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How humpback whales hunt with bubble nets

Jan 16, 2012

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by

rokur

in Nature

To learn more about how humpback whales use bubble nets in feeding, marine biologist David Wiley and colleagues attached digital suction cup tags to whales that recorded depth and orientation in 3D, revealing advanced “double-loop” bubble releases consisting of first one upward spiral to corral the prey, and then a second one to capture the corralled prey. Techniques as advanced as the tool use of apes in the forest.

I for one hope that they’ll one day glue a GoPro-like camera with night vision onto a sperm whale to see it go up against giant or even colossal squid.

Read more here in ScienceDaily and on Science Friday via (Danish languaged) videnskab.dk
Geoff Huegill involved in scuba diver rescue effort

Jan 16, 2012

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by

rokur

in Gossip, Safety

Australia’s Geoff Huegill was one of the first at the scene of a tragic diving death at Rottnest Island in Western Australia yesterday, where a 55-year-old scuba diver died after suffering an apparent heart attack while diving with family. Huegill was on a rigid inflatable boat with two other men when they were flagged down by the vessel carrying the diver. They directed rangers to the boat, who got the patient to shore and gave him CPR, but the man died a short time after. Read more here on news.com.au
CC photo #17: Don’t dive, Daniel

Jan 16, 2012

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by

rokur

in CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Fun

Just a fun photo from the Szczecin 2011 European Short Course Championships, featuring Danish swimmer Daniel Skaaning and (I suppose) Jacek Miciul, coach of Polish double-gold medal winner RadosÅ‚aw KawÄ™cki at Klub Sportowy Korner Zielona GÃ³ra. It was that “don’t dive” sign in the background that made me search for the right moment :-)
Joel, where did my balloons go?

Jan 16, 2012

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by

rokur

in Fun, WTF

Practical joke on Canadian swimmer Joel Greenshields, member of Canada’s Beijing 2008 Olympic team, while at the 2012 Austin Grand Prix. Those guys obviously had too much time on their hands, while Joel and others won the 4×100 freestyle :-)
Faroese singer/songwriter EivÃ¸r sings “May It Be” for our Queen

Jan 16, 2012

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by

rokur

in Faroe Islands, Fun

Big party this weekend, celebrating the now 40 year reign of our Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. I wasn’t invited, but EivÃ¸r PÃ¡lsdÃ³ttir took down the house with this live interpretation of Irish musician Enya’s “May it Be”. Our DNA reveals that our male ancestors are Norwegian and the female Celts, go figure.
Michael Phelps won the Austin Grand Prix 200 IM too

Jan 16, 2012

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by

rokur

in Competition

In a time of 1:58.52, ahead of Ryan Lochte in 2:00.30 and Conor J. Dwyer in 2:01.59. Phelps in the Speedo Fastskin3 racing system (but with big awful beard), Lochte in his old trusty banana hammocks :-)

Here’s an interview with Phelps after the race

And here is Ryan Lochte: “An 8th event? – I’m just trying to go for one! :-)”
Stay out of the Water (Creature Feature)

Jan 15, 2012

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by

rokur

in Fun, Nature

Skrillex SmashUp by Soror Ordo Ab Chao. They’re everywhere !!

Stay out of the Water ~ Creature Feature (Skrillex SmashUp) from Soror Ordo Ab Chao on Vimeo.
Janet Evans Austin Grand Prix 800 freestyle interview

Jan 15, 2012

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by

rokur

in Competition

Janet Evans managed a 8:49.05 and 4th in the 800 freestyle today at the Austin Grand Prix, under the Olympic trials cut, behind Sarah M. Henry in 8:40.37, Maureen McLaine in 8:46.50 and Ashley V. Adams in 8:48.73. She says she needs to work on her base, seems a bit, ehm, determined but not so happy about that ! :-)

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/janetbevans/status/158653770815913984″]
Eamon Sullivan nearly drowned as a kid

Jan 15, 2012

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by

rokur

in Fun, Safety

Australia’s star swimmer Eamon Sullivan could easily have become just another drowning statistic when, as a toddler, he accidentally rode into his family’s backyard pool. It was only the vigilance of his parents that saved him, and now the 26-year-old repays his fortune by helping Royal Life Saving, Uncle Tobys and Barnados teach disadvantaged children about water safety.

“There are a lot of unfortunate families – the kids escape their view and fall in the pool,” Sullivan said of his own experience.

“I was lucky, I could have been one of the unlucky ones.”

“It is as important a skill as being able to read and write. It is a life-threatening thing if you don’t get it right,” he said.

Read more here in the Daily Telegraph, plus here about why CPR must be taught in schools as part of the national curriculum. See also SwimKids