More than a century after the fur trade wiped out Oregon’s sea otters, and decades after a failed 1970s attempt to bring them back, a new research partnership is building the underwater baseline needed for a second try.
See how Miami scientists use coral IVF to rebuild Florida’s reefs with heat-resilient, genetically diverse coral before the next marine heat wave.
Water is one of the things that makes the Earth unique. Not only does it sustain and nourish life on our planet, but because it takes more energy to change water’s temperature, it can be used for heating and cooling. Modern data centers as part of the “AI Boom” generate significant heat. Are the insulating properties of the ocean the best way to cool them?
2025 was a banner year for new marine species discovery and formal description with a record breaking 1,121 new animals according to the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census network.
The Cretaceous seas were already crowded with apex predators. New fossil evidence suggests there may have been something else out there, hiding in plain sight.
Marine scientists were running a routine research day off Dominica when the whales started acting strange. What happened next took nearly 40 years to witness.
Three gray whales died on the shores of southwestern Washington state—one after swimming 20 miles up the Willapa River. What is going on with the population of East Pacific gray whales?
While trying my hand at squid jigging I muse on the strange and wonderful cephalopod. Expert captain Paul Kim of Fish PNW Guide Service provides pro fishing insights and guidance.
A beached whale drama on the Oregon coast prompts larger questions about the scourge of derelict commercial fishing gear that negatively effects boaters too. Fortunately, a new “finders keepers” rule for abandoned equipment may yield fruit.
Small weird looking ancient whales discovered by an amateur Australian fossil hunter provide new insight into early whale development. This previously unknown species is described as “a nightmare Muppet” and “a mash-up of a whale, a seal, and a Pokémon.”
What’s going on with the planet’s corals? Bad news, a marine heat wave seems to be triggering mass bleaching among tropical shallow water coral reefs. The good news is new satellite powered mapping reveals there’s more shallow water coral reef than previously thought.
There is a unique connection between humans and orcas. Both are social and live in family groups. Both communicate with each other. Both are considered apex predators. Human fascination with these incredible aquatic mammals lead to their capture for both study, observation, and entertainment. In hindsight, isolating incredibly social creatures that can grow to over 8,000 lbs. in large swimming pools seems naïve and cruel. Letting them go presents other issues. This conundrum is playing out right now as the Whale Sanctuary Project tries to demonstrate compassion and understanding across the species line.
Researchers from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center and the Ocean Animal Response & Research Alliance confirmed that domoic acid toxicity led to the deaths of a juvenile humpback whale and a subadult minke whale found stranded along the Southern California coast. Necropsies revealed elevated levels of the neurotoxin in the whales’ stomach contents, feces, and urine.
The Western Flyer of John Steinbeck fame departs for Mexico in homage to the trip that inspired the classic book Log from the Sea of Cortez 85 years ago. The legendary vessel underwent an inspiring restoration in Washington state and now acts as an educational outreach platform.
According to a recent article by Christina Larson on US Harbors, scientists have uncovered the mystery of young sea turtles’ “lost years” using satellite tracking. A study by Kate Mansfield tagged 114 turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, revealing that they actively swim rather than drift with ocean currents. Comparing their movements to drifting buoys showed that turtles stayed in the open ocean while buoys…