Oceans

Oceans

Giant barrel sponges are hijacking Florida’s coral reefs

Giant barrel sponges are gradually taking over and threatening Florida’s coral reefs, a new census suggests.

Oceans

Earth got first whiff of oxygen 3.2 billion years ago

Photosynthesis by early cyanobacteria pumped oxygen into Earth’s oceans 200 million years earlier than once thought, new geochemical analyses show.

Environment

Molting seals shed mercury along with fur

Seals spew amassed mercury when they shed, creating hotbeds of pollution in otherwise pristine coastal environments.

Climate

Hurricane’s tiny earthquakes could help forecasters

Hurricane Sandy set off small earthquakes under its eye as it moved up the U.S. East Coast in 2012. The tiny tremors could help researchers track the behavior of future storms, researchers propose.

Climate

Katrina’s legacy: Refining hurricane forecasting

Ten years following Hurricane Katrina’s formation, the storm’s devastating legacy in New Orleans and beyond continues to drive storm forecast improvements.

Oceans

Ocean current simulations could narrow Flight 370 search

Aircraft debris found on Réunion Island in the western Indian Ocean could originate from the northern half of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370’s search area, ocean simulations show.

Climate

Iceless Arctic summers now expected by 2050s

The Arctic Ocean will have its first ice-free summer in the 2050s, nine years earlier than previously forecast, according to improved simulations.

Ecosystems

Encased algae create kaleidoscope of color

The skeletons of diatoms, algae that produce oxygen but also form toxic blooms, can create beautiful microscopic designs.

Animals

Sea level rise threatens sea turtles

Sea level rise is causing coastal areas to be inundated with water. Even short periods of being wet can kill sea turtle eggs, a new study finds.

Animals

Eyewitness account of a dolphin birth takes a dark turn

Scientists witnessed the first wild birth of a bottlenose dolphin — and an attempt at infanticide.

Oceans

Blooming phytoplankton seed clouds in the Southern Ocean

Booming phytoplankton populations spark cloud formation in the Southern Ocean.

Climate

Current El Niño coming on strong

Meteorologists expect the ongoing El Niño to strengthen in the coming months and alter weather patterns worldwide, including bringing potential drought relief to California.