EurekAlert! Marine Science - News Releases

News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 6-May-2025 12:09 ET (6-May-2025 16:09 GMT/UTC)

Unraveling the mystery of the missing blue whale calves

University of Washington
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Only two births of a blue whale have ever been recorded. Mother and calf pairs are also sighted much more rarely than might be expected. The reason, new research suggests, has to do with where and when blue whales spend their first months of life.

Journal: Endangered Species Research
Funder: Southern Ocean Research Partnership

The rising tide of sand mining: a growing threat to marine life

Michigan State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In One Earth, scientists outline the urgency to better identify the significant damage sand extraction across the world heaps upon marine biodiversity.

Journal: One Earth
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation

Coastal erosion threatens this ancient city — and others much closer to home

University of Southern California
Peer-Reviewed Publication

USC research on the vanishing coastlines of Alexandria, Egypt, offers nature-based solutions for protecting coastal cities globally, including those in California.

Journal: Earth's Future
Funder: USC Arid Climates and Water Research Center (AWARE), Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, Technical University of Munich

Turtles change nesting patterns in response to climate change

University of Exeter
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research shows that turtles are responding to climate change by nesting earlier.

Journal: Endangered Species Research

Scientists call for efforts to protect habitats of critically endangered shark species

University of Plymouth
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The whitefin swellshark has been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered for a number of years due to declines largely attributed to fishing practices. New research at the University of Plymouth suggests it will be forced to move and adapt under the future ocean conditions presently forecast as a result of climate change, but that finding a new home may pose challenges

Journal: PeerJ

Innovative study reveals topological valley vortex states in water waves

Science China Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a pioneering study, researchers have successfully realized valley vortex states in water wave crystals, drawing parallels with phenomena observed in photonic crystals. This achievement advances the understanding of valley states in the classical wave domain and opens new avenues for potential applications in ocean energy extraction, marine engineering, and the development of coastal infrastructures.

Journal: Science Bulletin

New data for risk assessment of submarine landslides

Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)
Business Announcement

20 February 2025/Kiel. How dangerous are submarine landslides in deep-sea canyons? To answer this question, the German research vessel SONNE sets sail today from Wellington, New Zealand, for a multi-week expedition in the South West Pacific. Led by Prof. Dr Sebastian Krastel (Kiel University, CAU), scientists from the CAU and the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel will investigate geological processes in two submarine canyons in cooperation with New Zealand partner institutes. The aim of the MAWACAAP project is to better understand the factors that influence submarine landslides. The data collected will help to improve risk assessments for coastal regions and underwater infrastructure worldwide.

Funder: BMBF German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung)

Nitrogen fixation on marine particles is important in the global ocean

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Nitrogen is essential for all life on Earth. In the global oceans, however, this element is scarce, and nitrogen availability is therefore critical for the growth of marine life. Some bacteria found in marine waters can convert nitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia (known as N2 fixation), and thereby supply the marine food web with nitrogen.

Journal: Science Advances

University of Hawai’i researchers discover 10 new sponge species in Kāneʻohe Bay

University of Hawaii at Manoa
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a series of newly published groundbreaking studies, researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hawaiʻi Institute for Marine Biology (HIMB) identified 10 new species of marine sponges found in Kāneʻohe Bay, shedding light on an often-overlooked but vital part of coral reef ecosystems.

Journal: Zootaxa
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation, NOAA Research

A miniature swimming robot inspired by marine flatworms

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Peer-Reviewed Publication

EPFL engineers have developed a versatile swimming robot that nimbly navigates cluttered water surfaces. Inspired by marine flatworms, the innovative device offers new possibilities for environmental monitoring and ecological research.

Journal: Science Robotics

16
17
18
19
20