New York: cleanest waters are attracting more whales and sharks

The number of humpback whales and great white shark in the coastal waters of New York and the State of New Jersey during this summer's increase to the delight of environmentalists, naturalists, anglers and even bathers.

The amount of large sea creatures that has appeared off the coast of Big Apple wasn't seen for several decades and the main cause for the emergence of this abnormal number of whales and sharks on the shore of a city like New York are the cleanest waters.

According to Paul Sieswerda, director of the Gotham Whale, a group of volunteers that monitors marine life, cleaner waters have attracted more fish and consequently more whales and sharks. Sieswerda says even if it is possible to view whales feeding with the skyline of New York as a backdrop.

The Gotham Whale accounted 29 whales, humpback, all New York waters since the beginning of spring until the end of July. Joining the number of whales seen before this period and those that probably if spotted, the number will be higher than the 43 views in 2013, to 25 from 2012 and at five of 2011, says the Guardian.

Gradual cleanup of the Hudson River, which empties into New York Harbor, now brings to sea nutrients that stimulate the growth of plankton, feeding the fish and consequently the whales and sharks. "The river used to not bring anything besides pollution, but in the last five years water was getting cleaner and more nutrients are transported to sea," Sieswerda, stressing that still indicates also the measures of protection and conservation in other regions near New York have contributed to the increase in the number of dolphins, whales and sharks.

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Great Lisbon will have two more centres of animal feed needy families

After opening in January, the first Ration distribution center the Animals of Needy Families in Lisbon, will be born more two centers of its kind in Sintra and Oeiras. The opening of two new spaces to support animals of families with financial problems is planned for September.

All centres are the result of a partnership between the respective city councils and the Association for the defence of animals Animalife. The aim is to avoid that families abandon their pets because they have no way to feed them.

The new space in Sintra will work in the offices of the former premises of the Sintra Municipal Kennel. Since the space of Oeiras will work in support of the cattery installed on Municipal garden of Oeiras.

In addition to the ration distribution centers, the fight against the scourge demand Animalife of animal abandonment through the collaboration of volunteers from all parts of the country.

Foto:   Basic Needs Foundation  / Creative Commons

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Australia: new species of giant poisonous jellyfish discovery

A new species of giant and extremely venomous jellyfish was discovered on the northwest coast of Australia. The discovery left scientists puzzled as the new species of jellyfish have tentacles.

The Keesingia gigas is one of the two new species of Irukandji jellyfish recently discovered by the Director of Marine Stinger Advisory Services, Lisa-ann Gershwin. While the Irukandji have typically only mesudas the size of a fingernail, the gigas Keesingia is the size of a human arm and it is believed that can cause Irukandji syndrome, which is potentially deadly. This syndrome can cause pain, nausea, vomiting and in the most extreme cases strokes and heart failure, reports the Guardian.

According to Gershwin, the species had been photographed in the years 1980, but no specimen was captured until 2013. The specimen was collected by the marine scientist John Keesing, near the Bay of sharks.

One of the particularities of this Jellyfish is not having tentacles. "The jellyfish have tentacles. It is through them that they take the food. The tentacles are where concentrate their poisonous cells, "explains Lisa-ann Gershwin. The scientist indicates that this new species can hide their tentacles as a form of Defense, as some bioluminescent jellyfish, that extend their tentacles fluorescent to distract predators. However, there is no evidence that any jellyfish Irukandji has this capability.

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Mexican island becomes artistic screen that alerts for Ocean protection

An island off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, became a big screen project of urban art that seeks to make the population to the importance of preserving the oceans and marine life.

The PangeaSeed, a non-profit organization dedicated to public awareness for conservation and preservation of marine species through art and activism, gathered several renowned urban artists and took them to Isla Mujeres, where all of the walls and spaces available were covered with murals representing the marine life.

The project, called "Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans", focuses on environmental issues that are affecting the oceans as overfishing, the trade in shark fins, coastal development, and pollution, plastic referred to Dodo.

The project was funded through a fundraiser is made through the platform Indiegogo, and allowed artists to swim with whale sharks and mantas off the Mexican Coast, to better understand the importance of what they portray.

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Levels of mercury in the Ocean have tripled since the Industrial Revolution

In the years 1950, a neurological epidemic killed thousands of inhabitants of the coastal city of Minamata in Japan, and caused brain injuries to newborns. Only later did the inhabitants learned that the fish had eaten was contaminated with toxic mercury, resulting from a discharge from a chemical plant in the area.

A new study indicates that the levels of mercury in the oceans have been increasing and researchers estimate that the quantity of the substance in oceanic waters has tripled since the Industrial Revolution, which endangers the marine species as well as human health.

Various industrial processes, such as small-scale gold mining and coal combustion emit mercury into the atmosphere. In gold mining, the miners use liquid mercury to absorb the gold from the ore. Subsequently, make the mercury evaporate and the gold stays. Already the coal combustion releases mercury exists naturally in the mineral, referred to News from Science.

When the atmosphere, mercury can travel during months and thousands of kilometers in suspension until it rains and is deposited in the oceans. Already present in the ocean, bacteria help to convert metal into methylmercury, which enters the food chain and accumulates in fish.

The contaminated fish consumption is the main source of human exposure to mercury. However, monitor metal levels in the oceans has been a challenge for researchers, because mercury is present in lower concentrations in the waters and a lot of time and resources is required to collect samples.

The calculations made for the study show that the oceans contain between 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes of mercury from pollution, with almost two-thirds present in waters with depth less than 1,000 metres.

The concentrations of mercury in waters shallower tripled when compared with concentrations of pre-industrial times. Average depth waters, metal concentrations have increased about 1.5 times. The large concentrations of mercury in waters shallower can increase the accumulation of toxins in fish, exposing humans to mercury poisoning.

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EFSA rejects extending expiration date of eggs to avoid salmonella poisoning

The European food safety authority (EFSA, the acronym in English) rejects increasing the shelf life of eggs, arguing that existing studies indicate that for every week that extends the time limit, the risk of salmonella poisoning will increase by 40%.

EFSA explained to El Pais that held a report at the request of the European Commission, which has requested a study to extend validity periods and avoid wasting food â€" an economic problem, but also social.

"Salmonella [bacteria that causes salmonellosis] was the main cause of food infections in the European Union by 2005, with 200,000 cases and an annual cost of € 3000 million", indicates the EFSA, CITES my well-being.

This impact has led European authorities to set in motion a series of steps that led to a reduction of infections resulting from this bacteria-contaminated eggs produced, but also for other foods, such as pork â€" in 50% since 2005. But these advances may collapse if the measure to extend the shelf life of eggs next.

"If the shelf life of eggs over the 21 days for 28 days, the risk of infections will increase by 40% in the case of foods that are not cooked and 50% in the case of those who are cooking", indicates the EFSA study, which was based "on current scientific knowledge".

"In the worst-case scenario, if the expiration date recommended for 42 days and pass for 70 days â€" another of the possibilities suggested by the Commission, the risk is three times greater than the present both in the case of eggs without being cooked as in eggs made.

In this category are the raw products (e.g., mayonnaise or some sauces or beverages), as well as eggs cooked or fried. "Keep eggs chilled is the only way to reduce the increased risk of infections due to prolonged storage," explained a spokeswoman for EFSA. "In any case, the deadlines that indicate draw up or consume preferably are extended over three weeks, the risk will increase, including with the cooling system of the shops. This may also jeopardize the gains achieved to date with "the reduction of Salmonella in laying hens, since eggs are the main cause of infections in the EU", said the spokesman of the EFSA.

Foto: pietroizzo  / Creative Commons

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Can the crumbs of a cigarette alternative energy source?

The cigarette butts from cigarettes are almost like a plague on the streets of cities. But a group of scientists developed a way to put a stop to this source urban pollution and protect the environment.

South Korean investigators believe they can convert the filters of cigarettes in a material that can be used by computers, electric vehicles and wind towers to store energy. According to scientists, the material of the cigarette filters can be used to coat the electrodes of the supercapacitadores, which are the components that can store large amounts of electricity.

Scientists argue that cigarette filter performance is even better than the commercially available carbon, the carbon nanotubes or Graphene used currently. Every year, about 5.6 trillion cigarettes used, which amounts to 766,571 tonnes, are thrown into the streets.

"Our study demonstrates that the cigarette filters used may be transformed into a high-performance material carbon-based, using a single process, which at the same time offers a green solution to satisfy the energy needs of society," said Yi Jongheop, co-author of the study and a professor at the National University of Seoul, cite the Daily Mail.

The supercapacitadores are composed primarily of carbon, due to their low cost, large surface area, good electrical conductivity and great stability. Around the world, scientists are studying ways to improve the characteristics of supercapacitadores, as the energy density, power density and stability of cycle, at the same time trying to reduce production costs.

In the study, researchers found that Koreans cellulose acetate fibers from cigarette filters are made can be transformed into carbon-based material through a technique called pyrolysis combustion. The resulting material contains a considerable number of small pores, which increases its performance as a supercapacitador material.

Foto:  Axolot / Creative Commons

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