NOAA: Making Waves

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 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.

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.

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.