Underwater cameras showed that the artist was a small puffer fish who, using only his flapping fin, tirelessly worked day and night to carve the circular ridges. The unlikely artist – best known in Japan as a delicacy, albeit a potentially poisonous one – even takes small shells, cracks them, and lines the inner grooves of his sculpture as if decorating his piece. Further observation revealed that this “mysterious circle” was not just there to make the ocean floor look pretty. Attracted by the grooves and ridges, female puffer fish would find their way along the dark seabed to the male puffer fish where they would mate and lay eggs in the center of the circle. In fact, the scientists observed that the more ridges the circle contained, the more likely it was that the female would mate with the male. The little sea shells weren’t just in vain either. The observers believe that they serve as vital nutrients to the eggs as they hatch, and to the newborns. The Deep Sea Mystery Circle - a love story (via BoingBoing)
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Underwater cameras showed that the artist was a small puffer fish who, using only his flapping fin, tirelessly worked day and night to carve the circular ridges. The unlikely artist – best known in Japan as a delicacy, albeit a potentially poisonous one – even takes small shells, cracks them, and lines the inner grooves of his sculpture as if decorating his piece. Further observation revealed that this “mysterious circle” was not just there to make the ocean floor look pretty. Attracted by the grooves and ridges, female puffer fish would find their way along the dark seabed to the male puffer fish where they would mate and lay eggs in the center of the circle. In fact, the scientists observed that the more ridges the circle contained, the more likely it was that the female would mate with the male. The little sea shells weren’t just in vain either. The observers believe that they serve as vital nutrients to the eggs as they hatch, and to the newborns.

The Deep Sea Mystery Circle - a love story

(via BoingBoing)

Types of Boat

    Airboat
    Ambulance
    Banana boat (merchant)
    Banana boat (recreational)
    Bangca
    Bareboat charter
    Barge
    Bass boat
    Bathtub Boat
    Bilibili
    Boita
    Bow Rider
    Cabin cruiser
    Cable ferry
    Canoe
    Cape Islander
    Car-boat
    Caravel
    Car float
    Catamaran
    Catboat
    Coble
    Center console
    Clipper ship
    Coracle
    Crash rescue boat
    Cruise ship
    Cruiser
    Cruising trawler
    Cuddy boat
    Cutter (sailing boat)
    Dhow
    Dinghy
    Dory
    Dragger
    Dragon boat
    Dredge a boat
    Drift boat
    Drifter (fishing)
    Drifter (naval)
    Durham Boat
    Electric boat
    Express cruiser
    Felucca
    Ferry
    Fireboat
    Fishing boat (contemporary)
    Fishing boat (traditional)
    Float tube
    Flyak
    Flying boat
    Folding boat
    Friendship sloop
    Full rigged pinnace
    Garbage scow
    Go-fast boat
    Gondola
    Great Lakes freighter
    Houseboat
    Hovercraft
    Hydrofoil
    Hydroplane
    Ice boat
    Inflatable boat
    Jetboat
    Jet ski
    Jon boat
    Junk
    Kayak and Sea kayak
    Ketch
    Launch
    Landing craft
    Lifeboat
    Lighter
    Log boat
    Longboat
    Longtail
    Lugger
    Luxury yacht
    Masula boat
    Missile boat
    Monitor
    Motorboat
    Motor Launch (naval)
    Narrowboat
    Nordland
    Norfolk wherry
    Outrigger canoe
    Padded V-hull
    Paddle steamer
    Patrol boat
    Personal water craft (PWC)
    Pinnace (ship’s boat)
    Pirogue
    Pleasure barge
    Pleasure craft
    Police watercraft
    Pontoon
    Powerboat
    Pump boat
    Punt
    Raft
    Reaction ferry
    Reed boat
    Rigid-hulled inflatable
    Riverboat
    Runabout
    Rowboat
    Sailboat
    Sampan
    Schooner
    Scow
    Sea kayak and Kayak
    Shad boat
    Sharpie
    Shikara
    Ship
    Ship’s tender
    Ski boat
    Skiff
    Steam boat
    Slipper Launch
    Sloop
    Speed boat
    Submarine
    Surf boat
    Swift boat
    Tarai Bune
    Tjotter
    Torpedo boat
    Towboat
    Traditional fishing boats
    Train ferry
    Trimaran
    Trawler (fishing)
    Trawler (naval)
    Trawler (recreational)
    Tugboat
    U-boat
    Umiak
    Very Slender Vessel
    Waka
    Wakeboard boat
    Walkaround
    Water taxi
    Whaleboat
    Yacht
    Yawl

(via Wikipedia)

adventures-of-the-blackgang: Satellite Photos Stricken Cruise Ship from Orbit: Big Pic Discovery News Jan. 18, 2012 — In case there is any doubt about the size of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia and the scale of the problem rescue crews (and now salvage crews) face, this incredible satellite photograph of the cruise ship, on its side, has been released by Colorado-based Earth-observation company DigitalGlobe. The Costa Concordia ran aground in shallow water off the Tuscan coast on Jan. 13, gouging a hole in her hull. 3,200 passengers were on board and, at time of writing, 11 people have been confirmed dead and two dozen remain missing. DigitalGlobe operates three satellites — the Quickbird, Worldview-1 and Worldview-2 — all equipped with high-resolution cameras that capture detailed imagery for commercial use. This view of the cruise ship shows her on her side, half-submerged in 100-meter deep waters. To give a sense of scale, the ship measures 290-meters (950 feet) long, that’s almost the length of three football fields end-to-end. More Discovery News coverage of the Costa Concordia disaster: How to Refloat a Capsized Liner Scorned Cruise Ship Captain Not Alone in History Cruise Liner Keels Over Off Tuscany Coast —by Ian O’NeillImage credit: DigitalGlobe
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adventures-of-the-blackgang:

Satellite Photos Stricken Cruise Ship from Orbit: Big Pic

Discovery News

Jan. 18, 2012 — In case there is any doubt about the size of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia and the scale of the problem rescue crews (and now salvage crews) face, this incredible satellite photograph of the cruise ship, on its side, has been released by Colorado-based Earth-observation company DigitalGlobe.


The Costa Concordia ran aground in shallow water off the Tuscan coast on Jan. 13, gouging a hole in her hull. 3,200 passengers were on board and, at time of writing, 11 people have been confirmed dead and two dozen remain missing.


DigitalGlobe operates three satellites — the Quickbird, Worldview-1 and Worldview-2 — all equipped with high-resolution cameras that capture detailed imagery for commercial use. This view of the cruise ship shows her on her side, half-submerged in 100-meter deep waters.


To give a sense of scale, the ship measures 290-meters (950 feet) long, that’s almost the length of three football fields end-to-end.


More Discovery News coverage of the Costa Concordia disaster:


—by Ian O’Neill
Image credit: DigitalGlobe

Types of dinghy

Whaleboats are among the classic “pulling” (rowing) boats, with a sharp bow, fine stern lines and a canoe stern. Despite being somewhat more tippy, with less cargo capacity than prams, they row, motor and sail well because of their fine lines. Prior to the introduction of fibreglass as a construction material, dories were more popular because their ease of assembly and, thereby, lower cost.

Whitehall Rowboats were the water taxis of the late 1800s until the invention of the small gasoline outboard. Considered one of the most refined rowboats for harbour and lake use, Whitehall Rowboats are a descendant of the Captain’s Gig which was used for a similar purpose on a naval vessel.

Dories are sharp-ended boats traditionally made of wood but now also produced in fibreglass or aluminium. They cut the water well, but their initial stability is low, making them feel tippy in flat water; a loaded dory becomes more stable as it is loaded. Dories are not generally used as service boats to yachts; they were used in large numbers in the cod fishing business, launched in numbers from the deck of a schooner hove to on the Grand Banks or other fishing ground. A dory can be landed or launched through surf where a Whitehall may founder.

Prams are similar to dories but are wider with transoms at both bow and stern. They are difficult to tip and carry a lot of cargo but are slow because of their lack of directional stability, although a keel and/or bilge runners can make a big difference, and even without they will row better than an inflatable.

From Wikipedia