emergency Response Division.

Harmful Algal Bloom discovery; U.S. Caribbean News (Episode 72)

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:09:25 -0400

Three stories: (1) A new NOAA-funded study links algae to a harmful estrogen-like compound; (2) a new 'marine etiquette' video is launched for visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico; (3) NOAA researchers kick off the eighth year of a mission to explore and map underwater realms of the U.S. Caribbean.

Seamounts Revisited (Episode 71)

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:38:25 -0400

This week, we revisit a May 2010 interview with marine biologist Peter Etnoyer. Etnoyer and colleagues published a study last year that found that seamounts -- underwater mountains formed by volcanic activity -- may collectively form one of the largest habitats on Earth, encompassing more of the planet's surface than South America.

Human Health and Climate Change (Episode 70)

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:46:38 -0400

Marine Debris Conference; Historic 19th-Century Whaler Found; Civil War-era Map Unveiled (Episode 69)

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:00:05 -0500

International Marine Debris Conference. The Fifth International Marine Debris Conference is set to take place next month from March 20-25 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The event is bringing together international marine debris experts from around the world to look at marine debris from a global perspective.

Historic 19th-Century Whaler Found. Archeologists working with the Ocean Service's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries have found wreckage of a famous 1800's Nantucket whale ship nearly six hundred miles northwest of Honolulu, within NOAA's Papahãnaumokuãkea Marine National Monument.

Civil-War Era Map Shows Mapmaking Innovations. It isn't often that a map can visually display a moral issue facing a divided nation. Nearly 150 years ago, the U.S. Coast Survey -- NOAA's predecessor organization -- achieved that landmark representation.

Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center (Episode 68)

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:06:47 -0500

NOAA's new Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center (DRC) is now under construction in Mobile County, Alabama. The Center -- the first of its kind -- promises to change the way people prepare for and respond to the many hard-hitting storms, spills, and other events that too often strike this fragile region. In this episode, we talk with the acting director of the new DRC.

NOAA in Mobile Bay (Episode 67)

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:28:32 -0500

A big part of the Ocean Service's mission is about providing 'navigation services' ... things like measuring tides and currents, providing up-to-date nautical charts, and determining exact positions on sea or land. These services help keep the nation's maritime commerce humming along safely. But what else could this information be used for? Who else could use it? And what would you get if you focused all of NOAA's combined navigational tools and services to study one specific coastal area in intense detail, all at one time? In this episode, learn how NOAA's navigational services are evolving beyond navigation.

NOS News (Episode 66)

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:06:16 -0500

We have three stories for you this week: A new NOAA archive is launched on the web for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; Texas gets a new forecast system to warn of toxic algal outbreaks along the coast; the first ocean glider to successfully cross the Atlantic goes on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

NOS News (Episode 65)

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:01:58 -0500

We have three stories this week: Funds are delivered to restore sections of the Delaware River damaged by a 2004 oil spill; the rules change for sewage discharge in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; and the Smithsonian Institution launches a new Ocean Portal.

Educational Games (Episode 64)

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:57:21 -0500

Looking for something to entertain the kids while you're cooking Thanksgiving dinner this week? How about an educational game? In this episode, we revisit a 2009 interview with the National Ocean Service's education director to hear about NOAA's foray into educational games and to learn why there's a growing trend to teach kids using fun gaming experiences. We also preview what's available on NOAA's 'Planet Arcade' game portal.

Plankton & Plastics; New NERRS; PORTS adds Wave, Visibility Data (Episode 63)

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:03:07 -0500

NOS News Update: we bring you stories about plastic in the marine environment, a new estuarine reserve in Wisconsin, and a new PORTS station.

Aquarius 2010 (Episode 62)

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:53:49 -0400

This week, we take an audio journey to NOAA's Aquarius Reef Base--the world's only undersea research lab. We talk with the director of the Aquarius to learn about some of the tech, science and logistics that make this one-of-a-kind underwater lab possible. Then we speak with the National Educational Coordinator from NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Office to hear about Aquarius 2010, a 10-day research mission that just wrapped up on Aquarius Reef Base that doubled as a powerful educational outreach event.

NOS News Round-up (Episode 61)

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:50:16 -0400

We have three stories for you this week. First, we take a look at NOAA's Historical Hurricane Tracks, a website that lets anyone track and map historical tropical cyclone activity from 1851-2009. Then, we head to Canada where Office of Coast Survey officials met with other nations that share an Arctic boundary to form a new commission focused on creating better nautical charts for the region. Finally, we head out into the Pacific to point out some new ocean observing tools now available in Hawaii.

Hypoxia in U.S. Coastal Waters (Episode 60)

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:34:30 -0400

Earlier this month, a new interagency report was delivered to Congress that warns of the growing threat of low oxygen "dead zones" in coastal waters around the U.S. This condition is known as hypoxia -- where oxygen levels drop so low that creatures in the water are stressed or killed. In this episode, we hear from two of the scientists behind the report: Dr. Libby Jewett from NOAA and Herb Buxton from the US Geological Survey. They help us learn more about the extent of this problem, its causes, and how this trend might be reversed.

Flame Retardants in the Coastal Environment (Episode 59)

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:38:32 -0400

A 2009 NOAA report finds that man-made toxic chemicals used as flame retardants in consumer products are found in all U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. The chemicals-Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, or PBDEs-have generated international concern in recent years due to their global distribution and associated adverse environmental and human health effects. We talk with one of the authors of the report. [This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on April 1, 2009]

Lionfish, Dead Zones, and a New World Heritage Site (Episode 58)

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:38:32 -0400

We have three stories for you this week: A new report suggests that fishing could help control invasive lionfish in some Atlantic waters. NOAA-supported scientists find that this year's Gulf of Mexico dead zone is fifth largest on record. And Papahãnaumokuãkea Marine National Monument is designated a UN World Heritage Site.

Deepwater Horizon Response and Restoration (Episode 57)

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 09:46:40 -0400

Join us this week for a talk with Doug Helton, Incident Operations Coordinator with the Ocean Service's Office of Response and Restoration, to learn about the role this office plays in support of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill recovery effort in the Gulf of Mexico.

NOS News Round-up (Episode 56)

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:29:17 -0400

We have three stories for you this week: NOAA rolls out new online game for kids about loggerhead sea turtle conservation; have your say about NOAA's new strategic plan; the next round of existing Marine Protected Areas nominated to join the national system of MPAs is up for public comment.

Meet the Cooperative Oxford Lab (Episode 55)

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:38:08 -0400

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the U.S. and one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Join us for interview with the director of the Cooperative Oxford Lab to learn how this unique federal-state agency works to protect and restore this important national resource.

Interview with Commander of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson (Episode 54)

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 07:33:22 -0400

In recognition of World Hydrography Day, we have a special interview for you this week with the commander of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, currently in the Gulf of Mexico conducting research in support of the ongoing oil spill response effort.

What's New at NOS (Episode 52)

Thu, 27 May 2010 07:57:28 -0400

On the latest Making Waves: NOAA's nowCOAST goes mobile; the 20th PORTS® is dedicated in Texas; a new buoy hits the water in the Chesapeake Bay; and where to go to get the latest Gulf of Maine 'red tide' information.

The Hidden World of Seamounts (Episode 51)

Thu, 13 May 2010 10:30:01 -0400

A new report finds that seamounts -- underwater mountains formed by volcanic activity -- may collectively form one of the largest habitats on Earth, encompassing more of the planet's surface than South America. We talk with NOAA's Dr. Peter Etnoyer, lead author of the new study.

NOS Highlights; Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (Episode 50)

Thu, 13 May 2010 10:27:32 -0400

This week, we bring you the latest news from an ongoing oil spill response effort in the Gulf of Mexico. We also cover National Ocean Service news highlights from around the nation.

Live from Philadelphia Part II: NOAA Education Outreach (Episode 49)

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:06:15 -0400

This week, we continue our coverage of NOAA's participation in the 2010 National Science Teachers Association conference with a focus on education outreach efforts at the event.

Live from Philadelphia: NOAA's Exhibit Program (Episode 48)

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:04:26 -0400

In this episode, we spend some time at the NOAA booth at the recent National Science Teachers Association annual meeting held in Philadelphia, Penn. This huge convention was an opportunity for NOAA men and women from a variety of backgrounds and expertise to meet face to face with thousands of science teachers. This is the first half of a two-part series recorded live at the event.

Coasts, Corals, and Whales (Episode 47)

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:58:25 -0400

We've got three stories for you this week. First, we talk about a new NOAA Web site that serves up an interactive journey to highlight the need to better understand, manage, and protect our nation's coastal resources. Then we head to the Florida Keys, where cold ocean temperatures in January have caused the most significant cold-water coral die-off in 30 years. Finally, we take you to Hawaii for the annual Sanctuary Ocean Count. This annual event helps researchers learn more about endangered whale populations that travel to the islands from Alaska every year.

New England Red Tide Outlook; Pharmaceuticals in Our Environment (Episode 46)

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:07:45 -0500

This week, we take a look at the 'red tide' outlook for the Gulf of Maine in 2010. Then, we investigate what we know about pharmaceuticals in our environment.

Decoding the Secret Pathologies of Dolphins (Episode 45)

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:53:53 -0500

This week, we take a virtual journey to the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). At the event, NOAA's Oceans and Human Health Initiative unveiled six new studies that offer insights into how diseases found in dolphins and other marine mammals are similar to humans. We talk with NOAA scientists about two of the six studies presented at the meeting. In our first story, we discuss unprecedented contaminant levels found in coastal dolphins in Georgia. Then, we look at new research that shows marine exposure to a type of toxic algae may cause epilepsy.

Haiti support; oil spill at Port Arthur, Texas; marine protected area news (Episode 44)

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:00:34 -0500

Join us for three stories this week:
* NOAA provides support for Haiti Recovery Efforts
* NOS Responds to an Oil Spill in Texas
* News About the National Marine Protected Areas System

News from Hawaii, California, and the Bahamas (Episode 43)

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:23:22 -0500

We've got three stories for you in this episode: * A new Marine Debris Action Plan is Launched in Hawaii
* Ground is broken on new Ocean Education Center in California
* NCCOS Study Sheds Light on Lionfish Diet in Bahamas

Salute to the Scarlet Knight (Episode 42)

Wed, 6 Jan 2010 11:05:44 -0500

Last month, an unmanned, underwater ocean glider named the Scarlet Knight completed a record-breaking 7,410 km (4,604 mile) trip from the U.S. to Europe. We talk with Zdenka Willis, director of NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System, about the historic mission.

Happy Holidays from NOS (Episode 41)

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 08:16:00 -0500

How does the National Ocean Service help Santa on his journey around the country? Tune in to this special holiday edition to find out.

Happy Thanksgiving from NOS (Episode 40)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:51:26 -0500

What does the National Ocean Service have to do with your Thanksgiving dinner? We bring you the answer in this special holiday edition of Making Waves.

Harmful Algal Bloom News (Episode 39)

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:32:52 -0500

Harmful algal blooms. They're called HABs for short. Heard of them? If you live in a coastal area or near the Great Lakes, chances are you have, but you may know them by the more popular name 'red tide.' HABs are caused by microscopic algae -- tiny plants in the ocean -- that grow out of control. As they bloom, they produce powerful toxins that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to eat. In this episode, we take a look at three stories about how NOAA is addressing this serious problem.

Educational Gaming (Episode 38)

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:22:52 -0400

Join us for a talk with one of the key people behind 'WaterLife: Where the River Meets the Sea,' NOAA's first major foray into the world of educational gaming.

World Maritime Day 2009 (Episode 37)

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:59:01 -0400

In recognition of World Maritime Day, celebrated in the U.S. on Oct. 16, we're joined by the director of NOAA's Coast Survey to talk about nautical charts and the maritime transportation system. Want to know what nautical charts have to do with Thomas Jefferson, mine sweepers, and the stuff you buy in a big box store? Just how big are some of the ships plying our waterways these days? What effect might rising sea levels have on the future of shipping? Find out in this special edition of Making Waves.

Powerful Fish-Killing Toxin May Offer Human Health Benefits (Episode 36)

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:31:05 -0400

Could a deadly toxic chemical produced by Euglena Sanguinea, a type of algae known for well over a century -- algae that you may have even seen before under a microscope in your High School biology class -- someday be used to treat cancer?

Battle of the Atlantic Expedition; New Gulf Marine Sanctuary Report (Episode 35)

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:28:01 -0400

Battle of the Atlantic Expedition:
NOAA leads an underwater archeology project to find World War II shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina.

New Gulf Marine Sanctuary Report:
A new report finds that the coral reefs in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary are doing quite well, but are at risk of future threats.

High-Water Mystery; nowCOAST; Wetlands Restoration (Episode 34)

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 11:20:12 -0400

A High Tide Mystery off the Atlantic Coast:
NOAA's Tides and Currents office is investigating the causes behind an unusually high tide in June that stretched from Maine to Florida.

nowCOAST:
An online interactive map from NOAA's Office of Coast Survey provides an amazing amount of near real-time weather forecasts and ocean surface observations for all of the U.S.

Texas Wetlands Restoration Project Completed:
NOAA's Damage Assessment, Remediation and Restoration Program just completed shepherding a major coastal restoration project -- over 2,500 acres of wetlands -- near Port Arthur, Texas.

Hydropalooza (Episode 33)

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:14:47 -0400

In this episode, we head north to Kachemak Bay, Alaska, for Hydropalooza 2009. No, this isn't a rock concert on the water, and you can't get a T-shirt, but for the people up in Alaska taking part in Hydropalooza this month, it's like a festival--a festival of data collection in the Bay.

Gulf Dead Zone Size Measured; NOAA Funding Helps Manage New England Red Tide (Episode 32)

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 08:15:19 -0400

2009 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Size Measured:
The size of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is slightly smaller than expected this year, but it's still going to be severe.

NOAA Funding Helps Manage New England Red Tide:
NOAA provides emergency funding to support sampling, mapping, and forecasting of a massive red tide in New England.

Ocean for Life (Episode 31)

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:32:38 -0400

A new program called Ocean for Life is bringing together students from around the world to help bridge cultural divides through ocean science. We talk with the NOAA coordinator for Ocean for Life to learn more.

Preparing for the Arctic Future; NGS Positioning Activities Worth Billions (Episode 30)

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 09:42:18 -0400

Preparing for the Arctic Future:
Within the next two decades, the Arctic Ocean is expected to be free of ice in the summer. That means lots of ship traffic, and lots of ship traffic means the potential for lots of accidents and oil spills.

Positioning Activities Worth $2.4 Billion Annually:
A new study shows that the economic value of services provided by NOS's National Geodetic Service is in the range of billions of dollars.

NOAA Restoration Day 2009 (Episode 29)

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:07:39 -0400

This week, we travel north of Baltimore to Otter Point Creek to join up with scores of NOAA volunteers gathered for NOAA Restoration Day. Over the past six years, Restoration Day has grown to become one of the largest federal employee-sponsored environmental stewardship events in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Podcast guests include Restoration Day event organizer, park manager at Otter Point Creek's Anita C. Leight Estuary Center, the deputy secretary of Maryland's Department of Natural Resources, and the deputy director of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay office.

Interview with Marine Life Artist Wyland on New FOCUS Campaign (Episode 28)

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:03:58 -0400

Join us this week for a talk with environmental marine life artist Wyland about a new campaign to inspire kids with art and science. It's called FOCUS -- Forests, Oceans, Climate, and US -- and it kicks off on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on June 11. The five-year campaign is a partnership between the Wyland Foundation, NOAA, the National Aquarium, and the U.S. Forest Service.

National Ocean Service Hurricane Response (Episode 27)

Wed, 27 May 2009 08:52:05 -0400

Hurricane season starts June 1. Join us this week to take a look at the many roles and activities of the National Ocean Service when hurricanes threaten our coasts.

New PORTS Station Opens in Lake Charles, Louisiana (Episode 26)

Wed, 13 May 2009 07:49:38 -0400

Mariners can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for the Port of Lake Charles, La., from a new NOAA ocean observing system at the port called NOAA Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS). We talk with the PORTS program manager to learn what this system is all about.

EstuaryLive; Where exactly is Four Corners? (Episode 25)

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:53:25 -0400

Join us this week to learn about EstuaryLive, an annual event that allows students to take a virtual field trip to estuaries around the country. And we hear from Chief Geodetic Surveyor Dave Doyle on the recent controversy surrounding the position of the Four Corners monument, located at the point where the states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet up.

Bay Hydro II Joins the NOAA Fleet; Tropical Fungus Range Expands into Northern Waters (Episode 24)

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:40:04 -0400

Join us this week to learn about Bay Hydro II, the newest addition to NOAA's fleet of hydrographic research vessels. We also take a look at a new NOAA-led study that finds a type of tropical fungus called lobomycosis is now infecting bottlenose dolphins off the coast of North Carolina.

Ocean Glider Set to Attempt Atlantic Crossing (Episode 23)

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 08:30:44 -0400

Undergraduate students from Rutgers University are finalizing preparations to launch an ocean glider on a journey from New Jersey to Spain. If the craft completes the trip, it will be the first unmanned underwater vehicle to successfully cross the Atlantic. We talk to Zdenka Willis, program director for NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System, about the upcoming mission and the future of ocean observing.

Flame Retardants Found in U.S. Coastal Ecosystems Nationwide (Episode 22)

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 08:00:33 -0400

A new NOAA report finds that man-made toxic chemicals used as flame retardants in consumer products are found in all U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. The chemicals--Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers, or PBDEs--have generated international concern in recent years due to their global distribution and associated adverse environmental and human health effects. We talk with one of the authors of the report.

Caribbean Research Cruise; New Online Game for Kids (Episode 21)

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:53:18 -0400

Ocean service scientists are heading out to sea on the NOAA ship Nancy Foster for a two-week Caribbean mission to study coral reef ecosystems and fish habitats. And NOS launches a new Flash-based online game for kids called "Waterlife; Where the Rivers Meet the Sea."

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 20th Anniversary Special (Episode 20)

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:10:58 -0400

Twenty years ago this month, nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into Alaska's Prince William Sound after the oil tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on a reef. It was and still is the single largest spill to ever occur along the coastal U.S. Join us in this special podcast as we talk with Dr. Alan Mearns, senior staff scientist with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. Mearns was involved in the initial spill response for the Exxon Valdez accident, and spent years leading a project that continues to monitor the long-term impact of the huge oil spill.

New Study Links Sea Foam to Unexplained Seabird Deaths and Strandings (Episode 19)

Fri, 6 Mar 2009 19:54:52 -0500

In 2007, hundreds of birds were found stranded or dead in California's Monterey Bay, coated with an unknown yellow-green substance that was eating away at the protective covering on their feathers. A new study partly funded by NOAA reveals what happened. We talk with one of the researchers involved in the effort.

Shipwreck added to Historic Register; 15th Anniversary of Positioning Network (Episode 18)

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:36:29 -0500

An early 20th century shipwreck located in a NOAA National Marine Sanctuary is added to the National Register of Historic Places. And the National Geodetic Survey celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Continuously Operating Reference Station program.

NOAA lends hand for Hudson River airplane crash; West Coast algal bloom summit (Episode 17)

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:30:41 -0500

This week, we talk about NOAA's role in the recent U.S. Airways airplane crash on the Hudson River near Manhattan. We then head west to learn why experts from NOAA, California, Oregon, and Washington State met last week to talk about harmful algal blooms, more commonly known as 'red tides.'

Antibiotic resistant illnesses and potential cures in the sea (Episode 16)

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:30:50 -0500

In this special edition, we're focusing on antibiotic resistance in the marine environment and potential new cures from the sea. We'll hear about three new studies presented at a NOAA-sponsored symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago.

Ocean in Google Earth; predicting cholera (Episode 15)

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 08:13:28 -0500

Users of Google Earth can now explore the depths of the ocean and discover NOAA information and images along their journey. And using ocean observations from satellites to predict the outbreak of cholera.

Invasive lionfish; rising sea levels (Episode 14)

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:36:01 -0500

A new report looks at effects of and solutions for sea-level rise on coastal areas. And the first reported invasive lionfish is captured in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

'Diving Deeper' podcast premier (Episode 13)

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:31:16 -0500

This week, we preview a new NOS podcast premiering on Jan. 26. It's called Diving Deeper. The new audio podcast will be coming out once every two weeks, and will feature interviews with NOS scientists and experts. We think you're going to like it.

New NGS director; NOS Web site update (Episode 12)

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:44:28 -0500

The new director of the National Geodetic Survey makes history. We'll tell you how. And we'll take a few minutes to chat about some new features about this Web site on this week's Making Waves.

Delaware River restoration; lobster trap debris (Episode 11)

Fri, 9 Jan 2009 11:40:03 -0500

This week, NOAA and partners announce a restoration plan for shoreline and habitats of the Delaware River damaged by a 2004 oil spill. The plan is now up for public comment. And we travel to the Florida Keys to find out why NOS researchers are studying lobster trap debris.

Year in review (Episode 10)

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:38:32 -0500

In this special New Years episode, we take a look back at some of the major NOS accomplishments of 2008. .

Santa and the NGS (Episode 9)

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:37:32 -0500

How does the National Ocean Service help Santa on his journey around the country? Tune in to this special holiday edition to find out.

Ocean acidification; smart coastal development (Episode 8)

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:48:48 -0500

A new study finds significant ocean acidification in the Caribbean, and may lead to a better understanding of how coral reefs will adapt to this harmful process. And find out what teams in coastal states around the nation are doing to help communities develop in a way that preserves water quality, protects natural areas, and improves quality of life.

Toxins in dolphins; coral jewelry (Episode 7)

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:44:59 -0500

Toxins from red tides are showing up in bottlenose dolphins in higher-than-expected amounts. We'll find out what's goin on. We'll also tell you why you should cross coral jewelry off of your shopping list this holiday season.

Marine Protected Areas, sanctuaries (Episode 6)

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 10:40:09 -0500

This week, we talk about a new national system of marine protected areas. Then we go to California to look at what three marine sanctuaries are up to there. The boundaries of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of the three, just expanded to include a huge underwater mountain.

Thanksgiving Special (Episode 5)

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:36:02 -0500

What does the National Ocean Service have to do with your Thanksgiving dinner? We bring you the answer in this special holiday edition of Making Waves.

Coastal summit; harmful algal blooms; marine forensics (Episode 4)

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:26:41 -0500

This week, the head of the NOS traveled to Florida for the first-ever Coastal Cities Summit hosted by the International Ocean Institute. We also take a look at the devastating harmful algal bloom in New England. Finally, we talk about the latest case to come through the lab in the NOS Marine Forensics Program -- and we take a closer look at what this program is all about.

Mapping the Arctic sea floor; avoiding whales in Calif.; benthic maps (Episode 3)

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:14:56 -0500

This week, we bring you news about a recent expedition to map an unknown sea floor in the Arctic. Then we travel to California, where staff of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary work to prevent ships from striking blue whales in the Santa Barbara Channel. Finally, we head down to Texas to talk about a new digital map of underwater vegetation in the Coastal Bend region near Corpus Christi.

EcoZone initiative; record year for spill clean-up; height modernization (Episode 2)

Thu, 6 Nov 2008 02:57:00 -0500

This week, we talk about NOAA's role in a new public-private partnership called the EcoZone® Green Schools Initiative. Then we look at the busiest year on record for the NOS Office of Response and Restoration, the NOAA office that responds to oil and chemical spills around the nation. Finally, we talk about a National Geodetic Survey effort to revolutionize the measurement of height by measuring gravity around the country. We wrap up the episode with a closer look at how gravity and height are related.

Tracking sea turtles with sonar; coral bleaching (Episode 1)

troy.kitch@noaa.gov — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:10:43 -0500

This week we bring you research on the use of sonar to track threatened sea turtles, NOAA's new Ocean Today Kiosk, and recent upgrades to the space-based global coral bleaching monitoring network. We end the show with a look at some of the things reef managers and scientists can do to protect a reef when the ocean overheats.