RSS Sir David Attenborough sets sail for sea trials

The cutting-edge polar research ship the RRS Sir David Attenborough – which the public attempted to christen “Boaty McBoatface” – has finally set sail from its shipyard. The already legendary ship will now be put through sea trials ahead of being offic… Continue reading RSS Sir David Attenborough sets sail for sea trials

Untethered: Fishing Without Lines

There’s a laundry list of ways that humans are polluting the earth, and even though it might not look like it from the surface, the oceans seem to bear the brunt of our waste. Some research suggests that plastic doesn’t fully degrade as it ages, but instead breaks down into …read more

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Through You Lens celebrates the best underwater photography of 2020

From a record number of submissions, the 16th annual Through Your Lens photo contest delivers a world-class selection of the best underwater photography, from an incredible look inside a whale shark’s mouth to an amusing portrait of a smiling porcupine… Continue reading Through You Lens celebrates the best underwater photography of 2020

Targeting Rivers To Keep Plastic Pollution Out of the Ocean

Since the widespread manufacture of plastics began in earnest in the early 1950s, plastic pollution in the environment has become a major global problem. Nowhere is this more evident than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A large ocean gyre that has become a swirling vortex full of slowly decaying plastic …read more

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Robot research vessel to set off on epic ocean voyage of discovery

On the 400th anniversary of the start of an epic voyage from England to the New World aboard the Mayflower, an autonomous, solar-powered marine research vessel is due to launch on a mission to gather environmental data about the ocean.Continue ReadingC… Continue reading Robot research vessel to set off on epic ocean voyage of discovery

Warming oceans are trapping shellfish in hotspots they can’t escape

Many species are expected to be displaced as the world continues to warm and natural habitats are transformed, and this is true both on land and at sea. Scientists studying more than half a century of data on bottom-dwelling shellfish have uncovered ev… Continue reading Warming oceans are trapping shellfish in hotspots they can’t escape

SeaClear project aims to robo-garbage-pick the ocean floor

While we hear a great deal about the huge patches of garbage that are floating on the world’s oceans, there’s even more trash lying on the seabed. The European Union-funded SeaClear project aims to gather much of it up, using autonomous robots.Continue… Continue reading SeaClear project aims to robo-garbage-pick the ocean floor

First map of marine structures shows how much we’ve modified the oceans

With our long history of altering the environment through manmade structures, we humans sure have made our mark on the Earth in our relatively short time here. Scientists in Australia have turned their attention to what this perpetual development means… Continue reading First map of marine structures shows how much we’ve modified the oceans

“Supergiant” new species of isopod discovered in the deep ocean

All kinds of fascinating discoveries are likely lying in wait for us in the deep sea. Now scientists have pulled a new monster out of the waters off the coast of Indonesia. The creature is a new species of “supergiant” isopod, a huge marine relative of… Continue reading “Supergiant” new species of isopod discovered in the deep ocean