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Inside Passage Auke Bay Alaska

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Listen Up: Science Examines COVID-19's Impact On Noisy Oceans

Marine life uses sound to hunt, avoid predators, and find mates. But if their sounds are drowned out by engines, species can be affected dramatically. Even as the oceans are getting noisier, we're still basically unaware of the full toll it takes on ocean life. Gizmodo reports decreased human activity has given researchers an unprecedented chance to study the effect of quiet on our typically noisy seas. Wildlife biologist Chris Gabriele says the waters around Glacier Bay, Alaska, have seen median daily sound levels decrease by 50% between 2019 and 2020. As a result, she’s seen humpback whales hanging out in much broader swaths of the region, socializing, feeding, napping, and 'chatting' with each other.

Police stop protesters from blocking passage of aid trucks bound for Gaza

Israeli police stop protesters, on a road in Nitzana in southern Israel, from blocking the passage of aid trucks bound for Gaza. At least 12 countries -- including top donors the United States and Germany -- have halted funds over Israeli claims that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas's October 7 attack that sparked the fighting. IMAGES