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Atlantic Ocean

The American Lobster, 'Homarus americanus,' found on the northern area of the Atlantic coast of America.

Climate Change, and Cod, Are Causing One Heck of a Lobster Boom in Maine

The complex relationships between humans, lobster, and cod are creating boom times—for now

Cool Finds

See the Gulf of Mexico’s Seafloor Like Never Before With This 1.4-Billion-Pixel Map

Made from data collected from 200 proprietary maps from oil and gas companies, the new image has a resolution 16 times greater than the next best map

Ask Smithsonian 2017

What’s the Difference Between Horns and Antlers and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

New Research

Web-Slinging Snails Discovered on Sunken Ship

Scientists worry that their presence spells trouble for threatened coral reefs

Chris Bertish at his finishing line in Antigua

Trending Today

Man Crosses the Atlantic On a Stand-Up Paddleboard

South African surfer Chris Bertish spent 93 days paddling 4,050 miles between Morocco and Antigua

True's Beaked Whale

New Research

See the First Video of One of the World’s Rarest Whales

The 46 second clip of several True’s beaked whales was taken by students and teachers on a field trip in the Azore Islands in 2013

This year, the Great Barrier Reef was found to be hiding another reef beneath it.

Top Eight Ocean Stories That Made Waves in 2016

2016 wasn’t all bad: Stubborn environmental problems were livened up thanks to new solutions, “gee whiz” discoveries and mysterious orbs

Not the largest wave ever recorded

Cool Finds

Sixty-Two-Foot Wave Sets New Record

A sensor in the North Atlantic detected a set of waves averaging over six stories tall, setting a new record for a buoy-measured wave

Surface water seasonality between October 2014 and October 2015 in the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. Dark blue indicates permanent surface water; light blue indicates seasonal surface water.

New Research

High-Resolution Satellite Images Capture Stunning View of Earth’s Changing Waters

An unprecedented mapping project shows the elusive patterns of Earth’s surface water over 30 years

Bathochordaeus charon

Cool Finds

Scientists Finally Spot Giant, Slimy Sea Blob First Found Over a Century Ago

Discovered in 1899, the creature recently popped up in Monterey Bay

One of the largest sprite bursts to ever be caught on camera flashes in the sky over Puerto Rico, October 1, 2016.

Vibrant Lightning Sprites Spark Above Hurricane Matthew

A photographer’s good eye captures an elusive phenomenon

The Boston Light still shines brightly at night in Boston Harbor.

Cool Finds

The Oldest Lighthouse in the United States Just Celebrated 300 Years of Service

The Boston Light still welcomes sailors to Boston Harbor

The monument protects an array of endemic, threatened and endangered species, including the sperm whale.

Obama Declares the First Atlantic Ocean National Marine Monument

With the announcement of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, Obama solidifies his legacy as an ocean guardian

Cool Finds

Rare Great White Shark Nursery Discovered Off the Coast of New York

Researchers find North Atlantic great whites spend their first 20 years in the waters off Montauk, Long Island

How to Visit the Florida Keys Like a NASA Aquanaut

To prepare for space, astronauts spend some time under the sea

Two canal workers pose in the cut

Cool Finds

Commemorate the Panama Canal’s Expansion With These Photos From Its Construction

The Panama Canal is opening a third lane to accommodate new mega cargo ships, a feat almost—but not quite—as impressive as building the original

Dawn at the dock at Piscataway, with the many mast stays outlined by the morning light.

Nine Days of a Sailor-Scholar’s Life Aboard the Canoe Circumnavigating the Globe

A Smithsonian expert learns the hard-knock lessons of when to be quiet and how to take a poop

America's beaches are filled with treasures for beachcombers.

Five of the Best Beaches for Beachcombing in the U.S.

On the hunt for seashells and other buried treasure? Here’s where to look

Boulder brain coral is usually common in Florida's coral reefs.

New Research

Between Bleaching and Boats, Florida’s Coral Reefs Are Struggling to Survive

The reefs are crumbling in acidifying waters and buried from dredging, according to new reports

Art Meets Science

What’s Over the Horizon? These New Maps Will Show You

Andy Woodruff’s line of sight maps show what you’re facing from any coastline in the world

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