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Treacherous. Tempestuous. Turbulent. Since being discovered in 1520, the icy and foggy passageway connecting two oceans at the southmost point of the Americas has earned quite the fearsome reputation. Upon crossing it, its first navigator – Ferdinand Magellan, in whose honor this Strait is named – called the unknown, calm body of water he had…

“But then came the swell – the physical proof that there really was something outside this limitless prison of ice. And all the defenses they had so carefully constructed to prevent hope from entering their minds collapsed.” ** Oceanic water is in a constant state of motion: surface winds and (rare) underground tremors cause it…

Once upon a time, there was a fisherman who embarked on lengthy voyages in the Pacific Ocean and used as guidance many important observations “of the stars, the ocean swells, the flight patterns of birds and other natural signs […].” Following directions by his chief navigator Makali‘i, an expert stargazer, Hawai‘i Loa is believed to…

Step one: look up to the sky. Step two: choose a celestial body. Step three: find the horizon. Step four: use the lenses of the instrument to align both visual inputs. Step five: note the time of the observation. Step six: determine latitude. Since nothing in the ocean is static – either above or below…

The ancient Romans left dry land and boarded ships for two primary public purposes – commerce and conquer. This is understandable: vessels were hard to build, challenging to steer, and expensive to maintain. And although we can speculate that some of them – as the poet Catullus – may have also pursued recreational activities at…

Zebrafish are tiny but mighty swimmers, often found in many habitats, ranging from tropical freshwater to domestic aquariums. Adept at orienting themselves by focusing on moving visual stimuli, they are however at times disengaged and pay attention to something other than the current, or their fellow fish. As for these aquatic vertebrates, attention is a…

The year is 1786. Reflecting upon his sailing journeys across the Atlantic Ocean, an American polymath starts to observe how neither route choice nor speed guarantee the fastest arrival to their destination to similar vessels navigating across the Atlantic. What Benjamin Franklin imagines, then – and proceeds to chart with stunning accuracy – is that…

What makes plants flourish? Most of us may answer water, warmth, and light. Do aquatic plants grow in a similar manner? Yes, and no. Some of them thrive amid the type of cold darkness that can only be found in polar nights. During our lives, we human beings will at times face the unforgiving rigor…

“If we are to proceed about our business at sea in safety a proper discipline [my emphasis] with regard to the rules is essential.” Navigational Discipline at Sea (more information on the article can be find at [Navigational Discipline at Sea | The Journal of Navigation | Cambridge Core Throughout our lives, we human beings…

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica [Gravity | Definition, Physics, & Facts | Britannica, gravity is “the universal force of attraction acting between all bodies of matter.” In Physics, gravity is one of the four fundamental interactions along with electromagnetic, weak and strong forces Fundamental Interactions – Physics Book What does gravity do? It impedes movement,…