OCEANS

Sea Snakes May Surf Thousands of Miles on Ocean Waves

The yellow-bellied sea snake may be capable of traveling great distances by drifting along ocean currents.

NASA via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY-NC 2.0

The Caribbean Emits a "Whistle" That Can Be Detected from Space

It's too big and low for us to hear, but researchers say the sea produces about an A flat.

A New Database Tracks 160 Years of Walrus Hot Spots

Walruses take a break from hunting to chill out on beaches in massive groups, but scientists have a hard time figuring out why they choose the locations they do.

Why Are There High and Low Tides?

Have you ever been to the beach and built a sand castle, then watched it wash away when the water came in?

Christopher Hollis via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.5

Global Warming Could Make Our Beaches Saltier

Researchers say the saltier water and sand could threaten coastal wildlife.

Jebulon via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

A Project Gives Restaurant’s Leftover Oyster Shells New Life

The Billion Oyster Project is using leftover shells to restore New York's oyster population.

Lost City Hydrothermal Field. Image credit: NOAA

UNESCO Considers Recognizing Undersea Heritage Sites

Proposed sites include a hydrothermal field and a "white shark cafe."

Gauthier via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Darwin’s Obsession With Barnacle Penises Makes a Lot of Sense Now

The crustaceans’ extraordinary genitals can get longer, thicker, change shape, and even fall off and regenerate in order to suit their environment.

Scientists Have Found a Weird Purple Orb on the California Seafloor

Researchers were ready to fight a crab over rights to the mysterious prize.

Sideways Swimming Is More Efficient for Hammerhead Sharks

It may look silly, but it serves an important purpose.

Coral Reef 'Bright Spots' Yield Clues to Save 'Dark Spots'

Some reefs are faring better than others. Why?

Court Rules the Navy Must Reduce Use of Marine Life-Disturbing Sonar

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the regulation allowing the Navy to use its long-range sonar violates the Marine Protection Act.

Elias Levy via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

New App Lets Beachgoers Keep Tabs on Shark Sightings

“Sharktivity” is now available for iOS.

The Life Aquatic: Meet Mario Salcedo, Full-Time Cruise Ship Passenger

At sea for 350 days out of the year, Salcedo's legs shake when he's on dry land.

‘Color-Blind’ Cephalopods May See Color After All

And because they’re cephalopods, they do it in a completely unexpected way.

9 Alarming Facts About Coral Reef Bleaching

The longest-lasting recorded global bleaching event began in 2014 and continues to affect coral reefs worldwide.

Tiny Plastics in the Ocean Are Harming Baby Fish

Microplastics are making young fish smaller, slower, and less intelligent.

Watch a Bed of Coquina Clams Emerge From the Sand to Feed

Behold the spectacle of coquina clams appearing seemingly from nowhere to feed.

Hang Out on the Sea Floor with Live Video from a Hydrothermal Vent

The Ocean Observatories Initiative has set up miniature laboratories on the sea floor.

A Giant, Floating Wind Farm Is Coming to the Scottish Coast

The Hywind wind farm will be the largest of its kind.

What Are Loofahs Made Of?

Something to ponder during your next bubble bath.

Olaus Magnus (1539) via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

What’s With the Sea Monsters on Old Maps?

The world was a scary place in the Middle Ages.

15 Shucking Amazing Facts About Oysters

3. Spring is when a young oyster looks for love.

The Plan to Send a Submarine to Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon

We may release the (submarine into) Kraken, a liquid hydrocarbon sea on Titan, sometime in the 2040s. How cool is that?

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