Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online
On April 28, 2022, I was invited to give a short talk to a gathering of Environmental NGO representatives to provide an overview and my perspective on the current state of development for deep-sea mining. Below is the transcript of that talk. Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me. Today I’m going to give … Read More “Deep-Sea Mining: A whirlwind tour of the state of the industry and current policy regimes” »
The day they arrived, atmospheric CO2 held steady at 1600 parts per million and the coin traded at #75,236,808. The coin had surged in the years after the Majority War, when a single miner locked down enough processing power to strip the supply cap from the Core. The Battle for Hard Fork was the bloodiest … Read More “The day they arrived: a story of Bitcoin, terraforming, and invasion.” »
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2020 issue of the Deep-sea Mining Observer. It is reprinted here with permission. For the latest news and analysis about the development of the deep-sea mining industry, subscribe to DSM Observer here: http://dsmobserver.com/subscribe/ For the last decade, next-generation batteries have been the motivating force for the deep-sea mining industry. The … Read More “Beyond Batteries: exploring the demand for scandium and tellurium from the deep ocean” »
Nothing but hot air. Trump bans windmills. The President made bemused news last week during his oddly partisan attempt to ban offshore oil in several key states (though for some reason, seismic testing in those states continue, making it seem less like a ban and more like a request to “stand by”). Unsurprisingly, the offshore … Read More “Hot air for windmills, oceans get layered, and North Korean ghost ships – What’s up with the Oceans this Week” »
Just when you thought it was safe to read another decade-in-review listicle… As the 2010’s come to an end, it’s a time to reflect on the often-problematic decade that was as we plan for a hopeful future. I am a sucker for year-in-review and decade-in-review listicles, and was devastated to learn that no one had … Read More “10 sharks that mattered in the 2010’s” »
Transcript provided below. Are we finally going to lead with deep-sea mining? We’re going to lead with deep-sea mining. Welcome to the Weekly Salvage.
[The following is a transcript from a talk I gave at the 2019 Minerals, Materials, and Society Symposium at the University of Delaware in August, 2019. It has been lightly edited for clarity.] Good afternoon and thank you all for coming. I want to change tracks for a bit and scan the horizon to think … Read More “Emerging technologies for exploration and independent monitoring of seafloor extraction in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction” »
Foghorn (A Call to Action!) This week in deep-sea mining: Seabed-Mining Foes Press U.N. to Weigh Climate Impacts. Minerals used in electronics are found on the seafloor, but disturbing them could release carbon. Red List: Extinction threat to overlooked species. Flotsam (what we’re obsessed with right now) SPACE! One Small Step for Man, One Giant … Read More “Saving the Iron Snail, Ghosts of the Potomac, Invasion of the Land Crabs, and More! Monday Morning Salvage: July 22, 2019.” »
Foghorn (A Call to Action!) Flotsam (what we’re obsessed with right now) Stories in the Land: Tales of the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. This masters thesis by way of illustrated volume is an absolute masterpiece. What Would Really Happen if Thanos Erased Half of All Life on Earth? It would not be good. Could floating … Read More “Three entries about bitcoin-powered seasteaders that are absolutely full of cringe, plus some stuff that actually matters to the ocean. Monday Morning Salvage: April 22, 2019.” »
The Aquarius Project: The First Student-Driven Underwater Meteorite Hunt Pirates! Robots! Meteors! A team of plucky teenage explorers! If this doesn’t end up as a feature film, I’ll eat my red watch cap. On Monday, February 6, 2017 a meteorite dropped out of space and dropped right into Lake Michigan. Since then, a team of … Read More “Get into the spirit of Adventure: 10 Expeditions to follow in 2019” »
