In the Rose-Becker cafe held on October 28th, we got to meet with Professor Harvell and watch the documentary Fragile Legacy which looks into the beauty of the marine life and the threats that the ocean has been facing. Back in the 19th century, Leopold and Redolph Blaschka had created delicate glass models of marine life. Their models reflect the contemporary biodiversity in the ocean. The models accurately portray the color, size, and shape of different marine life and allow people to appreciate the beauty of the oceanic nature without being in the water. Unfortunately, the beauty of the ocean is not easy to maintain. The glass models may break easily; the oceanic ecosystem may be easily disrupted by pollution and human activities that result in accelerated global warming. Many researches have pointed out that the rapid shrinking of marine biodiversity was greatly contributed by climate change. In order to preserve the marine biodiversity, actions must be taken to control global warming. We discussed the environmental awareness in the Rose-Becker Cafe two weeks ago, and this perhaps also echoes why environmental awareness is indeed essential.

Besides the inspirational documentary, Professor Harvell also shared her experience of traveling around the world to study the marine biodiversity and document the living creatures underwater. She also showed pictures of some exquisite glass models of sea creatures like the jellyfish and coral reef, which really captivated me. I have always been told that the Cornell has an amazing oceanography course that everyone enjoys. After attending the Rose-Becker Cafe, I am even more interested in taking that class and learn about the beauty of the oceanic life.