Alien specimens are headed to New York.
Alert! German scientists consider New York to be one of the highest risk cities for infiltration by alien specimens.
Before you strap on your jet pack and dig your laser gun out of the attic, you should know the scientists are talking about things like crabs and fish from distant waters, along with smaller spores, bacteria and plankton.
The little creatures make their way to distant shores in a ship’s ballast water, and at any given time there are about 7 billion tons of the liquid crossing the oceans. Taken in at the point of departure to help balance the ship, the water is often dumped upon arrival near the destination.
About 25 years ago, a ship released zebra mussel larvae into the Great Lakes and since then the invincible filter feeders have closed beaches, wiped out native fish populations, and clogged up waterworks. They are not the only existing threat to come across national borders.
Over the years, some rules have been put in place as preventative measures. One big move, a treaty by the UN requiring all ships to filter and disinfect ballast water prior to dumping, has been awaiting ratification since 2004.
