A few miles off Key Largo, Florida, under the ocean's surface, scientists are at work. Next to Conch Reef, one of the most complex coral reefs in the Florida Keys, sits the Aquarius Reef Base, an underwater research lab. Here, scientists get an unusually close look at the reef and the animals and plants that call this place home. Researchers first began building undersea labs back in the 1960s, and dozens more were created in the following decades. But they were costly to build and maintain, so today Aquarius is the only one left.
Diving Into Scientific Research
Aquarius' scientists are known as aquanauts. Before you become an aquanaut, you have to be a strong swimmer and confident diver and feel comfortable staying in the water for many hours a day. You must complete an intense five-day training period. Tom Horn is the research programs coordinator for Aquarius Reef Base. "The training focuses on emergency procedures," he says. "So in case something goes wrong, such as getting lost underwater or if your dive rig malfunctions, you can troubleshoot the problem and get back to the Aquarius habitat safely." To get to Aquarius, you have to scuba dive 60 feet (18 meters) down.
"It is thrilling to see Aquarius as you descend on your dive," Horn says. "It is a shadow from afar and as you get closer the details emerge. The habitat has been on the seafloor for so long it has become almost a part of the reef. It is covered in life and you are usually greeted by a giant goliath grouper and dozens of barracuda. Your heart will race knowing that this is your home for the next couple of weeks." Thomas Potts is the Aquarius associate director of research. He recalls thinking, "This is what it must feel like when astronauts board the International Space Station for the first time."
Life in a Sea Lab
Bu hikaye Muse Science Magazine for Kids dergisinin July/August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Muse Science Magazine for Kids dergisinin July/August 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Who's Your Cousin?
The great apes are among the most popular animals in most zoos. Their actions, facial expressions, and family life remind us so much of ourselves. Have you ever wondered, though, how we might look to them?
Is it possible to die of boredom?
To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, we called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL
Palm oil is all around you. It’s in sugary snacks like cookies and candy bars. It’s in lipstick and shampoo and pet food.
SERGE WICH
Serge Wich’s favorite days at work are spent out in the forest, studying orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo or chimpanzees in Tanzania.
ELODIE FREYMANN
When you’re feeling sick, it probably doesn’t occur to you to try eating tree bark.
Guardians of the Forest
EARLY, MAKESHIFT WILDLIFE DRONES HELPED TO DETECT AND PROTECT ORANGUTANS.
APE ANTICS
The Whirling World of primate play
Dr. Ape Will See You Now
HUMANS AREN’T THE ONLY PRIMATES THAT USE MEDICATION.
THE LEFT OVERS
A lot has happened for modern humans to get to this point. We lost most of our hair, learned how to make tools, established civilizations, sent a person to the Moon, and invented artificial intelligence. Whew! With all of these changes, our bodies have changed, too. It’s only taken us about six million years.
SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?
What do you have in common with the aye-aye, sifaka, siamang, and potto? If you said your collarbone, you re probably a primatologist—a person who studies primates. If you’re not, read on.
