The SS United States has been deliberately sunk – this is how marine life will colonise the world’s largest artificial reef

By Nicholas Ray, Doctoral Programmes Manager and Researcher in Aquatic Ecology, Nottingham Trent University

As a marine ecologist and keen scuba diver, I’ve long been fascinated by what happens when a large structure is introduced to the sea. Within hours, microscopic organisms begin colonising its surfaces, forming a thin biological layer. Over the following months and years, barnacles, mussels, sponges and other marine life become established, creating a new habitat that attracts fish and a diverse range of species.

This week, one of the world’s most famous ocean liners, the SS United States, was

Read complete article

~	El Niño threatens health, too – early warnings done right can save lives

~	Children are not colorblind: Why early conversations about race are essential

~	While California’s wealth tax failed, states are taking other steps to collect more revenue from the rich

~	US demands that Iraq disarms brigades misread the nation’s complicated security landscape

~	Rural women in Colorado and nationwide are at higher risk for cervical cancer – at-home test kits can help close the gap

~	Despite intense Islamophobia, Abdul El-Sayed and dozens of other Muslims elected representatives are breaking down barriers

~	Extreme weather risk is scaring big corporations away from poorer countries – that hurts the companies, too

~	Haiti: More than 1,000 killed between July and September, UN report reveals

~	Tunisia: Authorities must urgently investigate surge in detainees’ deaths in prisons

~	Amnesty’s Secretary General returns to the Philippines after lifting of immigration ban