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A giant sea snail may turn out to be another line of defense against the destructive crown-of-thorn starfish that is currently plaguing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Called the Pacific triton sea snail (Charonia tritonis), it can grow up to about 50 to 60cm and is indigenous to Australian waters. More importantly, the crown-of-thorn starfish happens to be part of its natural diet. However, the sea snail is currently endangered due to the consumer demand for their shells.

This first standard is called "RTC Rebreather Diver Level 1," and it delineates a stage in a diver’s development where he or she is trained to dive with a rebreather to a maximum depth of 30m (100ft) with no planned stage decompression stops, and without supervision by an instructor or divemaster.

This standard will make it easier to compare certifications from different agencies, and is intended to be followed by others later.¹

The Finnish manufacturer has identified a potential safety risk affecting all Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitters and Suunto Tank PODs that wirelessly transmit cylinder pressure to compatible Suunto dive computers.

In two reported incidents the exterior case of a Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitter has failed during regular dry land pressure testing. Although extremely rare, there is the potential for injury because of the risk of bursting.

Studying the origins and movement of animals often requires the presence of live animals. However, this is not always possible (in the case of extinct species), safe or practical. In such cases, scientists now have another option: developing three-dimensional models of the animal.

This is what the researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) and the University of Southern Indiana have done. Using cutting-edge imaging and computational tools, they have developed three-dimensional models of the skull of the American alligator.

Ear health problems are one of the most commonly reported issues by divers. Problems can range from a relatively simple condition, for example, “swimmers ear,” to a more serious condition such as barotrauma, which can result in lasting damage to the ear.

Currently, anonymous field data is sparse, therefore Devon-based DDRC is hoping to find out what type of ear problems are most frequently encountered whilst diving if any medical advice was obtained; and if not, what was the outcome.