July/August 2008
60-Second Public Service Announcements
Electric Car Technology (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
The price of gasoline might affect this year’s summer road trip, but a new technology could change that for the future. University researchers have created a system that enables vehicles to not only run on electricity, but also to store and provide electricity for utilities. The technology lets electricity flow from the car’s battery to power lines and back. This capability could earn cash for the cars’ drivers. Utilities currently pay millions to generating stations that help balance the grid, but researchers say the the value of each car providing that same service could be around $4,000 a year, some of which could be paid to drivers. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Fish Research(0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Anglers dream of the next big catch, but a research project has University of Delaware scientists looking for the region’s tiniest fish. The researchers are studying how changes in environmental conditions and climate influence movement of fish larvae from open ocean waters into Delaware Bay. Successful movement of larvae from offshore spawning areas into bay and river nursery areas where young fish grow up is a critical step in ensuring healthy populations for fish such as Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic croaker, and American eel. The researchers’ work will help fisheries managers understand causes for natural variability in numbers of these fish. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Ghost Crabs(0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Those flashes you see moving across the beach aren’t phantoms — they are fleet-footed animals called ghost crabs. These sand-colored crabs leave their beach dens along the Delaware coast between dusk and dawn to scurry down to the water. There, they feed on smaller animals at the surf's edge and wet their gills so they can breathe. Then they race back to their burrows, which can extend as far as 4 feet into the sand, keeping them safe and cool during hot summer days. Look quickly — their coloring provides great camouflage and they can move at speeds up to 10 miles per hour! This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Swimmer's Itch(0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Swimmer’s itch can really take the fun out of a summer vacation. Also known as clam digger’s itch, the uncomfortable rash is an allergic reaction to a tiny free-swimming parasite sometimes found naturally in shallow coastal waters. The parasite is usually found in birds and aquatic snails. Although it isn’t harmful to humans, it can irritate skin, causing a red bumpy rash and intense itching that can last as long as a week. You can take measures to prevent swimmer’s itch by avoiding water in areas where there are posted warnings, and drying off with a towel or rinsing well with fresh water immediately after wading or swimming. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
May/June 2008
60-Second Public Service Announcements
Call for Coast Day Crab Cake Recipes (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Seafood lovers, here’s your chance to shine! Enter your favorite crab cake recipe in one of the region’s most popular cooking contests — the University of Delaware's Crab Cake Cook-Off. All recipes are due Friday, August 15th. Eight finalists will prepare their recipes for a panel of judges at Coast Day on Sunday, October 5th, at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. The crab cakes will be judged on originality, abundance of crab meat, taste, and texture. For more information and a registration form, call 302-645-4346 or visit ocean.udel.edu/CoastDay. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
[Please pronounce the web address as “ocean dot you dell dot ‘e’ ‘d’ ‘u’ backslash Coast Day.”]
Lewes Tours (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware. Want to learn how scientists are addressing ocean issues in environments all around the world, fromthe icy seas of the Antarctic to the mid-Atlantic coast? The University of Delaware College of Marine and Earth Studies offers free guided tours of its world-class research complex in Lewes Tuesday and Friday mornings this summer. The walking tours showcase various research projects being conducted on marine and coastal environments and on the different organisms that inhabit them. A short video on the college’s research activities kicks off the tours, which are suitable for adults and children ages 12 and up. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. Call 302-645-4234. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station. This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Analyzing the Economic Value of Shorebirds (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Delaware is a vital rest stop for weary shorebirds as they trek from South America to Canadian breeding grounds each spring. Their visit coincides with the spawning of horseshoe crabs along Delaware Bay’s sandy shores, allowing the birds to gobble up nutritious eggs that fuel the remainder of their journey. Flocks of tourists also come to witness the annual event, and university researchers are studying their economic impact. Their work will help determine the value of shorebirds to local economies as well as the impact of conservation efforts. This could help conserve birds facing the prospect of serious decline. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Lewes Wind Turbine (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
With rising energy prices and concerns about the impacts that fossil fuels have on human health, national security, and climate change, alternative energy sources are getting a close look these days. One of these alternatives is wind power. The University of Delaware is studying whether coastal winds might be harnessed to supply the energy needs of its Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. If so, wind power might someday provide the campus with cheap, clean energy and help conserve our valuable natural resources for future generations. The study also will provide useful research data for scientists and the public. For more information, visit ocean.udel.edu. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
[Please pronounce the web address as “ocean dot you dell dot ‘e’ ‘d’ ‘u.’”]
March/April 2008
60-Second Public Service Announcements
New Horseshoe Crab Model (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
In the spring, thousands of horseshoe crabs come to Delaware Bay beaches to spawn. In order to keep track of the population of this important animal — which is among the world’s oldest creatures — the Delaware Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service conducts a horseshoe crab census in May and June. To help people learn more about horseshoe crabs, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program has introduced a new full-color, three-dimensional model of the animal, which children or adults can assemble in approximately 15 minutes. To order the horseshoe crab model, or to volunteer for the annual census, call (302) 831-8083. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Sand Dunes (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Sand dunes are mounds or ridges of windblown sand that are vital to shoreline stability. Dunes protect the Delaware coast during storms, provide a reservoir of sand for the beach and sustain a unique ecosystem. The few hardy grasses that live in the dune environment have adapted to multiple stresses imposed by wind, blowing sand, salt spray, sandy soils and heat. Planting beach grass in the spring encourages the development of a healthy root system that will help protect the dunes from the fierce winds and strong waves of the next year's winter storms. For more information about these resilient and extreme ecosystems, call (302) 645-4346. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Help the Coast on Earth Day (0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
You don’t have to rearrange your life or spend a lot of money to help the environment. This year for Earth Day, held April 22, consider easy things you can do to protect the coast. Examples include only using the amount of fertilizer you really need, keeping your vehicles properly maintained, taking reusable bags to the grocery store, and putting litter such as cigarette butts in its place. Rain washes excess fertilizer from our lawns, oil from our parking lots and garbage from our streets into our waterways, harming wildlife. By making small changes in your daily life, you can reduce the impact we have on the coastal environment. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
Add Native Plants to Your Garden 0:60)
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Landscaping can be a formidable task along Delaware’s shore, where salt spray, wind, heat and sandy soils are prevalent. Coastal areas provide an excellent opportunity to use native plants in perennial gardens. Native plantings are attractive alternatives to traditional nursery stock because they require little maintenance and are specifically adapted to heat, drought and soil stresses common to coastal areas. They also provide important feeding, nesting and resting habitat for many birds and animals and can add color and texture to your garden, creating a compatible extension of the natural ecosystem. For more information about native plants for Delaware’s coastal areas, visit ocean.udel.edu/nativeplantgarden. Or call (302) 645-4346. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
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60-Second Public Service Announcements
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Do you know a great teacher who has a passion for marine science? Nominations for the 2008 Governor's Marine and Aquatic Science Teacher of the Year will be accepted beginning in January. Established in 2001 by the Delaware Sea Grant College Program in partnership with the Office of the Governor, the award is presented annually to an outstanding Delaware teacher who has a strong commitment to marine and aquatic science education. The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to a national science educators' conference. For more information, call (302) 645-4346. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
It might be cold outside, but if you could travel more than 6,000 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, you’d find places where it’s hotter than a summer day. In some areas at the bottom of the sea, water that’s been heated by hot magma deep inside the earth flows through cracks in the ocean floor. These areas are known as hydrothermal vents, and their superheated water can exceed 500 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s more than two times the temperature of boiling water — too hot for most ocean creatures. But organisms such as giant tubeworms and clams that live in clusters around the vents are specially suited for such hot temperatures. They call this extreme environment their home. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
February 2 is World Wetlands Day, an annual international celebration of the importance of wetlands and efforts to conserve them. Wetlands are a valuable part of the environment. They create habitats for many animals, and they filter pollutants such as nutrients. That’s important because extra nutrients can fuel an overgrowth of algae, which deprives waterways of oxygen and can harm fish and other wildlife. Unfortunately, many wetlands may be threatened by rising sea levels and coastal development. University of Delaware researchers are analyzing plants that can withstand these challenges. Such plants would be ideal for helping restore existing wetlands or create new ones. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
This is SeaTalk: Ocean News from the University of Delaware.
Have you ever wondered why bay and ocean water doesn’t freeze like fresh water? Fresh water freezes as temperatures dip to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. But salt lowers the temperature at which water freezes. That’s why we use salt on roads to prevent the formation of ice. So for the saltiest water off Delaware’s Atlantic coast to freeze, the thermometer must drop to 28.6 degrees. As salt water begins to freeze, it develops as slush — it doesn’t form a continuous sheet as it would on a freshwater pond. That’s why during a Delaware winter you’re more likely to see a slushy surface of ice crystals along a bay shoreline, silently undulating as waves break beneath. This is SeaTalk, a public service announcement from the University of Delaware, the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, and this station.
