The Ragland does not look like a research vessel. The 100-year-old wooden Baltic schooner belongs to the Canadian rock star Neil Young who, between tours and recording sessions, relaxes on board the historic boat, which is usually anchored in San Francisco. But last June, the Ragland was chartered for an unusual scientific mission. Young lent the boat to his Bay Area friend Russ George, a business consultant, amateur researcher and founder of the California-based Planktos Foundation. The foundation is one of several US organizations promoting what they say is an innovative method for tackling climate change and George needed a boat to test his ideas.
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