Who knows what secrets lie deep below the shadowy water?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
So, what’s lurking in a lake’s muddy bottom? Minerals! They quietly keep aquatic ecosystems running. But studying them? Not so quiet… or easy.
Enter Mason Thackston and team from Florida Atlantic University.
They invented a device nicknamed the CAROSEL to effectively monitor lake environments. Think of it as a tiny underwater lab!
First, researchers load a sediment sample into the device. Then they lower the setup to the lake bottom and measure mineral changes automatically! No scuba tanks or tedious manual sampling required!
Just hop on the CAROSEL, and ride a sea horse. I mean, lake horse!
Reference: Thackston, M., Nuzzio, D., Csaba Vaczo, & Beckler, J. (2025). High‐frequency benthic flux measurements reveal dynamic diel nitrogen exchanges and water column coupling in a stormwater pond. Limnology and Oceanography. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.70250