John Gormley

1 month ago | harpswellanchor.org | John Gormley

Quahogs have long been associated with money and wealth. “Quahog” comes from an Algonquian word for hard clam, but its scientific name is Mercenaria mercenaria, from the Latin for wages. The quahog got its scientific name when the fur trade between European colonists and Indigenous peoples was of great economic importance. Quahogs, in the form of wampum, were an important element in that trade. The wampum was made with purple and white beads cut from seashells and woven into belts.

Oct 3, 2024 | chicagoagentmagazine.com | John Gormley

by John GormleyFor those of us in the industry, the last few years in real estate have been, well, let's just say strange. From the COVID boom and all the things that came along with it - virtual home tours, masked showings and historically low interest rates. Then, to rising interest rates, a lack of inventory and affordability challenges. All topped off with a few practice changes when it comes to agent compensation and buyers agreements, and like I said, times are strange.

Sep 6, 2024 | savingseafood.org | John Gormley

September 6, 2024 — Collin Roesler wants us to have a better understanding of the algae that cause red tides in Maine. A professor in the Earth and Oceanographic Science Department at Bowdoin College, she studies phytoplankton, notably Alexandrium fundyense. This single-celled marine plant is the source of a neurotoxin that can contaminate shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters. People who consume shellfish tainted by the toxin can experience paralytic shellfish poisoning, which can be fatal.

Sep 5, 2024 | harpswellanchor.org | John Gormley

Collin Roesler wants us to have a better understanding of the algae that cause red tides in Maine. A professor in the Earth and Oceanographic Science Department at Bowdoin College, she studies phytoplankton, notably Alexandrium fundyense. This single-celled marine plant is the source of a neurotoxin that can contaminate shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters. People who consume shellfish tainted by the toxin can experience paralytic shellfish poisoning, which can be fatal.

Aug 2, 2024 | harpswellanchor.org | John Gormley

When it comes to monitoring for red tide in Maine, one of Harpswell’s countless inlets and coves often provides the first alarm. During a red tide event, concentrations of potentially lethal toxins begin to accumulate in shellfish that feed on phytoplankton, one-celled plants that thrive in the sunlit upper layer of the ocean. Filter feeders such as clams, mussels and oysters subsist on these tiny marine plants.