November 2020

Ming Pottery Wreck: Exploratory Expedition in the Gulf of Thailand

Thailand UAD archeologist Sira Ploymukda inspects Ming pottery found on a wreck debris site in the Gulf of Thailand.

There are many benefits to living in Asia. One advantage is that the waters around Asia still have countless numbers of unexplored shipwrecks. As a certified technical diver and an explorer at heart, the Gulf of Thailand has been my playground.

The Folly of Depth Records

As the international diving community has recently come to witness, a scandal surrounding Ahmed Gabr’s world record for deepest scuba dive has surfaced. Was it faked? Some accusers, who have opted to remain anonymous for reasons I shall not comment on at this point, have alleged that his record dive was faked, and to that end, have presented to the public a quite comprehensive compilation of evidence in support of their case. The documentation was compelling, but the jury is still out.

Kiwi is good for yer

Can Antioxidants Protect Scuba Divers?

A recent study, published in The Journal of Physiology, shows that acute oral intake of antioxidants Vitamin C and E prior to a scuba dive can reduce alterations in cardiovascular function that are caused by a single air dive.

A group of professional divers were studied before and after a moderate scuba dive to a depth of 30 meters for 30 minutes, similar to those enjoyed by countless recreational divers.

Echinoderms are a renewable resource with an economic value due to their increasing demand as food and/or source of bioactive molecules exerting antitumor, antiviral, anticoagulant, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities.

Sea Urchin Could Help Cure Diseases

A purple sea urchin has 70 percent of its genes in common with humans, including genes associated with such diseases as Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and muscular dystrophy.

There are roughly 100 human disease genes in the sea urchin genome.

Researchers said they believe similarities in the genes of sea urchins could one day help them better understand how the human immune system works.

Governments are beginning to use testing as a means of limiting the risks of COVID-19 importation when re-opening their borders to travelers without quarantine measures.

IATA calls for systematic COVID-19 testing of all international travelers

To re-open borders without quarantine and restart aviation governments need to be confident that they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing COVID-19. This means having accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status.

IATA Travel Pass will manage and verify the secure flow of necessary testing or vaccine information among governments, airlines, laboratories, and travellers, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) writes in a press release.