Science of Surfing
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Why is the ocean blue?
You've probably noticed the water isn't always the same shade of blue from day to day.
19 hrs ago
•
Kevin Okun
1
What do air and water have in common?
The ocean demands most of our attention when we're surfing, but considering half our bodies are exposed to the air above it, we should spend some time…
Sep 8
•
Kevin Okun
4
How are artificial reefs created?
Building a reef from scratch sounds like a classic humans-are-better-than-other-animals power trip, and in many ways, that's exactly what it is.
Sep 1
•
Kevin Okun
1
2
August 2025
Why is sand eroded by big swells?
It's January and the sandy bottom you knew by heart has vanished, replaced by cobblestones and reefs that weren't there last week.
Aug 25
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Kevin Okun
4
3
Why aren't tide charts centered at mid tide?
The fools down at Tide Charts Incorporated seem to have failed basic math.
Aug 18
•
Kevin Okun
3
How much sewage are you surfing in?
Remember when the only forecast we cared about was wave height and wind direction?
Aug 11
•
Kevin Okun
5
What makes tsunamis different from the waves we surf?
The word tsunami literally means "harbor wave" in Japanese, which tells you something about where these waves become most dangerous.
Aug 4
•
Kevin Okun
6
1
July 2025
What have we learned this past year and what's next?
A year ago, we started asking questions that probably pop into every surfer's head at some point.
Jul 28
•
Kevin Okun
6
1
What would surfing be like on the Moon?
Let's make some assumptions.
Jul 21
•
Kevin Okun
Is surf therapy effective?
Anyone who surfs has witnessed the end of a bad day transform into the promise of a good one within the same 24-hour span.
Jul 14
•
Kevin Okun
4
Where does wave energy go?
The waves we surf come from near and far, generated by winds pulling at the water's surface.
Jul 7
•
Kevin Okun
3
June 2025
Why does light dance underwater?
When you look at the seafloor on a sunny day, the light seems to dance all over.
Jun 30
•
Kevin Okun
2
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