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Ms. Fields is an environmental engineer here at NASA Wallace Flight Facility on the eastern shore of Virginia.

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She has agreed to meet with me.

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Hi, RJ. I read Kaylee's email and I checked out your research on the Internet.

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I understand that you want to learn more about the impact of oil spills and how to clean them up.

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Yes. We have lots of oil globs on the beach and we're all worried about the plants and animals.

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Well, you have good reason to worry.

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The toxic properties of oil can damage or destroy plants and animals.

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I mean, just a dime-sized blotch of oil on a bird can impair its insulating ability, resulting in hypothermia and death.

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That's really serious. How do you clean up oil spills?

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Well, the typical cleanup method for ocean spills is to contain the oil with floating booms and then pump it back into recovery tanks.

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Now, sometimes we do apply chemicals to help disperse the oil slick.

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Oil has made a mess of our beach.

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I can only imagine. And people don't want to go to a beach that's full of oil globs.

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Watch how a little oil spreads out, creating a slick on the water.

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Wow! It really spread out.

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Yes. And a small amount of oil can cause a lot of damage.

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Look at how the oil clings to the feather. The oil coats the surface of plants and animals, effectively smothering them.

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Our area depends on tourism, so I'm sure that the oil on the beach is hurting businesses.

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Who is responsible for cleaning up the oil from a spill?

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Well, whoever spilled the oil is responsible for getting it cleaned up.

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Who makes sure they clean up all the oil?

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Well, in the United States, it's the Environmental Protection Agency or the Coast Guard.

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We learned about cleaning up oil spills from a NASA Sci-Files Kids Club.

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But aren't there other ways that can be done?

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Well, during an oil spill, it's critical to try to clean it up before it reaches land and affects the shoreline.

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So we need to be able to predict where it's headed.

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The paper dots simulate our oil slick.

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The slick moves with the water current, and then it's reversed by the wind and wave action.

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The waves also act to break up and disperse the slick.

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So how do you predict where it's headed?

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Well, we use planes to fly over the oil slick, and we map its location.

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Then we use current weather and ocean forecast to create a computer model to predict where it is headed to next.

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We also use satellites to track which way the oil spill is going to go.

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If the oil is at sea, why don't you just let nature take its course and clean it up?

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Well, waves will gradually disperse the oil, but it can take a long time depending on the amount spilled.

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If we act quickly to recover the oil, we can protect the environment.

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How long does it take the environment to recover from an oil spill?

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It can take years for natural environments to fully recover.

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That's why it's so important for people to realize that oil spilled in large accidents is not the only way to contaminate the ocean.

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What do you mean?

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Well, the everyday buildup of small spills and debris can have a significant impact.

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Storm water flows over parking lots and streets, and it carries the oil into rivers and streams when it ends up eventually in the ocean.

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I never thought of that. I guess that's why it's so important to recycle after you change the motor oil in your car.

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Yes, and it's also helpful if there's a buffer zone of vegetation that can trap some of the pollutants.

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Looks like we have our work cut out for us.

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The oil that's on the beach is from natural seepage, so I guess each city will have to clean its own beach.

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I'm sure they'll be looking for some good volunteers.

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Yes, and I know of six volunteers who can help in the beach cleanup. Thanks, Ms. Fields.

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You're welcome.

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Do you know where I can find Dr. Moisen?

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I sure do. Come on.