Climate Change
Pacific flushing leads to carbon dioxide surges
While it might seem silly to care about what the ocean was doing 10,000 years ago, these old oceans impacted…
Author: Laura Zinke
I am a PhD student studying sediment geomicrobiology at the University of Southern California. My primary research interests lie deep under the sea studying how microorganisms survive in dark environments and how they interact with chemical cycles in sediment and on earth. When I surface from my studies, I enjoy backpacking, trying to mimic my ridiculous dog, and applying my laboratory techniques in the kitchen.
Coral
Going viral: relationships between coral reef health and viruses
What organisms live in coral reefs? Corals (obviously), fish, snorkeling tourists...but some of the most important members we can't even…
Biogeochemistry
Let it Sludge!
Marine snow has a lot in common with particles that form during waste water treatment. Read on to find out…
Microbiology
It’s getting cold in here!
As we here into winter, we notice changes taking place in nature all around us. But what do microbes in…
Toxicology
Just breathe…OR NOT: Mercury from hydrothermal vents in bubbles and the air
Mercury is a toxic element that can accumulate in marine organisms, including fish we eat. But how does mercury into…
Alternative Energy
Going nuclear: radioisotopes from Fukushimi power plant stay in sand for years
Nuclear power plants are often located along coasts. In 2011, one of these power plants, Fukushima Daiichi, was hit by…
Microbiology
Riding the phage wave: Emerging role of viruses in the ocean
Viruses live in the ocean, where they infect bacteria who also live in the ocean. Ocean viruses are crucial to…
Climate Change
New insights into old events using marine sediment
We talk a lot about what the ocean is doing, but what can it tell us about land? Here, we…
Book Review Plastic
Paper or plastic? Policies inspired by research to find a solution to plastic pollution
Paper or plastic? In a lot of grocery stores, this is an innocent question, but recently it’s become a controversial…
Book Review Pollution
Oil Spill Snorkels: Eating oil, breathing electrons, saving the world?
Oil spills are not great for the environment, but some bacteria thrive on eating oil. Scientists have been researching ways…
technology
Under the Sea(floor): Ocean Drilling and Scientific Discovery
Deep, dark, and mysterious, the ocean seafloor contains clues and records of past life and climates on earth. Understanding the…
Book Review Evolution
Red dead algae
Life on earth has been evolving for a long time - billions of years! The timing of when different kinds…
Climate Change
It’s a trap! African penguins impacted by climate change
Young penguins living along the southwestern coast of Africa typically follow cool, nutrient rich water to find food as they…
Biogeochemistry
Funny happenings in the tropical Pacific
Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas made by environmental microbes. In the ocean, microbes making this greenhouse gas live…