Oceans

A whale shark off the coast of Australia.

Whale Sharks Have Tiny Teeth on Their Eyeballs

The 'dermal denticles' probably help protect the eyes of these gentle giants, scientists say

Eba the poop-sniffing dog

The COVID-19 Slowdown Will Show Whether Quieter Seas Help Killer Whales

With the help of a poop-sniffing dog, scientists are on the scent of a troubled species.

"Maisy" a rare hybrid hawskbill-green sea turtle being released into the Atlantic in the Florida Keys. The turtle's satellite tracking tag will allow it to participate in a "race" put on by a sea turtle conservation group.

Rare Hybrid Hawksbill-Green Sea Turtle Released in Florida

The turtle will participate in an annual 'race' put on by a Florida-based sea turtle conservation group

This giant squid was stranded on Britannica Bay in southwest South Africa.

Rare Giant Squid Washes Onto Shores of South African Beach

At more than 13 feet long, the creature was probably just 2 years old, scientists say

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor's “Ocean Siren” changes color according to the average daily water temperatures measured at Davies Reef on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Recently, marine heatwaves have wreaked havoc on the Great Barrier Reef, causing the most widespread bleaching ever recorded.

This Sculpture Takes the Great Barrier Reef’s Temperature

'Ocean Siren' changes colors in real time to reflect ocean temperatures at Davies Reef, part of Australia’s ailing Great Barrier Reef

Monitor local animal populations, identify plants, transcribe women astronomers' notes, bird-watch and more.

Seventy-Five Scientific Research Projects You Can Contribute to Online

From astrophysicists to entomologists, many researchers need the help of citizen scientists to sift through immense data collections

An aggregation of roughly 64,000 green sea turtles at Raine Island in Australia.

Drone Footage Shows Thousands of Nesting Sea Turtles

The roughly 64,000 green sea turtles were photographed off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia at Raine Island, the turtle's largest breeding ground

Dr. Frederieke Kroon looking at a crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef.

What Eats the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish? The Evidence Is in the Poop

The sea creatures are the second-biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef after tropical cyclones

Kathy Sullivan, left, and Victor Vescovo, right

Astronaut Kathy Sullivan Becomes First Woman to Reach Deepest Part of the Ocean

Sullivan is now the first person to have both walked in space and descend to the furthest reaches of the seafloor

The blue outlined tadpole-like creature at the center of this elaborate structure, made of mucus, is a giant larvacean. New techniques have allowed scientists to model and study this structure, which is used by the larvacean to gather food.

Scientists Tour Elaborate, Deep-Sea 'Snot Palaces' for the First Time

Tiny transparent sea creatures make elaborate houses out of their own mucus. Now, researchers have illuminated the framework within these structures

As the ocean continues to warm, scientists look to the past for answers on how to manage today’s environmental problems.

This Climate Detective Reconstructs What the Ocean Was Like Millions of Years Ago

Yet, the biggest concern, says Smithsonian curator Brian Huber, is how rapidly the ocean has changed in the past few decades

Horseshoe crabs are bled to harvest a key ingredient in tests used to ensure injected medicines such as vaccines are free of contaminants. This photo was taken in 2014 at the Charles River Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Race for a Coronavirus Vaccine Runs on Horseshoe Crab Blood

Pharmaceutical companies use the creature's blue blood to test for contaminants

A great white shark pictured off the coast of Mexico in 2006

Prehistoric Great White Shark Nursery Discovered in Chile

Young sharks grew up here millions of years ago, scientists say

An adult male Hippocampus nalu will grow to a maximum of just 2 centimeters long.

Newly Discovered Pygmy Seahorse Species Is the Size of a Fingernail

This tiny creature is the first of its kind discovered near the continent of Africa

These 'Elvis Worms' Shimmer and Sparkle—and Fight Rough

New research describes four species of iridescent deep-sea creatures that sparkle like bedazzled Elvis Presley jumpsuits

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is among the organizations that oppose the ruling.

Judge Rules Salvage Firm Can Recover the Titanic's Marconi Telegraph

Critics of the decision argue that the wreck is a memorial to the 1,500 who died when the ship sank and should not be disturbed

Researchers estimate that sea spray could release up to 136,000 tons of microplastic particles into the air per year.

The Salty Sea Breeze Contains Microplastics, New Study Suggests

Researchers recorded the tiny particles in ocean air off the coast of France

Comb jelly larvae, highlighted by red arrows, shown inside an adult.

Invasive Comb Jellies Might Overproduce Babies in Summer to Eat Them in Winter

Comb jellies might have evolved to eat their young when prey runs out, but some experts are skeptical of the strategy

The full fossil with the body of the squid on the left and the fish to the right.

200-Million-Year-Old Fossil Captures Squid Viciously Entangled With Its Prey

The specimen may be the earliest known example of a squid-like creature on the attack

A deep-sea starfish attached to what is called a polymetallic nodule. These nodules are being targeted by the burgeoning deep-sea mining industry for their mixture of valuable metals including manganese, cobalt, copper and nickel.

Deep-Sea Mining’s Environmental Toll Could Last Decades

A study of microbial communities at the site of a 1989 deep-sea mining test suggests the fragile ecosystem may take half a century to fully recover

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