In Photos: Litter Transforms Into Sea Creatures in Stunning Shots

By Tia Ghose
published

Hangin' out

beyond drifting

Amphilima distinctae , once a coathanger, was collected from Cobh shoreline, Cove of Cork, Ireland. (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

Amphilima distinctae , once a coathanger, was collected from Cobh shoreline, Cove of Cork, Ireland.

Bottles

beyond drifting

Maprola stipicros, Inch Beach, Cove of Cork, Ireland, was once an assortment of bottle parts. (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

Maprola stipicros, Inch Beach, Cove of Cork, Ireland, was once an assortment of bottle parts.

Book cover

beyond drifting

Saplitta setosica , Fota Island, Cove fo Cork, Ireland, was formed from a book with a plastic cover called 'An Evil Cradling' by Brian Keenan, with fake signature (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

Saplitta setosica, Fota Island, Cove fo Cork, Ireland, was formed from a book with a plastic cover called "An Evil Cradling" by Brian Keenan, with fake signature.

Action figure

beyond drifting

Plasterinellic, created from a plastic action man figurine, was collected from Dunkettle Interchange, Cove of Cork, Ireland. (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

Plasterinellic, created from a plastic action man figurine, was collected from Dunkettle Interchange, Cove of Cork, Ireland.

A terrible beauty?

beyond drifting

Rhizopolenia robustica, from Fota Island, Cove of Cork, Ireland, was originally a book with a plastic cover entitled "Ireland A Terrible Beauty." (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

Rhizopolenia robustica, from Fota Island, Cove of Cork, Ireland, was originally a book with a plastic cover entitled "Ireland A Terrible Beauty."

Creature and pollution

beyond drifting

'Beyond Drifting: Imperfectly Known Animals' book dummy. This project was presented as a science book from the 1800s, which juxtaposes the modern reality that marine organisms now incorporate microplastics, beads and fiber, as well as their original state in earlier times, when the creatures were free from this pollution. (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

"Beyond Drifting: Imperfectly Known Animals" book dummy. This project was presented as a science book from the 1800s, which juxtaposes the modern reality that marine organisms now incorporate microplastics, beads and fiber, as well as their original state in earlier times, when the creatures were free from this pollution.

1880s book

beyond drifting

The inside cover shows the title page for the book. (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

The inside cover shows the title page for the book.

Sea specimen

beyond drifting

An inside page, showing a specimen. (Image credit: © Mandy Barker)

An inside page, showing a specimen.

Tia Ghose
Tia Ghose
Managing Editor

Tia is the managing editor and was previously a senior writer for Live Science. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired.com and other outlets. She holds a master's degree in bioengineering from the University of Washington, a graduate certificate in science writing from UC Santa Cruz and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Tia was part of a team at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that published the Empty Cradles series on preterm births, which won multiple awards, including the 2012 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism.