Hollywood Director James Cameron Donates Deep-Sea Craft for Research

James Cameron, the director who gave us critically-acclaimed films like The Terminator, Titanic, Avatar, is giving us the craft that he built and rode into the sea’s deepest spot last year – well not us per se, but to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), according to the New York Times.

The director-explorer’s donation to WHOI is part of a new collaboration meant to speed ocean exploration, the partners announced this week.

The undersea craft, which cost Cameron roughly $10 million out of pocket and is known as “Deepsea Challenger,” will be used mainly to aid the design of advanced technologies, rather than to routinely carry scientists into the sea’s depths, the Times reported. However, scientists at the institution are already planning to use the cameras and lighting systems on the craft on the upcoming dive by the remotely controlled vehicle Nereus, which will return to trenches in the Atlantic and the Pacific over the next two years.

Hundreds of Sick Sea Lion Pups Wash Ashore

A mysterious tide of California sea lion pups (Zalophus californianus) have been washing ashore in recent months, prompting one rescue facility to declare a state of emergency.

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach (map) has more than 80  sea lion pups in their care, an “alarming” number, the organization said on their website. On March 9 the facility took in 12 pups, the highest number of rescues recorded in a single day in the center’s history.

Wired reported that as of March 13, 517 pups had been admitted to five Southern California rescue centers.

Most of the sea lion pups are severely malnourished, dehydrated, and underweight, requiring major intervention to get the mammals healthy enough to be released back into the wild.

“The last time we had this many sea lions this early in the year was 15 years ago,” director of animal care Michele Hunter said in a statement.

In 1998, an El Niño weather pattern warmed the waters off the California coast, causing fish to migrate farther from shore and adult sea lions to swim farther in pursuit—making it harder for moms to care for their babies, Reuters reported. 

“Animal rescuers believe adult sea lions are again foraging deeper into the ocean this year, but the reasons are unclear,” according to Reuters.

“We are seriously concerned about the pace at which animals are stranding, and having the resources to keep up,” Hunter said. 

Don’t Chase the Pups

Whatever the cause, anyone who sees a stranded sea lion pup in California should call the Pacific Marine Mammal Center immediately, executive director Keith Matassa said in a statement.

“We have had a higher number of people chasing the  animals back into the water this year, which is the worst thing that can happen to a sick animal.

“These pups are coming ashore to get warm and rest, and are hauling out of the ocean to survive.”

Double Pink Rainbow Over Glen Ashley, South Africa

The photo above showing a high-arching pink rainbow was captured at sunset near Durban, South Africa.

The camera is facing toward the anti-solar point. Like the setting Sun, the rainbow colors we’re familiar with acquire red or pink hues once the Sun dips close to the horizon. This is because as the Sun sets (or rises) the increased path length sunlight takes through the atmosphere acts to scatter out the green, blue and violet colors from our view. — Photo Jacques Joubert Summary Jim Foster