Researchers mapped the Challenger Deep using the EM124 multibeam echosounder, finding a preferred estimate of 10,927 m, which highlights the importance of sound-speed models, vessel speed, and survey conditions. The study's dataset is publicly available, allowing for further validation and comparison with other observations.
A recent study published in PLOS One reveals that the ocean's depths, including the Mar Del Plata Submarine Canyon, have accumulated human trash, including plastic and fishing gear. The research found 29 identifiable manmade objects, including plastic bags and food wrappers, which were funneled into the canyon by currents and geography.
A team of researchers has found evidence of recurring wildfires in Cretaceous Antarctica near the South Pole, which promoted the spread of early peatlands. The ancient co-evolution of fire and peatland formation provides valuable insight into the development and preservation of raised bogs, now threatened by climate change.
Researchers discovered the world's highest late Middle Pleistocene marine deposits on the southern margin of the Central Anatolian Plateau, with deposits reaching 1177m above sea level. The findings provide a rare high-resolution temporal benchmark linking marine deposition to deep-seated geodynamic processes.
New research reveals that shipwrecks from WWI and WWII are leaking toxic chemicals into the North Sea, polluting the local ecosystem. The wrecks, including the German submarine UC-30, contain explosives that are harming starfish, mussels, and other marine life.
High-resolution sediment samples off the coast of Brazil show that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation was more dynamic than previously thought during the Heinrich Event. The circulation was strengthened in two periods, impacting tropical precipitation patterns and carbon storage in the ocean.
The 'Hess Evolution' expedition aims to uncover the origin and age of Hess Rise, a vast volcanic plateau. Researchers will analyze rock samples collected from depths of up to 6,000 meters to determine if they reveal systematic age patterns across the plateau.
Researchers propose a thermochemical mantle plume formation process for the Ontong Java Plateau, contradicting previous hypotheses. The model explains spatial variations in crustal thickness and lava composition across the plateau.
Scientists found that meltwater destabilized methane hydrates beneath northwest Greenland, releasing large stores of methane. This process may have contributed to past climate events and could influence future climate change as polar ice sheets continue to retreat.
Researchers used climate simulations to study the formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current around 34 million years ago. The findings show that a reorganisation of global ocean circulation took place during this time, which had significant effects on carbon uptake and the onset of the Cenozoic Ice Age.
A new study provides a solutions-focused pathway to implementing the High Seas Treaty, highlighting the need for enhanced data resources and sharing. The researchers identify major scientific and technical developments that can help address challenges in biodiversity monitoring and connectivity between areas.
Researchers track ancient carbon's path in sea and its uptake by microorganisms, revealing a 30% biomass share. Photosynthesis also plays a role in assimilating hydrothermal carbon, but only a small proportion remains in the local ecosystem.
An international team has successfully documented and sampled freshened water within a zone nearly 200 metres thick beneath the ocean floor. This discovery sheds light on offshore freshened groundwater systems and their relevance to coastal communities relying on groundwater for freshwater supply.
A new study reveals a surprising link between West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat and algae growth over the past 500,000 years. Iron-rich sediments from icebergs stimulate algae growth, but in a less bioavailable form than previously assumed.
A new study in Geology suggests that massive undersea volcanism triggered at least four Triassic extinctions. Marine large igneous provinces were found to be a key driver of these events, accounting for half of the extinctions with an identifiable geological trigger.
Researchers discovered chemosynthetic microbial communities formed wrinkle structures in ancient turbidites, which should not have existed in the deep-water setting. The team analyzed geologic evidence and determined that the sediment layers were indeed turbidites with biotic textures.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have found evidence of abiotic nitrogen reduction, a reaction driven by minerals as catalyst, which likely produced necessary nutrients for life. This discovery sheds light on the faint young sun paradox and provides a key piece to understanding how life may have emerged on Earth.
Researchers found three major vent areas aligned with active fault zones, controlled by the island's tectonic fabric. The discovery establishes Milos as a natural laboratory for studying hydrothermal activity, volcanism, and tectonics.
Sixty-million-year-old rock samples have revealed how massive amounts of carbon dioxide are stored in piles of lava rubble on the seafloor. This discovery sheds light on the importance of breccia, a geological sponge for carbon in the long-term carbon cycle.
Scientists have discovered how continents are slowly peeled from beneath the Earth's surface, stripping material that fuels volcanic eruptions over tens of millions of years. This phenomenon, known as a 'mantle wave,' explains why ocean islands contain materials distinctively continental, despite being found in the middle of oceans.
Climate change is projected to decimate mollusk populations in the Western Atlantic, with over 60% of their range expected to be lost. This would have significant impacts on marine ecosystems, as mollusks play critical roles in maintaining water quality and providing habitats for other species.
Researchers found that hydrothermal systems release iron that can be transported far beyond vent sites through environmental parameters and plume chemistry. This process has significant consequences for ocean productivity and the global carbon cycle.
Researchers found similarities in timing and structure of turbidite layers in cores from both fault systems, suggesting seismic synchronization between Cascadia and San Andreas faults. The study, led by Chris Goldfinger, suggests that earthquakes on one fault could draw down resources across the country.
The Red Sea experienced a massive disruption 6.2 million years ago, completely changing its marine life and transforming into a barren salt desert. The catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean rapidly refilled the basin, restoring normal marine conditions within less than 100,000 years.
The MiningImpact project is investigating the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining on ocean ecosystems. Scientists are studying biodiversity, genetic connectivity, and ecosystem health to develop indicators and threshold values for harm.
Dr. Tanja Stratmann's project investigates how deep-sea sponges have processed nitrogen since ancient times, influencing their ecosystems and shaping past environmental conditions. The study uses incubation chambers and fossilized sponges to determine the role of sponges in past ocean environments.
The 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from February 22-27, 2025. The event will bring together 6,000 scientists, students, and educators to discuss breaking research on the ocean sciences and critical issues affecting a sustainable future for our oceans.
Marine animals diversified over 500 million years ago, but oxygen levels didn't reach the ocean floor until later. Thallium isotopes show fluctuations in O2 levels at the ocean floor during the Paleozoic era.
The expedition aims to assess the storage potential of rocks and lay the foundation for their geophysical monitoring. Globally, basalt deposits beneath the ocean theoretically have a storage capacity of 40,000 gigatons.
A new study reveals that heat can transform refractory organic matter into forms usable by microbes living far below the seafloor. This process, known as carbon-reactivation, occurs at temperatures above 35 °C and provides a significant energy source for deep Earth ecosystems.
A new deep-sea hydrothermal system was discovered in the Western Pacific, producing massive hydrogen emissions. The Kunlun system is notable for its exceptionally high hydrogen flux and unique geological setting.
Researchers used benthic foraminifera to study the link between Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) strength and oxygen content in the eastern tropical North Atlantic. The study found that weaker AMOCs are associated with more oxygen in the oxygen-minimum zone, which has implications for marine ecosystems.
The Barents Sea system – gateway to the changing Arctic book documents six years of interdisciplinary research on the Barents Sea. Researchers used various platforms, including drones, satellites, and underwater robots, to collect data and make predictions about future changes.
Researchers discovered that a substantial proportion of metals are removed from seawater solution by solid manganese-oxide particles. Chemical reactions in sediment release metals back into solution, which then mix back up through the ocean. This process changes how we view ocean chemistry and its impact on climate.
International collaborations leveraging MBARI’s expertise and advanced technology better understand polar environments, including the Arctic seafloor and Southern Ocean. Researchers study seafloor processes, carbon and climate, and biodiversity in these regions.
Researchers uncover valuable insights into past climate scenarios and marine ecosystems through ancient sediment cores. The study highlights the need for more data to improve future climate models and transform our understanding of Earth's complex life systems.
New research from the University of Sydney reveals that while sea levels can rise without devastating the reef, environmental stressors like poor water quality and warming climates are a greater threat to its survival. The study suggests the modern Great Barrier Reef may undergo significant changes in the next 50-100 years.
The University of Oldenburg has secured funding for three research clusters: Hearing4all, Ocean Floor, and NaviSense. These clusters aim to improve hearing loss prediction, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as animal navigation research. The funding enables the continuation of high-quality research with social relevance.
A 1,200-tonne boulder in Tonga is one of the largest known wave-transported rocks, providing new insights into past tsunamis. Numerical modelling suggests tsunami heights of 50m lasting 90 seconds dislodged the boulder from its cliff-edge origin.
A groundbreaking expedition aims to validate hypotheses about the origin of freshened groundwater in offshore aquifers. Researchers will collect sediment and water samples from beneath the ocean on the New England Shelf, shedding light on the dynamics of these systems and their influence on nutrient and element cycling.
New study models spatial patterns of grazing halos around coral reefs and finds that halo patterns can signal reef resilience. The research suggests that stable halos exist where herbivores are limited by predators, while oscillating halos may indicate a shift in system health.
A study found that microorganisms using the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle dominate in shallow-water hydrothermal systems. This energy-efficient process enables them to transfer carbon into organic molecules, allowing them to survive in harsh conditions.
Researchers on the SONNE310 expedition investigate canyons on active and passive continental slopes in the southwest Pacific. The study aims to identify factors that determine landslide frequency, size, and location, enhancing global risk assessment and protecting coastal areas.
Researchers have discovered large underwater ice formations at the edge of the Canadian Beaufort Sea, revealing an unanticipated mechanism for submarine permafrost ice formation. The newly formed ice is created by melting ancient permafrost and refreezing as brackish groundwater approaches the seafloor.
Researchers found inorganic nanostructures surrounding deep-ocean hydrothermal vents that mimic molecules essential for life. These structures can harness energy and convert it into electricity, sparking interest in applying this technology to industrial blue-energy harvesting.
A new study provides a complete picture of the last Snowball Earth's end and suggests its connection to the emergence of complex lifeforms. The research focuses on ancient rocks known as cap carbonates, which preserve clues about Earth's atmosphere and oceans.
A team of researchers discovered that a 'tag-team' between the oceans and continents led to severe environmental crises, causing mass extinctions of marine species. The study found that chemical weathering pulses disrupted the oceans, leading to anoxic events that had profound impacts on marine ecosystems.
Researchers questioned the Cascadia subduction zone's earthquake record, finding that turbidite layers showed no better correlation than random chance. The study suggests a need for further research on turbidite layers and their connection to past earthquakes.
The UT Austin expedition aims to investigate how sediments control glacial melt and the future of the Greenland ice sheet. A robotic submersible will gather measurements of the glaciers' underwater walls and sediment-laden meltwater, while surveys and sediment cores will reveal past climate change impacts.
Researchers used drones to map loko iʻa at the community level, providing insights into flooding and future sea level rise impacts. Drones accurately estimated observed flooding during extreme high tide events, while LiDAR models overestimated flooding by two to five times.
A 246 million-year-old nothosaur vertebra was discovered on New Zealand's South Island, shedding new light on early sea reptiles from the Southern Hemisphere. The find reveals that these marine reptiles originated near the equator and rapidly spread to other regions, challenging long-standing hypotheses about their migration patterns.
Research reveals that powerful sediment flows, not methane gas eruptions, maintain prehistoric seafloor pockmarks off the California coast. Sediment gravity flows have caused erosion in the center of each pockmark, maintaining these unique underwater morphologic features over time.
Research in the Alaskan-Aleutian subduction zone found evidence of splay fault uplift generating additional tsunami activity in half of last eight earthquakes. Splay faults can create local tsunamis reaching shores in under 30 minutes, exacerbating coastal destruction.
Researchers have identified heavily used shipping lanes that pass through crucial whale shark feeding grounds, posing a threat to this endangered species. Targeted measures, such as reducing ship speed, could help minimize the impact on the shipping industry while protecting whale sharks.
Scientists used lithium isotope data to show that continental clay export promoted organic carbon burial and thus atmospheric oxygenation during the Cambrian period. This finding challenges traditional views on marine oxygen levels during this time, suggesting a complex interplay between oceanic and atmospheric processes.
Scientists developed a reliable proxy to reconstruct ancient marine oxygen levels, revealing a significant rise during the Late Paleozoic era. This finding suggests early animals evolved in oxygen-poor oceans, providing critical context for studying exoplanet atmospheres.
Researchers reconstructed a Late Holocene-aged subfossil coral death assemblage and compared it to modern reefs in Southeast Florida. The study reveals significant differences in coral composition between the two periods, suggesting that modern reefs may not be able to support range expansions of temperature-sensitive species.
Researchers found a 100-million-year-old endoparasitic marine tapeworm fossil in Kachin amber, providing new information on the early evolution of tapeworms. The discovery shows that amber can preserve internal structures of helminths like tapeworms, shedding light on their taphonomy.
Researchers at Kiel University discovered that porpoises and sand eels create shallow pits in the North Sea seafloor when hunting for buried sand eels. The findings have significant global implications, suggesting that scouring of sediments by vertebrates could modulate the seafloor on a global scale.
The study reconstructs a nearly continuous record of marine oxygen levels through the Phanerozoic using a machine learning approach. Oxygen levels in deep continental shelf seawater were negatively correlated with the production rate of the oceanic crust over timescales of 10–100 million years.