A new UCL study finds that Arctic sea ice in coastal regions is thinning at a rate of 70% to 100% faster than previously thought. The study uses a novel snow model and satellite radar observations to estimate the overall rate of decline of sea ice thickness in the Arctic, with implications for human activity in the region.
Researchers at TUM have conducted comprehensive measurements of sea level rises in the Baltic Sea and North Sea with millimeter accuracy. The new method provides reliable forecasts on sea level trends, enabling planning of protective measures such as flood protection structures.
Researchers discovered six clearly distinguishable call types among neotropical river otters in Brazil, ranging from high-frequency 'chirps' to low-pitch 'growls'. This vocal complexity is intermediate between solitary and highly social otter species, providing new insights into their conservation.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed an app called Significant Otter, which sends animated otters representing emotions and activities based on a person's heartrate. The app allows couples to communicate more authentically and easily during physical distancing.
A new study by Stevens Institute of Technology researcher finds that human-caused sea level rise contributed $8.1 billion to Hurricane Sandy's damage, with an additional 71,000 people and 36,000 homes affected. The research uses novel modeling techniques to quantify the costs of storm damage caused by climate change.
A new study has found Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in endangered Australian sea lions and fur seals, with high concentrations detected in newborns. The presence of PFAS poses a threat to the species' survival, as well as potential risks to humans through contaminated seafood and water.
A University of Maine-led study has uncovered new information about millennia of sea ice variability in the Southern Hemisphere by examining the chemistry of a 54,000-year-old South Pole ice core. The research reveals significant fluctuations in wintertime sea ice and an overall increase in ice cover throughout the Holocene.
Researchers found that baby green sea turtles actively orient to the Sargasso Sea, a key habitat during their early years. The discovery sheds light on the turtles' migration patterns and informs conservation efforts.
A new Harvard study found that the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could amplify global sea level rise estimates by an additional meter within 1,000 years. The researchers' calculations show that this effect would add 30% to the total projected sea level rise, exceeding previous forecasts.
A recent study published by University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers found that sea ice declined 5.7 times faster than normal during the Great Arctic Cyclone of 2016. The rapid decline was driven by cyclone-triggered processes within the ocean, including warm water upwelling and surface turbulence.
A recent study has shown that the deep sea is home to a vast array of unique and highly specific organisms, including protists, foraminifera, and ciliates. The diversity of these organisms was found to be highly specific to individual deep-sea basins, with little overlap between them and coastal regions.
A team of scientists has discovered that sponges leave trails on the sea floor in the Arctic deep sea, leading to speculation about their possible active movement. The findings, published in Current Biology, challenge previous assumptions that most sponges are attached or passively moved by ocean currents.
The Red Sea is now considered a mature ocean basin, approximately 13 million years old, with features similar to those of the young southern Atlantic Ocean. The study uses gravity and earthquake data to develop a new tectonic model, revealing hidden structures such as rift axes and transform faults.
Thick sea-ice outside fjords increases their sensitivity to warming, contrary to expectations. Warmer surface water temperatures can contribute to faster melting of glaciers and changing biogeochemistry in the fjord waters.
A recent study by Durham University reveals that the rapid sea-level rise at the end of the last ice age was primarily caused by the melting of ice sheets in North America and Scandinavia. This finding, which challenges previous theories, provides valuable insights into the complex interactions between ice-ocean-climate systems.
Researchers have proven that a sexually transmitted herpesvirus causes cancer in California sea lions, with parallels to human cervical cancer. The study suggests pollutants and viruses play a role in cancer development, making sea lions a valuable model for human cancer research.
A review of 126 marine mammal species reveals that accidental capture, climate change, and pollution are driving declines. Conservation efforts have saved some species, but many more are at risk, including the vaquita porpoise and North Atlantic right whale.
A Rutgers-led study reveals the 20th century saw the fastest sea-level rise in 2,000 years along much of the US Atlantic coast. The global increase from melting ice and warming oceans was more than twice the average for the past 1800 years.
New research reveals the length, speed, and flight heights of Shelduck migration across the North Sea, showing interactions with offshore wind turbines. The study used solar-powered GPS tags to track four birds, finding that they all ended their migration in almost exactly the same place despite taking different routes.
A study explores how a drastic reduction in kelp forests led to shifts in sea otter and sea urchin behavior, restructuring mechanisms that control the ecosystem. Following the decline, sea otters increased their consumption of energetically profitable urchins, enhancing kelp patch resistance to overgrazing.
A study found that sea otters in Monterey Bay are maintaining patches of healthy kelp forest despite a decline in overall kelp forests along the California coast due to an outbreak of sea urchins. Sea otters increase their consumption of urchins in the remaining kelp patches, but ignore those in barren areas with low nutritional value.
New research reveals coastal populations experience relative sea-level rise of 7.8-9.9mm/year, outpacing the global average by up to four times, highlighting the urgent need for addressing human-induced subsidence to protect people and economies.
Sea butterflies are already experiencing difficulties building their shells due to ocean acidification, which will worsen in the future. They shift from growing thicker and larger shells to investing more in becoming larger, posing a major problem for local sea life that depend on them for food.
Specially trained detection dogs can be used to find endangered species, including otters in Germany and crested newts. They have been proven effective in over 90% of cases, often detecting species faster than other methods.
Researchers studied sea star shapes and found that their unique shape creates a
A study by researchers at the University of Bologna found that sea turtles have high levels of plastic debris in their faeces, which can alter their gut microbiota and compromise their health. The Adriatic Sea is a major hotspot for marine pollution, with over 10 million tons of plastic entering the oceans every year.
Researchers have successfully resolved the 'Missing Ice Problem' by including crustal, gravitational, and rotational perturbations in their model. The new reconstruction reveals that the total mass of Last Ice Age glaciers was 20% smaller and accumulated faster than previously thought.
A new UCF study examines the connection between saltwater leeches and a major disease of sea turtles, fibropapillomatosis. The researchers found a significant association between leech presence and FP tumor development in green turtles but not in loggerhead turtles.
Researchers found that juvenile fish in the North Sea and West of Scotland are getting bigger, while adult fish are getting smaller due to rising sea temperatures. This change in body size may impact commercial fisheries yields and marine ecosystems, particularly those with predator-prey relationships.
A recent study found that viral-caused cancer in California sea lions is significantly increased by exposure to toxins in the environment. The disease has claimed 18-23% of adult sea lion deaths, highlighting the need for improved efforts to prevent ecosystem contamination with pollutants.
Researchers have reevaluated sea level rise predictions, finding they may be too conservative. By comparing model simulations with historical data, the team found that the rate of sea level rise has been accelerating over the past 150 years.
Domoic acid exposure increases southern sea otters' risk of fatal heart disease by 1.7-fold, with prime-age adults particularly vulnerable. Climate change projections indicate rising toxic blooms and domoic acid levels, posing a long-term threat to the species.
Researchers used phreatic overgrowths on speleothems in Mallorca caves to determine past sea levels, providing a way to precisely measure sea levels. The study's results show that sea level dropped significantly after the Pliocene period and fluctuated during warm periods.
A new study finds that even a modest sea level rise would place 100 airports below mean sea level by 2100, posing a significant risk to global passenger and freight movements. The researchers ranked airports at risk from sea level rise, with some in Asia and Europe topping the list.
Cornell University researchers estimated the depth of Kraken Mare on Saturn's moon Titan to be at least 1,000 feet, using data from the Cassini mission. The sea is also massive, covering an area nearly as large as all five Great Lakes combined.
A new species of mosasaur with shark-like cutting teeth has been discovered in Morocco, highlighting the diverse range of predators that thrived in ancient seas. The discovery suggests that marine reptiles were expanding their diversity before they went extinct, contradicting previous assumptions about ecosystem decline.
Researchers have developed a new method using tetra-unsaturated alkenone (C37:4) molecules to reconstruct sea ice abundance and distribution from the ancient past. This discovery could aid in understanding human-induced climate change by providing a reliable proxy for sea ice concentration through time.
Researchers found the error source of a sea-ice model varies with the season, leading to discrepancies between simulations and observations in both cold and warm seasons. The study suggests using an ensemble approach to consider seasonal variations in model errors, improving future simulation and prediction of Arctic sea ice.
The Caspian Sea is projected to lose over a third of its surface area due to accelerating sea level drops, posing significant threats to unique ecosystems and millions of people living near the sea. Researchers urge immediate action to mitigate this problem, which could have devastating consequences like global sea level rise.
A new assessment suggests sea level rise could be higher than current estimates by 2100 due to uncertainties in ice sheet dynamics and warming oceans. Scientists identify key areas of research needed to improve models and predictions, including better mapping of glacier ground and improved coupling of atmosphere-ocean-ice sheet models.
Researchers found that unusual warm Pacific seawater and sustained high air pressure over the Bering Sea led to delayed sea ice formation in the Pacific Arctic region. This study improves Arctic sea ice forecast and benefits global weather forecasting and local ecosystem health.
A study analyzing Arctic tundra shrub-ring chronologies from 1979 to 2008 found that most shrubs experienced increased radial growth as Arctic sea ice declined. However, 39% of shrubs showed decreased growth, often at drier sites, suggesting changes in moisture availability constrain responses to warming temperatures.
The sunflower sea star, a key predator in kelp forests, has suffered a dramatic 90.6% decline due to sea star wasting syndrome, resulting in an estimated 5.75 billion animal deaths and nearly complete population loss in the contiguous US and Mexico.
Scientists have shown that abrupt climate change in the past was closely linked to rapid sea ice decline. The study documents how sudden warming of the climate occurred when sea ice cover changed from year-round to seasonal ice cover in Nordic seas.
A new study warns that the Greenland ice sheet will experience irreversible melting if global warming exceeds 2°C, leading to significant sea-level rise and permanent changes. The ice sheet's decline could be reversed with actions to counteract global warming before it's too late.
Entanglement in waste fishing gear poses a significant threat to Ganges River wildlife, including critically endangered species like the three-striped roofed turtle and Ganges river dolphin. The study highlights the need for recycling systems and awareness-raising initiatives to mitigate plastic pollution.
Researchers reconstructed atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, global sea level, and ice volume for a period around 2.75 to 2.4 million years ago. The study highlights the EAIS's vulnerability to melting due to rising atmospheric CO2 levels and climate change.
Scientists have discovered an extremely rare species of cymothoid, Elthusa splendida, from a museum shark specimen in the East China Sea. The find expands the species' range to almost opposite sides of the globe, with only five previously documented specimens.
The Red Sea climate modeling system provides high-resolution analyses of the region's oceanic and atmospheric processes, revealing connections with global climate patterns. The system helps predict extreme events like oil spills and informs environmental policymaking, renewable energy projects, and flood protection.
Scientists found that repeated strong atmospheric rivers played a crucial role in forming massive holes in sea ice. These holes can influence regional and global ocean circulation, affecting phytoplankton blooms and contributing to global sea-level rise.
Researchers observed Asian short-clawed otters solving food puzzles twice, several months apart, with the otters solving it 69% faster on average. This suggests a capacity for long-term memory and provides evidence of 'social learning,' where one otter's solution is quickly adopted by its closest friends.
A new study examines 12,000 years of sea-level rise and finds that changes in land area and human cultures happened at variable rates, out of step with the prevailing rate of sea-level rise. Researchers warn that future sea-level rise will not always be simple and that human responses will be equally localized.
Scientists have uncovered a 5-million-year-old relative of the living honey badger, Mellivora capensis, from the early Pliocene locality of Langebaanweg in South Africa. The fossil discovery provides insight into the evolution and diversity of mustelids during this time period.
Researchers propose adding altitude-measuring instruments to existing NOAA buoys to track global sea levels and monitor accelerating sea-rise rates. This approach will provide valuable insights into the effects of climate change on coastal areas.
A new study found that early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon experience an additional 20% mortality due to sea lion predation. The study also showed that the numbers of California sea lions are highest at the mouth of the Columbia River, increasing exposure to predation.
Researchers have found a decline in sea turtle sightings off the coasts of the UK and Ireland over the past few decades. The study suggests that factors such as climate change, prey availability, and environmental disasters may be influencing this trend.
A Rutgers-led team created a model that enables improved sea-level rise projections and could help address climate change threats. The 'emulator' uses artificial intelligence to mimic ice-sheet behavior, providing valuable insights into ice sheet vulnerability through 2150.
Researchers analyzed sediment cores to find natural sea-ice extent variation since last ice age, contrasting with recent decline. Perennial ice in western and central areas persisted even during warm periods, while southeastern part experienced seasonal ice-free conditions.
A team of Penn State researchers has integrated water purification technology into a sea water electrolyzer, which uses an electric current to split apart the hydrogen and oxygen in water molecules. This new method can make it easier to turn wind and solar energy into a storable and portable fuel.
Research reveals that two groups of marine organisms, sea butterflies and sea angels, have survived dramatic global climate change and Earth's most recent mass extinction event. The study found that these pteropods evolved in the early Cretaceous period and likely survived previous episodes of ocean acidification.