Pacific Ocean | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/pacific-ocean/RSS feed for Pacific OceanenMon, 13 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000Nearly 150 Gray Whales Have Been Found Dead Along North America's Pacific Shore This Year, Prompting Scientists to Sound the Alarmhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-150-gray-whales-have-been-found-dead-along-north-americas-pacific-shore-this-year-prompting-scientists-to-sound-the-alarm-180989109/The population of eastern gray whales, which migrate annually along the West Coast between the Arctic and Mexico, has been declining in recent years. Conservationists say 2026 could be one of the deadliest years on record for the marine mammalsMon, 13 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nearly-150-gray-whales-have-been-found-dead-along-north-americas-pacific-shore-this-year-prompting-scientists-to-sound-the-alarm-180989109/Gray Whales Are Getting Struck by Ships in San Francisco Bay. Could This New A.I.-Powered Tech Save Them?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gray-whales-are-getting-struck-by-ships-in-san-francisco-bay-could-this-new-ai-powered-tech-save-them-180989009/The recently launched system involves two thermal cameras that can detect gray whales up to four miles away, giving ships enough time to slow down or change course—and avoid running into the marine mammalsThu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gray-whales-are-getting-struck-by-ships-in-san-francisco-bay-could-this-new-ai-powered-tech-save-them-180989009/'Ugliest Shark on the Planet': See the Elusive Goblin Shark, Filmed for the First Time in Its Deep-Sea Habitathttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ugliest-shark-on-the-planet-see-the-elusive-goblin-shark-filmed-for-the-first-time-in-its-deep-sea-habitat-180988950/Scientists spotted the enigmatic creatures in 2019 and again in 2024, marking the first times they've been observed alive in the wild. The sightings drastically expand the animals' known geographic and depth rangeMon, 15 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ugliest-shark-on-the-planet-see-the-elusive-goblin-shark-filmed-for-the-first-time-in-its-deep-sea-habitat-180988950/'Cute Little Guy': Scientists Discover a Tiny Blue Species of Octopus by the Galápagos Islandshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cute-little-guy-scientists-discover-a-tiny-blue-species-of-octopus-by-the-galapagos-islands-180988919/The palm-size creature was spotted and collected during a research expedition more than a decade ago, but scientists have just identified it as a previously undescribed speciesTue, 09 Jun 2026 18:33:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cute-little-guy-scientists-discover-a-tiny-blue-species-of-octopus-by-the-galapagos-islands-180988919/Tonga's Enormous Volcanic Eruption Cleaned Up Part of Its Own Methane Emissions in 2022, Hinting at a Way to Fight Climate Changehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/Researchers analyzed satellite imagery of the volcanic plume and found evidence that the potent greenhouse gas had broken down. The work could inform artificial interventions aiming to mitigate global warming, scientists sayThu, 04 Jun 2026 16:14:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tongas-enormous-volcanic-eruption-cleaned-up-part-of-its-own-methane-emissions-in-2022-hinting-at-a-way-to-fight-climate-change-180988893/This American Submarine Lost During WWII—Along With 83 Crew Members—Has Been Discovered in the Pacific Oceanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/The honors-earning USS "Herring" sank in 1944 after taking down Japanese shipsThu, 04 Jun 2026 01:58:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-submarine-USS-Herring-lost-during-WWII-along-with-83-crew-members-has-been-discovered-in-the-pacific-ocean-180988895/An Underwater Robot Explores the Hidden 'Shipwreck City' Beneath the Surface of This Popular Urban Lake in the Pacific Northwesthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Using a remotely operated vehicle, researchers are exploring a long-overlooked piece of Seattle’s maritime historyFri, 22 May 2026 21:25:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Millions of Bright Blue Blobs Called 'By-the-Wind Sailors' Are Littering Beaches Along the West Coasthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/The strange creatures are washing up on shores across California, Oregon and Washington this spring—and making the coast smell especially fishyTue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/