Breaking Waves: Ocean News

High levels of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found in New Hampshire soil samples raise questions about food and water pollution Background levels of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in the ground and air may be much higher than previously thought, federal testing of spatially random soil samples from across New Hampshire suggests. The analysis found high levels of PFAS in all 100 shallow soil samples, which were taken from undisturbed land not close to known polluters. The chemicals are thought to largely have gotten there through the air, and the study, along with recent EU research, suggests similar levels of soil and air contamination throughout the world. Continue reading...

Only one female remains in the Canadian wilderness, a symbol of the country’s inability to save a species on the verge of destruction as politicians dither and the logging continues On a rainy spring morning, huddled under the shelter of an ancient cedar, Jared Hobbs hoots, whoops and squawks. In years past, he could lure curious owls by drawing on his extensive repertoire. Among them are the whoo whoo whoo whooo territorial calls, alarm barks and a simple “helicopter” breeding call that coo coo coo coos into the air. The calls bounce through the thick stand of trees and dissolve into the vast British Columbia rainforest. Species-at-risk expert Jared Hobbs in a rare stand of intact spotted owl habitat in western British Columbia. Photograph: Jesse Winter/The Guardian Continue reading...

Entrepreneur says plan to send renewable energy to Singapore from Northern Territory a ‘nation-building project for Australia’ Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Mike Cannon-Brookes has prevailed over Andrew Forrest in a billionaires’ battle for control of Sun Cable, an ambitious development promising to transmit solar-generated electricity from the Northern Territory outback to Singapore. Cannon-Brookes and Forrest had been involved in a bidding process for the $30bn-plus project after they fell out over its future direction and the company, also called Sun Cable, went into voluntary administration. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

North Coast Chronicles: Tales from the Great Lakes celebrates two years on ASPN with "The Highs, the Lows, and Highs of Cruise Shipping in the Great Lakes" with the May 2023 episode!  In a number of our previous North Coast Chronicle podcasts, the plethora of cruise ships now serving the Great Lakes was often highlighted.  But, cruise shipping is nothing new – historically – in the Great Lakes and there were decades when there was no cruise shipping because of marketplace pressures and regulatory requirements. Today, that has all changed. Joining the podcast to share his 30 years of first-hand knowledge of the business of cruise shipping – particularly in the Great Lakes – is Mr. Ralph Diehl.  In 2001, Ralph promoted a 226-passenger cruise ship in the Great Lakes.  He also shares the history of the U.S. flag ship, SS South American, considered the last great cruise liner in the Great Lakes!