Sperm Generation Paper Retracted!

This doesn't happen very often in scientific journals, and when it does, it's always a shock. A paper I wrote about a little while ago, where scientists claimed to have derived sperm from stem cells, has been pulled by the publisher for plagiarism.

The editor of the publishing journal, Stem Cells and Development, decided to retract the paper because the authors had basically copied the first two paragraphs of the paper from another paper which was published in Biology of Reproduction in 2006 (both citations at the end).

According to the editors, other than the first couple paragraphs, the article was fine. So none of the experimental methods, results, or conclusions were flawed or copied. Still, they decided the infraction was too great, and retracted the paper.

The first author on the paper has stayed silent, but according to the official statement from the university, the paper had a different original first author (the second one), who has since left the university and is responsible for the copied text. The paper is being corrected and resubmitted for publication.

As scientists, we are trusted to be ethical in a variety of ways. We're supposed to be unbiased, our experiments have to pass an onslaught of ethical regulations and our character is challenged as often as our research claims. So it's always disappointing when colleagues fall short of the high demands, especially when it comes to something as petty as plagiarism. To me, it's inexcusable - it's hard enough to be taken seriously, conduct successful experiments, and actually produce something that is of value to the rest of the world. To undermine all that work with laziness is just pathetic.

Nayernia, K., Lee, J., Lako, M., Armstrong, L., Herbert, M., Li, M., Engel, W., Elliott, D., Stojkovic, M., Parrington, J., Murdoch, A., Strachan, T., & Zhang, X. (2009). In Vitro Derivation of Human Sperm from Embryonic Stem Cells Stem Cells and Development DOI: 10.1089/scd.2009.0063

Nagano, M. (2006). In Vitro Gamete Derivation from Pluripotent Stem Cells: Progress and Perspective Biology of Reproduction, 76 (4), 546-551 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.106.058271

Travel Channel's Steppin' Up!

Ok, so Nat Geo got it all started by putting Parasites in their "In the Womb" series. Then Animal Planet jumped on board with "Monsters Inside Me". Now I get to get all gushy about the Travel Channel, and not just for awesome specials on places I wish I could vacation in. Their new series, "Bite Me with Dr Mike," features a lot of my little friends that you all know I just can't get enough of.

Meet Dr. Mike (on the right, and here's his blog), aka a man clearly trying to compete with Barry as captor of my heart. He's a virologist with a PhD from Oxford, but even better, he's got a passion for the kind of things that I do - those lovely creatures that live inside and on other creatures.

In this awesome new series, Dr. Mike travels around the world to show people the various kinds of deadly and disease-causing creatures that exist there. While he often focuses on some more threatening creatures that have no interest in parasitizing people, including all kinds of creatures, like deadly jellies (he actually intentionally gets stung by a Box Jelly for TV - c'mon, that's badass) and killer birds (no, seriously, see the video below), he is also sure includes my personal favorite pests (like the mosquito on the left) in his horrifying creature recounts. A show that has marine creatures, crazy animals, and parasites all in one? It's my own personal heaven, c/o the Travel Channel.

Anyhow, it looks to be a real fun show, so you should be sure to check it out, tomorrow night (July 28^th) at 10PM EST on The Travel Channel.

And, since I love my readers dearly, here's a little clip of the show to get you all riled up. It's about that deadly bird I was talking about... well, see for yourselves :)

Live mice from stem cells!

News today has spread about new stem cell research out of China. Two teams used mouse fibroblasts, a kind of cell found in skin connective tissues, to create induced pluripotent skin cells (iPS), which were then used to create living mice.

Their breakthrough research suggests that both cloning full animals from stem cells and the creation of completely pluripotent stem cells from skin cells are both not only possible, but a current reality. The two teams published separately, in Nature and Cell - Stem Cell, both very prestigious journals.

The first task for either study was to create stem cells from non stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, controversial because they often come from the destruction of live embryos, are what is called "pluripotent," which means they can become any cell in the body. To be able to create cells that act like embryonic stem cells, without the embryo part, opens to door to a fascinating and less-controversial field of medical research, including organ repair or even full organ replacements that are guaranteed to match the host's body. Just imagine never having to look for donors for bone marrow or a heart, and you can get the idea of how amazing this research could be.

These teams are not the first to have created such cells - other studies have created stem cells from a variety of other cells, though some work better than others, and exactly how pluripotent they are is still up for debate. This team created stem cells, called iPS cells, from fibroblasts, the most common cell in connective tissue, from late stage embryos by using a viral vector to introduce genes which allowed the cells to "reprogram" into any cell type.

To prove that these iPS cells really could become anything, they tested them over and over again, including looking at whether they had the same cell surface markers as embryonic stem cells. They used fluorescent staining to show that the created cells did, indeed, have the same markers as embryonic stem cells (Left).

Both groups decided that the truest test of their iPS cells, however, was to attach them to a sham embryo called a tetraploid embryo, which can create a placenta but no actual animal. The only way a mouse would form from the union was if the iPS cells were able to divide and differentiate into the necessary tissues to become a living animal.

The first group, published in Nature, included a dominant black coat color allele into their stem cells, then placed the embryos into white mice, giving them an initial visual check. If the young were black, they had to have come from the stem cells. When the first black baby mouse was born, further DNA tests confirmed that Tiny (as he was named) had indeed arisen from the iPS line. It took them over 250 developing embryos before they achieved a live mouse. Out of the 37 stem cell lines created, 3 produced live mice, and out of a total of 624 injected embryos from the best cell line, they got only 22 live births. That's a success rate of only 3.5%.

Even these mice, though born live, were not all perfect. Some were chimeric, having somehow taken genetic material from both the iPS cells and the host mom or tetraploid embryo. Even those that were fully iPS generated had flaws. Some died just days later, and many were deformed or physically abnormal. 12, however, were able to pass a reproductive biologists strict test of health: they were fertile, producing hundreds of second and third generation mice (like the one on the right). Even still, there is a lot that isn't known about these stem-cell derived mice, like whether their children develop diseases more readily than normal mice, or are as healthy in general.

The other group, who published in Cell, followed the same basic procedure. They were able to create 187 tetraploid embryos and implant them in receptive female mice. Of those, however, they only had 2 live births (1.1%), one of which died in infancy.

Both teams are now looking deeper into the differences between iPS and embryonic stem cells to understand what causes the high mortality, abnormality and failure rates of these embryos. It also remains a mystery as to whether adult fibroblasts can become iPS cells which have the same pluripotent abilities, as both teams used the skin cells from late stage embryos to create their stem cell lines.

If adult cells work, too, it would mean that we might be able to clone adult mammals using their skin. The authors vehemently deny any connection or plans of utilizing this research for human cloning - and at a rate of 1.1%-3.5% just to produce a live birth, let alone further complications, I agree with them. There's still far too much uncertainty to even think of applying this method to humans.

However, the fact that these stem cells were able to be pluripotent, even 1.1% of the time, gives a lot of hope to future medical research. Indeed, we might just be able to create tissues or organs on demand from a patient's own cells in the next 50 years, which would save the lives of many suffering from a variety of diseases. More interestingly, however, is that these cloned animals may lead to a better understanding of how cells develop, divide, and fail, leading to breakthroughs in prevention and treatments of conditions like cancer instead of just patches to prolong life after the disease has set in.


Lan Kang, Jianle Wang, Yu Zhang, Zhaohui Kou, & Shaorong Ga (2009). iPS cells produce viable mice through tetraploid complementation Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature08267

Kang, L., Wang, J., Zhang, Y., Kou, Z., & Gao, S. (2009). iPS Cells Can Support Full-Term Development of Tetraploid Blastocyst-Complemented Embryos Cell Stem Cell DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2009.07.001

Totally Hooked!

It's no shock to anyone who reads this blog regularly that I adore the National Geographic Channel. They never seem to run out of awesome features and amazing specials that totally turn my nerd on. I may be a biologist at heart, but when watching Nat Geo, I suddenly become a geologist, paleontologist, physicist, or whatever specialty would be required to be a total nerd for whatever is on. Of course, when it's a biology special, I super nerd out.

So imagine the thoughts that are running through my head when I see the title "Hooked: Monsters of the Deep." Oh yeah, you could hear my nerdiness from 3 miles away.

Hooked is all about amazing animals brought up on a fishing pole. And we're not talking a nice looking Marlin or a pretty good-sized grouper. Think a little larger. This special series is all about the biggest and baddest that waterways have to offer, from a colossal squid weighing in at 1,091 lbs to 1,400 lb tiger shark to a stingray larger than most men! And that's just part of one episode!

If you missed Monday's amazing episode, be sure to tune in on Saturday at 6PM for the rerun, and catch all new episodes Mondays at 7PM. You can yell at me all you want for being this corny, but I am definitely hooked on this show - and once you see what's in the deep, I bet you will be, too.

How To Accidentally Stop Whaling

Greenpeace protests with cute little stunts. The Sea Shepherd throws slick bombs and tries to foul props. And, so far, nothing has stopped the Japanese practice of "scientific" whaling. But now, an unlikely turn of events just might accomplish what years of efforts have failed to do: stop the Japanese fleet from catching whales.

And we have obnoxious tourists to thank for it.

The amazing spectacle of the icy continent attracts thousands of tourists a year who view their frozen surroundings from the comfort of warm, cozy cruise cabins. In the past few years, however, cruise ships have been sinking around Antarctica. It happened often enough that the United Nations decided it was time to step in, and worked up some new regulations to protect passengers and crews who enter the unpredictable antarctic waters as well as the creatures who live in them.

Specifically, the UN's International Marine Organization has imposed new requirements for any vessel traveling or working south of 60 degrees S. The regulations include a cessation of using heavy oil, which, when spilled, is devastating, a mandatory double hull, and a limit on the amount of waste that ships can dump into the antarctic waters. And while the regulations were aimed at cruise ships, they've had a completely wonderful side effect: the Japanese fleet's only factory whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, currently is in violation of every one of them.

For you Whale Wars fans, you know what the Nisshin Maru does. It's where the whales caught by the harpoon ships are brought to be processed into sellable whale meat. It's the heart of the fleet, which is why it's so readily targeted by the Sea Shepherds - if they can find it. In short, if this ship cannot sail, whaling stops. Which is exactly what appears might happen, at least temporarily, as these new regulations go into effect.

If the regulations are upheld, the Nisshin Maru's fuel will be illegal, its hull too weak, and its annual dumping of thousands of tons of leftover whale carcasses too much. For Japan, who otherwise works hard to comply to international shipping regulations, the loss will be costly.

For those who wish to see and end to the Japanese practice of "scientific" whaling, the news is wonderful. Finally, it seems, someone might have accidentally found a way to shut down the whaling fleet, at least for awhile. And if these regulations do hold, the next season will be the first in 20 years when the whales of the Antarctic will have a break. However, the regulations aren't set in stone, and will Japan's influence in the UN, it's possible that exceptions for the whaling fleet may be made.

Click for more information

Fiddler crabs - more than just cute to look at

I know everyone is going to jump at once to talk about this mind-blowing research by some of the greatest scientists that have ever been associated with ecology, and I hate just writing about papers that everyone will talk about anyhow, but I decided I still had to comment on this paper. It may very well be the most important paper of the year, even more influential and ground-breaking than Ida (though I wouldn't mention that to her directly).

Of course, I'm talking about the newest paper published in Marine Biology's "Online First", Fiddler crab burrowing affects growth and production of the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) in a restored Florida coastal marsh.

This paper, written by three, top-notch biologists out of Eckerd College, explores the relationship between fiddler crab burrowing activity and the growth of young white mangroves through two different pathways. The first was a transect study, where mangrove growth variables were compared to burrow density and other plant density in a natural setting. The other used mesh cages to selectively reduce or allow burrowing activity around seedlings to study not only the growth differences but changes in the soil chemistry without the affects of other plants in the area.

The sum results of the two were clear - fiddler crabs had a big impact. By digging burrows, they increased mangrove growth and proliferation by at least 15%, and dramatically changed the soil chemistry. Their presence decreased salinity from over 44.2 to 32.4 and changed the oxidation potential, meaning they made the soils far more mangrove-friendly.

While this might seem like a small study, it's actually quite important. Mangroves are some of the most important ecosystems in the tropics, providing food and shelter for many commercially and ecologically important species. And, most importantly, we've done a fantastic job of destroying them as humans have decided that treed, swampy coasts are far less pretty to build a house on than just pristine, bulldozed sand. Now, millions of dollars are being pumped into restoration efforts, and the more we know about how to cultivate and encourage the growth of these fickle but critical trees, the better.

There might also be one other reason that I think this paper is so damned important... but I'll let you figure that one out for yourselves.

Smith, N., Wilcox, C., & Lessmann, J. (2009). Fiddler crab burrowing affects growth and production of the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) in a restored Florida coastal marsh Marine Biology DOI: 10.1007/s00227-009-1253-7

A Great Letter About Acidification (and what you can do about it!)

Following on the heels of Malaria, Bedbugs, Sea Lice and Sunsets and Southern Fried Science, I am posting this fantastic letter about ocean acidification by Randy Repass and Sally-Christine Rogers of West Marine (originally posted at The Intersection). Ocean acidification is, for me, the real crux of the issue when people talk about global warming or climate change. Acidification is a clear, very real chemical reaction between CO2 and seawater - there's no arguing its causes or consequences, which i suspect will be far more noticeable and painful in our lifetimes. Anyhow, read up!

We are both lifelong boaters. What we have learned from sailing across the Pacific over the past 6 years, and especially from scientists focused on marine conservation, is startling. Whether you spend time on the water or not, Ocean Acidification affects all of us and is something we believe you will want to know about.

What would you do if you knew that many species of fish and other marine life in the ocean will be gone within 30 years if levels of C02 continue increasing at their present rate? We believe you would take action to stop this from happening, because informed people make informed choices. This letter is about what we can and must do together now to help solve a very serious but little-known problem, Ocean Acidification.

Ocean Acidification is primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels. When carbon dioxide in the atmosphere ends up in the ocean it changes the pH, making the sea acidic and less hospitable to life. Over time, C02 reduces calcium carbonate, which prevents creatures from forming shells and building reefs. In fact, existing shells will start to dissolve. Oysters and mussels will not be able to build shells. Crabs and lobsters? Your great-grandchildren may wonder what they tasted like.

Carbon dioxide concentrated in the oceans is making seawater acidic. Many of the zooplankton, small animals at the base of the food web, have skeletons that won’t form in these conditions, and sea-life further up the food chain – fish, mammals and seabirds that rely on zooplankton for food will also perish. No food – no life. One billion people rely on seafood for their primary source of protein. Many scientific reports document that worldwide, humans are already consuming more food than is being produced. The implications are obvious.

The issue of Ocean Acidification is causing irreversible loss to species and habitats, and acidification trends are happening up to ten times faster than projected. We want you to know what this means, how it affects all of us, and what we can do about it.

Today, the atmospheric concentration of C02 is about 387 parts per million (ppm) and increasing at 2 ppm per year. If left unaddressed, by 2040 it is projected to be over 450 ppm, and marine scientists believe the collapse of many ocean ecosystems will be irreversible. Acidification has other physiological effects on marine life as well, including changes in reproduction, growth rates, and even respiration in fish.

Tropical and coldwater corals are among the oldest and largest living structures on earth; the richest in terms of biodiversity, they provide spawning areas, nursery habitat and feeding grounds for a quarter of all species in the sea. Coral reefs are at risk! As C02 concentrations increase, corals, shellfish and other species that make shells will not be able to build their skeletons and will likely become extinct.

The good news is we can fix this problem. But, as you guessed, it will be difficult. Ocean Acidification is caused by increased C02 in the atmosphere. Solving one will solve the other. The House of Representatives has acted, passing HR 2454, the Waxman-Markey “American Clean Energy and Security Act”, but it was severely weakened. Now the Senate has announced that it will move similar legislation this fall. We need the Senate to join the House in its leadership, but to demand far greater emissions reductions than were able to pass the House.

“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that in order to stabilize C02 in the atmosphere at 350 ppm by 2050, global carbon emissions need to be cut 85% below 2000 levels.”That's a very tall order! And the way our political system works (or doesn't) makes its tougher. It will take all of us to step up and take responsibility to make this happen.

Here is what you can do: Contact your Senator now using one of these techniques listed in order of effectiveness.

1. Visit your Senator at their local office. It is easy to make an appointment. Tell them your concerns about C02 and the oceans, and to move strong climate legislation immediately that will reduce our greenhouse gas concentrations to levels that will not threaten our oceans. The experience is rewarding. (Alternatively, drop a letter off at their local office.)

2. Call your Senator and leave a message urging action be taken to reduce C02 , address Ocean Acidification, and move strong climate legislation immediately that will reduce our greenhouse gas concentrations to levels that will not threaten our oceans.

3. Click on this link to send an email, which will go directly to your Senator based on your address.

You may use the letter provided, but it is more effective to edit it, and in your own words urge them to move strong climate legislation immediately that will reduce our greenhouse gas concentrations to levels that will not threaten our oceans.

Ocean Acidification is an issue we can do something about. We need a groundswell of informed citizens to get Congress to have the backbone to stand up to the entrenched interests of coal, oil, and gas and not compromise on the reduction of C02. We also need real leadership to aggressively create jobs using sustainable technologies. The choice is ours. We can solve this or not. What we do know is that the future facing our children, grandchildren and indeed all of humankind depends on our decision.

Please join us in sharing this letter with others. We appreciate your taking the time to contact your Senators; it is easy to do and effective.

Thank you for your support.

Randy Repass
Chairman
West Marine

Sally-Christine Rodgers
Board Member
Oceana

Weekly Dose of Cute: Tapir - cuter than it sounds!

When I saw this little girl over at Zooborns, I couldn't help but fall completely in love! Isn't she just the cutest little doll?! Best yet, the Belfast Zoo, where this little angel was born, is currently having a naming contest for the little girl.

In case you didn't know, this beautiful baby girl is a Malayan Tapir, the largest of the four species of these strange-looking creatures. As an adult, she'll gail the distinctive "saddle" marking of her kind (see Right). The lucky momma carried this baby girl for just over a year before giving birth on June 22^nd.

Unfortunately, like so many of the animals I feature on the Weekly Dose, The Malayan Tapir is endangered. Although they once roamed all over the tropical rainforests of southeast Asia, deliberate hunting and habitat loss have pushed all tapir species to the brink of extinction. Other than humans, tapirs have few natural predators, but we more than make up for the lack of other predators. Sickly, the sale of a young tapir like this baby girl can get its successful captor $5500 in Thailand, despite protected status. While they are protected Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, their habitat is not, and rapid deforestation and flooding by dams for agricultural purposes are quickly threatening what little of their once expansive range remains. Precious babies like this one may soon be the only way we can keep afloat this magnificent and unique species.

A little lesson in Hawaiian fish names

Yesterday, we snorkeled Hanauma Bay. It's simply one of the most fantastic places to see Hawaiian fish. So, instead of trying to regurgitate the experience, I thought I'd give you all a little lesson in fish ID - Hawaiian style!


Meet Canthigaster jactator, the Hawaiian Spotted Puffer. This species is endemic to Hawaii, and is found no where else in the world. Ok, so this one is bad to start with because it has no Hawaiian name, but I thought the fact that it's endemic was too cool not to mention it.



Next is Umaumalei, or the Orange Spine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus). That's oo-mou-ma-lay, with the "ou" as in "out" or "house"



A fan favorite and the only species in its genus is the Kihikihi (kee-hee-kee-hee), known in English as the Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)



Weighing in at full size and about 2' long, this Ponuhunuhu (po-noo-hoo-noo-hoo) is a whopper to meet up close like this. You might also call it a Stareye Parrotfish (Calotomus carolinus).



In the center of this shot is the Hawaiian state fish, the Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua'a (hoo-moo-hoo-moo-noo-koo-noo-koo-ah-poo-ah-ah), otherwise known as the Reef or Picasso Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus rectangulus). Alongside it with the blue head is a Hinalea lauwili (hee-nah-lie lou-vee-lee), or Saddle Wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey). There are some other small wrasses in there, but I'm not sure which they are.



Further along we find a couple of Kikakapu (kee-kah-kah-poo), or Threadfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga).



Another whopper of a parrotfish, this Uhu Palukaluka (oo-hoo pah-loo-kah-loo-kah) shows off its size compared to the mini 'Awela (ah-vay-lah). That's a Redlip Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) and a Christmas Wrasse (Thalassoma trilobatum) for you non-Hawaiians.



Sniffing through the bottom sand for food we find a Weke'a'a (weh-keh-ah-ah), or Yellow stripe goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus).



One of the more interesting looking fish is the Kala (kah-lah), aptly named in English the Bluespine Unicornfish for its odd headgear (Naso unicornis).



Here we see a school of Manini (mah-nee-nee) or Convict tangs (Acanthurus triostegus) eating their way across the reef, with a few other fish joining in for safety in numbers.



This guy is also known to the Hawaiians as Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua'a (hoo-moo-hoo-moo-noo-koo-noo-koo-ah-poo-ah-ah), though it is a different species than the one we saw before (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) and is called the Lagoon Triggerfish in English. This one was feisty - I got this shot because he was letting us know very clearly we were on his turf by swimming at us and waggling while opening and closing his mouth.



While snorkeling, we almost got a little too close to this Puhi (poo-hee). This particular species, the Peppered Moray Eel (Gymnothorax pictus), is actually rare around Oahu, so it was a real find - except if we got too close! He let us know to back off, and we did.


So there you go - a little lesson in Hawaiian fish ID. I'll let you know what others we find on our travels... until then, Aloha!

Enjoying Oahu: Turtle Beach and Shark's Cove

As a marine biologist by training, I naturally love the ocean and just about everything in it. So it is such a treat for me to be able to just go out and enjoy what I love. Right now, I'm in between my last job as a simple graduate and being a full time graduate student, so I've got a little free time to explore. And, being on an island in the middle of the Pacific which is only something around 38 miles across, exploration naturally tends to include the ocean.

As a blogger, of course, I feel the need to share such excursions with you. So, it's quite happily that I have decided to extend my "Enjoying Florida" to my new home. Here is my first segment of "Enjoying Oahu."

Today, we initially set out to snorkel at Haunauma Bay, a beautiful cove with tons of fantastic fish. But as we drove by, the parking lot said "lot full" and it was clear that the tourists had beaten us to the punch, so we decided to take the scenic, albeit long, drive around the eastern tip of the island and up to the North Shore to hit Shark's Cove instead.

The drive itself is stunning. Windy, curvy roads meander stuck between mountains and the sea, through picturesque little towns selling shrimp out of trucks, and past some of the most beautiful stretches of beach I have ever seen. It takes awhile to go all the way from Hawaii Kai to Waimea traveling around the island instead of through the middle of it, but the views are worth it. Staggering cliffs, rocky shores, sandy beaches and tropical jungle all await you as you wind your way around the coast.

The real treat, however, awaits you at your destination: The North Shore of Oahu. Known worldwide for its immense surf in the winter months, its actually quite calm during the summer, and has some of the best snorkeling in the islands. Specifically, I'm talking about Shark's Cove.

But before we went there, we decided to hit a small and almost unnoticeable beach first, which is called Turtle Beach. Unlike Shark's Cove (whose title was to attract divers, or so I've heard), Turtle Beach lives up to its name. There is almost always turtles in the waters just off shore or taking a break on the beach itself, and this day was no exception. Upon arrival a crowd of tourists alerted us to a huge turtle who was sunning itself on the sand.

They have volunteers at the beach who protect the sea turtles from harassment by onlookers, and force people to stay a good ten feet from the turtle itself while its sunning and enjoying the beach. But 10 feet is plenty close enough for me to get all nerdily excited. I love sea turtles. I did an internship at Mote Marine Lab working in their nesting research program and absolutely loved every minute of it. To me, seeing a sea turtle is always exciting, and doubly so to see them in the wild.

Just as we were about to leave, another turtle decided it was time to haul itself up on the sand for some sun. This one, however, was different. It had a satellite tag on its back. To me, it was even cooler than the first. To see the interaction of nature and science in such a simple way just made my nerd circuits fry with joy. Somewhere, right then, a satellite was recording that turtle climbing up onto that beach, and sending that data to some scientist who is using it to better understand how sea turtles migrate and move and how we can better protect them. After all, all 7 species of sea turtle are endangered, and if we cannot find ways to live with them and protect them they will simply disappear.

Anyhow, all these sea turtles got me really excited about snorkeling at Shark's Cove, just a few blocks down the road, and known as a favorite hang out of the turtles. Last time I went, I got to see two of them swimming around - I was hoping this time, now armed with an underwater camera, that I'd at least get to see something.

Shark's cove is a beautiful, lava-rocky inlet that can get a bit too wavy to snorkel at times (and is downright dangerous in the winter during surf season). Luckily, today, it was high tide and the shallower, more protected lagoon was fully flooded, allowing for nice, calm snorkeling. Before we could get in the water, we had to climb over the lava rock fields which create and protect the sensational snorkeling spot. On them, Barry noticed, were lots of "dead crabs." If fact, these weren't dead crabs at all, but crab molts, perfectly preserved above the waves.

Even before we got in, there was one species that stuck out right away - the sea urchins. They were EVERYWHERE! Last time, I don't think I recall seeing one. But as we climbed over the rocks and when we did finally reach the lagoon, they were all over.


In fact, at first, there seemed to be few fish at all. A couple little guys nibbling on the live rock, but mostly, it was the echinoderms that seemed to be out in full force:

We were starting to worry what happened to all the fish. But as we gradually explored deeper areas, we got our answer. They were simply waiting for us in the deeper water! We saw all kinds of fish - wrasses, parrot fish, and even the state fish of Hawaii, the humu­humu­nuku­nuku­āpuaʻa, which are one of my favorites (sadly, not pictured - he was a speedy little bugger who didn't want to pose for a photo).


While the fish were pretty and the inverts were spectacular, I had still yet to see my beloved Honu. We had been snorkeling for hours, and although many seemed to be pulling themselves out on shore just a few minutes away, none were swimming in the nice, peaceful lagoon that we were exploring.

I had just about given up hope of seeing a turtle when Barry grabbed my shoulder and started pointing furiously. Sure enough, in the murky, deeper waters just ahead of us, was a small sea turtle.

Lucky for me, he (or she) didn't stay out there long. Soon enough the turtle was practically underneath us, and I got to get some great shots of it swimming along and diving down for a bite or two of delicious algae.

He even swam right past me in the shallows, as if saying hello, before returning to the deep.


At last, my hopes for the day more than fulfilled, we climbed out of the water over the lava rocks and headed home via the center-island roads. Much faster route, by the way, and brought us past the Dole Plantation, where we grabbed some delicious pineapple frozen yogurt.

All and all a fantastic day of exploring Oahu. I'm sure, though, living here, that there will be many more to come!

Sex ed just got a little more complicated

It's amazing how the field of stem cell research has advanced so much in such a short amount of time. Today, just a little over a decade after the first stem cell line was produced, scientists announced another breakthrough - turning stem cells into sperm.

In a paper published in the journal Stem Cells And Development (PDF), British scientists from England’s Newcastle University detail a technique for turning stem cells with male chromosomes into reproductive germline cells and prompt them to divide into sperm.

Like non-stem derived sperm, the in vitro versions have 1/2 the amount of genetic material of a regular cell, have a head and a tail, and are capable of swimming and activating an egg for fertilization.

And, interestingly enough, they were only able to produce them with male-derived cells. Female stem cells could begin the process, but stopped at an early stage, suggesting that genes on the Y chromosome are absolutely essential for sperm development.

While this step is a huge one, it's important to note that these sperm are not the same as the normal, mature sperm which are created in the testes, and cannot be used to produce fertilized embryos and offspring. There are other external structural differences which make these man-made sperm unable to act like normal sperm. So while it's an amazing discovery, it isn't a cure for male infertility - yet.

The sperm do, however, give us valuable insights into the origins of sperm and perhaps the underlying causes of infertility. The team is now trying the same trick using skin cells of infertile men and studying the differences between how those sperm and their embryo-derived ones develop, with the hopes of understanding more about the root causes of infertility. These studies may lead to new treatments for infertility, although at the moment, British law forbids the implantation of such sperm into humans, and any lab-grown embryos (if they could get the sperm to successfully fertilize an egg) can only be grown for 14 days, at which point they must be destroyed.

Even if a cure for impotence isn't in the near future, this new technique allows us to speed up nature's clock and see sperm development in a way that we have never been able to before. In the human body, it takes 15 years for the cells which develop into sperm-producing cells to develop and mature before they produce sperm - a process we have never been able to witness step-by-step. Now, it takes only 3 months, granting scientists the unique opportunity to learn even more about human development.


Nayernia, K., Lee, J., Lako, M., Armstrong, L., Herbert, M., Li, M., Engel, W., Elliott, D., Stojkovic, M., Parrington, J., Murdoch, A., Strachan, T., & Zhang, X. (2009). In Vitro Derivation of Human Sperm from Embryonic Stem Cells Stem Cells and Development DOI: 10.1089/scd.2009.0063