WASHINGTON -- As the oceans absorb more and more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, they're gradually becoming more acidic. Some scientists fear that the change may be irreversible. At risk are sea creatures up and down the food chain, from the tiniest...
photo: WN
![The 22-year-old, 8,000-ton vessel Nisshin Maru (日新丸?) is the largest ship of the Japanese whaling fleet. The ship is part of a six to seven ship fleet headed by research leader Shigetoshi Nishiwaki and is based in Japan in Shimonoseki harbor.[3] It is a converted stern trawler and is the world's only whale factory ship. [4] The ship is owned by Tokyo-based company Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha, which is subsidiary of the government-funded Institute of Cetacean Research.](http://cdn9.wn.com/vp/i/72/8d58cb2e55647f.jpg){kind=small}
