The Aurora Fossil Museum is hosting a National Fossil Day celebration from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday.
science
Hurricanes are getting increasingly worse: Climatologist
As tropical storms become wetter and more intense, the perception that hurricanes are just a coastal issue has changed in the last century, Assistant State Climatologist Corey Davis says.
Outer Banks lecture series to highlight surf forecasting
This month’s Science on the Sound lecture series will dive into the tools and technology surf forecasters use to bring real-time ocean and wave conditions and surf reports to beaches, including those of the Outer Banks, throughout the world.
Blue crab populations decline after juvenile stage: Study
The blue crab population in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System is disappearing sometime between when juveniles leave their nursery habitats and before reaching sexual maturity, a recent study finds.
Vast majority of litter removed from streams is plastic: Study
A three-year study recently published in the journal Community Science finds that about 96% of litter North Carolina waterkeeper organizations and their volunteers removed from trash traps were plastics.
Biologists heartened by red wolf program’s recent successes
While still far from recovered, more endangered eastern red wolves in northeastern North Carolina are breeding, more pups are surviving, coyote hybridization has been cut, and there are fewer mortalities from vehicle strikes and gunshots.
UNCW conference to explore science, blue economy
Registration closes Friday for the third annual Ocean Innovation Conference at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a daylong event highlighting marine and coastal research, trends in the blue economy, and investment and collaboration opportunities.
Coastal habitats are North Carolina’s hidden climate engines
North Carolina’s abundant coastal wetland ecosystems are highly effective carbon storehouses, serving to slow climate change’s pace while also providing vital fish nurseries, wildlife havens and storm buffers.
State fisheries now accepting applications for committees
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is accepting applications through Oct. 24 for its various committees.
Coastal Habitat Protection Plan revisions to be discussed
The N.C. Coastal Habitat Protection Plan Steering Committee’s Sept. 25 agenda includes discussing the proposed framework and timeline for the 2026 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan amendment.
Shark meat could be high in mercury, mislabeled: Study
Meat labeled “shark” for sale in grocery stores and fish markets may be from critically endangered species or have significant mercury in its tissue, according to a UNC Chapel Hill study.
Bulkheads lead to salt marsh erosion, total loss: Study
Researchers found that all 45 bulkhead sites analyzed for a recent study experienced marsh shoreline erosion during the 32-year study period, with complete marsh loss at 11% of the sites.
Fisheries biologists ask anglers to donate flounder carcasses
Coastal recreational anglers may donate their flounder carcass through the season, which runs Sept. 1-14, to the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries for research purposes.
Global photosynthesis rates trend differently on land, at sea
A recently published study finds that plants on land are increasingly absorbing more carbon, while Earth’s oceans are taking in and storing less.
Southern flounder: Warmer seas may skew iconic fish’s future
Guest commentary: Southern flounder are unusually sensitive to climate change because water temperatures during their juvenile stage determines whether they develop as male or female — and the implications are stark.
Microgrid project to provide renewable power after disasters
The State Energy Office recently announced a $5 million investment to provide accessible post-disaster emergency power by deploying permanent and mobile small-scale solar and battery storage systems.
