Summary: After the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April 2010, killing eleven oil rig workers, some 200 million gallons of crude oil gushed into the gulf before it was finally capped more than three months later. Many fear that sensitive ecosystems such as mangroves and oyster beds will be ruined forever, and that the spill will cause terrible damage to fish and birds as well as the area’s beaches and its fishing and tourism industries. So, what is the science behind the current situation in the Gulf? Is the damage from the spill likely to be long-lasting and severe? And did BP’s actions make matters worse
