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Dolphiciency | Dark O2 | Dragon Grillz
Issue #163
You may know your spirit animal, but do you know your celebrity spirit animal?
Pretty sure I’m Winnie the Pooh 🍯🐝
Who are you?!
-Steve
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Dolphiciency
Dolphins are helping reduce CO2 emissions. Propeller coatings mimicking their skin improved oil tanker fuel efficiency.
Dolphin skin is covered in mucus and microstructures
Reduces hydrodynamic drag
Coated propellers used 2% less fuel across 35k miles
The $20k propeller cut CO2 emissions by 900 tonnes and saves $140k annually, per ship. Researches are working on scaling production to other maritime shipping industries. Thanks Flipper, PhD!
Quick! (vote)Which is your favorite sea mammal? |
Check out last week’s results in “Unnatural Selection” below
Dark O2
Photosynthesis no longer has a monopoly on oxygen. Metallic nodules are creating “dark oxygen” on the ocean floor.
Created without sunlight, 20k feet below the surface
Nodules: cobalt, copper, lithium, and manganese
Nodules + water = O2 producing voltages
This challenges our belief that aerobic life began through photosynthetic organisms. Further research will uncover our past and determine how mining these metals impacts the ecosystem. Is THIS what Darth Vader was breathing?!
Dragon Grillz
Komodo dragons were intense before we knew about their teeth. Researchers learned the lizard’s smiley secret thanks to Ganas.
Ganas = komodo dragon from the London zoo
Teeth are lined with iron deposits
Creating an orange tint along serrated edges and tips
The lizard’s ancient history suggests carnivorous dinosaurs may have evolved similar adaptations. Emphasizing the need to protect and study the ironclad smiles of our living dragons. Say cheese!
Tree Hug
Your morning coffee can help nature. Well, the cost of it can when you donate to my Tin Mountain Conservation Center fundraiser! Your money goes towards:
Habitat restoration
Renewable energy
Environmental education for over 75k people
I’m riding a bike over 4k feet up Mt. Washington to raise money, but the record high winds make it hard to hold cash. So your online donation is our best bet! Plus, I’m wearing a banana shirt in the link 👇️
*fundraiser

Clickables
💎 10 miles of diamonds on Mercury?
👟 Run to the future with spray-on sneakers
🛰️ NASA’s 25 best pics to celebrate Chandra (#9 = nudibranch?!)
🚀 Astronaut tells you what it’s like to live in space

Unnatural Selection
Last week: “Who would be a better researcher?”

We’re still waiting for Link to comment on his victory after he completes all the side quests.
Make sure you vote up top for next week’s “Unnatural Selection”!

st3v on site
Deep Breath

Note for future dark oxygen expeditions: Give st3v a flashlight.

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