What if we could cheaply and efficiently detect a potent new energy source, while also monitoring for environmental safety? Physicists are using the symphony of sound produced in the ocean to do just that....

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Did you know that Feb. 27 through March 3 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week? Invasive species are a big problem in the U.S. and around the world. Non-native animals and plants can harm both the natural resources in an ecosystem as well as threaten human use of these resources. We've put together a handy resource to help you learn more about aquatic invasive species.

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Rising sea levels are likely to change Southern California beaches in the coming century, but not in ways you might expect. While some beaches may shrink or possibly disappear, others are poised to remain relatively large -- leaving an uneven distribution of economic gains and losses for coastal beach towns, according to a new study....

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Scientists recently discovered that land-based plant material, such as tree trunks, leaves, and kukui nuts; and coastal macroalgae indirectly support the increased abundances of bottom fish in submarine canyons, like those off the north shore of Moloka'i....

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A study of the tropical coral reef system along the coastline of Kenya has found dramatic effects of overfishing that could threaten the long-term health of the reefs....

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A new study provides further evidence of a relationship between melting ice in the Arctic regions and widespread cold outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere. The study’s findings could improve seasonal forecasting of snow and temperature anomalies across northern continents....

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Not all that glitters is gold. Sometimes it is just bacteria trying to get ahead in life. Many sea creatures glow with a biologically produced light. This phenomenon, known as bioluminescence, is observed, among others, in some marine bacteria which emit a steady light once they have reached a certain level of concentration (a phenomenon called "quorum sensing") on organic particles in ocean waters. Though this was a known occurrence, the benefits of producing light remained unclear. Now, researchers have unraveled the mystery of why the marine bacteria glow. It has to do with what might be called "the survival of the brightest."...

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Cyanobacteria (formerly known as blue-green algae) are on the rise in the U.S. and worldwide, becoming a serious threat to freshwater resources and public health. Research results funded by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science are uncovering the secrets of why cyanobacteria are so successful. This information will be used to develop new strategies to control this growing problem.

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Researchers have uncovered the specific mechanism that triggers phytoplankton to release their powerful toxins into the environment....

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Despite brutal cold and lingering darkness, life in the frigid waters off Alaska does not grind to a halt in the winter as scientists previously suspected. Microscopic creatures at the base of the Arctic food chain are not dormant as expected, according to new findings....

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