DSC_5304 Bull kelp, or rimurapa (Durvillaea antarctica) the stalks of bull kelp withstand tremendous force when waves crash onto them. They stretch and bend without snapping, and return to their original position in the waves. It is thought that high concentrations of the chemical alginate are responsible for this elasticity. Coastal residents of Otago and Southland even use bull kelp stipes to make bouncing balls! Brighton Beach *
DSC_5289 Bull kelp, or rimurapa (Durvillaea antarctica) the stalks of bull kelp withstand tremendous force when waves crash onto them. They stretch and bend without snapping, and return to their original position in the waves. It is thought that high concentrations of the chemical alginate are responsible for this elasticity. Coastal residents of Otago and Southland even use bull kelp stipes to make bouncing balls! Brighton Beach
