The spectacularly beautiful lionfish with its undulating venomous spines is quite the sight to see, but its invasion of Caribbean coral reefs may pose a very serious threat. For the past five years or so, I have been reading about the population explosion of lionfish in the Caribbean. However, the magnitude of the problem did…
Hurricanes are, by many measures, the most devastating of all catastrophic natural hazards affecting the U.S. In economic terms alone, the average annual loss of $1.3 billion recorded pre-1990 (in constant 2006 dollars) has spiraled to $35.8 billion post-2000. A first-of-its-kind wind machine at Florida International University, dubbed the Wall of Wind, is now enabling…
Many shark populations throughout the world face continued, massive declines. These are driven largely by the popularity of shark fin soup, which has created a highly lucrative but unsustainable market for shark fins. Shark conservation in the U.S. and worldwide to counter these declines requires comprehensive management and trade monitoring. However, this has not been…