Written By By Sharon Moen, Minnesota Sea Grant
Sea Grant founder, Athelstan Spilhaus, penned the non-fiction comic strip Our New Age from 1958-1975. The syndicated comic excited its 5 million readers about science and technology. In fact, when Spilhaus asked President John F. Kennedy why he appointed him to orchestrate the U.S. science exhibit at the Seattle World's Fair, JFK joked, "The only science I know, Spilly, is what I read in the Boston Globe in your comic strip."
The Our New Age of Water series takes a hard and hopeful look at topics related to the present and future use of water. The intent is that each installment [in the new series] of Our New Age of Water will advance ideas about water-related research and innovative technologies that could improve the human condition in the next 50 years.
Each comic ends with ongoing research or speculation on ways we may address the issues in the future: can you think of other possibilities based on current research and ideas?
Our New Age of Water: Shrimp on the Prairie
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- the history of shrimp as a food source
- how people catch shrimp
- the new role that shrimp aquaculture plays today
Our New Age of Water
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- seafood supply and demand
- two types of fin fish aquaculture
Our New Age of Water: Sea Level Rise
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- how scientists measure sea level
- why sea level change can differ by location
- consequences of sea level rise
Our New Age of Water: Stormwater
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- why precipitation can lead to stormwater runoff
- the consequences of stormwater runoff
- innovations to deal with stormwater runoff
Our New Age of Water: Invasive Species
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- how some invasive species are spread
- some ways to prevent the spread of invasive species
Our New Age of Water: Ocean Acidification
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- why ocean acidification is occurring
- the problems ocean acidification causes for sea animals
- research about how to solve the emerging problems
Our New Age of Water: A Renewable Resource
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- how water shortages can be caused
- why water shortages may worsen with climate change
- innovations to prevent future water shortages
Our New Age of Water: Harnessing Wave Energy
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- what is meant by 'wave energy'
- types of wave-energy converters
Our New Age of Water: Ice (Spilhaus series)
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- how people use ice in unexpected ways
- how scientists historically hoped to innovate using ice
Our New Age of Water: Ocean Buoys (Spilhaus series)
Click "present" and then navigate through the comic by clicking the arrows. You will learn about
- the uses of ocean buoys
- a (now historic) speculation on future use of buoys