Ocean

PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – otherwise known as forever chemicals – are man-made chemicals known for their extreme persistence. They resist breaking down in the environment and in the human body and have led to widespread contamination in water, soil, and unfortunately in human blood. They are used in non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging, and firefighting foams. PFAS have been linked to serious health issues like cancers, thyroid disease, and reproductive problems.

Coastal ecosystems are undergoing a process known as a coastal squeeze. Beaches face a combination of rising sea levels caused by climate change and reductions caused by expanding development in coastal zones. Between the two forces, beaches are gradually being eaten away. According to research by a marine scientist in Uruguay, almost half of the beaches in the world could disappear by the end of this century.

Each summer, vast quantities of Sargassum seaweed spread across the tropical Atlantic and foul the coasts of the Caribbean Islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and northern South America. The Sargassum is not only bad for tourism, it also disrupts ecosystems by providing massive amounts of food for many marine species, upsetting the balance of those systems.

Researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia have found that there are marine bacteria living in all the world’s oceans that are able to consume and digest plastic – in particular polyethylene terephthalate (or PET) plastic – the plastic found in soda bottles, clothing, and many other things.

A subpolar gyre is a large-scale ocean current system located at high latitudes created by a persistent region of low atmospheric pressure. These gyres circulate water in a cyclonic direction – counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. This circular motion of water drives the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, which plays an important role in regulating the climate in the higher latitudes as well as the nutrient cycles that sustain ocean ecosystems. Subpolar gyres influence the circulation of other ocean currents like the North Atlantic Current, the East Greenland Current, and the Labrador Current.

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education, and research.Seahorses are some of the most unique and beautiful creatures in the ocean.The Pygmy Seahorse is one of the most interesting looking and complex of them all.They are only 1 inch big, and due to their size were not known to exist until about 50 years ago.We will learn all about this tiny creature that comes from the depths of the ocean hidden in coral.

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education and research.It’s summertime and people are flocking to the beach.On today’s program we will talk about sharks! We will uncover why they are misunderstood and all the important information about the “perceived ultra-predator.”

Colum McCann is the New York Times bestselling author of “Let the Great World Spin.” His new novel, “Twist,” tells a propulsive story of rupture and repair in the digital age, delving into a hidden world deep under the ocean.

Richard Powers’ bestselling novel, "The Overstory," won the Pulitzer Prize and has more than 1 million copies in print. His new novel, "Playground," captures the beauty and loss of the ocean, following four lives: a marine biologist, an artist, a schoolteacher, and an AI pioneer as they intersect on an island in French Polynesia.

Sam Waterston, award-winning actor in theater, film and television, has also been Chair of the Board of Oceana since 2001. Oceana is the largest global advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans. He will discuss the state of the world's oceans and various efforts to make them healthier and more abundant when he speaks at the Salisbury Forum in a talk entitled "A Plan of Action to Save Our Oceans and Climate" on Friday, June 2, at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School at 7:30 p.m.