A rare study on how the recent, massive wildfires could affect the nutrient-rich waters off Ventura County is underway by Southern California graduate students who just ended a weeklong expedition in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Researchers have discovered that previously unidentified microorganisms have a genetic element that enables them to self-mutate. What's more, these organisms are so plentiful they dramatically expand the diversity of the tree of life.
A rash of recent oil spills around the globe -- Bangladesh, Israel, Peru and New Zealand -- serve as reminders of the damage such spills can cause and of the important role responders can play in limiting such damage.
