Scubafriends Network

The Telegraph has a great excerpt from Raising the Dead by Philip Finch. The book is about the recovery of the body of Deon Dreyer a full 10 years after his death in Boesmansgat (Bushman’s Hole).

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16 year old David Wentz found a 3″ petrified shark tooth (technically Carcharodon megalodon) while snorkeling near his Michigan home last summer.

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Filmed at a depth of 1000m, a submersible spooked a 6-gill shark and got some great footage. (The lasers are 6″ apart, and the excited commentary is from University of Hawaii Oceanography Professor Jeff Drazen.) See the video after the break.
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Wow. Someone has finally invented an underwater digital camera that anyone (yes, anyone) can use. Due for release in March, this cool little device integrates directly into the mask. So if you are one of those people that travels with just one mask (and maybe a spare), it’s the perfect camera. Just face your subject, reach up and push the button. No more worrying about extra gear hanging off you, no more badly framed photos (thanks to the crosshairs carved into the mask glass) and no more funny looks when you dunk your mask in the camera bucket..

5.1 Megapixels, good to 30 meters, and it even takes video. 16MB of built-in storage, expandable via micro-sd (not another random format…sigh) and best of all, its only $99USD. Anyone want to get one and report back?

(Via CNET)

Moray eels have a second set of “jaws” at the top of their throats, reminiscent of the movie Aliens. A study has shown exactly how the double-jaw action works during feeding. While most fish use suction to eat (suddenly expanding their mouths to grab food and water together) moray eels use the unique second set of jaws to secure food in a method unlike that in any previously studied animal.
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A fascinating algae that is the primary food supply for coral around the world has started to yield secrets. It is a very unique lifeform, with 100x the DNA of humans and a unique non-chlorophyll-based photosynthesis method. It even has an impact on global warming by soaking up atmospheric CO2.
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Looking for a winter vacation? Consider one of the most remote islands in the world – Midway Atoll. As part of the new national marine monument in Hawaii, the island is being opened for ecotourism to help raise awareness as well as remove trash and foreign species.
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According to an article in The Register, DEKA (best known for the Segway) is working under a grant from DARPA to create a new, super-efficient set of swim fins. Using techniques copied from dolphins, they have made some amazing progress. Although they are initially being designed for military use, civilian use is expected to follow shortly (just like many other DARPA projects.)
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Back on July 24, Ecuador’s President Correa issued a decree legalizing the sale of shark fins from sharks caught as by-catch.
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It will be a while before the final verdict is in, but it appears that Tidbit, a blacktip reef shark, may have gotten pregnant without the aid of a male.
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