Important Innovations

60,000 Year Old Cyprus Forest Off Alabama Coast Source:  Northeastern U scientist with ancient tree wood Scientists Say: Potential for New Medicines Off the coast of Alabama in Mobil Bay,  scientists have discovered a 60,000 year old forest of cypress trees.  The forest  is  now 60 feet underwater.  It once grew along the banks of a river. The team of scientists from Northeastern University in Boston and the University of Utah believe the trees may help forward the creation of new medicines.   Diving Back 60,000 Years The trees were buried under water, sediment and eventually the seabed for 60,000 years.  Powerful storms, including hurricanes that hit Alabama, blew open the seabed and exposed the forest.  NOAA funded the scientists diving expedition to document  the underwater forest and bring back samples of the wood. Surprising Findings Back in the lab, the scientists fou...

Record Winter Ice Loss in Bering Sea Courtesy NOAA Innovation Technology Detailing Melt from Space and on the Surface Declining Arctic sea ice and rapidly changing climate.  These are the key findings of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration  Annual report on the impact of climate change on the Arctic.  NOAA is using highly innovative and advanced technology to track, measure and provide perspective on the melt.  The technology includes NOAA polar-orbiting satellites flying over and documenting the polar region 28 times a day. And unmanned tech collecting data on the surface and monitoring conditions 24/7 over long periods of time. Key Findings This report contains the research and analysis of 81 scientists from 12 nations working for governments and universities.  The key findings include: Lowest recorded winter ice in the Bering Sea Second lowest overall sea ice in the Arctic on record Second warmest air temperatures ever re...

New Findings:  Less Bleaching in 2017 But Uncertain Fate for Great Barrier Reef Source:  Australia - Great Barrier Reef Experts Call for Urgent Action on Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Save Global Coral Reefs Global warming continues to escalate and the future of the world's coral reefs remain uncertain.  In fact, experts in Australia and at NOAA are urging immediate action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to save coral reefs, including the world's largest, the Great Barrier Reef.  Their request for urgent action is a result of their scientific research findings, released today. ARC & NOAA Scientists The new research findings have just been released by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies in Australia and NOAA scientists.  They found that the Great Barrier Reef endured extreme temperatures a little better in 2017 than it did during the two previous years of coral bleaching.  Their findings were published today in Nature C...