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A team of environmental scientists and physical limnologists has published a fascinating study that may provide a scientific explanation for one of the most famous stories in the Bible: Jesus’ miraculous “multiplication” of fish. This research investigates natural events that may have created an abundance of fish in <keyword id="23812630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lake-kinneret" source="keywords">Lake Kinneret</keyword>, also known as the Sea of Galilee, without any need for divine intervention.<br /><h2>The story behind the miracle</h2>The New Testament recounts two instances where Jesus multiplied a small amount of food to feed the hungry. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells Simon Peter to cast his nets in the Sea of Galilee, leading to an overwhelming catch of fish. In the Gospel of John, Jesus supposedly turned a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish into a meal for thousands of followers. For nearly two millennia, Christians have interpreted these events as miracles, showcasing Jesus’ divine power. But could there have been a natural phenomenon behind these "miraculous" catches?<br /><br />The new study doesn’t aim to discredit these ancient accounts but rather to explore what might have been happening in the lake at the time. Using a range of modern scientific techniques, the research team examined Lake Kinneret’s unique conditions to see if there might be another reason for these “miraculous” catches of fish.<br /><h2>What happens in Lake Kinneret</h2>The researchers found that Lake Kinneret is naturally stratified, with two distinct layers of water: a warmer, oxygen-rich upper layer, where most fish reside, and a colder, oxygen-poor lower layer. Normally, these two layers remain separate, but every once in a while, a unique combination of environmental conditions causes them to mix. This phenomenon, known as “thermal stratification,” results in a sudden and dangerous depletion of oxygen throughout the lake, leaving fish unable to breathe at any level of the water.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114938626" title="&amp;quot;Sugar early in life is the new tobacco&amp;quot;: Scientists urge food companies to reformulate baby foods and tax sugary options" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>When this mixing happens, the fish die off en masse and float to the surface. To someone on the shore, this could look like an abundance of fish suddenly appearing, ready for easy collection. Imagine standing by the lake as hundreds or even thousands of fish rise to the surface — the scene could easily inspire stories of miraculous bounty.<br /><h2>A coincidence or a miracle?</h2>To investigate the phenomenon, the research team deployed temperature sensors, oxygen metres, and even tested wind speed and direction in the lake. These instruments confirmed that Lake Kinneret experiences regular die-offs of fish due to stratification, followed by these mass appearances of fish near the surface. According to their findings, similar environmental conditions existed around the time of Jesus, making it possible that such a die-off event occurred then, too.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114885489" title="A 14-year-old took home $10,000 for his award-winning investigation into train derailments. Here&amp;#39;s what he found." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The team’s research also indicated that strong winds across the lake could drive oxygen-poor waters to the surface, killing off fish in greater numbers. They observed that specific types of fish in Lake Kinneret are especially prone to this kind of die-off and tend to end up along the shore, where they could be easily collected by a hungry populace.<br /><br />While the study’s findings don’t rule out the possibility of miracles, they suggest that at least some of the stories of miraculous catches might be explained by natural processes. If Jesus and his disciples happened to be fishing in Lake Kinneret during one of these die-offs, the sudden appearance of fish may have seemed miraculous.<br /><br />From a modern perspective, it’s a reminder that ancient people often attributed unusual natural events to divine intervention simply because they lacked the scientific knowledge we have today. Rather than taking away from the significance of these stories, the scientific findings highlight the powerful ways in which natural events can intersect with human experience, shaping beliefs and narratives that endure through millennia.<br /><br />The findings of this research have been published in <em>Water Resources Research</em> and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037894">here</a>.<br />

How did Jesus 'multiply' his fish? A new study provides an answer that is more science than miracle

With millions of people across five continents experiencing scorching heat last month, the European Union's (EU) climate agency, Copernicus <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">Climate Change</keyword> Service (C3S), confirmed on Monday that June was the warmest on record. It also marked the 12th consecutive month of <keyword id="20524196" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-temperatures" source="keywords">global temperatures</keyword> reaching <keyword id="22325521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="1-5-degrees-Celsius" source="keywords">1.5 degrees Celsius</keyword> above the pre-industrial average. <br /><br />According to scientists at C3S, every month since June last year has been the warmest such month on record. <br /><br />In January, the world completed an entire year with the mean surface air temperature exceeding the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold. June was the 12th consecutive month with monthly average temperatures above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. <br /><br />At the 2015 UN climate talks in Paris, world leaders committed to limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. However, a permanent breach of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit specified in the <keyword id="20104670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Agreement" source="keywords">Paris Agreement</keyword> refers to long-term warming over a 20 or 30-year period. <br /><br />Earth's global surface temperature has already increased by around 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to the average in 1850-1900 due to the rapidly-increasing concentration of <keyword id="20649149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="greenhouse-gases" source="keywords">greenhouse gases</keyword> -- primarily carbon dioxide and methane -- in the atmosphere. This warming is considered to be the reason behind record droughts, wildfires and floods worldwide. <br /><br />According to new data, June 2024 was the warmest on record, with an average surface air temperature of 16.66 degrees Celsius, 0.67 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average for the month and 0.14 degrees Celsius above the previous high set in June 2023. <br /><br />"The month was 1.5 degrees Celsius above the estimated June average for 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period, making it the 12th consecutive month to reach or break the 1.5-degree threshold," C3S said in a statement. <br /><br />It was also the 13th consecutive month of <keyword id="21477127" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="record-high-temperatures" source="keywords">record-high temperatures</keyword>, a result of the combined effect of the 2023-24 El Nino event and human-caused climate change. While unusual, a similar streak of monthly global temperature records happened previously in 2015-16. <br /><br />"This is more than a statistical oddity and highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate. Even if this specific streak of extremes ends at some point, we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, unless we stop adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans," said Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S. <br /><br />The European climate agency said the global average temperature for the last 12 months (July 2023-June 2024) is the highest on record, at 0.76 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average and 1.64 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. <br /><br />The world's sea surface in June was also the highest ever recorded for the month. <br /><br />Several countries experienced record-breaking heat and devastating floods and storms in June. <br /><br />According to an analysis by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators based in the United States, more than 60 per cent of the world population faced extreme heat that was made at least three times more likely by climate change during June 16-24. <br /><br />Climate Central said the blistering heat in June impacted 619 million (61.9 crore) people in India, 579 million (57.9 crore) in China, 231 million (23.1 crore) in Indonesia, 206 million (20.6 crore) in Nigeria, 176 million (17.6 crore) in Brazil, 171 million (17.1 crore) in Bangladesh, 165 million (16.5 crore) in the US, 152 million (15.2 crore) in Europe, 123 million (12.3 crore) in Mexico, 121 million (12.1 crore) in Ethiopia and 103 million (10.3 crore) in Egypt. <br /><br />According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), northwest India recorded its warmest June since 1901. <br /><br />India, which experienced one of its hottest and longest heatwaves, recorded more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and over 100 heat-related deaths. The intense heat overwhelmed the water supply system and power grids, with Delhi grappling with a severe water crisis. <br /><br />According to the IMD, 11 states recorded 20 to 38 heatwave days -- up to four times the usual number of such days -- during the April-to-June period. The mercury breached 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Rajasthan, with night temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius in many places. <br /><br />Temperatures were most above average over eastern Canada, the western United States and Mexico, Brazil, northern Siberia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Antarctica.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-mukesh-ambani-led-telco-might-be-gearing-up-for-indias-biggest-ipo/articleshow/111519009.cms">Reliance Jio IPO – Mukesh Ambani-led telco might be gearing up for India’s biggest IPO</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-vs-airtel-vs-vi-prepaid-plans-comparison-plan-benefits-and-price-comparison-after-tariff-hike/articleshow/111512587.cms">Jio vs Airtel vs Vi recharge plans comparison – plan benefits and price comparison after tariff hike</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hp-envy-x360-14-review/articleshow/111407165.cms"><strong>HP Envy x360 14 review – feature-packed laptop with a sleek design</strong></a><br />

June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold

The deadly landslides in Kerala's ecologically fragile Wayanad district were triggered by a heavy burst of rainfall, made 10 per cent heavier by <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword>, according to a new rapid attribution study by a global team of scientists. Researchers from India, Sweden, the US and the UK warned that such events will become more common as the climate continues to warm. <br /><br />To measure the impact of human-caused climate change, the scientists from the <keyword id="12008149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Weather-Attribution" source="Orion">World Weather Attribution</keyword> (WWA) group analysed climate models with high enough resolution to accurately reflect rainfall in the relatively small study area. <br /><br />The models indicated that the intensity of rainfall has increased by 10 per cent due to climate change, they said. <br /><br />The models also predict a further four per cent increase in rainfall intensity if the average <keyword id="21951013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-temperature" source="keywords">global temperature</keyword> rises by two degrees Celsius compared to the 1850-1900 average. <br /><br />The scientists, however, said there is a "high level of uncertainty" in the model results as the study area is small and mountainous with complex rainfall-climate dynamics. <br /><br />Having said that, the increase in heavy one-day rainfall events aligns with a growing body of scientific evidence on extreme rainfall in a warming world, including in India, and the understanding that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to heavier downpours. <br /><br />According to scientists, the atmosphere's capacity to hold moisture increases by about 7 per cent for every one-degree Celsius rise in global temperature. <br /><br />The Earth's global surface temperature has already increased by around 1.3 degrees Celsius due to the rapidly rising concentration of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane. Scientists say this is the reason behind worsening <keyword id="19912530" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="extreme-weather-events" source="keywords">extreme weather events</keyword>, such as droughts, heat waves and floods worldwide. <br /><br />The WWA scientists said that while the relationship between land cover, land use changes and landslide risk in Wayanad is not fully clear from existing studies, factors, such as quarrying for building materials and a 62 per cent reduction in forest cover may have increased the slopes' susceptibility to landslides during heavy rainfall. <br /><br />Other researchers have also linked the <keyword id="22597176" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wayanad-landslides" source="keywords">Wayanad landslides</keyword> to a combination of forest cover loss, mining in fragile terrain and prolonged rain followed by heavy precipitation. <br /><br />S Abhilash, the director of the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), had earlier told PTI that the warming of the Arabian Sea is leading to the formation of deep cloud systems, resulting in extremely heavy rainfall in Kerala in a short period and increasing the risk of landslides. <br /><br />"Our research found that the southeast Arabian Sea is becoming warmer, causing the atmosphere above Kerala to become thermodynamically unstable. This instability is allowing the formation of deep clouds," he had said. <br /><br />According to the landslide atlas released by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre last year, 10 out of the top 30 landslide-prone districts in India are in Kerala, with Wayanad ranked at the 13th spot. <br /><br />A study published by Springer in 2021 said all landslide hotspots in Kerala are in the Western Ghats region and are concentrated in Idukki, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. <br /><br />It said about 59 per cent of total landslides in Kerala have occurred in plantation areas. <br /><br />A 2022 study on depleting forest cover in Wayanad showed that 62 per cent of forests in the district disappeared between 1950 and 2018, while plantation cover rose by around 1,800 per cent.

Wayanad landslides linked to 10% heavier rainfall due to climate change: Study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Australian sea lions <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/seals-with-trackers-discover-hidden-antarctic-canyon-2023-11">wearing video cameras</a> showed scientists a whole new world on the ocean floor.</li><li>The footage revealed surprisingly diverse habitats like sponge gardens, coral reefs, and kelp reefs.</li></ul><p>Sea lions are letting scientists in on some of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-crack-mystery-of-huge-gravity-hole-in-the-indian-ocean-2023-6">the ocean's secrets</a>.</p><p>Humans have only explored about 5% of the world's oceans, and we have limited ability to study sea life in the wild, but large <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dolphin-eats-venomous-sea-snakes-on-gopro-video-puzzling-scientists-2022-8">predators like dolphins</a> and seals can help.</p><p>That's why a team of researchers in Australia outfitted eight female sea lions with small video-camera packs.</p><p>All eight of the sea lions had pups, which meant they had to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dolphin-gopro-videos-show-hunting-sea-snakes-feeding-victory-squeals-2022-8">hunt fish</a>, octopuses, and small sharks along the shallows of the continental shelf and then come back to nurse their babies.</p><p>That gave scientists 89 hours of sea-lion POV video from the uncharted <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earth-core-encased-by-ancient-ocean-mountains-taller-everest-2023-9">ocean floor</a> off the coast of southern Australia, revealing areas researchers had never previously laid eyes on.</p><p>The sea lions' never-before-seen video footage is helping scientists understand ocean life in the area, and it could lead to new discoveries. </p><h2 id="5afddeab-3c85-4a5b-9b0d-53288f7d5639">See the ocean from a sea lion's viewpoint</h2><div type="image" title="underwater blue ocean scene of muted corals on the sea floor swarming with fish viewed from a sea lion's back" height="359" width="660" msid="112335667" hostid="261" sizebytes="15292"></div><p>When Nathan Angelakis watched the footage, he was amazed to see the sea floor teeming with life.</p><p>"I was really surprised by the diversity of habitats that we saw the sea lions use," Angelakis, a PhD student at the South Australian Research and Development Institute and the University of Adelaide, told Business Insider.</p><p>The sea lions were "zigzagging" through <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ancient-arctic-sea-sponges-survive-by-eating-worm-fossils-2022-2">sea sponges</a>, kelp reefs, and corals, traveling long distances, Angelakis said. The video below shows just a sample of their adventures.</p><p>He co-authored a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.MdVeKMXe-2Bu-2BITFqnYKpwpYrG9aSJSXpvhXXGDX3Obslynh6O8MiWtx5A5k6q2-2FrWY4KrIp62NBh1bdldmHRTu2m-2BbrzSW1i-2FZ7VGz95NfSBR0Le34i7aEivChoHKg5oljyP0YIX4yn0KQmPe3Eulew-3D-3DShse_6hFIHAcasz6NIPwFENb3m8zfirVj-2Fs1caSVu6bbfQt-2FcigdLCULOHRf-2F9S3nmRrya56RzBc4EFTZWuZANRXuDmisncWkwc9tI-2FQ-2Fq9xljrRFLRiBV1Rq2nGmvyJNcHwRKvbIbS1NkKXjdQBQaOxTdDR6XOfS2JpLrJM4SO1u-2Bjejku6HGYJjUc-2BQJegSuyjdPtLKRWY4lCHSQlTTn94Sumez-2B9-2BN8S4adLHrlsoEvatECI2jdg-2BvqxElry-2FgaDgO76nTVSU4Q1s2rok3MyxQLoe7K26dZ29B-2BYfmIGbWWozla2cKLOEgU0m7f2vjQlVXsbI5xg02a8wF64i5gFyvPb-2BZygHfmxZpRJOF6PW9q-2BWP2PH6z6Dl8rS1ZN6q7zuNVjoZuJUK0uLKu7fz7AIjNA-3D-3D">paper</a> on the ocean-floor findings, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Marine Science on Wednesday.</p><p>"We really didn't know what was down there. We didn't know if it was just bare plains of sand or if it was mostly reef," Angelakis said.</p><p>And that was just a snapshot of the seafloor. There may be much larger, yet-to-be-discovered sponge gardens and reefs in the area.</p><h2 id="44628bf2-ee5e-493b-bd39-8eed4220797a">Discovering new habitats and species could help protect them</h2><div type="image" title="underwater blue ocean scene of muted sea sponges and corals on the sandy sea floor viewed over a sea lion's back" height="394" width="631" msid="112335671" hostid="261" sizebytes="10526"></div><p>Research like this is a crucial first step for protecting those sea-floor habitats. Human activities and rising global temperatures are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coral-reefs-vanish-by-2100-before-and-after-photos-2020-2">destroying the coral reefs</a> we know about, and scientists across the planet are trying to figure out how to save them.</p><p>To safeguard other ocean habitats, researchers first have to know what's down there. There's even a good chance that some of the sponges and other invertebrates in the video footage are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-discover-new-species-of-feather-stars-with-20-arms-2023-8">species unknown to science</a>, since seafloor habitats often have endemic species that only exist in one small area.</p><p>Using sea lions to map the ocean floors is particularly valuable because it shows which habitats are most important to the predators.</p><p>Angelakis watched all 89 hours of the sea lions' footage. He estimates that each hour of video took him about three hours to analyze. He had to match the footage to GPS data from the same sea lion, identify the prey animals it hunted, categorize the type of habitat, and describe the sea lion's specific behaviors.</p><p>But he said it didn't feel like work.</p><p>"You just get a vision into a completely different world, and you're on the back of an animal," Angelakis said. "You're seeing the ocean how they see it, essentially."</p>

Sea lions with cameras got stunning video of never-before-seen habitats on the ocean floor, surprising scientists

Imagine a blind date that not only sparks romance, but also whips up an underwater <keyword id="43950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="storm" source="Orion">storm</keyword>! That's what researchers discovered when studying how different <keyword id="53745" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ocean" source="Orion">ocean</keyword> layers mix. But before we dive into their fishy findings, let's understand why ocean mixing matters.<br /><br />Believe it or not, half the <keyword id="19912640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="earth" source="keywords">Earth</keyword>'s <keyword id="6355647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oxygen" source="Orion">oxygen</keyword> comes from ocean plants and algae, which need sunlight to thrive. Yet, they mainly live near the surface. So how does oxygen reach deeper creatures?<br /><br />Tides and winds help stir the ocean, but scientists found this process insufficient for the observed mixing levels. This led them to investigate some strange nighttime turbulence that was reported off the Spanish coast. The disturbance in the water was akin to a storm taking place, despite calm weather above.<br /><br />Imagine their surprise when, in their attempt to capture microscopic algae, they found thousands of tiny <keyword id="1342494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anchovy" source="Orion">anchovy</keyword> eggs! These <keyword id="6355507" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="fish" source="Orion">fish</keyword>, popular for bait and food, were gathering in immense numbers to spawn, creating powerful turbulence.<br /><br />Through observation, researchers revealed how the anchovies' movements caused significant temperature fluctuations, especially at night. This, they believe, contributes significantly to mixing different ocean layers.<br /><br />The idea of marine creatures influencing ocean mixing existed, but lacked strong evidence. This study, published in <em><keyword id="20508379" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nature-science" source="keywords">Nature Science</keyword></em>, provides crucial support for this theory.<br />

Fish spawning frenzies may be key to delivering oxygen to the depths of the ocean, researchers find

<ul class="summary-list"><li>While at sea, the air conditioning on a Carnival Sunrise cruise failed on certain portions of the ship.</li><li>Passengers on board reported temperatures as high as 80 degrees in their cabins.</li></ul><p>Passengers aboard a Carnival Sunrise cruise to Jamaica had more than just seasickness to contend with after blistering heat caused some air conditioning systems on the ship to fail last week.</p><p>The cruise departed Miami on July 24, stopping in Jamaica and Grand Cayman before returning to port on Saturday. It is unclear when the air condition problem began but, during the 5-night Western Caribbean voyage, vacationers reported their cabins were uncomfortably warm — some taking photos to share online of their rooms hovering over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. </p><p>Outside, the heat reached over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures above 82 degrees Fahrenheit require people to take "extreme caution" to prevent heat-related illness, Dr. Sterling Ransone, a practicing family physician told <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-you-should-do-if-you-exercise-work-in-the-heat#:~:text=Above%2082%20degrees%20is%20considered,of%20heat%20stroke%2C%E2%80%9D%20Dr.">Healthline</a>. Over 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the weather becomes dangerous, where heat illness is likely and heat stroke becomes possible, Ransone said. </p><p>A Carnival Cruise Line representative confirmed to Insider that the Carnival Sunrise, which sailed its maiden voyage in 1999, experienced an air conditioning "issue," adding that the AC failure "affected a limited number of staterooms and some of the public areas of the ship."</p><p>"The extreme heat and record-setting ocean temperatures have put added stress on air conditioning systems on land and sea," the representative told Insider in an emailed statement, adding that the ship's technical teams "are keeping a close eye" on the company's fleet of ships to keep passengers comfortable. </p><p>The company did not clarify how long the air conditioning and other services including in-room refrigerators were impacted and did not respond to questions about what solutions were offered to affected guests.</p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/florida-sharks-ocean-temperature-marine-heat-wave-syrup-water-2023-7">Ocean temperatures this week appeared to break new records</a> with sea water reaching 98 degrees Fahrenheit in South Florida.</p><p>Guests on board were quick to post on social media to point out just how many of the ship's passengers were impacted, sharing pictures of long lines to speak to guest services. The company said that the AC issues had impacted a "limited" number of people.</p>  <p>"Currently sailing with <a href="https://twitter.com/CarnivalCruise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@CarnivalCruise</a> and I must say that I'm very disappointed. Hot rooms, broken light, and refrigerator," one passenger <a href="https://twitter.com/GA_Belle123/status/1684017816163213312" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Twitter.</p><p>Another <a href="https://twitter.com/amlykins10/status/1685387937976836096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote:</a> "Nothing like having ZERO air conditioning in your room on a cruise! Went to guest services and called with no luck. Some of the line from last night at midnight. Also had a broken fridge and was given a bucket of ice as a remedy."</p><p>The cruise line offered impacted passengers a 50% refund of their ticket price, industry news outlet <a href="https://www.cruisehive.com/carnival-cruise-ship-air-conditioning-issues-lead-to-refunds/107749">Cruise Hive</a> reported. Some were also given buckets of ice to try to keep cool. </p><p>Tickets on board run upwards of $294 dollars per person per night, depending on which itinerary and room they book. </p><p>"I haven't received any refunds for this cruise nor been offered any," one impacted passenger, who preferred not to be identified by name, told Insider in an emailed statement. "I contacted customer service and was told I needed to email them my concerns. A representative couldn't handle my concerns. The reply email I received said that I could expect an email reply on upwards to 45 days from now."</p><p>Despite nightmarish <a href="https://www.insider.com/cruise-ship-horror-stories-2018-7">tales of widespread illness on cruises</a> and reports of <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-a-cruise-like-reality-vs-expectation-disappointing-photos-2022-7">ships struggling to maintain their amenities</a>, travelers have been surging back to sea this year, <a href="https://time.com/6263225/cruise-covid-19-protocols/">Time</a> reported, breaking pre-pandemic travel records.</p>

Guests aboard a Carnival Sunrise cruise reported room temperatures over 80 degrees as the air conditioning failed while at sea

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An ocean expedition revealed 100 never-before-seen sea creatures in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earth-core-encased-by-ancient-ocean-mountains-taller-everest-2023-9">underwater mountains</a> near Chile. </li><li>Some of the animals may be new species and include sponges, crustaceans, and mollusks. </li></ul><p>Much of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/researchers-puzzled-by-golden-orb-on-alaska-seafloor-2023-9">ocean is still a mystery</a>, so often when a camera goes deep enough, it finds something <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/strange-deep-sea-creatures-trivia-facts-2018-4">new or unusual</a>.</p><p>That was certainly the case during a recent Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition. Led by Javier Sellanes, a team of scientists explored seamounts along the Nazca and Salas y Gómez Ridge near Chile.</p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-a-submarine-runs-into-an-underwater-mountain-former-submariner-2021-11">underwater mountains</a> run about 1,800 miles, longer than the Himalayas. Its tallest peak is over 2 miles high, around 800 feet shorter than Japan's Mount Fuji.</p><p>Equipped with a 4K camera, a remotely operated vehicle <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/underwater-photo-competition-captures-shipwrecks-sunken-tanks-planes-helicopter-2024-2">explored the seafloor</a> nearly 3 miles below the water's surface. In addition to capturing video and images, the robot collected samples. The scientists think they potentially found more than 100 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/species-name-celebrity-awareness-regret-taxonomy-2023-11">unknown species.</a></p><p>"Imagine if this is the only place in the world where such species are found," Schmidt's Executive Director, Jyotika Virmani, told Business Insider. "Then you would want to protect that."</p><p>The researchers are hoping the area's diversity will help designate it as a marine protected area to help conserve the unique ecosystem, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://schmidtocean.org/underwater-mountains-harbor-abundant-life/">press release</a>.</p><p>Here are some of the weird and wild sealife the scientists uncovered in the depths.</p><h2>A delicate-looking sponge</h2><div type="image" title="A close-up of a white sponge looking ghostly underwater" height="1500" width="2003" msid="107925663" hostid="261" sizebytes="88700"></div><p>"Most of the seafloor is still unknown to us," Virmani said, with only about 25% of it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/geologist-marie-tharp-ocean-floor-map-mid-altantic-rfit-2023-9">mapped in detail</a>. This expedition mapped 20,377 square miles of the region's seafloor.</p><p>Some of the potential new species the scientists found include sponges, coral, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-follow-crabs-ocean-floor-discover-deep-sea-hot-springs-2023-11">crustaceans</a>, and mollusks.</p><h2>A whiplash squid</h2><div type="image" title="A bright red squid with a big eye" height="1500" width="2288" msid="107925665" hostid="261" sizebytes="118090"></div><p>One goal of the expedition and future ones will be to explore how the underwater mountains affect how these species, like this squid, are distributed.</p><p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/atlantic-ocean-currents-collapse-shut-down-new-study-2024-2">ocean circulation</a> could be different in certain areas, Virmani said, "So you might have different nutrients or different temperatures." That could make one side of the mountain look very different from the other.</p><h2><strong>A bright red sea toad or coffinfish</strong></h2><div type="image" title="A red fish with hairy looking spines swims at the bottom of the ocean" height="1498" width="2153" msid="107925671" hostid="261" sizebytes="456326"></div><p>In addition to spotting plants and animals like the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/science-blog/mysterious-identity-bright-red-sea-toad">Chaunacops coloratus</a>, a vibrant fish sometimes found in Hawaii, the expedition also discovered four unknown seamounts.</p><p>"Some of these <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earths-tallest-mountain-is-hawaii-2015-6">seamounts</a> had never been mapped before," Virmani said. "So we didn't even know what shapes they were."</p><h2>A coral spiral</h2><div type="image" title="A pale pink spiraling coral underwater near Chile" height="1500" width="2235" msid="107925673" hostid="261" sizebytes="441432"></div><p>Some corals grow in spirals. Throughout the world, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-coral-is-dying-after-water-temperatures-exceed-100-degrees-2023-8">corals are under threat</a> from the climate crisis.</p><p>This whole region is vulnerable, Virmani said. It's biologically active and a target for fishing, and it's minerally rich, making it attractive to deep-sea miners.</p><p>"There are these stresses that may be impacting the ecosystems that are there," Virmani said, "and so we need to really understand and see what's happening down there."</p><h2><strong>Pretty sea urchins</strong></h2><div type="image" title="A group of sea urchins that appear in shades of pink, tan, and white at the bottom of the sea" height="1500" width="2141" msid="107925674" hostid="261" sizebytes="242394"></div><p>The Schmidt livestreams its expeditions. "Anyone in the living room anywhere in the world, if you have an internet connection, can watch on YouTube as this exploration is happening live," Virmani said.</p><p>It also allows other scientists to offer their expertise from home. A marine biologist was able to <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/echinoblog/status/1754250738727895163">help identify</a> this cluster of sea urchins as the species Dermechinus horridus.</p><h2>The samples are back at the lab</h2><div type="image" title="Two people wearing blue gloves in a lab with one holding a sample from a marine species, about to dip it in a plastic container filled with clear liquid" height="1500" width="2062" msid="107925677" hostid="261" sizebytes="132188"></div><p>The scientists can't determine a new species based on photos and videos alone.</p><p>"That work will take place in a lab environment where they'll do some more in-depth study to confirm that these are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-discover-new-species-of-feather-stars-with-20-arms-2023-8">new species</a>," Virmani said.</p><h2>A squat lobster</h2><div type="image" title="A squat lobster that's red and white crawls along the seafloor" height="1500" width="1933" msid="107925678" hostid="261" sizebytes="582518"></div><p>Enthusiasts hoping to get a peek at more deep-sea creatures will have a chance starting February 24. The Schmidt Ocean Institute, started by Wendy Schmidt and former <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eric-schmidt-google-paid-67-million-for-oligarchs-abandoned-superyacht-2023-6">Google CEO Eric Schmidt</a>, will launch another expedition with the Research Vessel Falkor (too).</p><p>The organization will livestream underwater dives on its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@SchmidtOcean">YouTube channel</a>, exploring areas nearly 2,000 feet beneath the waves.</p>

Photos show never-before-seen sea creatures living in an underwater mountain that dwarfs the Himalayas 

In a concerning development driven by the relentless advance of <keyword id="6361617" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>, our nights are growing hotter – and not in the way we would hope. Reports from multiple weather agencies have confirmed that August 2023 has entered the annals as the hottest month ever recorded. This alarming statistic cements this year's position as one of the warmest among an already increasingly hot 21st century, providing stark evidence of our planet's unwavering warming trend.<br /><br />However, the more evident consequences such as escalating sea levels and the extinction of species may not directly impact many individuals unless it affects their homes or puts their species at risk of vanishing. Nevertheless, a recent research study has disclosed that climate change is influencing other, seemingly mundane facets of our daily lives.<br /><br />Research from Columbia Public <keyword id="6354750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">Health</keyword> has established a direct correlation between elevated temperatures and a surge in hospital admissions related to alcohol and substance-related disorders. <br /><br />The United States is observing an escalating pattern of excessive episodic drinking and the occurrence of alcohol-related fatalities and illnesses, particularly among middle-aged and older adults. Additionally, drug overdose fatalities have increased by over fivefold since the close of the 20th century.<br /><br />Researchers delved into how temperature affects hospital admissions linked to alcohol and various drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, opioids, and sedatives, in the state of New York. They analysed data encompassing 671,625 alcohol-related hospital visits and 721,469 substance-related hospital admissions spanning two decades, while also factoring in daily temperature and relative humidity records.<br /><br />Using statistical models, they contrasted days with high temperatures against adjacent days with lower mercury levels to gain insight into how short-term climate-related occurrences, like hotter days, impact hospital admissions.<br /><br />The findings disclosed that a 75th percentile surge in daily minimum temperature across a 0-6 day interval was linked to a 25% increase in hospital admission rates. Concerning substance-related disorders, elevated hospital admissions were only evident when nighttime temperatures escalated to the 50th percentile, rather than at higher temperatures.<br /><br />Moreover, the study proposed that a temperature threshold for substance abuse might exist because, beyond a certain temperature, people are less inclined to venture outdoors. The data demonstrated that these discoveries were consistent across different age groups, genders, and levels of social vulnerability.<br /><br />Nonetheless, the researchers acknowledge that their study possibly underestimates the association between rising temperatures and substance use disorders, as extremely severe disorders may have resulted in fatalities even before a <keyword id="4656143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hospital-visit" source="Orion">hospital visit</keyword> became possible.<br /><br />Further investigation is warranted to explore the role of pre-existing health conditions exacerbated by alcohol and/or substance use combined with elevated temperatures.<br /><br />The detailed findings of this study have been published in <em>Communications Medicine</em> and can be accessed <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-023-00346-1" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.<br />

Temperature's Toll: Hospitals see a surge in drug and alcohol abuse-related visits on hotter nights, study reveals

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/antarctic-flowering-plant-growth-signals-climate-crisis-impact-study-2022-2">Antarctica</a> and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ancient-arctic-sea-sponges-survive-by-eating-worm-fossils-2022-2">Arctic</a> suffered <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/4-ways-extreme-heat-negatively-impacts-economy-2021-8">heat waves</a> in the past week, reaching 70 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/antarctica-thwaites-glacier-ice-shelf-will-shatter-scientists-say-2021-12">poles</a> are in opposite seasons, but atmospheric rivers carried moisture and warm air to them.</li></ul><p>Heat waves blanketed the planet's poles in unseasonably warm temperatures over the past week.</p><p>In parts of the <keyword id="11905238" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="arctic" source="Orion">Arctic</keyword>, temperatures soared to about 50 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) above average on Friday, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-colorado-arctic-antarctica-eda9ea8704108bdab2480fa2cd4b6e34?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&amp;utm_campaign=9faf4287e9-briefing-dy-20220321&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-9faf4287e9-45928806">The Associated Press</a>. The same day, on the other end of the planet, <keyword id="12266096" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="antarctica" source="Orion">Antarctica</keyword>'s Dome C research station registered a record <keyword id="11930978" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="temperature" source="Orion">temperature</keyword> of 13.8 degrees, about 70 degrees above average. Vostok station, sitting 2 miles high on the Antarctic plateau, registered a similarly extreme temperature of 0.1 degrees.</p><p>As of Tuesday, the Antarctic <keyword id="11947988" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="heat-wave" source="Orion">heat wave</keyword> was subsiding, but temperatures remained about 50 degrees above normal, according to Robert Rodhe, lead scientist at the environmental data nonprofit Berkeley Earth.</p><p>"This event is rewriting record books and our expectations about what is possible in Antarctica," Rodhe <a href="https://twitter.com/RARohde/status/1505867257104187403">said</a> on Twitter. "Is this simply a freakishly improbable event, or is it a sign of more to come? Right now, no one knows."</p><div type="image" title="two penguins stand on melting iceberg on rocky shelf" height="1648" width="2199" msid="90404839" hostid="261"></div><p>The poles are in opposite seasons — it's fall in Antarctica, just starting to chill, while the Arctic is emerging from the dark depths of winter. But the mechanisms driving their respective heat records are the same. Atmospheric rivers — long, flowing columns of water vapor, like rivers in the sky — carried large amounts of moisture and warm air to both poles, causing the double-whammy polar heat wave.  </p><p>In Antarctica, a high-pressure system called a "heat dome" also moved in and sat over the eastern side of the continent, trapping heat and moisture there, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/03/18/antarctica-heat-wave-climate-change/?utm_campaign=Daily%20Briefing&amp;utm_content=20220321&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Revue%20newsletter">The Washington Post</a>.</p><p>"Are these two heat waves linked? We don't know yet, and it's most likely a coincidence," Antarctica researchers Dana Bergstrom, Sharon Robinson, and Simon Alexander <a href="https://theconversation.com/record-smashing-heatwaves-are-hitting-antarctica-and-the-arctic-simultaneously-heres-whats-driving-them-and-how-theyll-impact-wildlife-179659">wrote</a> in The Conversation on Tuesday.</p><p>Still, they added: "Modeling suggests large-scale climate patterns are [becoming] more variable. This means this seemingly one-off heat wave may be a harbinger for the future under <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>."</p><h2>The poles are warming faster than the rest of the planet</h2><div type="image" title="penguin stands on iceberg in ocean" height="1666" width="2222" msid="90404841" hostid="261"></div><p>While scientists can't directly attribute these warming events to climate change, it's possible that later studies will allow them to do so. Just a week after a record heat wave killed hundreds of people across the Pacific Northwest last June, World Weather Attribution published a <a href="https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/wp-content/uploads/NW-US-extreme-heat-2021-scientific-report-WWA.pdf">study</a> that concluded the event would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change.</p><p>Global temperatures are rising as humans add more heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, and the poles are warming faster than the rest of the planet.</p><p>Periods of warmth during the winter are a natural part of the Arctic climate, but <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2605/arctic-winter-warming-events-becoming-more-frequent-longer-lasting/">research</a> shows they're happening more frequently and lasting longer as the planet warms. In Antarctica, a lack of historical records makes it difficult to contextualize this weather.</p><div type="image" title="water drips from iceberg" height="1651" width="2201" msid="90404843" hostid="261"></div><p>"The first of the precise temperature records start in the late 1950s, so it's really hard to work out what's remarkable and what's not," Matt King, director of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic <keyword id="11896083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="science" source="Orion">Science</keyword>, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/21/extremes-of-40c-above-normal-whats-causing-extraordinary-heating-in-polar-regions">The Guardian</a>. "Sometime down the track, depending on what we do with our carbon emissions, we might see these types of temperatures much more regularly."</p><p>Alongside the heat wave, and possibly because of it, Arctic <keyword id="13451070" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sea-ice" source="Orion">sea ice</keyword> coverage dropped suddenly this month, according to data from the <a href="https://cryo.met.no/en/sea-ice-index-sval">Norwegian Meteorological Institute</a>.</p><p>At the other pole, even before the heat wave, Antarctica was at its lowest sea ice coverage since records began, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/23/antarctic-sea-ice-falls-to-lowest-level-since-measurements-began-in-1979">The Guardian</a> reported in February.</p>

You Searched For "sea temperature" and got 9 results

How did Jesus 'multiply' his fish? A new study provides an answer that is more science than miracle

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June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold

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Wayanad landslides linked to 10% heavier rainfall due to climate change: Study

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Sea lions with cameras got stunning video of never-before-seen habitats on the ocean floor, surprising scientists

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Fish spawning frenzies may be key to delivering oxygen to the depths of the ocean, researchers find

Ankush Banerjee

Guests aboard a Carnival Sunrise cruise reported room temperatures over 80 degrees as the air conditioning failed while at sea

Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert

Photos show never-before-seen sea creatures living in an underwater mountain that dwarfs the Himalayas

Jenny McGrath

Temperature's Toll: Hospitals see a surge in drug and alcohol abuse-related visits on hotter nights, study reveals

Ashmita Gupta

Bizarre heat waves strike Arctic and Antarctic poles, raising them 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit above normal

Morgan McFall-Johnsen

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