Given the almost endless stream of insults we're hurling at the oceans and marine life, isn't it time we recognize how much we have to gain from these marvelous creatures? For concrete, bottom-line thinkers, that's the selfish, anthropocentric "we" -- forget appreciating the intrinsic majesty of marine life. I'm talking saving our lives, and saving our planet.
Take humpback whales. Cruise ships may run them over and kill them, but scientist Frank Fish found inspiration for more-efficient wind turbines from the shape of humpback flippers. As a result, clean wind energy could be more profitable to bring to market from Whalepower, a company using the humpback-inspired design.
How about seahorses? Researchers in Australia are studying the development of the seahorse eye for clues that may help reverse macular degeneration -- a disease that causes progressive blindness as people age.
Living corals, so vulnerable to climate change as oceans warm and turn more acidic, may also hold a solution to the threat. The Moss Landing Cement Co., just up the road from Monterey Bay Aquarium, believes it can produce an eco-friendly cement by mimicking the way corals build their skeletons -- in this case, by combining seawater with carbon dioxide from a neighboring power plant.
And what about kelp, the humble seaweed? Like the humpback-inspired turbine, a new bioWave turbine design is based on the way that marine plants sway back and forth with the pulsing of the waves.
There are so many more innovations just like these, and likely others to come as we learn more about how animals and plants have adapted to life in the ocean. The aquarium's sharing a number of stories in a daily auditorium program, Whales to Windmills: Inventions Inspired by the Sea.
The trick now is to preserve them -- and their homes -- so we can reap the benefits.
We should take care our environment because its our duty. And i was so worried if these creatures will be endangered, if that will happen the next generation will be unfortunate to see the beauty of this animals.
Posted by: mary@deepsea animals | May 17, 2012 at 04:53 PM
The wind turbines and bio-Wave turbines I have heard about, but making concreat fron seawater and carbon dioxide! That is wild! I hope that in the near future we can use the lessons nature teaches us to lessen our impact on this world. Who knows, maby the aminals can save themselves!
Posted by: Wally | February 26, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Can you imagine what the world would be like without these creatures? Imagine having to explain to a child exactly what a what a whale was, or how it fitted into the marine ecoworld.
Posted by: Green Energy | August 08, 2010 at 11:36 AM
Fusionstorm Foundation is trying to help save these animals as well! The sky high levels of plastic and garbage in the ocean, in particular, the North Pacific Gyre, are greatly endangering our marine wildlife. Ocean Voyage Institute (a nonprofit) will going to be going out to clean up all of this trash, however, they need your help! Please check out www.dreamsailraffle.com or post their website on your facebook page.
Posted by: Brianna Munson | August 02, 2010 at 10:55 AM