Oceans

The shark, which researchers suggest is a newborn great white, seen off California's coast in July 2023.

'Extremely Rare' Sighting of Newborn Great White Shark Reported Off California Coast

If confirmed, the discovery could shed light on where the sharks give birth and mate, which has remained mysterious to scientists

An expedition last fall captured a sonar image of a roughly plane-shaped object near Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean, which the team suggests could be Amelia Earhart's vehicle.

Have Researchers Found Amelia Earhart's Long-Lost Plane?

A new sonar image shows an airplane-shaped object resting on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, not far from where Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, went missing in 1937

This small, bucolic waterfall in Western New York has one highly photogenic feature: a grotto lit by a dancing orange flame.

Seven Natural Phenomena Worth Traveling For

You need to be in the right place at the right time to see these celestial and earthly wonders

Emperor penguins are the largest penguins in the world, but they're at risk of disappearing because of human-caused climate change.

Scientists Discover Four New Emperor Penguin Colonies From Satellite Images of Antarctica

The findings are a rare bright spot for the birds, which scientists predict will be mostly extinct by 2100

Kelp cultivated in underwater forests could help curb climate change, both because of the carbon these forests capture and because products made from kelp can reduce carbon emissions.

Could Sinking Tons of Seaweed to the Ocean Floor Help Combat Climate Change?

Submerged seaweed can store carbon at the bottom of the sea, but how effective the strategy will be remains unclear

A museum curator gives a sense of scale to the reconstructed jaws of the fossil shark Otodus megalodon.

Was Megalodon Slimmer Than Previously Thought?

A new study has spurred scientists to debate the shape of prehistory’s biggest shark

Bottom trawling is a polarizing fishing practice that involves dragging heavy nets and equipment across the seafloor.

Seabed Trawling May Be Spewing Huge Amounts of CO2 Into the Atmosphere

New research suggests the controversial fishing method is also contributing to increased ocean acidification, which can harm marine wildlife

Scientists produced the most complete catalog of marine microbe DNA yet, including data from the deeper zones of the oceans.

DNA From the Ocean's 'Twilight Zone' Could Lead to New Lifesaving Drugs, Scientists Say

Researchers catalogued the genes of more than 300 million groups of marine bacteria, viruses and fungi in hopes that the database could lead to breakthroughs in medicine, energy and agriculture

Ringed by dramatic mountains, Cumberland Bay, on the coast of South Georgia Island, is home to whales, seabirds, penguins and elephant seals. The island draws scores of sightseeing cruises each summer.

Humpbacks Have Rebounded in This Spot Decimated by Whaling

South Georgia Island’s Cumberland Bay has seen a resurgence of the marine mammals

A female elephant seal rests with her pup on the California coast. Pups in this population spend more days fattening up on mother’s milk than in southern populations on the Kerguelen Islands.

Inside Elephant Seal Pups' Race to the Depths

While northern pups dive right in, their southern cousins take their time

Surfers play an overlooked role in keeping other beachgoers safe, according to new research.

Surfers Play a Crucial Role in Ocean Rescue

During their lifetimes, surfers rescue an average of three people in trouble, according to a new study

Ocean drainage basins of the world

These Entrancing Maps Capture Where the World's Rivers Go

Cartographer Robert Szucs uses satellite data to make stunning art that shows which oceans waterways empty into

A map of fishing vessels operating between Tunisia and Sicily reveals lots of untracked activity.

These Satellite Maps Reveal Rampant Fishing by Untracked 'Dark Vessels' in the World's Oceans

Using satellite imagery and A.I., a new study finds about 75 percent of industrial fishing is not publicly tracked, and clandestine ships enter marine protected areas

The S.S. Point Reyes has become a popular tourist destination and photoshoot spot.

This Instagram-Famous Abandoned Boat May Soon Disappear From California Shoreline

The already-dilapidated S.S. Point Reyes suffered more damage during the recent storms that pummeled the coast

This year was marked by many broken records in the ocean.

The Top Ten Ocean Stories of 2023

Major discoveries, an undersea tragedy and international cooperation were some of the biggest saltwater moments of the year

Seabirds, such as puffins, have a well-earned reputation as sentinels of change in marine environments.

How Seabirds Can Help Us Predict the Size of Fish Stocks

The scientists who study terns, puffins and other birds are trying to get fisheries managers to heed their warnings

Larval bony-eared assfish

These Ten Brilliant Portraits Illuminate Ocean Creatures' Nighttime Antics

Blackwater photographer Steven Kovacs takes spectacular shots of marine animals, helping scientists study tiny larval fish

Covid-19 lockdowns had all kinds of effects on wild populations, helping some and hindering others. In one Mexican marine park, though, the sudden lack of tourists led to an increase in the density and diversity of marine species.

During Covid-19 Lockdowns, Fish Flourished in This Park

In the absence of tourists, the animals increased within Mexico’s Cabo Pulmo National Park

Our ten favorite science books of the year covered everything from astronomy to undersea exploration.

The Ten Best Science Books of 2023

From stories on the depths of the ocean to the stars in the sky, these are the works that moved us the most this year

German researchers tested dolphins' ability to detect electric fields.

Bottlenose Dolphins May Have an Electric Sense, Study Finds

Dimples called vibrissal pits on the beaks of the mammals can perceive electricity and might help with hunting and navigation

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