Soft-bodied, Spineless Sea Nettles: The Perfect Predator
Pacific sea nettles may be spineless, but they are by no means defenseless. These large and beautiful “true jellies” of the Class Scyphozoa are invertebrates, but what Read More…
ocean
Gooseneck Barnacles: Diving in Head First
While a crashing wave would make most people say, “Heads up!,” for barnacles it’s more like, “Feet up!” Barnacles are animals that cement themselves to surfaces head Read More…
Flashback Friday: Wind-Powered
Today's Flashback Friday looks at one of the signature spring phenomena of California's coast: ocean upwelling. Spring has officially arrived, the periods between rains are getting longer, Read More…
Bird Bonanza: Sooty Shearwater Migration
Mid-summer to mid-fall is a time when our Santa Cruz office and the rest of the Monterey Bay witnesses the arrival of thousands of international visitors. These Read More…
Flashback Friday: Safe Harbor
If you're looking for a good dose of adorable wildlife, look no further than today's Flashback Friday. We bring you a profile of the highly charismatic Pacific Read More…
Flashback Friday: Planet Ocean
Tomorrow is World Ocean's Day! To celebrate, today's Flashback Friday is a look back at all things marine on our blog. Enjoy this tour through planet ocean! Read More…
Sheephead, Sea Urchins & Kelp: A Dynamic Food Chain
In ocean food webs, many organisms directly and indirectly rely on each other to bring balance to the surrounding environment. Food webs in ecosystems like kelp forests Read More…
A stubborn fish called cabezon
The cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) is a unique fish living on the Pacific coast. Generally found near the ocean floor, the cabezon is known for being stubborn because Read More…
Poisonous Plankton and California’s Crab Closure
California’s generally thriving Dungeness crab industry was left adrift last fall when officials placed an emergency moratorium on shellfish harvesting. While the crab fishery usually opens in Read More…
Toxic soup in the plastic age
By the year 2050, the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans may outweigh all of the fish combined. This astonishing and disturbing projection was recently published Read More…