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…
ocean
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…
Shouting to be heard: At-sea cacophony puts strain on dolphins
Anyone who has attempted to hold a conversation at a crowded party or near a blaring band knows how exhausting it can be just trying to communicate. Read More…
Extraterrestrial potential
A tiny species of deep-ocean shrimp (Rimicaris hybisae) doesn’t look like much, but these unassuming crustaceans may make scientific contributions of galactic proportions. Scientists at NASA’s Jet Read More…
Death by sugar crash
Cone snails, found in tropical waters around the world, are renowned for the fast-acting toxins in their venom, which they use to catch prey. Some species, such Read More…
Tree rings reveal changes in ocean climate
Scientists have tried many approaches to unravel the complex puzzle of past ocean climates. Now, a recent study in the journal Science uses an unlikely source to Read More…
Fish and Fukushima
The largest-ever discharge of radionuclides into the ocean from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor meltdown in 2011 prompted many health concerns. However, as we described in our Read More…
Super star
This marine creature might look like a bright holiday bauble, but it’s actually a fearsome killer with more than a dozen arms in its arsenal. The sunflower Read More…