Why are there so many blue holes in Florida? Students analyze the multidisciplinary nature of the National Geographic Bahamas Blue HoleExpedition by determining the questions the scientists and researchers involved in the expedition were attempting to answer. Students discuss the meaning of ethics and evaluate the ethical considerations with the Blue Holes Expedition. Their existence was discovered in the late 20th century by fishermen and recreational divers. If you find this stuff interesting, consider checking out other springs in Florida. If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Its built to survive extremely hostile conditions, and is like something that would be used in space exploration. Have students work in groups to determine whether these seven guidelines apply to their micro-expedition and how they should prepare to leave no trace.. A blue hole can be an oasis in an otherwise barren seafloor. This link contributes to the knowledge of carbon cycling between surface and groundwater. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Kill nothing but time. might be difficult. Hang the sheets of butcher paper on the walls around the room. We understand very little about these communities, or lifeforms. Blue Holes National Park - Bahamas National Trust The team was also able to document nutrient flux from the bottom sediment into the water, suggesting that nutrients are coming up from the blue hole, fueling primary production above the hole, and in turn, a whole cascade of larger organisms. It may give us clues about red tide, Floridas aquifer, Earths geothermal heating, the safety of Floridas drinking water, and more. Inquire at a university or museum about a guest speaker who has been part of a research expedition. Washington, DC 20036, Careers| Its difficult, complex and dangerous. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. They compare past and present-day explorers reasons for exploration to their own. Ask students how they define exploration, writing all ideas on the board. 11.) The Great Blue Hole Facts: 10 You Didn't Know About Belize - Itza Resort This video is private. The Florida Guidebook is supported by our readers. However, based on current theory, it is likely that most galaxies are connected, and that the majority of the universe is made up of blue holes. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. With a global reach of over 10 million monthly readers and featuring dedicated websites for science (Phys.org), Now that students have an understanding of what an expedition is, they can take their understanding further to explore what it actually takes to implement one. What obstacles came up? With an expedition, scientists or explorers have some background knowledge but seek evidence, or data, to help in answering specific questions. 6. And while marine scientists are captivated by their potential from a research perspective, laypeople seem pretty riveted by these sinkholes too. What Happens When You Do Side Lunges For 2 Weeks, What Are The Long Term Side Effects Of Adriamycin. The hole is circular in shape, 318 m (1,043 ft) across and 124 m (407 ft) deep. One indication the art of photography has become its own form of storytelling is the phrase a picture is worth 1,000 words. Ive spent months exploring around Mexican cenotes. Have students expand on their ideas for the multidisciplinary nature of the work by adding any new ideas to their graphic organizers (particularly the third column) from Step 2: One of the rewards of the expedition's multidisciplinary approach is the constant exchangeof ideas and enthusiasm among scientists with wholly different backgrounds. A blue hole 30 miles off Sarasota (known as "Amberjack Hole") was explored in 2019. They are diverse biological communities full of marine life. Ask students: How might reasons for exploration have changed over time? How did your group work together? The rest sits under the Gulf of Mexico. Have students contact the park or other site where they will conduct their micro-expedition. and Terms of Use. Source. New Life-Forms Found in Blue HolesClues to Life in Alien Oceans? Make final preparations for the micro-expeditions. We keep our content available to everyone. Please, allow us to send you push notifications with new Alerts. Such connections, if confirmed in multiple blue holes, should be investigated as possible shortcuts for saltwater intrusion into the Florida Aquifer and its drinking water, or conversely, for fresh water carrying land-based chemicals including nutrients offshore.. Students can choose an explorer and determine the purpose of their explorations. We dont know much about blue holes, so many exploratory questions remain. They can tell us valuable information, like past hurricane activity, and even our own ancient biological ancestry. This activity will need to extend for a class period before and after the field-based micro-expedition. He speculated that the spots were underwater springs. These holes are created when the gas and dust in the galaxy combine to create a large enough vacuum. Green Banana is one of the deepest blue holes ever discovered or explored. Ask him or her to speak with your students in person or via videoconference about the realities of conducting fieldwork. They look for signals from marine life, discolored water, changes in water temperature, saltiness and other telltale signs. By David Levin | May 12, 2017 A blue hole in the ocean is a striking sight. They are diverse biological communities full of marine life. Phys.org is a part of Science X network. In fact, the first reports of blue holes did not come from scientists or researchers, but actually came from fishermen and recreational divers. He dives off the ledge of a blue hole as if he is skydiving. Use tools like high-resolution sonar and satellites, Use aerial observation to look for water anomalies. Blue holes are similar to sinkholes but on a much grander scale. Showing exactly . What Are Blue Holes And Why Are They So Fascinating? - The Swaddle Specifically designed for this project, the benthic lander was deployed to the bottom of Amberjack Hole to collect data and samples for longer periods than divers can, right where the bottom water meets the sediment. 5 Most Impressive Blue Holes Around The World - Amusing Planet science of the origin, development, and culture of human beings. There are at least 20 blue holes off Florida's coast, but nobody knows how many there really are, said Fox13 News in Tampa. Its more like an astronaut space walk than a recreational scuba dive. 5. Brainstorm as a class about: Talk about how the cavers motto is an example of environmental ethics, or guidelines for having respect for places and also the people who care about those places. Leave nothing but footprints. Also, while creativity is important, so is feasibility. Scientists Embark on Journey to the "Deep" to Explore Blue Holes: NOAA The ocean does open up and consume areas of sea floor. having to do with more than one academic subject, or discipline. It can remain on the sea floor for up to 24 hours at a time, instead of one hour for a human diver. (state/national/local parks and forests, beaches, waterways, other public places). Begin the planning for a micro-expedition.. These Chattanooga Blue Holes Will Astonish You - Suburban Turmoil The first trip is scheduled for August 2020, and work will continue in 2021. After two minutes, have students pass their butcher paper in a clockwise direction to the next table. The nutrients feed phytoplankton near the water surface. Help to facilitate their reaching out to park leadership or others responsible for the place where they will conduct their micro-expedition. Scientists are hoping to learn whether these submersed sinkholes are connected to Florida's groundwater.". And so, while the Peruvian people were the true keepers of Machu Picchu and its artifacts, ownership of the discovery ended up in contention because of the excitement surrounding Binghams re-discovery. Great Blue Hole Of Belize - Largest Sea Hole In The World Talk about times when Take nothing but pictures. They should keep their ideas from this activity in mind throughout the process to help them develop their plans. Privacy Notice| Massive Blue Hole Discovered Near Mexico: New Lifeforms Inside? . Inside some of the blue holes, water conditions are hostile to normal living organisms. One mission with the Benthic Lander might provide as much data as hundreds of human divers. Blue holes are submerged ocean caverns that can reveal things we - SYFY Ask students to write down some ideas about how their views of expeditions might have changed after reading this article. Also, show students the following brief video clips from the Diving the Labyrinth video set: 1) Islands of the Bahamas blue hole, 2) Blue holes time capsules, 3) SawMill Sink, 4) The lost world, and 5) Building the past. It was named by fishermen who found the hole in the 1970s. Write down the ideas on butcher paper and keep them for use in Activity #2Plan and Prepare for an Expeditionto help students keep the characteristics of an expedition clear in their minds. Explorers Discover A Deathly Mystery At The Bottom Of The Great Blue Hole Seems many think the . I first learned about blue holes in Florida while doing research for freediving and scuba diving. And, by extension, how to understand lifeforms on other planets. The opening of a blue hole can be several hundred feet underwater, and for many holes, the opening is too small for an automated submersible. Most blue holes are formed from sinkholes or caves that develop slowly over time, as rock begins to erode and collapse. The nutrients-rich could occur naturally. All blue holes were once sinkholes that formed on land but are now filled with ocean water. branch of biology that studies the relationship between living organisms and their environment. Discuss the difference between exploration and expeditions. Updated by Lauren Feather, February 19, 2022: The Great Blue Hole never loses its allure as one of the world's most jaw-dropping natural attractions. Discuss ethical considerations for the micro-expedition. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Amazingly, humans have dove to the bottom several times. This suggests that blue holes are not isolated from groundwater and could provide further insights into any potential groundwater connection between the Floridan Aquifer and the Gulf of Mexico. Some descend hundreds of feet, others connect to. Back then, the entire Florida peninsula was exposed, dry land. After the trail crosses the creek (which, by the way, is . Video courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory. Activity 1: Why We Explore 1 hr 40 mins Students discuss the meaning of exploration and places they would like to explore. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 metres (984 ft.) across and 125 metres (410 ft.) deep. The Benthic Lander explores the bottom of the sea floor and performs scientific analysis. The deepest blue hole in the world, Dragon Hole, is in the South China Sea. When it happens in the ocean, it's called a 'blue hole' and what's inside them is largely a mystery, NOAA reports. Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request, Optional (only if you want to be contacted back). Check students plans and ideas for the feasibility of their micro-expedition and presence of multidisciplinary aspects. From volcanoes to tsunamis, nature can produce some of the most miraculous (and terrifying) phenomenons. Blue holes are fascinating because theyre like thriving oases in an empty desert. 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Talk about how having these roles in mind during the expedition will help in the communicating afterward. They can be found in many oceanic areas with karst geology. Mysterious Deep 'Blue Hole' Found at the Bottom of the - LatestLY Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Geology, Oceanography, English Language Arts, Geography, Physical Geography. For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines). hide. Explain that so far we have focused on exploration, but lets consider now how exploration might be different from an expedition. To their amazement, the scientists also found that the hydrothermal vents were surrounded by large numbers of organisms that had never been seen before. Image courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory. The fish attract bigger fish and predators. It feels cozy. How were they dependent on each other to get data and samples? . By Sophie Lewis July 24, 2020 / 6:45 AM / CBS News Off the coast of Florida, deep at the bottom of the ocean, are massive blue holes that formed thousands of years ago. To find blue holes, researchers use a variety of techniques. Download larger version (mp4, 12.3 MB). These microbes may play an important role in the global carbon cycle by returning carbon into the environment in a form that other organisms can access. In contrast, the Lander can operate continuously. A divers view looking up to the opening of Amberjack Hole. Give each group a marker and a sheet of butcher paper with one of these questions on each paper: At the teachers signal, each group brainstorms while the scribe captures the ideas. For example, in the Blue Holes Expedition, marine biologists, paleontologists, geologists, and others worked together to answer research questions. Also explain that a key element of exploration and expeditions is coming away with new questions; it will not be possible to answer all of their questions at once. Its possible that Mud Hole Springs is connected to both. They compare past and present-day explorers' reasons for exploration to their own. Consider supporting ScienceX's mission by getting a premium account. Blue Holes Show Hurricane Activity in the Bahamas Is at a Centuries Its very popular among fishermen in the Gulf. Could water find its way from land, through a maze of underground passages, and out into the Gulf of Mexico? Most are very old and date back over 150,000 years ago. Where research takes place, scientists have to ask permission to do research and to take samples. Have students take their new questions and choose one to further explore. . In general, however, it is estimated that there may be up to 3 billion blue holes in the Milky Way galaxy alone. Why or why not? 1. Researchers have already found that salt water can migrate many miles inland to infiltrate Floridas aquifer. Blue Holes: A Descent into the World's Hidden Waters Capture your students in action with these materials on storytelling and photography. There are several blue holes here, depending on how far you want to hike, but the trail entrance can be hard to find. Blue holes are sprinkled throughout the rest of the platform, waiting to be discovered. A massive blue hole just showed up near Mexicoand new lifeforms may be inside. In fact, the first reports of blue holes decades ago weren't from scientists or researchers, but from fishermen and recreational divers. 3. Have students share their ideas with the class. It's one of the most well-known blue holes in Florida, thanks to recent scientific exploration. 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Allow each group to add their ideas for each question. There are infinite variables, and dangerous conditions. Have students read the articlesThe Accidental Discoveryof Hiram Binghamand The Discovery of Machu Picchuabout Hiram Binghams re-discovery of the site in Peru. The deceased sawfish were intact enough to be collected for research, and Mote scientists quickly reported the discovery to NOAA and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and obtained the required permit for collection of one of the sawfish, a male measuring an impressive 12 feet long. Theres nothing there.. Then, an oasis appears out of nowhere, filled with fish and all types of sea life. Ask: What do you think is his motivation for exploration, past and present? Evaluate how thoroughly the groups are considering aspects of their proposed micro-expedition. Another set of ethics that suggests how people should treat the outdoors is Leave No Trace. The year-long expedition begins in August and will explore a 425-feet deep blue hole known as Green Banana, that is 155 feet below the surface, NOAA says. Have students conduct their field-based micro-expedition as planned, using skills of observation, recording notes, sketching, and use of cameras for both images and video. As an Amazon Associate this site may earn from qualifying purchases. Ask students to form small groupsthe same as in the previous activityand develop a research question from what theyve seen. Lots of springs and sinkholes became blue holes and submarine springs. Well, actually, theyre super important. Special gases are required. A Blue Hole is an underwater sinkhole created by the erosion of carbonate bedrock. Fly over remote areas of the Caribbean Sea and you'll see shallow turquoise water stretching for miles, interrupted only by occasional sand bars and coral reefs. "The opening of a blue hole can be several hundred feet underwater, and for many holes, the opening is too small for an automated submersible. And, in turn, some carbon/nutrients ultimately cycle back to the sediments as detritus, fueling additional fluxes and restarting the positive feedback cycle. After completing their graphic organizer, have students consider the thinking they did about such an expedition in Step 3 with what Dr. Broad and his team encountered. Floridas blue holes are challenging to study for several reasons: Its also harder because they arent working in a sterile, isolated laboratory. The need to make sure they could get to the blue holes in different areason both private and public property, discuss a variety of considerations when planning an expedition, compare ideas to an actual expeditions characteristics, apply learning about expedition planning to a micro-expedition, define ethics as it relates to exploration and research, determine the ethical considerations when conducting an expedition, apply their insights about ethical considerations to their own micro-expedition, evaluate plan for a micro-expedition and determine changes needed, execute their plan while making observations and collecting data and media, evaluate implementation of micro-expedition, create a presentation or other display to share with new audiences, list and assess ideas for why people explore, historically and currently, brainstorm ideas for their own explorations, analyze the purpose behind a Bahamas expedition, analyze the contributions that different team members make to a research project, determine ways to divide responsibility for different aspects of their micro-expedition, list goals and considerations when planning and preparing for an expedition, Information, Media, and Technology Skills, Tech Setup: 1 computer per classroom, 1 computer per small group, Digital camera (and related equipment), GPS units, Media production software, Monitor/screen, Presentation software, Projector, Speakers, Video camera (and related equipment). Have them ask about work that researchers or scientists do at the site. Show the short videos A Young Explorer and Why Water Exploration? Blue Holes in Florida - The Florida Guidebook Explain that although explorers like Marco Polo or Christopher Columbus typically come to mind, there are many present-day explorers and anyone can be an explorer. I cant even tell you how good this is. This could be one more example of how we are setting ourselves up for failure to avoid red tide. The holes in Belize are the most dived but, slowly and surely, the Blue . In the second column, have them describe each participants role with the Blue Holes Project. Blue holes are diverse biological communities full of marine life, including corals, sponges, mollusks, sea turtles, sharks, and more. This list was updated to include more pictures and reasons why and why not one should visit the Great Blue Hole. Fish and sea life find the hole. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy We can already see dangerous warning signs, but were nowhere close to understanding the situation. Discuss the ethics of Hiram Bingham and Machu Picchu. The Blue Hole is made up of a large abyss and its filled with water thats up to 100 meters deep. I dream about free-falling into Deans Blue Hole in the Bahamas, and have fallen in love with hidden springs in Florida. But, research has been slow because of difficult research conditions and a general lack of funding. The origins of blue holes remain . Have them add any new ideas to their lists. The blue hole is located in the moons south pole. They can be 300 meters deep, like the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea, or 300 meters wide, like the aptly named Great Blue Hole . All three are found in the same region, and share similar characteristics. Ask them to discuss and write down their ideas in small groups and then share them with the class. 300+ feet-deep dives require specialized equipment, training and techniques. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Divers and researchers sometimes even find them accidentally while studying other holes. 100. Have students analyze a present-day expedition. They can thrive without oxygen and in extremely acidic conditions.. Scientists have been interested in Mud Hole Spring for decades. Have students work in their small groups to accomplish this, using their lists from the Blue Hole Expedition and the class discussion to help them. Evaluate students' reflections and their final product communicating their micro-expedition process and findings. Blue Holes are basically normal springs or sinkholes, theyre just found in the ocean.