In 2012, tar balls continued to wash up along the Gulf coast[219][220][221][222] and in 2013, tar balls could still be found in on the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts, along with oil sheens in marshes and signs of severe erosion of coastal islands, brought about by the death of trees and marsh grass from exposure to the oil.[223] In 2013, former NASA physicist Bonny Schumaker noted a "dearth of marine life" in a radius 30 to 50 mi (48 to 80 km) around the well, after flying over the area numerous times since May 2010.[224][225]