Oceans

Animals

Secrets of a sailfish attack

The large, long-nosed sailfish use their rostrums more like a sword than a spear to attack prey.

Climate

Reef fish act drunk in carbon dioxide–rich ocean waters

In first test in the wild, fish near reefs that bubble with CO2 lose fear of predators’ scent.

Oceans

The surprising life of a piece of sunken wood

Timber and trees that wash out to sea and sink to the bottom of the ocean hold a diverse community of organisms.

Climate

Ocean bacteria may have shut off ancient global warming

Ocean-dwelling bacteria may have helped end global warming 56 million years ago by gobbling up carbon from the CO2-laden atmosphere.

Earth

How the Chicxulub impact made acid rain

Using lasers to accelerate materials to asteroid-like impact velocities, scientists have shown how the Chicxulub asteroid impact, which happened roughly 65 million years ago, could have created a mass extinction in the oceans.

Animals

Spotted seals hear well in and out of water

Spotted seals, native to the northern parts of the Pacific, hear frequencies that may mean they are susceptible to the effects of anthropogenic noise.

Animals

Fish lose their fear on a denuded reef

Juvenile damselfish lose their ability to smell danger when in a degraded habitat.

Oceans

Unknowns linger for sea mining

Scientists struggle to predict underwater digs’ effects on sea life.

Climate

Sharks could serve as ocean watchdogs

Tagged with sensors, toothy fish gather weather and climate data in remote Pacific waters.

Environment

How oil breaks fish hearts

Hydrocarbons that spill into oceans stifle the beat of tuna cardiac cells.

Climate

Strong winds may have waylaid global warming

Gusts over the Pacific Ocean may have stashed heat underwater since 2001.

Climate

Arctic algae crusts preserve climate data

The records show that sea-ice cover has been declining since 1850.