Science

Microbes tear up plastic into teeny tiny pieces that are even more dangerous to ecosystems

Sylvia Earle, a pioneer of both deep sea diving and ocean conservation, has made it her mission to protect the ocean’s biodiversity, one spot at a time.

A new study of shallow-water ecosystems estimates that, by 2100, climate change and coastal land usage could result in significant shrinkage of coral habitats, tidal marshes, and mangroves, while macroalgal beds remain stable and seagrass meadows potentially expand.

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, FLA. Just as they have for millions of years, sea turtles by the thousands made their labored crawl from the ocean to U.S. beaches to lay their eggs over the past several months. This year, record nesting was found in Florida and elsewhere despite growing concern about threats from climate change.

The warming in Arctic regions is happening three times faster than the global average. This has major consequences for the unique cultural monuments at Svalbard.

NTU Singapore scientists find both potential threats and promising resources in the thriving colonies of bacteria and fungi on ocean plastic trash

NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) launched a new data visualization tool today, which will provide free and easy-to-access information on the status of U.S. coral reefs.

Plunging into the icy waters of North America's coasts, sea ducks navigate a world unseen by most. Despite representing a significant portion of the continent’s duck species, these unique marine birds are among the least understood. Yet, unlike other waterfowl, many sea duck populations have declined, sounding an urgent call for our attention.

The impact of climate change on marine ecosystems is becoming increasingly complex. A recent study offers a new perspective on how climate change and local temperature fluctuations interact to affect marine life.

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of scientific publications on how coasts can adapt to the impacts of climate change. However, a study led by marine biologist Dr. David Cabana of the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon has revealed a significant gap: few of these research findings translate into actionable recommendations.

Research institutions from Norway and other countries have collected a great amount of data from the northern oceans in recent years. Many people want access to this information

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Don Walsh, best known for his daring dive to the deepest spot on Earth, nearly 36,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, has died at age 92.

Long classified a federally threatened species, the small, stocky piping plovers are bouncing back, with more nesting on Bay State beaches this year than ever before, according to a Mass Audubon report released Tuesday.

At the end of October, a Gervais’ Beaked Whale washed up on Emerald Isle. She was about a year old and weighed just over 670 pounds. Over a dozen scientists gathered together to figure out her cause of death.

Researchers find exposure to heavy metals cadmium and antimony and certain organic contaminants, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a species already at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings.

Of particular interest to Astrobiology mission planners are the ice-covered worlds in our solar system – Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, Mimas, Titan, etc. and the probability that they have vast oceans beneath their surfaces. As we seek to penetrate the outer surface, what sorts of geology will we find underneath? Studies in Earth’s polar region can help us develop the tools to study these icy worlds from space, on their surfaces, and one day, beneath their outer surfaces.

Scientists on a Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition have discovered a new hydrothermal vent field larger than a professional soccer field.

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Gray whales undergo substantial “boom-and-bust” population cycles in response to shifting Arctic conditions, new research reveals. Since the 1980s, scientists have observed three significant die-offs in the eastern North Pacific gray whale population.

Two healthy and pristine coral reefs have recently been discovered in the waters surrounding the Galápagos Islands. The largest of the detected reefs stretches for nearly 800 meters.

Over the past few decades, algae have been slowly edging corals out of their native reefs across the globe by blocking sunlight, wearing the corals down physically, and producing harmful chemicals.

The College of Marin's lab, one of two in the state's community college system, closed for lack of funding 18 years ago.

The 2023 Sea Turtle Season ended on October 31st and for other parts of Florida, they’ve seen their nesting numbers tripled. Even FWC spokesperson, Tonya Long added, “widespread reports from nesting surveyors around the state are showing record-breaking years, especially for loggerheads and green turtles, as she described the phenomenon as "exciting."

Understanding how nature programs specific functions can help researchers design synthetic systems that perform similar tasks.

A total of 589,112 endangered sea turtle hatchlings, including 445,592 loggerheads and 143,520 green turtles, have emerged from their eggs and made their way to the sea on the 20 beaches along Türkiye’s southern coast this year, according to local experts.

A new study reveals the critical role of oceanic salt distribution in regulating global climate, linking historical cooling periods such as the Little Ice Age to changes in ocean salinity and circulation.