The oil blowout
Biology:

Swimming Through the Spill ...

Viewing the effects of dispersants alongside the fish.

The interesting part of this column is the physics and chemistry.
The extent of the damage is surprising as a result.
The biology is well understood.

Politics:

Once More, With Feeling

President Obama is still learning to emote, five weeks into the heartbreak in the Gulf of Mexico.

Malia for President

President Obama’s next task? Shaping the public reaction to the gulf spill so that we can use it to generate the will to break our addiction to oil.

White House Tries to Regroup as Criticism Mounts Over Leak

Obama administration officials acknowledged the possibility that tens of thousands of gallons of oil might continue pouring into the gulf until August.

• Obama’s Katrina? Maybe Worse

  The president’s credibility as a champion of reformed, competent government is held hostage by video from the gulf.

• U.S. Plans ‘for Worst’ in Gulf, Seeing Risk in Leak Strategy

  Whether or not BP and the government are successful in stopping the flow of oil is a moot point. But how did we get here? While many scream for alternative energy sources have they thought those out? More nuclear reactors? Where do we put the spent fuel rods? Seems Yucca Mtn. is still a point of contestation. What is clear is our dependence on oil will continue for some time. The question is do we import it or try and get it domestically? We are stuck with deepwater rigs for the same reason that opposition to wind turbines upset the people in Massachusessetts and Martha's Vineyard. The fear of rigs close to the coasts resulted in huge outrage as dangerous and unsightly. But perhaps more manageable? Then we have those opposed to Alaskan drilling because of caribou and other animals. And every one comes back to cite the Exxon Valdez incident. Has everyone forgotten that the skipper was drunk? So we have wells drilled at a mile or more underwater. Incredible pressure generated at those depths, but how is it that many sea creatures thrive at those depths or sustain life in superheated plumes at even deeper levels? Where is science in understanding these things. I'd sooner see beaucoup dollars spent on oceanic research than dumping monies into a space stace or going back to the moon, because I don't think moon rocks are edible.

• That does it for that.
• Discussion later.