Oculus Science Journal
Issue 9
FOCUS— Upcycling - A Second Life For Wastes By WOOSEOK KIM One major consequence of the Coronavirus is the increase in produced waste, which has naturally resulted from the extended duration of time people are spending within their houses. Since people have started to order things online much more frequently due to their outdoor activities being hindered, the amount of plastic waste, especially product packaging, skyrocketed soon after the Covid breakout. In order to combat this phenomenon, both activists and civilians have participated in the eco-friendly activity known as “upcycling”. Upcycling is the action of using by-products, wastes, and other objects of no usage in order to recreate them into something new and beneficial. Plastic wastes are the main focus in most instances of upcycling, considering its abundance and detrimental aspects. One of such upcycling groups is the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM), which runs the Plastic Mill. Like how the name suggests, the Plastic Mill functions like a mill, but operating with plastic wastes instead of grain. While the standard mill grinds grain into flour, the Plastic Mill melts all sorts of plastic wastes in order to prepare them for a second life as brand new products. With molten plastic, the Plastic Mill creates a variety of goods including toothpaste squeezers and soap holders.
Figure 1: Soap holders (on the left) and toothpaste squeezers (on the right) developed by the Plastic Mill Source Credit: KoreaHerald (LINK) The core idea here is that the ‘Plastic Mill’ is upcycling, not simply recycling. While upcycling and recycling share the same fundamental goal of preserving resources and preventing waste, the two are slightly different in terms of their processes. Finding this quite confusing, one may ask the question, “then what exactly is the difference between Upcycling and Recycling?” Simply said, the key difference between the two is that while recycling is simply deconstructing the remains of a product in order to generate the same copies, upcycling involves the process of utilizing scraps to create something new, different, or superior compared to the previous product. Consider the ‘Plastic Mill’ as an example - since it creates different products from the plastic waste rather than simply generating more plastic bottles, it is effectively upcycling, rather than recycling. Not only are environmental activists engaging in upcycling, the concept is also rapidly spreading among experts of different fields. For instance, many scientists working at laboratories have begun to show interest in upcycling. LaShanda Korley, a professor of engineering and materials science at the University of Delaware, is one of such researchers. Korely’s latest research mainly focuses on the development of new, sustainable polymers. With her initial source of inspiration being the silk produced by spiders, Korely aims to create a type of synthetic polymer that is capable of expanding and shrinking. She also plans on reducing the burden on the environment by implementing the concept of upcycling. Explaining how the existing method of recycling plastic waste into products with limited usage is inefficient, Korely’s intends to recreate the plastic waste into more valuable forms, including fuels and practical polymers. Upcycling can even be found in the field of fashion. While many experts have previously considered the concept of capturing the benefits of upcycling in fashion as a significantly difficult practice, many creators are slowly beginning to implement the ideas of upcycling into their products. With prominent fashionistas such as Jonathan Cohen and Tanya Taylor, and famous brands such as Patagonia and Burberry joining in the effort to create artistic products from plastic parts, upcycling is steadily becoming a mainstream concept in the fashion industry. Like these various examples, the trend shows that numerous experts from a wide range of different fields are beginning to join in the process of upcycling for a variety of different reasons. For instance, through upcycling, some environmental groups aim to reduce the pressure on mother nature, while also generating funds to support their cause. On the other side of the coin, companies pursue upcycling in an attempt to appeal to the newer generations regarding their
efforts to preserve the natural environment. Whatever the causes may be, it is key for us to notice these efforts and take part in preserving the environment for future generations. Works Cited: Caruso, Catherine. “Creating New Polymers, and Upcycling the Old Ones.” MIT Alumni Association, 11 Jan. 2021, alum.mit.edu/slice/creating-new-polymers-and-upcycling-old-ones. Bauck, Whitney. “Spring 2021 Was the Season Every Designer Finally Decided to Upcycle.” Fashionista, Fashionista, 16 Oct. 2020, fashionista.com/2020/10/spring-2021-upcycling. Lee, Jaelim. “'Sparrows' across Korea Unite to Upcycle.” Korea JoongAng Daily, koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/06/13/culture/features/Plastic-Mill-Precious-Plastic/20 210613185200389.html.
Q&A: Sally: Is upcycling better than recycling? If so, what are some specific advantages? Also, can all items be upcycled or are there specific products that can be processed? - As stated in the article, upcycling is more efficient compared to recycling in terms of how it recreates waste into better, more creative products rather than simply producing a newer version of whatever was recycled. Xavier: Can upcycling only be put into practice in special facilities like the plastic mill? Or is there a direct way for people to directly get involved?’ - The concept of upcycling can be utilized by everyone, but the problem at the moment is how plastic upcycling (the most frequent type) generally requires facilities capable of melting plastic safely, which is definitely not common in the average household. John: What are the byproducts of melting plastic? Is the energy required in melting the plastic worth the new products created by upcycling? - It really depends - I can’t simply determine the average “worth” or “efficiency” of all upcycling processes. However, the key point of upcycling is that waste can be utilized and recreated for a better, new purpose, rather than focusing entirely on energy-efficiency. Hannah: What are some difficulties with upcycling? Especially since many trash come with different parts (such as the labels on plastic bottles) and materials, wouldn’t it be harder to sort and create a new product out of them?
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Definitely. As mentioned in the question, one of the many difficulties is the sorting process. Since plastic upcycling generally requires the process of melting plastic, plastic wastes must be sorted before they are melted. However, it must be noted that plastic recycling also requires this process as it relies on molten plastic. Thus, it could be said that as the need to sort plastic is shared among both procedures, this obstacle does not necessarily put recycling above upcycling.
Glaciers wear pink coats of algae By SALLY LEE
Figure 1: Watermelon glacier’s microscopic image of algaes with red pigments Source Credit: New York Times (LINK) Up high on the Alpine mountains, you will be surprised to see the new appearance of glaciers. With a slight tint of pink, it almost seems as if someone has spilled food coloring on the ice. In reality, however, the cause of this artificial-looking change in color is due to algae. When we think of this organism, we often associate it with algae blooms that turn water systems into green puddles. However, algae can actually be in any color: red, brown, and even blue depending on their types and habitats. Here in the Alps, we have red pigmented algae that wear this specific coat to protect them from ultraviolet light. However, although the color itself seems harmless, scientists think they are far from being a good signal. These pink glaciers, or watermelon snow, do happen naturally; even Aristotle had left an observation of them. However, researchers assume that human activities are accelerating their growth. Especially considering that climate change and extreme weather are some of the causes of freshwater and ocean algae blooms, there is a great possibility that they are taking a role in pink algae blooms too. Unfortunately, the direct cause of algae blooms is unknown since there has been lack of research on these specific types. Nevertheless, Eric Maréchal, the head of a plant physiology lab at the Grenoble Alpes University, has recently started exploring deeper into this glacier blood. After collecting samples from different altitudes of the French Alps, scientists discovered that many algae species found
in those samples have evolved to adapt to the elevations they were found in. They have also attempted to investigate the factors that have spurred pink blooms by experimenting with different kinds of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus on algae, but they have not yet observed any significant signals. Something they did notice during their research is that there is a great diversity of algae, many parts of which are yet to be discovered. Therefore, with these organisms being “the basis of all ecosystems,” as Adeline Stewart, an author of a research paper on pink glaciers said, and a sign of climate change, the scientists further plan to observe their distributions over the world and use them for evaluation of different habitats. However, for glaciers, red algae are more than a warning sign of climate change. The red hues absorb more sunlight than glaciers normally do, causing a rapid melting of these ice. The abnormal rate of melting can lead to disruptions in the ecosystem, and due to what they call a “runaway effect,” the rate seems to increase every year. The “runaway effect” explains the dilemma of pink glaciers. When they melt due to the sunlight absorption, they provide a better environment for red pigmented algae to thrive, leading to more algae and more melting of ice. With this cycle threatening the stability of the ecosystems, more research is indeed needed to hinder the growth of these organisms. Especially since they can be sighted in any mountain with glaciers these days, we cannot merely be amazed by its color, but it is definitely time to give these watermelon ice more attention.
Q&A: - Xavier: Is this phenomenon a rare occurrence, or does it impact many glaciers in the Alps? Any signs of spreading to other regions around the world? - This phenomenon is not just limited to the Alps, but the pink glaciers are seen very often in high elevations. In my opinion, I do not think it is “spreading,” but it has just become a common sight. - Wooseok: Can it be said that the main cause of this phenomenon entirely stems from the color of the algae? For example, if the algae were naturally white, would this phenomenon still be a problem? - The algae itself does not pose a problem yet since they are not causing the harm directly like algae blooms. However, if the population increases significantly at an uncontrollable rate, then this phenomenon would be an indication of an environmental problem. - John: Is there a negative feedback loop that induces a larger population of these algae? If so, what is it? - Yes, as explained above, scientists call this a “runaway effect.” When pink glaciers melt due to red pigmented algae, they provide a better environment for algae to grow.. - Hannah: Is there a way to prevent the algae from spreading or even occurring in the first place? - Pink glaciers are not a new phenomenon. Although it cannot be proven, there are a few historical records of similar occurrences. Therefore, it seems more possible to make an effort in slowing down the population growth. Works Cited: “Blood Glaciers: Why Is Alpine Snow Turning Pink?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 June 2021, www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jun/15/blood-glaciers-why-is-alpine-snow-turning-pin k. Giaimo, Cara. “Glacier Blood? Watermelon Snow? Whatever It's Called, Snow Shouldn't Be So Red.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 June 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/science/watermelon-snow-algae-glacier-blood.html. Lanese, Nicoletta. “'Glacier Blood' Could Be Key to Understanding Impacts of Climate Change.” LiveScience, Purch, 7 June 2021,
www.livescience.com/glacier-blood-microalgae-expedition.html. Yadav, Prerna. “Know Truth behind 'Glacier Blood' and Why Is It Key to Understand Climate Change.” English, 8 June 2021, www.indiatvnews.com/trending/offbeat-know-truth-behind-glacier-blood-and-why-is-it-ke y-to-understand-climate-change-710239. Yadav, Prerna. “Know Truth behind 'Glacier Blood' and Why Is It Key to Understand Climate Change.” English, 8 June 2021, www.indiatvnews.com/trending/offbeat-know-truth-behind-glacier-blood-and-why-is-it-ke y-to-understand-climate-change-710239.
Covid-sniffing dogs help out in airports By HANNAH KIM
Figure 1: A line of samples–bodily fluids with only one of them infected–is presented in front of a dog training to detect coronavirus. Dogs are able to smell a certain odor from people who have different diseases. When the dogs correctly indicate a positive sample by pawing or nosing at it, they are given a treat. Source Credit: Fodor’s Travel (LINK) As we approach nearly a year and a half since the start of the global pandemic, many people are finally beginning to travel. However, people still need to go through the arduous process of taking safety precautions while boarding and disembarking a plane. Many airports require the passengers to wear masks and test for the virus before boarding. Not only is this procedure tiring and time-consuming for the passengers, but it is also costly for some. Testing once costs around $90 in many airports. Imagine how much that would be for a family of four on a round-trip. Fortunately, some scientists have succeeded in discovering a new method that may increase the efficiency of this process: specially trained dogs to sniff out people with the coronavirus. Dogs often play a role in sniffing out weapons, drugs, or other diseases such as lung cancer thanks to their keen sense of smell. Compared to humans, who only have about 5 or 6 million scent receptors in their noses, dogs have about 300 million scent receptors, making them far
superior to humans in smell. Although there is still ongoing research, scientists believe that human bodies release certain volatile organic compounds in gas form when sick. Despite the fact that they are undetectable to humans, dogs are able to sense the compounds. Depending on the disease, the smell also varies, so when trained properly, dogs are able to sniff people with specific illnesses. During the training process, sweat, saliva, and other bodily fluids are found to be very useful. Similar to how they are trained to sit or fetch, dogs are given treats when they choose the correct sample of a certain disease. They indicate to the researchers the sample they have chosen by sitting next to it, pressing their nose against it, or even pawing at it. One of the first studies in training dogs on how to sniff out the coronavirus involved sweat samples from 177 possible COVID-19 patients in Paris and Beirut; 14 dogs were trained with the samples. Of the 14 dogs, only six were selected–five Belgian Malinois and one Jack Russel terrier–to detect a positive sample. After dozens of trials with the randomly placed positive sample, the success rate varied between 76% and 100%. The two dogs that were previously trained to detect colon cancer had 100% success rate out of 68 tests. There was also a surprising result from this experiment. During the experiment, the dogs repeatedly marked two negative samples, and when the hospitals were notified of this, they found out that the tested individuals were actually positive. That is, the dogs were actually able to discover a false negative test. However, there were also some cases of error. According to BBC, while the dogs were able to sense 88% of coronavirus cases correctly, they also incorrectly flagged 16% of them. Due to this possibility of error, researchers do not recommend depending solely on dogs to find people with the coronavirus. Until scientists succeed in training dogs to detect the virus with 100% accuracy or a more effective method emerges, airports would need to continue with the PCR tests. Fortunately, an increasing number of people are getting vaccinated. Although currently, even vaccinated travelers need to submit a negative COVID-19 test result, there is hope that testings would no longer be necessary in the future. Scientists hope that dogs would only need to be employed as a safety precaution.
Q&A: Sally: Since carrying these dogs for the virus detection is not entirely reliable, what kind of other methods or research are scientists planning to do to increase the accuracy? Are there other training methods? - The current method that most airports are undergoing is coronavirus testing. Although highly trained dogs have a higher accuracy rate, in the end, covid tests are more precise and easy to access (since it takes a lot of time and money to train them and there are very few dogs that are accurate). Unfortunately, there’s no other training method. In the majority of cases, dogs are trained with award systems where they would earn treats if they correctly identify a covid patient. Xavier: Do you personally think further research should be done to increase the accuracy of the tests, or should the idea be scrapped entirely? - I personally think further research should be done because in the future when most people are vaccinated and the global pandemic ends (hopefully), airports won’t require people to take the covid tests anymore. However, even after the pandemic ends, there will still be a few people infected by the virus. In that case, I think the trained dogs can go around the airport and identify anyone who is infected by the virus. Wooseok: Are there specific types/breeds of dogs that are more suitable for the purpose of covid-sniffing? If so, what are they? - The most common types of breeds that are trained to sniff out not just coronavirus but also drugs and other illnesses are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retrievers, and Border Collies. John: How does COVID-19 affect the types of volatile organic compounds emitted from the human body? - Although exactly how the volatile organic compounds differ for COVID-19 patients is not known in full detail, studies have shown that they had higher levels of ethyl butanoate. In comparison with other respiratory diseases, covid patients have shown lower levels of butyraldehyde and isopropanol. Works Cited:
Editorial Staff | February 16, 2021 Topics: Research COVID-19. “Can Dogs Sniff Out COVID-19?” American Lung Association, www.lung.org/blog/can-dogs-detect-covid-19. Schraer, Rachel. “Covid: Sniffer Dogs Could Bolster Screening at Airports.” BBC News, BBC, 23 May 2021, www.bbc.com/news/health-57200863.
Kramer, Jillian. “These Sniffer Dogs Are Learning to Smell the Coronavirus.” Animals, National Geographic, 19 May 2021, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/see-dogs-trained-to-sniff-covid. “Detection of Covid-19 by Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Breath - Full Text View.” Detection of Covid-19 by Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Breath - Full Text View ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04714333. Silk, Robert. “Planning to Get an Airport Covid Test? It Can Cost You.” Travel Weekly, Travel Weekly, 5 May 2021, www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Airline-group-sounds-an-alarm-over-pr ices-of-airport-Covid-tests. “Which Dog Breeds Work Best for Drug Detection.” 3DK9 LLC, www.3dk9detection.com/news/what-breeds-make-the-best-drug-dogs.
New Evidence for Hawking’s Black Hole Area Law By JOHN K. LEE
Figure 1: A photo showing the merging of two black holes into one. This kind of event - a black hole merger - produced the first ever inductive evidence for gravitational waves in 2015. Source Credit: Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory Gallery (LINK) In the 1970s, the renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking proposed the Black Hole Area Law (it then became one of the four laws of black hole thermodynamics) which, in mathematical terms, is stated as the following: “The surface area of a black hole, assuming the weak energy condition, is a non-decreasing function of time–that is to say, dA/dt ≥ 0.” Let us break this law down. First, the surface area of a black hole is the area of the region encompassed by the black hole’s event horizon–the boundary at which even light can no longer escape the gravity of the black hole (this is why the surface area of the black hole is often referred to as the ‘horizon area’). Next, the weak energy condition implies that the local energy density of any system under consideration must be nonnegative;in other words, the amount of energy per volume must be greater than or equal to zero. Finally, to say that the surface area is a ‘non-decreasing function of time’ is the same as saying that as time progresses, the horizon area of a black hole will never decrease: it will only ever increase or stay the same. Speaking in terms of relativity, the law asserts that the surface area that the black hole gains from absorbing mass-energy from its surroundings will always outsize the loss of surface area due to the absorbed mass-energy increasing the spin of a black hole.
In order to gather inductive evidence for this law, Maximiliano Isi, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with his team published a paper on May 26, 2021, in which they used data from a black hole merger event (in which two black holes merged into one) to assess whether or not the horizon area of the merged black hole was larger than the sum of the horizon areas of the two black holes that merged together. The investigation yielded a positive result (with a confidence level of 95%), thereby upholding Hawking's surface area law. However, there are still uncertainties in the law. According to Matt Visser, a professor of mathematics at Victoria University of Wellington, “The very fact that Hawking evaporation occurs at all violates the area increase theorem...for classical black holes. This implies that the quantum process underlying the Hawking evaporation process must also induce a violation of one or more of the input assumptions used in proving the classical area increase theorem...” In Hawking radiation, a pair of virtual particles appear at the event horizon of a black hole. One gets absorbed by the black hole, and the other escapes out into the universe. What this implies is that over very large spans of time, even black holes will eventually evaporate, which goes against Hawking's law which purports that horizon area never decreases. Though this topic is interesting, in order to get a better perspective into this issue, there is still a need to further develop our theories of quantum gravity.
Q&A: Sally: Are there any recent discoveries that support or compromise the Black Hole Area Law? Or are there other laws that deal with similar forms of energy, density, and time that may help us believe that this law is realistic? - As mentioned in the article, the very existence of Hawking radiation threatens the black hole area law by purporting its evaporation over long periods of time. One law that is similar in nature with the black hole area law is the second law of thermodynamics, which states that entropy is a nondecreasing function of time (not on the local scale, but on the universal scale). This law proves useful in the proof of the black hole area theorem (under certain conditions), thus providing some realist evidence for the law. Xavier: How will an increased understanding of black holes impact the field of science and its future? - Not only will the knowledge of black holes be accumulated for the sake of itself, but we might be able to answer the question regarding the information paradox at the black hole. When a black hole sucks in mass-energy, it is believed that information about the object is forever lost, contrary to the quantum mechanical results that state that information is never lost. By increasing our understanding of black holes, we might be able to refine such theories of science.
Wooseok: It seems like some of the laws go against each other - which one is most widely believed among scientists in modern day? Is there a specific reason why? - These consequences aren’t consistent because our theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics aren’t compatible. If, in the future, we are able to devise a consistent theory of quantum gravity or provide sufficient evidence for other theoretical frameworks like string theory, we may be able to make these theoretical consequences compatible. Conclusively, whether or not one is favored over the other is a meaningless question. Hannah: You used the terms quantum gravity and quantum mechanics but what exactly do they mean? And is research on this topic ongoing? - Quantum gravity is the hypothetical theoretical framework that bridges the gap between gravity and quantum mechanics. As of now, there is no consistent theory of quantum gravity. However, by persistently continuing research like this, we may be able to solve this problem in the future.
Works Cited: Carlip, S. (2014). Black hole thermodynamics. International Journal of Modern Physics D, 23(11), 1430023. https://doi.org/10.1142/s0218271814300237 Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office. (n.d.). Physicists observationally confirm Hawking's black hole theorem for the first time. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://news.mit.edu/2021/hawkings-black-hole-theorem-confirm-0701. Isi, M., Farr, W. M., Giesler, M., Scheel, M. A., & Teukolsky, S. A. (2021). Testing the Black-Hole Area Law with GW150914. Physical Review Letters, 127(1). https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.127.011103 Lesourd, M. (2018). A remark on the energy conditions for Hawking’s area theorem. General Relativity and Gravitation, 50(6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-018-2377-1 Spindel, R. (2011). Hawking radiation. Scholarpedia, 6(12), 6958. https://doi.org/10.4249/scholarpedia.6958
Downsizing: a new threat for North Atlantic right whales By XAVIER KIM
Figure 1: A North Atlantic right whale bearing scars on its skin due to excessive entanglement. Source Credit: New York Times (LINK) North Atlantic right whales were considered by humans as the “right” whale to hunt, hence its name. The species carried all the right characteristics to make them accessible to mankind. They were often found near shores. They swam slowly. When killed, they would float above water. They were the perfect prey. The whales were bound for destruction from the moment they were discovered. Humans have continually threatened the survival of the species throughout the last century. Excessive whaling of the North Atlantic right whales led the global population count to as low as below 100 in the 1920s. When the practice of whaling was made illegal in 1932, there appeared to be a shimmer of hope for the endangered species. Although it had partially recovered in number since then, the population never reached its historic peak of 21,000. But now, the marine mammals face a new challenge: shrinking.
Scientists monitored the whales for the past 40 years in the form of aerial photographs that reveal their size. The photos spoke for themselves: large scars and gashes running along the bodies of the creatures. Sadly, a recent study published in Current Biology incorporating this data shows alarming changes in the age to length ratio in the whales. The report reveals that since 1981, the right whales in the North Atlantic have shrunk by an average of 7 percent, or approximately one meter. This may seem insignificant on paper, but the issue is more properly illustrated case by case; here were mature five year old and even ten year old whales that were the proper size of two year old juveniles. The dramatic decline in size of whales is largely rooted in their entanglement in fishing equipment. Whales can get tangled up in fishing gear as they swim in the ocean. With thousands of tons of such equipment resting in right whale migration routes and feeding areas, this event happens pretty frequently. It is estimated that 85% of all right whales have been entangled in fishing equipment at least once in their lifetime. These entanglements have the potential to seriously harm the whales by causing fatal infections, starvation, and drowning. But the effects can also be more long term. Entangled whales tend to carry the fishing gear for several years, which is causing the species to diminish in size. The gear can get as heavy as 4,000 pounds. Dragging such a weight around requires a lot of energy–energy that should be going into biological functions like growth. Gear entanglement also affects the reproduction of whales in a serious manner, and could prevent the revitalization of the species. Pregnant females entangled in fishing equipment give birth to smaller calves with lower survival rates. With just 366 known individuals of the North Atlantic right whale, inefficient means of reproduction could spell extinction for the gentle giants. Now that the problem has been identified, there must be work done to resolve it and save the North Atlantic right whales. A popular proposal among environmentalists is the reduction of ropes in fishing equipment worldwide. While the goal may seem a bit far-fetched, research is already underway, with some even testing methods of fishing that are completely rope-free. Though the protection of the critically endangered whales will certainly prove to be a difficult fight, it may be humanity’s only way to right its past wrongs against the beautiful creatures.
Q&A: - Sally: How might the change in size harm the right whales? I understand the harm during entanglement, but I am curious about the aftermath. - There is evidence to suggest that whale calves that are too small have low rates of survival. As hinted to in the article, this issue continues to worsen as undersized mother whales tend to give birth to more undersized offspring. - Wooseok: Is entanglement an issue that only / mainly affects the right whales? Or does it also have critical effects on other types of whales too? - Entanglement is a huge issue beyond the scope of just whales. It negatively impacts all forms of marine life, perhaps the most well known example being sea turtles. - Hannah: What role do right whales play in the aquatic ecosystem? Aside from the ethical problems, are there any practical reasons why the right whales must be protected? - North Atlantic right whales play a vital role in their ecosystems. As their main prey is krill and plankton, a couple of small organisms that make up the foundation of aquatic ecosystems, it is critical that the whales exist to maintain balance in each trophic level of marine life. - John: Were there actions taken to develop fishing equipment in such a way that it doesn’t get entangled with the right whales? If so, what are they? - Environmentalists are looking into alternative fishing equipment that are less prone to entanglement. Removing netting material is one way this has been done. Greater investment into ropeless fishing technologies could be the key to protecting the right whales. Works Cited: Fisheries, NOAA. “North Atlantic Right Whale.” NOAA, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale. Roth, Annie. “On the Verge of Extinction, These Whales Are Also Shrinking.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 June 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/06/03/science/shrinking-whales.html. Zuckoff, Eve. “Endangered Right Whales Are Shrinking. Scientists Blame Commercial Fishing Gear.” NPR, NPR, 3 June 2021, www.npr.org/2021/06/03/1002612132/endangered-right-whales-are-shrinking-scientistsblame-commercial-fishing-gear.