Genes supporting photosynthesis have been acquired by the animal via horizontal gene transfer.
Some related slugs also engulf chloroplasts but E. chlorotica alone preserves the little green photosynthetic organelles called chloroplasts, from the algae it eats in working order for a whole slug lifetime of nearly a year. The slug readily sucks the innards out of algal filaments whenever they’re available, but in good light, multiple meals aren’t essential.
A team of paleobiologists surveyed hundreds of modern and ancient whale skeletons for decompression syndrome, which occurs when quick pressure changes force air or fat bubbles out of blood vessels.
Such damage would have been common when whales first began plunging into the depths of the ocean, says Brian Beatty, of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, US, who led the study.
Diving is an activity that appeals to a huge selection of people, and within diving, there are almost as many ways to enjoy the sport as there are participants. During the 1990s, scuba diving became a mass participation sport.
As the Red Sea narrows at its northern extreme, a long thin arm of water stretches north towards the Mediterranean. It is the Gulf of Suez. Squeezed between the Sinai Peninsula and the Egyptian mainland, the entrance to the Gulf is marked by a treacherous finger of reef known as Sha’ab Ali.
Once more, for 32nd time, the World Festival of Underwater Images was held in Antibes on the French Riviera. During the last sunny days of October (27th –30th ) 18,000 visitors passed the turnstiles and were captivated by the cosy atmosphere and special ambience in this special world of underwater imagery.
In the past few years underwater photography has been transformed by new technologies and new ideas. It’s not only the equipment and techniques that have changed. The way we store and view our photographs has also been revolutionized. This has made underwater photography more popular than ever.
As another Celebrate the Sea festival wraps up, it is clear that with each year that passes, the show grows stronger and stronger. Staged at Singapore’s Suntec City convention centre from June 3 -5, this year’s festival was truly unforgettable.
Buddies are not essential for a safe dive. On the contrary, buddies often increase the risk of a dive, either directly through unpredictable or unreliable actions, or indirectly, through an unfounded belief that security is enhanced by numbers alone, regardless of the training or state of mind of the buddy. In most instances, a competent solo diver would be much safer than the average buddy dive.
What does a fish exporter from Norway, a Chief Information Officer and diving instructor living in the Netherlands, a renowned lawyer based in Cyprus, a Project Manager working in Sweden, and an expat French Technical Diving Instructor have in common?
Water is obviously important as a basic necessity for maintaining life. Quite simply, if you don’t regularly take in water you can die within a few days.
