Scientists: Ocean dead zones on the rise at startling rate

Scientists: Ocean dead zones on the rise at startling rate

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(08-14) 18:03 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Dead zones where fish and most marine life can no longer survive are spreading across the continental shelves of the world's oceans at an alarming rate as oxygen vanishes from coastal waters, scientists reported today.


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The scientists place the problem on runoff of chemical fertilizers in rivers and fallout from burning fossil fuels, and they estimate there are now more than 400 dead zones along 95,000 square miles of the seas - an area more than half the size of California.

The numbers of those areas has nearly doubled every decade since the 1960s, said Robert J. Diaz, a biological oceanographer at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

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[edit on 15-8-2008 by Cyberbian]

70 to 80% of all oxygen comes from the oceans, If the oceans die, can we live?

How will we adapt?

Who will survive?

Who will not?

Will survival depend upon being close to a source of plant oxygen?

Will citys die along with their inhabitants?



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Originally posted by Cyberbian




70 to 80% of all oxygen comes from the oceans, If the oceans die, can we live?

Not all of us :-)

How will we adapt?

Unconsciously most likely. if at all

Who will survive?

those in oxygen rich environments. Remember Trees don't breathe oxygen. They breathe CO2 and give off oxygen.

Who will not?

Hrmm... those in asphalt jungles? Or in the sea?

Will survival depend upon being close to a source of plant oxygen?

Well, there lots of cultures which live in the desert, so they prolly don't have to be near trees.

Will citys die along with their inhabitants?

Possibly... But, cities don't die because people die all the time. Mostly cities die due to emmigration

Thanks for the post!

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Quagza Thanks for the response, I would have called me on the fact that it is the coastal ocean waters which are dieing. This is probably only a small percentage of the total.

I know that trees breath CO2 and release oxygen, but I don't think most people can live on a 20 or 30 percent of their normal oxygen intake.

That would not be good for the brain even if you manage to live.

I expect that there will be great profits in oxygen farming in the future. Those with oxygen breeding plants will become rich.

www.space.com...

So, we run out of air and look to another natural resource. When I found out about this technology it was like it was my birthday.

reply to post by Cyberbian


reminds me of the oxygen cans in Space Balls

Erm....Happy Birthday!

but....why oh why do we waste the hydrogen?? why not use it in power cells

reply to post by Earthkeeper


So they are dumping all their hydrogen into space around the ISS.

I guess it's all right as long as no one goes out for a smoke break!

Someday they may get a surprise!

I haden't considered splitting water to get breathable oxygen. Now thats what I call energy dependance.