Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Tierney Thys Researcher-TED

O.K, so we got a crush on Monterey's Mola researcher Tierney Thys. There we said it.

Now-let's get on to the video. We blogged about this in December and with the current "Mola Crisis" off the shores of California (they have vanished) we thought another look at this most unlikely of critters would be timely:

Summer Reading -"Shark" by Dean Crawford

For all intents this book is a "must read" for sharks fans far and wide.

Every once in a while along comes a book or shark film that captures the imagination and gets shark fans talking. This is one of those books.

We also like the fact that the subject matter is close to home. The last statement here in closing is pure Underwater Thrills:

"The book puts the blame on Western culture's long tradition of shark demonizing, not just on the media and Benchley/Spielberg for capitalizing on our sensational imaginations.It's an eccentric little book, offering plenty to disagree with".

If you cannot get by without a "little disagreement", you don't belong in the shark business. Congrats on the new book Dean!

Whale Sharks Data-Ultimate Gliders

Discovers blog for those of you who have not yet "discovered it" is very comprehensive and when they tackle sharks they generally do an excellent job.

Case in point researchers looking into the giant whale shark found they use their great weight to plummet to the oceans depths and rise up again like giant raptors using air currents with little to no mechanical effort involved in the process of movement.

For critters that feed on the oceans smallest lifeforms this makes a lot of sense. Another case for supporting shark research wherever you can, data coming back from next gen sat tags and tracking gear is revealing whole secret worlds of sharks we never knew until now.

Shark Facts-Greenland Shark

It's nice to learn something about sharks and today was no exception for us here at the office.

After watching a show last night about Greenland sharks that are eaten after being buried in the ground for a year (dis-gusting) we went looking for more info on these unlikely cold water critters.

Here's your fun facts for the day and a cautionary tale for divers in thick wetsuits who may or may not look like a seal.

1.The Greenland Shark is one of the largest sharks in the world, it rivals the Great White in size growing to over 21 feet in length and weighing up to 2000 lbs.

2.When the prey gets close the shark inhales and is able to suck food in from 3 feet away.

Editors Note: We know a few dive masters who can do that same trick in Florida.