The tiny organisms that cause harmful blooms of algae can have a big impact on your trip to the shore. A toxicologist explains what causes these events and how to keep people and pets safe.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Beaches
Displaying 1 - 20 of 59 articles
Scientists are predicting a record sargassum bloom in 2023. It’s already starting to wash up on beaches in Florida and the Caribbean and cause a stink.
We can now monitor coastal changes across thousands of beaches over the last 40 years, from Australia, New Zealand and Japan, to Chile, Peru, Mexico and California. Here’s what our new tool uncovered.
For a long time, surf lifesaving was a bastion of masculine ego and pride – until some tenacious and talented women turned the tide.
West Africa’s marine litter problem cannot be ignored. It can hinder the region’s economic and tourism growth, while putting people’s health at risk.
Last summer was the worst for drownings in a decade, with some groups tragically overrepresented. Community groups are urging a change of approach to water safety education.
Standard marine protected areas with fixed boundaries can’t effectively shelter these ocean nomads.
Discerning whether that dark splodge in the water is a shark or just, say, seaweed isn’t always straightforward. In reasonable conditions, drone pilots get it right only 60% of the time.
Scientists don’t know what prompts turtle hatchlings to emerge from their nests and head for the water, but vibrations appear to play a role.
Water companies recently released raw sewage near more than 100 beaches across Britain.
Puerto Rico’s tourism industry is booming as nations lift COVID-19 travel restrictions, but development is displacing people who have lived along its coastlines for years.
Coastal erosion in West Africa is a cause for global concern. The global community must rally to address climate change which is causing the retreat.
As sea levels rise, this natural form of beach replenishment might be an important factor in offsetting some of the damaging effects of climate change on beaches.
The direction a beach faces, relative to wind direction, largely determines how many bluebottles are pushed to shore.
The amount of microplastics in the environment is being significantly underestimated, research shows.
As authorities grapple with the best way to respond to the tragedy, it’s worth remembering all shark mitigation measures come with both merits and drawbacks – and none is a silver bullet.
The painful bites of female march flies can ruin your day at the beach. When we’re not there, they bite wallabies, birds, and even reptiles.
Australians tend to be fairly relaxed about the tsunami risk. But warnings from authorities to stay away from foreshore areas should not be ignored.
Surfing’s benefits to well-being aren’t often studied in economics terms. This is a major gap in our knowledge we’re now trying to fill.
Australia has thousands of beaches which differ greatly, from huge tides to high energy to recurring sinkholes.
Top contributors
-
Senior Lecturer in Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton
-
Associate Professor in Coastal and Marine Science, University of Newcastle
-
Adjunct Professor, Southern Cross University
-
Director, Ocean and Coastal Policy Center, Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara
-
Scientia Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney
-
Associate Research Professor and Director, Texas Sea Grant, Texas A&M University
-
Professor of Coastal Science, Florida International University
-
Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
-
Senior Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO
-
Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Sydney
-
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University
-
Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University
-
Professor, Medicine and Microbiology (conjoint), University of Sydney
-
Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia
-
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Wollongong
