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Marine organisms that fasten to the bottom of
ships have always been a scourge to seafarers. Acorn barnacles
are among the most notorious stowaways at sea. A vessel with its
hull covered by their hard calcium shells moves more slowly and
uses more fuel.
The most common method to prevent surface
fouling is to apply toxic hull paint. The most effective
substance has been tributhyl tin (TBT) which is now totally
banned, and until now no really good alternatives to toxic
paints have been found.
By monitoring how the larvae of acorn
barnacles go about finding suitable spots to attach themselves,
researchers in Sweden have managed to design surfaces that
prevent growth without using poisonous chemicals. Their
strategy, instead, is to design surfaces that the barnacle glue
doesn’t stick to. The idea is for the larvae to swim off and
find another place to fasten themselves. Layers containing the
polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) have been shown to yield
excellent results.
 Nanotech
Centre scientists have used a red dye made from Pokeberries to
coat efficient and inexpensive fibre-based solar cells. The dye
acts as an absorber, helping the tiny cell’s fibres trap more
sunlight to convert to power. The fibre cells can then produce
as much as twice the power that current flat-cell technology can
produce. That’s because they are composed of millions of tiny
plastic “cans” that trap light until most of it is absorbed.
Since the fibres create much more surface area, the fibre solar
cells can collect light at any angle—from the time the sun rises
until it sets.
Pokeberries are a weed that grows in every
continent except Antarctica, and proliferate even during drought
and in rocky, infertile soils. That means residents of rural
Africa, for instance, could raise the plants for pennies; they
could then make the dye for the extremely efficient fibre cells
and provide energy, where power lines do not exist, to power a
medical clinic, for instance.
There were 81 reported sighting of Basking
Sharks around Cornwall during June, all around the coast from
Padstow on the north coast to Cawsands on the south. Largest
number together was 20 at the Longships.
Bottlenose Dolphins were reported 7 times and
6 other reports of unidentified dolphins were probably also
Bottlenose. Largest pod 15 off Towan Head. The largest pod of 8
reports of Common Dolphin was of 80 off Padstow. Three reports
of Risso's Dolphins were of a small pod all around Penwith.
Six
reports of Harbour Porpoise were from The Brisons to Fal Bay.
One report o f
Killer Whales was of 3 off Nanjizal. Minke Whales were seen 3
times and there
were 2 other unidentified Whales.
Ocean Sunfish were reported 4 times off
Padstow, Newquay and Porthgwarra. A Leatherback Turtle was seen
from the
Scillonian on her way to the
Isles, and 4 reports of Grey Seals were from the Padstow and
Newquay area.
Vast numbers of Moon Jellyfish were seen and
hundreds of
Cyanea lamarckii,
the blue jellyfish, over a wide area off Newquay.
One Lions Mane Jellyfish was also seen off Newquay as were about
25 Sea Gooseberries.
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