There’s a nice article in the July 21st issue of “New Scientist” on how scientists (and engineers) can study the ecological disaster occurring in the Gulf as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and use the data to develop better (more accurate) models of the impact of oil on the aquatic environment. Better models, of course, will help engineers design better ways to cope with this sort of an ecological disaster.

You can read the article at: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727702.800-gulf-of-mexico-becomes-an-accidental-laboratory.html?page=1