Rivers are the primary pathways of microplastics and mesoplastics (MMPs) input into the ocean. Most studies have examined MMP concentration in rivers during low-flows, overlooking high-flow or flooding situations, wherein large amounts of plastic can be transported. To address this gap, researchers investigated how MMP concentration changes during floods in four rivers in Japan, offering valuable new insights. The findings show that overlooking high-flow conditions can lead to severe underestimation of annual plastic load.

On 20 March 2026, the glaciologist will take over as scientific director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). To date, he has been active as the director of the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.

Harbour porpoises “buzz” less when boats and ships and nearby – suggesting a drop in feeding and socialising, new research shows.

Through a unique collaboration between the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA), Pensoft Publishers, and science communicator Ze Frank, a new species of deep-sea chiton has officially been named by the public. Following a week-long viral campaign that invited global name suggestions, the species’ formal scientific description was published today in the Biodiversity Data Journal.