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Comment and Earth

Pioneer aquanaut: How not to clean up an oil spill

By Phil Mckenna

7 July 2010

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Sylvia Earle gets down to some underwater science

(Image: Bates Littlehales/NGS/Getty)

Marine biologist, seabed explorer and former top US government scientist Sylvia Earle tells Phil McKenna how she helped to change George W. Bush’s mind – and why she is angry about the methods being used to clean up the Gulf oil spill

LEANING towards me so as not to disturb other guests, Sylvia Earle shouts in a barely controlled stage whisper: “I just want to hit someone.” We are waiting to be seated for breakfast at a swanky New York hotel overlooking Central Park. Later in the day, Earle will…

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