Marine biology

A Crowdfunded Idea to Clean the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Now a $35-Million Nonprofit. Scientists Still Don’t Think It’ll Work

A skinny young man with a mop of dark hair takes the stage at a 2012 TEDx event. His name is Boyan Slat and he’s on a mission to rid the ocean of plastic. The audience listens in rapt silence as 18 year-old Slat lays out his concept for a device that captures plastic garbage…

Conservation Vincent Gabrielle Feb 8

Climate Change Is Causing Earth’s Oceans to Change Color

Climate change is turning the planet into something alien. As a striking case in point, a new study predicts that the surface color of at least half of the world’s oceans will change by the end of the 21st century. This alchemy will be driven by phytoplankton; surface-drifting, sunlight-gobbling microbes that form the base of…

Earther Robin George Andrews Feb 4

Rare Footage Shows a Humpback Whale Calf Just Minutes After Birth

Remarkable new video from Hawaii shows a humpback whale calf swimming through Pacific waters just minutes after being born. For marine biologist Lars Bejder, it was all about being at the right place at the right time. Last month, Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa,…

Biology George Dvorsky Feb 1

2018’s Award-Winning Ocean Photos Will Transport You to Another Planet

In the sapphire-to-stygian waters that cover 70 percent of Earth’s surface, fish school in iridescent sheets, whales sing mournful tunes, and jellyfish bloom like wildflowers. The ocean is a teeming mystery that most of us rarely dip our toes in. Thankfully, underwater photographers are working to bring portraits of its inhabitants back to shore. And…

Conservation Maddie Stone Jan 17

Mysterious Shark Species Discovered in Museum Collection May Already Be Extinct

It’s a new year, and the world has its first new species of shark in 2019. Meet Carcharhinus obsolerus! Though, it’d be wise to temper your expectations if you hope to see the newly-described species in the wild. The unique shark—described based on a few specimens caught many decades ago—may actually be extinct, gone before…

Conservation Jake Buehler Jan 11

Add Screwed-Up Fish Skeletons to the List of Possible Climate Change Horrors

Thanks to carbon dioxide emissions, Earth’s seas are getting both warmer and more acidic. Until now, the consequences of ocean acidification were thought to be mostly limited to marine animals that make hard, calcium carbonate shells, but new research suggests that fish will feel the impact too. Acidic conditions can screw with how their skeletons…

Earther Jake Buehler Jan 9

Whales Can Now Be Tracked From Space

Whales are big-ass animals. They’re so big, in fact, that satellite technology is now good enough to spot them from space. It seems improbable, and yet new research shows satellites can not only spot whales, but help scientists distinguish between species. The findings have major implications for conservation, particularly in hard-to-reach locales (which is to…

Conservation Brian Kahn Nov 2

The Deepest Volcanic Eruption Ever Documented Left a Gnarly Sight on the Ocean Floor

Sometimes science is all about being in the right place at the right time. Such was the case with the “fortuitous” discovery of a wild lava garden nearly three miles underwater, which scientists are pointing to as evidence of the deepest recent undersea eruption ever documented. Researchers got their lucky break exploring the central Mariana…

Earth Science Maddie Stone Oct 25

Newly Discovered Volcanic ‘Lost World’ Is a Haven for Marine Life

Australian scientists have discovered a previously unknown chain of volcanic seamounts near Tasmania. The area appears to be brimming with marine life, including a surprising number of whales who may be using the undersea volcanoes as a navigational tool. The volcanic chain was discovered by scientists from the Australian National University and CSIRO, Australia’s national…

Earth Science George Dvorsky Oct 10

Why Female Octopuses Self-Destruct After Laying Eggs

For a female octopus, the laying of eggs signifies the beginning of the end. Like a devoted hen, she’ll guard her brood, stroking the eggs and occasionally blowing water at them, but she won’t abandon them—not even for a second. She’ll grab a welcome snack if the opportunity presents itself, but after four days or…

Biology George Dvorsky Sep 26

Three Freaky New Fish Species Discovered in One of the World’s Deepest Trenches

In further proof that the deep sea is stranger than outer space, scientists have discovered what they believe to be three new species of snailfish nearly 25,000 feet (7,500 meters) below the ocean’s surface in the Atacama Trench. The translucent, scaleless creatures look like ghosts that accidentally entered our world through some kind of rift…

Earther Maddie Stone Sep 10

Huge, Maybe Ineffective Pollution Scooper Launches Towards Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Dutch nonprofit Ocean Cleanup deployed a 2,000-foot-long, $20 million unmanned boom designed to gather some of the Pacific Ocean’s massive amounts of plastic garbage from San Francisco Bay on Saturday. But it’s not clear the plan will work, the New York Times wrote. According to the Times, the buoyant structure is currently being hauled…

Conservation Tom McKay Sep 9

Diseased Ocean Microbes Could Be Messing With the Weather

Our oceans are brimming with microscopic phytoplankton—plant-like organisms that contribute significantly to marine diversity. Tiny though they are, these sea critters, when infected with a particular virus, may influence atmospheric processes such as cloud formation, according to new research. A ubiquitous, bloom-forming phytoplankton known as Emiliania huxleyi is plagued by a virus known as EhV.…

Earth Science George Dvorsky Aug 15

An Ailing Orca Was Given Medication in the Wild for the First Time Ever

A team of experts injected an ailing orca calf with a dose of antibiotics, in a medical intervention that’s never been tried before on a wild killer whale. A team of biologists from NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium, and other institutions have been tracking the three-year-old orca, named J50, or Scarlet, for weeks. They’re not entirely…

Biology George Dvorsky Aug 10

This Folding Robotic Device Captures Delicate Sea Creatures Without Crushing Them

Our oceans are home to a diverse array of aquatic organisms, a surprising number of which have yet to be discovered. To help in the search for these fascinating creatures, researchers have developed a robotic device capable of capturing even the most delicate deep-sea animals, which it does with a foldable, 12-sided hand. Introducing the…

Biology George Dvorsky Jul 18

We’d Brave the Post Office to Use These Amazing New Shark Stamps

A set of new shark-themed stamps including species of global conservation concern could make your next trip to a post office somewhat exciting—if you live in Canada, that is. Five shark species that inhabit Canadian waters are highlighted in Canada Post’s latest set of stamps. From the enormous basking sharks to the elusive, long-lived Greenland…

Conservation David Shiffman Jul 18

Adorable New Shark Species Named After Trailblazing Marine Biologist Eugenie Clark

Say hello to Squalus clarkae, otherwise known as Genie’s dogfish. This newly identified species of deepwater shark was named in honor of Eugenie Clark, a scientific pioneer who influenced an entire generation of marine biologists. Few people have done more to improve the reputation of sharks in the public’s mind than Eugenie Clark, who died…

Biology George Dvorsky Jul 18

Travel Through Time With This New Book About the Mysterious Evolution of Whales

Whales have an unfinished story. The plot so far has been enthralling; they’ve evolved from four-legged dog-like terrestrial animals to up to 200-ton marine behemoths. But when you begin to ponder how these giants came to be and where they’re going, you’re left with more questions than answers. How did whales become so enormous in…

Earth Science Paola Rosa-Aquino Jul 5

Baby Giant Manta Rays Grow up Together in This Newly Discovered Nursery

Marine biologist Joshua Stewart was scuba diving in the Gulf of Mexico when he spotted a baby manta ray—an unexpected find, given that juveniles are extremely rare and seldom observed by humans. After analyzing other divers’ juvenile sightings, he and his colleagues determined a specific section of the Gulf to be a nursery for oceanic…

Biology Jessica Boddy Jun 21

First Manta Ray Nursery Ever Discovered Shows Marine Protected Areas Matter

Manta rays are among the most charismatic undersea megafauna, but there’s still a lot we don’t know these flat, ginormous sea-dogs. Now, in trying to understand how their populations are connected in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists have made a wild discovery. In Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, which sits about 110 miles southeast…

Conservation Brian Kahn Jun 20

A Crowdfunded Idea to Clean the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Is Now a $35-Million Nonprofit. Scientists Still Don’t Think It’ll Work

Climate Change Is Causing Earth’s Oceans to Change Color

Rare Footage Shows a Humpback Whale Calf Just Minutes After Birth

2018’s Award-Winning Ocean Photos Will Transport You to Another Planet

Mysterious Shark Species Discovered in Museum Collection May Already Be Extinct

Add Screwed-Up Fish Skeletons to the List of Possible Climate Change Horrors

Whales Can Now Be Tracked From Space

The Deepest Volcanic Eruption Ever Documented Left a Gnarly Sight on the Ocean Floor

Newly Discovered Volcanic ‘Lost World’ Is a Haven for Marine Life

Why Female Octopuses Self-Destruct After Laying Eggs

Three Freaky New Fish Species Discovered in One of the World’s Deepest Trenches

Huge, Maybe Ineffective Pollution Scooper Launches Towards Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Diseased Ocean Microbes Could Be Messing With the Weather

An Ailing Orca Was Given Medication in the Wild for the First Time Ever

This Folding Robotic Device Captures Delicate Sea Creatures Without Crushing Them

We’d Brave the Post Office to Use These Amazing New Shark Stamps

Adorable New Shark Species Named After Trailblazing Marine Biologist Eugenie Clark

Travel Through Time With This New Book About the Mysterious Evolution of Whales

Baby Giant Manta Rays Grow up Together in This Newly Discovered Nursery

First Manta Ray Nursery Ever Discovered Shows Marine Protected Areas Matter

Before ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Blew Up, Disney Scrapped a Pixar Movie With a Similar Vibe

‘Doomsday’ Asteroids Could Have Kickstarted Life on Our Planet

Artemis 2 Day 10: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

LEVOIT Air Purifier Now at All-Time Low in a Limited Allergy Season Deal, Filtering Out 99.97% of Dust, Pollen, and Dander for Less

What on Earth Is Happening With ‘Doctor Who’?

France to Ditch Microsoft Windows as Europe’s War on American Tech Rages On

I Can’t Decide Which ‘Resident Evil Requiem’ Perspective I Liked More

I Rewatched the Live-Action ‘Speed Racer’ to Feel Something Again

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Let us help find what you are looking for...