The pandemic last year presented unique opportunities for researchers to study what happens to a marine ecosystem when the people — tourists, that is — suddenly disappear.

Significant improvements in Hanauma Bay, for example, have led to a better understanding of human impacts and tighter restrictions on access.

A study of Hawaii’s spinner dolphins could yield similar results. A coalition of conservation groups and government agencies has placed recording devices in sheltered areas off Maui and Lanai where the dolphins rest, to study possible behavioral changes as tour boats return.

The more we know, the better we can protect the popular mammals.

Back to school, this time literally

The kids probably don’t want to hear this — but the start of the 2021-22 public school year is just over a month away, Aug. 3.

After a pandemic year of online learning, back to school will mean back to campus. To help as many kids to be as ready as possible, school-supply drives are already occurring. Notable, Helping Hands Hawai‘i launched in May its annual “Ready to Learn” drive for low-income and homeless keiki, which runs through July 31 (see www.helpinghandshawaii.org). Also on tap: the Castle Complex School Supply Drive, inside Windward Mall, from July 9-11 (see www.chsalumknights.org).