Bad News: Warming Oceans Have Decimated Marine Parasites
Over 100 years of preserved fish specimens provide a unique look at parasite population trends over time. A study from the University of Washington reveals…
Marine Biology News
Experiment Proves Bacteria Really Eat Plastic – Broken Down Into Harmless Substances
Laboratory experiment shows that bacteria really eat and digest plastic. The bacterium Rhodococcus ruber eats and actually digests plastic. This has been shown in laboratory…
Secrets of Marine Biology: How Four Genes Turned Whales Into Giants of the Sea
New research reveals the genes that likely allowed whales to grow to giant sizes compared to their ancestors, reports a study published today (January 19)…
What Would Darwin Discover Today?
Eduardo Sampaio is certain that Charles Darwin would have been ecstatic if he had the opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Cape Verde…
Marine Disaster: Ships May Be Fueling a Coral-Killing Epidemic
These new findings may provide a basis for developing strategies to prevent the further spread of the disease. According to a recent study conducted by…
Rare Clam Thought To Be Extinct – Found Alive
A tiny clam, previously only known from fossil records, has been discovered alive in the tidepools of Santa Barbara by researchers from the University of…
Scientists Discover a New Ecosystem – “The Trapping Zone” – That Is Creating an Oasis of Life
The new ecosystem is located in the depths of the Indian Ocean. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the Nekton Maldives Mission have discovered…
Mystery Behind Comb Jelly’s Mesmerizing Movement Solved
University of Tsukuba researchers discover a protein that controls the unique movement of comb jellies. The rainbow of moving lights visible along the sides of…
Hidden Ecosystems? NASA’s New Evidence of Vast Life Lurking Beneath Antarctic Ice
Scientists using NASA’s Earth observing system find evidence of phytoplankton blooms hidden beneath Antarctic sea ice. Until now, researchers believed the packed sea ice of…
Highest Coral Cover in Central, Northern Great Barrier Reef Since Monitoring Began 36 Years Ago
This year the northern and central Great Barrier Reef have recorded their highest amount of coral cover since the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)…
Ray-Finned Fish Survived Mass Extinction Event 360 Million Years Ago
According to new research, ray-finned fish, now the most diverse group of backboned animals, were not as hard hit by a mass extinction event as…
Maximizing Genetic Diversity and Adaptability: First-Ever “Family Tree” for Aquarium-Bred Corals
Pedigree provides insights for maximizing genetic diversity and adaptability in corals bred for conservation. Corals bred in public aquaria provide novel research opportunities and a…
The Role of Bioluminescence in Nature
Bioluminescence is, without a doubt, one of the most spectacular natural phenomena to experience in person. If you’ve ever seen fireflies at night or beautiful…
Historic WWII Shipwreck Has Leaked Many Pollutants Into the Sea, Changing the Ocean Floor Around It
Scientists have discovered that an 80-year-old historic shipwreck from World War II is still influencing the microbiology and geochemistry of the ocean floor where it…
Genome Sequencing and Genetic Engineering Could Help Protect Ocean Ecosystems
Advanced Genomic Approaches Hold Promise for Marine Conservation Although genetic and genomic technologies have enormous potential for protecting marine life, they are currently being underutilized….
Potentially Disastrous: 12 Key Ocean Species Are in Danger
Climate-induced changes threaten the future of coastal ecosystems. It may come as no surprise to those who grew up watching Finding Nemo that the North…
Scientists Uncover a “Missing Link” – Sea Secrets Surface in the Great Australian Bight
A new twist in marine upwellings at a well-known feeding ground Oceanographers have learned more about the reasons for the year-round presence of marine predators…
Skull Bones Restricted the Evolution of Earth’s Earliest Land Animals
According to new research, the skulls of tetrapods had fewer bones than extinct and living fish, restricting their evolution for millions of years. By analyzing…
