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Stories from REPRINT AUTHOR PLACEHOLDER

The island of Smøla, Norway, is thought by many to be ultima Thule, first described by the Greek explorer Pytheas.

This Norwegian Island Claims to Be the Fabled Land of Thule

Residents of Smøla believe they live in the northernmost location mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature. Other contenders say not so fast.

Viruses, notably influenza A and Morbillivirus, cause mass die-offs with striking head counts.

Mass Die-Offs of Marine Mammals Are on the Rise

Viral and bacteria outbreaks are increasingly causing fatalities in a variety of species, including seals and dolphins

Nobody knows when Fungie, a solitary cetacean, arrived in the waters off Dingle, a town on the southwest coast of Ireland.

A Dolphin Has Been Living Solo in This Irish Harbor for Decades

Named Fungie, the cetacean draws thousands of tourists to Dingle—and may teach us how to protect other solitary-sociable animals in the wild

As erosion reshapes England’s Jurassic Coast, ancient fossils are revealed.

Why the Jurassic Coast Is One of the Best Fossil-Collecting Sites on Earth

Along a famed stretch of English coastline, amateurs and professionals collect 200-million-year-old treasures before they are reclaimed by the waves

Mo‘omomi Preserve on the north coast of the Hawaiian island of Moloka‘i protects a dune ecosystem that boasts rare coastal species.

Hawai‘i’s Last Dunes Are Home to Species Found Nowhere Else on the Planet

A nature preserve on Moloka‘i reveals rare life forms—some ancient and others just newly established

A Shipwreck Off Florida’s Coast Pits Archaeologists Against Treasure Hunters

The discovery of a legendary wreck raises questions about who should control sunken riches

Rockall, in the North Atlantic, is a small islet of large significance.

This Tiny, Uninhabitable Islet in the North Atlantic Has Attracted Fishermen and Adventurers for Decades

Rockall, a rocky outcrop claimed by the United Kingdom, has become an unlikely battleground in the fight for fishing rights

Understanding plankton is essential to studying how ocean life is sustained.

This Device Has Been Measuring the Ocean’s Plankton Since the 1930s

Largely unchanged since it was invented, the Continuous Plankton Recorder collects plankton as it is towed behind a ship

In Northern California, purple sea urchins are decimating kelp forests. Though the species of urchin causing problems may vary by region, the damage is the same.

Could Eating Sea Urchins Help Revive Kelp Forests?

A Norwegian ‘urchin ranching’ company wants to take the echinoderms from the wild, fatten them up and sell them to restaurants

Scientists think gigantic crinoids would cling to logs with anchor-like stems, creating a floating raft that likely supported a host of other species and enabled their long-distance transport across Jurassic seas.

Ancient Sea Life May Have Hitched Across Oceans on Giant Living Rafts

Enormous crinoids of the Jurassic era, related to sea stars and sea urchins, could have carried whole ecosystems around the world

Marine species with fluorescent proteins absorb, transform and reemit light, generating a spectacular display of color in the process.

Amazing Photos Reveal the Hidden Light of Undersea Life

Photographer Louise Murray dips into the dark ocean to capture the spectacle of marine fluorescence

A prototype floating dairy farm in Rotterdam, Netherlands is home to 35 dairy cows. In the future, similar platforms will be set up nearby to grow vegetables and farm eggs.

Will Cities of the Future Have Floating Farms?

In the Netherlands, an experimental floating dairy farm promises to reduce emissions and increase food security

In Asia, many jellyfish species find their way into cuisine. The largely tasteless animals are used predominately for their texture.

To Make Jellyfish More Appetizing, Add Light and Sound Effects to the Dining Experience

Gastrophysicists are going to great lengths to convince Westerners to indulge in the tasteless sustainable seafood

This spring, temperatures in Alaska and northern Canada have been significantly higher than usual. Red indicates areas warmer than average while blue indicates colder than average. The darker the red, or blue, the greater the deviation from average.

Record-Breaking Heat in Alaska Wreaks Havoc on Communities and Ecosystems

Abnormally high temperatures have led to unsafe travel conditions, uncertain ecological futures and even multiple deaths

With nowhere to grow, densely packed coastal cities like Singapore are looking to expand onto the water.

Singapore Wants to Build New Suburbs on Giant Floating Rafts

The trick would be to design a system that could support apartment buildings and minimize seasick-inducing swaying

Tlingit artist Arthur B. Nelson’s Devil Fish Halibut Hook, 2012, is an impressive example of a contemporary wooden halibut hook designed to be a piece of art rather than a functional example of halibut fishing equipment. The carving depicts raven, frog, octopus, and human spirits.

The Traditional Wooden Halibut Hook That’s Still Snagging Fish Off Alaska

An Indigenous method of catching halibut on the northwest coast of North America mixes expert craftsmanship with spirituality—and the fish are biting

Researchers discovered hnefatafl game pieces made of whale bone in upper- and middle-class Vendel graves.

Viking Chess Pieces May Reveal Early Whale Hunts in Northern Europe

The board game hnefatafl, commonly called Viking chess, pits an attacking player against another trying to defend the king

Researchers show there's potential for wind turbines to divert hurricane rains.

Could Offshore Wind Farms Actually Sap the Rain From Hurricanes?

With enough turbines, the rainfall from Hurricane Harvey could have been reduced by 20 percent, according to a new study

Norway’s latest ships, including the passenger vessel Future of the Fjords, may portend the end of carbon-belching vessels. Of the 60 or so fully electric or hybrid vessels in operation globally, 40 percent are Norwegian.

Norway’s Newest Ships Give a Glimpse Into the Future of Sustainable Seafaring

The country is using oil and gas riches to engineer emission-free vessels

RangerBot is an autonomous underwater vehicle designed to identify and kill crown-of-thorns starfish by lethal injection.

Sea-Star Murdering Robots Are Deployed in the Great Barrier Reef

The RangerBot is a new line of defense against coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish

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