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Connecting the Dots

A computer screen capture shows a map of the sampling locations for the research crew sailing on the RV Oceanus in May and June 2008 to study harmful algal blooms in New England waters. The “MapTech” software program allows the researchers to plot—and later readjust—exactly where they want to take samples of seawater and sediments. It also allows the ship crew to plot the shortest path from point A to B. Black dots show the sampling locations chosen before the cruise, while green dots show locations that were added after the science party decided to search for the edges of the  ocean bloom of Alexandrium. (Photo by Bibiana Gomez-Crespo, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)