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Coral Reefs Need Fewer Rats and More Bird Poo
A study of rat-infested islands in the Chagos show that a lack of seabirds—and their guano—degrades surrounding coral ecosystems
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First Major Swahili Coast Art Show Reveals a Diverse World of Cultural Exchange and Influence
At the Smithsonian’s African Art Museum, international influences commingle to create a farrago of artisanal splendors
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Two 19th-Century Shipwrecks Discovered During Search for Flight MH370
The Western Australian Museum has put forth several suggestions for the identities of the sunken vessels
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India’s Abandoned Island of Colonial Horror
Eerie and desolate, Ross Island harbors a tale of oppression and disaster
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131-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Found on Australian Beach
The oldest yet found, the relic was thrown into the Indian Ocean by German sailors conducting an experiment
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Scientists Identify New Species of Elusive Deep-Sea Shark
DNA analysis has shown that Atlantic-dwelling sixgill sharks are distinct from their relatives in the Indian and Pacific oceans
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Earth’s Mysterious Hum Recorded in the Deep Sea for the First Time
The discovery could help unlock the planet’s deepest secrets
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Cargo Ships May Double Lightning Strikes in Their Path
Ship exhaust impacts cloud formation, which may influence lightning over busy shipping lanes
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Researchers Think They’ve Found a Mini Continent in the Indian Ocean
The island of Mauritius sits on a sunken piece of earth’s crust torn apart by plate tectonics
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Ocean Preserves Keep Fishing Boats Away from Grey Reef Sharks
Scientists tracked hundreds of reef sharks to find that massive marine refuges can work—with one caveat
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Six New Deep Sea Creatures Just Discovered at Site Slated for Underwater Mining
Seafloor hot springs are rife with life
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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
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Coconut Crab’s Pinch Among the Strongest in the World
The unusual crustacean’s pincer rivals the bite of a lion
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The Search for Buddy the Kidnapped Penguin Continues
Two students stole and released an endangered African penguin from an Oceanarium. The problem is Buddy doesn’t have the skills to survive
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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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Found: 500-Year-Old Portuguese Shipwreck From Famed Explorer’s Fleet
A warship from the famous navigator Vasco da Gama’s fleet has been excavated in the waters off Al Hallaniyah island in Oman
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Christmas Island Is 63 Percent National Parkland…And Has More Crabs Than People
This nature’s paradise is hard to get to, but is home to a fascinating phenomenon
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