Tracking sperm whales and jumbo squid The sperm whale and its large prey, the jumbo squid, are among the deepest divers in the ocean, routinely reaching depths of 3,000 feet or more. view more (2007-03-09)
Norway, Japan prop up whaling industry with taxpayer money The governments of Norway and Japan are using taxpayer money to subsidize their unprofitable whaling industries, according to a first-time analysis of the economics of whaling. view more (2009-06-19)
Iron Fertilisation Of The Ocean Raises The Food Supply Of Marine Animals And Transports Carbon Dioxide To The Deep Ocean An international team of scientists that recently carried out an experiment in the South Atlantic on board RV „Polarstern" of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research has found that an algal bloom induced by iron fertilisation transported carbon dioxide to the deep ocean. The bloom also stimulated growth of zooplankton... view more... (2004-04-05)
Marine Biology Mystery Solved: Function of "Unicorn" Whale's 8-foot Tooth Discovered Today, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) researcher Martin Nweeia, DMD, DDS, answers a marine science question that has eluded the scientific community for hundreds of years: why does the narwhal, or "unicorn," whale have an 8-foot-long tooth emerging from its head, and what is its function? view more (2005-12-14)
Pride of Bilbao to keep check on the ocean`s health P&O Portsmouth`s ship Pride of Bilbao has recently taken on board more than her regular load of passengers. A box of scientific sensors has been installed in the ship`s engine room to collect valuable data about the state of the ocean each time she sails from Portsmouth through the diverse Bay of Biscay to Spain and across the Channel to Cherbourg. view more (2002-06-05)
Wildlife faces cancer threat While cancer touches the lives of many humans, it is also a major threat to wild animal populations as well, according to a recent study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). view more (2009-06-25)
Saving endangered whales at no cost By comparing the productivity of lobster fishing operations in American and Canadian waters of the Gulf of Maine, researchers have identified ways in which cost-saving alterations in fishing strategies can substantially reduce fishing-gear entanglements of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. view more (2007-01-09)
Food shortages threaten Antarctic wildlife Antarctic whales, seals and penguins could be threatened by food shortages in the Southern Ocean. Numbers of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a shrimp-like crustacean at the heart of the food chain, are declining. The most likely explanation is a dramatic decline in sea-ice. The results are published this week in the journal Nature. view more (2004-11-01)
Antarctic krill provide carbon sink in Southern Ocean New research on Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a shrimp-like animal at the heart of the Southern Ocean food chain, reveals behaviour that shows that they absorb and transfer more carbon from the Earth's surface than was previously understood. view more (2006-02-07)
Parachuting allows krill to eat and run Antarctic researchers have recorded a novel behavior in krill that may help regulate greenhouse gases. Antarctic krill, one of the largest animal resources on Earth, parachute into the deeper layers of the ocean many times a night and sequester large amounts carbon in the process. view more (2006-02-07)
New theory -- universal intelligence on animals and plants Here it is proposed that life in all its variety is full of sensation and creates a complicated web of interaction with its surroundings. Mammals, birds and even fish mourn for a lost love. Single-celled organisms carry out tasks that are surprisingly complicated. We can demonstrate sensitivity in microscopic organisms, while plants emerge as... view more... (1999-03-25)
Leading scientists rank endangered dolphins, porpoises most in need of immediate action Leading marine scientists for the first time have assessed dolphin and porpoise populations around the world which are severely threatened by entanglement in fishing gear and recommended nine urgent priorities for action in a report commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund. These nine projects highlight species threatened by bycatch that will most... view more... (2005-06-09)
Chemical Cudgel in Plants Defense mechanisms of single-celled algae Plankton are at the bottom of the food chain in all natural bodies of water and are thus correspondingly important for their ecological balance. In the cycle of eating and being eaten it isn't only fish and whales that prey on these tiny animals and plants - they also eat each other. For example, a variety... view more... (2000-11-29)
Map For Protection Of Sea Animals The Russian Branch of the WWF has managed to summarize vast experimental data accumulated by Russian maritime biologists and geographers. This effort resulted in the Map of maritime protected natural territories of Russia. The map contains well-known preserves and reserves completely or partially located on the sea coast, and in addition, the map... view more... (2003-09-12)
Israeli, U.S., German Researchers Use Acoustic 3-D Imaging System To Unveil Remarkable Behavior Of Ocean Plankton An international team of scientists from Israel, the United States and Germany, led by Prof. Amatzia Genin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, has provided, for the first time, evidence of the remarkable dynamics responsible for the formation of large aggregations of microscopic... view more... (2005-05-04)
ROV discovers Antarctic seafloor fauna Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) remain an efficient technology to uncover the secrets of Antarctic seafloor fauna. As a precursor to the International Polar Year 2007/2008, the current Polarstern expedition conducted by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine research releases short seafloor video clips taken by ROV only a few hours... view more... (2007-01-19)
The Arctic and Global Warming A warmer Arctic Ocean may mean less food for the birds, fish, and baleen whales and be a significant detriment to that fragile and interconnected polar ecosystem, and that doesn't bode well for other ocean ecosystems in the future. view more (2006-02-21)
175th birthday of the German polar explorer Eduard Dallmann 2005 marks the 175th birthday of Eduard Dallmann, a pioneer of German Antarctic research. Through his expeditions, Dallmann, who was born in Blumenthal (now part of Bremen) contributed significantly to the knowledge about Antarctica. He named numerous island groups and straits. From 1873 onwards, the 'Grönland', one of the first sailing ships... view more... (2005-03-10)
Americans spending, gambling, saving For some, spending in today's tumultuous economy is not a problem, especially for those who don't care what everyone else has. But for others, casino splurges, not saving enough or buying the latest iPhone on impulse can lead to emotional turmoil or financial troubles, according to several new studies on consumer behavior. view more (2008-08-15)
The 37th CIESM Congress Concludes That The Mediterranean Is A Victim Of Its Own Success CIESM calls for urgent and massive funding to support Mediterranean marine science so that we can know more about endangered marine life and deep-sea ecosystems on our own Planet than about the remote possibility of life in outer space. The Mediterranean Sea is now facing unprecedented pressure as a result of mounting human impact (coastal... view more... (2004-06-25)
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