Oceans

  1. Ecosystems

    Ocean plankton held hostage by pirate viruses

    The most abundant photosynthesizers on Earth stop storing carbon when they catch a virus.

    By Susan Milius
  2. Animals

    Maximum size of giant squid remains a mystery

    A scientist has come up with a new estimate of the maximum size of giant squid. He says the animals could be as long as two public buses.

    By Sarah Zielinski
  3. Animals

    Tiny plastics cause big problems for perch, lab study finds

    Researchers have linked microplastics to feeding behavior changes and development issues in Baltic Sea perch.

    By Helen Thompson
  4. Environment

    Tiny plastics cause big problems for perch

    Researchers have linked microplastics to feeding behavior changes and development issues in Baltic Sea perch.

    By Helen Thompson
  5. Environment

    Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused months-long ‘dirty blizzard’

    Pollution from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill accumulated on the seafloor for months after the leak was patched.

    By Thomas Sumner
  6. Oceans

    Ancient tsunamis reshaped Mars’ landscape

    Ancient tsunamis generated by meteorite impacts may have reshaped ocean coastlines on Mars.

    By Thomas Sumner
  7. Oceans

    The Arctic Ocean is about to get spicier

    Variations in the saltiness and temperature of seawater of the same density, called spiciness, could increase as the Arctic Ocean warms.

    By Thomas Sumner
  8. Oceans

    Here’s where 17,000 ocean research buoys ended up

    A combined look at 35 years’ worth of ocean buoy movements reveals the currents that feed into ocean garbage patches.

    By Thomas Sumner
  9. Animals

    Cause of mass starfish die-offs is still a mystery

    Sea stars off the U.S. west coast started dying off en masse in 2013. Scientists are still struggling to figure out the cause.

    By Sarah Zielinski
  10. Climate

    Fizzled 2014 El Niño fired up ongoing monster El Niño

    The ongoing El Niño, one of the strongest on record, got a heat boost from a 2014 event that failed due to unfavorable winds.

    By Thomas Sumner
  11. Animals

    Scientists find a crab party deep in the ocean

    A trip to check out the biodiversity off the coast of Panama revealed thousands of crabs swarming on the seafloor.

    By Sarah Zielinski
  12. Ecosystems

    Heat may outpace corals’ ability to cope

    Corals may soon lose their ability to withstand warming waters.

    By Sarah Schwartz