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The Science of Shark Oil Barometers
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The Science of Shark Oil Barometers

Outside many homes on Bermuda, curious-looking bottles hang from porches. These are shark oil barometers, homemade devices that for nearly 300 years have been used by islanders who swear that the oil can predict the severity of approaching storms and hurricanes. Fishermen contrive the oil by extracting it from shark livers, filtering it through cheesecloth, then sealing it in bottles. Folklore holds that when a storm approaches, the clear oil turns cloudy or spins at the base of the bottle,…

January 3, 2016

Coral Bleaching
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Coral Bleaching

Elevated ocean temperatures have threatened coral reefs around the world for over a year, but this October marked a tipping point.  NOAA scientists declared the onset of a global coral reef bleaching event impacting coral reefs in every ocean basin,…

November 30, 2015

New BIOS gliders launched offshore Bermuda on first mission
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New BIOS gliders launched offshore Bermuda on first mission

BIOS’ newest gliders made their research debut in late September when they slipped into waters near St. David’s Head and headed to a predetermined destination 50 miles offshore Bermuda. For the next nine months, the duo known as Jack and…

September 30, 2015

By The Numbers
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By The Numbers

Two years ago, Mount St. Agnes teacher Tony Makowski set out to track just how many disposable plastic water bottles the students at MSA were using. As part of their waste-free initiative, the school installed four refill stations in the…

September 14, 2015

Community

The Oleander Project: Packing Science into a Weekly Shipping Routine

Since the late 1970s, the Oleander has transported all manner of goods to Bermuda while also serving as a “volunteer observing ship” that collects oceanographic data while in transit. Observers from NOAA have launched instruments called bathythermographs off the ship…

August 24, 2015

Community

Connecting Bermuda’s Youth to Nature

The Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) has invested in 2.41 acres of property on Trunk Island, which provides the potential for unique and exciting educational and conservation programmes. The property includes a cottage, dock, a rare palmetto forest, and a beach…

July 29, 2015