In August 2014, we returned with a team of scientists from six weeks at sea conducting research in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — one of five major garbage patches drifting in the oceans north and south of the Equator at the latitude of our great terrestrial...

We spent the night moored to the approximately 7 ton island of Hi-Zex brand buoys made by Sanshin Kako Ltd. The ropes dangling below the buoys were carefully spread apart and had scallop shells inserted, apparently as a recruitment site for oysters. When the tsunami...