Depths of alien ocean probed with radar in Cassini study

Saturn’s moon Titan is one of the most fascinating bodies in the solar system, not least because it’s home to huge oceans, lakes and rivers of liquid methane. Now scientists have used radar to probe the composition and depth of its largest sea, Kraken … Continue reading Depths of alien ocean probed with radar in Cassini study

72-ft autonomous Saildrone sets out on seafloor-mapping mission

San Francisco-based aquatic drone-maker Saildrone has returned with a bigger and better version of its unmanned vehicle designed to explore the seas. The newly introduced 72-ft (22-m) Saildrone Surveyor is equipped with the hardware needed to map the s… Continue reading 72-ft autonomous Saildrone sets out on seafloor-mapping mission

Sediment samples show how deep-sea trenches can act as “plastic traps”

We know that tons of plastic waste washes into the ocean each year, but what we don’t know all that much about is what happens to it once it gets there. A new study as shone a light on the role deep-sea trenches can play in the movement of plastic poll… Continue reading Sediment samples show how deep-sea trenches can act as “plastic traps”

Place-trading AUVs designed for longer oceanographic missions

Although AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) excel at gathering marine data without human intervention, they’re still limited by battery life. Texas startup Terradepth has set out to address that problem, with a novel tag-team system.Continue Reading… Continue reading Place-trading AUVs designed for longer oceanographic missions

NASA and ESA launch new satellite to monitor next decade of rising seas

With the world continuing to warm and sea levels continuing to rise, NASA and ESA are eyeing the next decade of climate change and its consequences, launching a new satellite to observe the ocean from orbit. The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite wa… Continue reading NASA and ESA launch new satellite to monitor next decade of rising seas

New spire found in Great Barrier Reef dwarfs the Empire State Building

Scientists exploring the Great Barrier Reef have discovered a huge, never-before-seen coral reef that is taller than the Empire State Building. Standing detached from the main reef, the massive structure is the first new reef to be discovered in the ar… Continue reading New spire found in Great Barrier Reef dwarfs the Empire State Building