The Daily Reel: May 29, 2012

• Sydney Divers Cash In on Japanese WWII Submarine Discovery
• Radioactive Tuna Found in US Waters
• Dangerous Addition to UK Aquarium Gets Extra Safety Measures

Sydney Divers Cash In on Japanese WWII Submarine Discovery

Using nothing more than a fish finder, a group of diver friends from Sydney, Australia stumbled across a find that had scientists puzzled for the last 64 years: a WWII-era midget Japanese submarine. Immediately following the find six years ago, the group was offered a lucrative TV deal that chronicled the life of the vessel and its discovery by the divers, which was divided among them to pay their mortgages and travel overseas. The group also received a number of prestigious awards, and a bit of celebrity among Sydney’s diving community. Their recognition continues into the present day, as the group was honored yesterday at a ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the WWII attack of the submarine on Sydney Harbor. A memorial plaque was unveiled in a location on land that overlooks the resting place of the submarine, where two Japanese submariners remain entombed. Although the government has decided to allow divers controlled access to the wreck through a ballot system, the original group, known as the No Frills Divers, will be the first divers to descend.

Radioactive Tuna Found in US Waters

More than one year since the destructive earthquake that crippled Japan’s nuclear power plants, scientists have discovered a large quantity of bluefin tuna in US waters that have excessive levels of radiation — more than 10 times what was present before the disaster. The levels are startling to researchers, who didn’t expect to see the radiation spread as widely as it seems to have done. Despite the radiation levels, researchers insist that it is still within the range of safe consumption for humans, claiming that the recent findings are more of a stark reminder of how interconnected eco-regions are, even thousands of miles apart.

Dangerous Addition to UK Aquarium Gets Extra Safety Measures

The Blue Reef Aquarium in the UK’s Newquay are thrilled to welcome a pair of boxfish to the aquarium, but it is not without a little trepidation. The brightly colored and spotted boxfish is so named because of the boxy appearance it gets from its hard, plate-like scales that offer great protection from being eaten, but if that doesn’t work the boxfish has another deterrent that can be deadly. If the fish is highly threatened, it emits a toxin into the water column that is so deadly, it is also known as the “neutron bomb fish.” Because of this, extra security measures are being implemented to ensure the pair stays happy and free from threatening situations.