NOAA: Making Waves

Ocean service scientists are heading out to sea on the NOAA ship Nancy Foster for a two-week Caribbean mission to study coral reef ecosystems and fish habitats. And NOS launches a new Flash-based online game for kids called "Waterlife; Where the Rivers Meet the Sea."

Twenty years ago this month, nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil spilled into Alaska's Prince William Sound after the oil tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on a reef. It was and still is the single largest spill to ever occur along the coastal U.S. Join us in this special podcast as we talk with Dr. Alan Mearns, senior staff scientist with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. Mearns was involved in the initial spill response for the Exxon Valdez accident, and spent years leading a project that continues to monitor the long-term impact of the huge oil spill.

In 2007, hundreds of birds were found stranded or dead in California's Monterey Bay, coated with an unknown yellow-green substance that was eating away at the protective covering on their feathers. A new study partly funded by NOAA reveals what happened. We talk with one of the researchers involved in the effort.

An early 20th century shipwreck located in a NOAA National Marine Sanctuary is added to the National Register of Historic Places. And the National Geodetic Survey celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Continuously Operating Reference Station program.

This week, we talk about NOAA's role in the recent U.S. Airways airplane crash on the Hudson River near Manhattan. We then head west to learn why experts from NOAA, California, Oregon, and Washington State met last week to talk about harmful algal blooms, more commonly known as 'red tides.'

In this special edition, we're focusing on antibiotic resistance in the marine environment and potential new cures from the sea. We'll hear about three new studies presented at a NOAA-sponsored symposium at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Chicago.

Users of Google Earth can now explore the depths of the ocean and discover NOAA information and images along their journey. And using ocean observations from satellites to predict the outbreak of cholera.

A new report looks at effects of and solutions for sea-level rise on coastal areas. And the first reported invasive lionfish is captured in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

This week, we preview a new NOS podcast premiering on Jan. 26. It's called Diving Deeper. The new audio podcast will be coming out once every two weeks, and will feature interviews with NOS scientists and experts. We think you're going to like it.

The new director of the National Geodetic Survey makes history. We'll tell you how. And we'll take a few minutes to chat about some new features about this Web site on this week's Making Waves.

This week, NOAA and partners announce a restoration plan for shoreline and habitats of the Delaware River damaged by a 2004 oil spill. The plan is now up for public comment. And we travel to the Florida Keys to find out why NOS researchers are studying lobster trap debris.

In this special New Years episode, we take a look back at some of the major NOS accomplishments of 2008.

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

A new study finds significant ocean acidification in the Caribbean, and may lead to a better understanding of how coral reefs will adapt to this harmful process. And find out what teams in coastal states around the nation are doing to help communities develop in a way that preserves water quality, protects natural areas, and improves quality of life.

Toxins from red tides are showing up in bottlenose dolphins in higher-than-expected amounts. We'll find out what's going on. We'll also tell you why you should cross coral jewelry off of your shopping list this holiday season.