CNN 10 From Gift to Global Symbol: How Washington got its cherry blossoms
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Mar 24, 2026 A look back at the Exxon Valdez oil spill and its lasting effects on wildlife and coastal communities. A new expanding rescue foam and how it can save lives in emergency medicine. The history behind Washington, D.C.'s cherry trees and their role as a diplomatic symbol.
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Exxon Valdez Spill Caused Multi-Decade Ecological Damage
- The Exxon Valdez spill caused long-term ecosystem collapse across Prince William Sound and beyond.
- More than 11 million gallons spilled, killing ~250,000 seabirds, 4,000 sea otters, 22 orcas, and leaving oil in places decades later.
Spill Prompted Stronger Oil Safety Laws
- The disaster triggered regulatory reform to reduce future tanker risks.
- Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, requiring measures like reinforced hulls and limiting certain tankers in the sound.
First Patient Saved By Rescue Foam Walks Again
- Ronald Farms became the first person treated with rescue foam after a near-fatal car crash in Alabama.
- Doctors at University of Alabama Birmingham used the self-expanding foam to buy time for surgery, and Farms later recovered and walked again.