It is often reported that the Great Barrier Reef is half dead, specifically that the corals are bleached, and the water quality is degraded with pesticides and plastics. If I didn’t know better, I might never want to visit a coral reef, lest I be … [Read more...] about Gardens of Old Porites, Without Sharks
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Measuring Old Corals & Coral Reefs (Part 1)
Fundamental to science is measurement. It is a way of objectively assessing something, anything, even the state of a coral reef, even of an individual coral. Historically coral growth rates were measured by coring the really old massive Porites. … [Read more...] about Measuring Old Corals & Coral Reefs (Part 1)
Noosa River Mouth, 1973 & Yesterday
River mouths are ever changing with the seasons and with the tides, and they can also be completely changed through the building of rock walls. I remember Noosa’s river mouth back in 1973 when we lived in the caravan park, which was at the end of … [Read more...] about Noosa River Mouth, 1973 & Yesterday
Half the Corals Dead – But Not in Real Life
The claim that half the corals of the Great Barrier Reef are dead is based on a new method using ‘proxies’ (not a direct measure of coral cover), applied to badly cyclone damaged reefs, just after a major coral bleaching event – from which the corals … [Read more...] about Half the Corals Dead – But Not in Real Life
Penguins, Rowan Dean and Selling Books
Saturday night, I was eating chocolates at Catherine’s (remember my friend who tutors kids in maths), when Rowan phoned. Not any Rowan. The Rowan Dean from Sky Television. He was working late. We had just been talking about him at dinner, because … [Read more...] about Penguins, Rowan Dean and Selling Books
Bushfires, Concepts of Wilderness, and a New Book
Journalist Clarissa Bye from the Daily Telegraph has done a really good job of summarizing my concerns and recommendations for better bushfire management across Australia. The article entitled 'Burning Question on Fires and Climate Link' has been … [Read more...] about Bushfires, Concepts of Wilderness, and a New Book
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.