On this week's news update…

Ocean Camera Network

An ocean camera network…

Sand Supplies

Sand supplies run low…

City on Mars 

And a city on Mars!

First up…

Thriving fish populations contribute to the health of our entire ocean ecosystem.

However, overfishing and rising pollution levels are causing a large decrease in many species.

Now, a network of underwater cameras has been set up to help scientists monitor levels of fish in the oceans.

Drifting thirty feet below the sea's surface, the cameras use bait contained in an attached arm to attract curious passersby.

Recording fish as they swim past, the cameras will offer scientists a useful snapshot of how well different species are prospering.

This will help scientists work out if current fish numbers are at healthy levels, enabling them to be more accurate when planning future ocean conservation projects.

And because other marine species can't resist a tasty bit of bait, they also have the opportunity to study seabirds, and turtles too!

Next up…

Our modern world is built on sand.

Used to create concrete, sand plays a vital role in constructing buildings and infrastructure.

When melted down to create glass, sand also becomes a key ingredient in products from computer screens to vaccine vials.

Every year, between forty and fifty billion tonnes are dug up from the ground, and because cities around the world are constructing more and more buildings made of concrete and glass, demand for sand is booming.

However, because most sand is dug from quarries, coastlines and riverbeds, serious environmental damage can be caused, such as extreme coastal erosion and disruption to local ecosystems.

Limits on how much sand can be taken from the ground will need to be set but this will restrict the amount of sand that is available for building projects.

Therefore, we will need to start using sand more sustainably.

By using alternative building materials, less sand will be needed to build our cities, and less damage will be done to the environment from digging it up.

And finally…

For thousands of years humans have flocked to live in cities, and now, architects are planning the next stage in urban living—a city on Mars!

Embedded in the side of a cliff, the city is designed to house up to two hundred and fifty thousand people.

Constructed by boring tunnels deep into the rock, the martian metropolis would protect its residents from harmful radiation levels on the planet's surface.

Living and working within a network of tunnels, residents would live much like they would on Earth, even enjoying the delights of nature.

Powered by solar electricity, and supplied with food from farming tunnels, the city would be completely self-sufficient.

The biggest challenge facing the city's designers is how to produce enough fresh air for its thousands of citizens to breathe!

That's all for this week, we'll see you next time!