credit – Andre Smits, via SWNS Underwater photographers and free divers recently rescued a mobula ray tangled in a rope while being circled by sharks. After swimming away, the injured ray unexpectedly returned, circling the divers in what they described as a “thank you” moment. The mobula ray was trapped more than 30 feet below … Read more
One might call the first three weeks of operations for a new, state-of-the-art seawater desalination plant in coastal China a ‘watershed’ moment for the industry. Long held back by fundamental difficulties in turning seawater into pure water, this new installation beats out previous flagship desalination plants in Saudi Arabia and California in terms of cost-effectiveness, … Read more
(left) the North Atlantic right whale when it was sighted in Ireland (right) and when it was sighted in Boston – credit, Naomi D’arcy (left) and Center for Coastal Studies, taken under NOAA permit 25740-03 (right) “But where else would one expect to find a right whale with Irish connections if not off Boston?” They … Read more
The submersible Fendouzhe being deployed off a Chinese icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean. Credit: Courtesy of the Fendouzhe Research Team One of the most remote and unexplored parts of the planet has been visited by a submersible crewed by Chinese geophysicists and marine scientists for the first time ever. Having been researched from the surface … Read more
The FishEye Collaborative / Cornell Lab of Ornithology Underwater coral reefs are filled with thumps, pops, and snaps from shrimp and fish, and ecologists often use underwater microphones to monitor the health of marine environments. But until now, ecologists have largely been unable to interpret these sounds because reefs are crowded with hundreds of different … Read more
The gingko-toothed beaked whale seen in 2024 – credit Craig Hayslip, CC 4.0. Int. A lifelong whale researcher recently encountered a living pair of gingko-toothed beaked whales for the first time ever in the wild. The encounter advances the science of beaked whales enormously, for in addition to confirming the whole genome of the animal, … Read more
Azores, Portugal by Raphael Lopes / Unsplash+ Governments and conservation NGOs celebrated the passing of a resolution to create the world’s most ambitious marine sanctuary. Cleverly-named “Macronesia,” the area in the northeastern Atlantic would protect 32 species of whales and dolphins, making it one of the most significant migratory routes on Earth. The announcement followed … Read more