Where are the great marine animals of the Mediterranean, such as the fin whale, the sperm whale or the bottlenose dolphin? How does their distribution change over the course of a few weeks? All indications suggest that these species shift between marine areas in a remarkably short time and over relatively small spatial scales. Some species, such as the striped dolphin, maintain a relatively stable presence in certain areas, while others, such as the fin whale, move and concentrate in different areas between one observation campaign to the next.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded DRI’s Alison Murray, molecular microbial ecologist and biological oceanographer, $18.4 million to lead a project that will pave the way for the next generation of Antarctic research. Titled “Genome Infrastructure catalyzing next Generation Antarctic Data, Access, Tools, and Analytics” (GIGA DATA), the work will produce an extensive database of genetic information. More than 250 Antarctic species’ genomes will be sequenced (including algae and mosses, terrestrial and marine invertebrates, birds, fish and marine mammals) alongside 600 ecosystem samples representing tens of thousands of microbial and viral genomic datasets. This project will unite these new data together with existing Antarctic sequencing efforts under a new, artificial intelligence-enabled cyberinfrastructure. The resulting digital platform will serve as an open, accessible data science gateway to Antarctic life. 

Scientists have helped solve a longstanding mystery about how Earth remained habitable after oxygen first accumulated in its atmosphere more than 2 billion years ago, providing evidence that an ancient ocean chemistry sustained life-friendly conditions.

Sultan Qaboos University researchers developed micro- and nanoscale surfaces that reduced bacterial and microalgal attachment under laboratory conditions. The findings offer a promising step toward developing more effective antifouling materials for marine and industrial applications.

Marine plastic debris can persist for long periods and gradually break down into microplastics that are difficult to remove. Researchers from Ritsumeikan University used a system dynamics model to examine how reducing marine plastic inputs and varying the timing and intensity of cleanup could affect plastic accumulation by 2050. The findings show that halting plastic inputs is essential but insufficient on its own. Earlier cleanup of legacy macroplastics can reduce accumulation, but at higher costs.

Researchers have substantially expanded the known genomic diversity of Aoguangviridae, a family of marine viruses associated with the abundant archaeal order Poseidoniales. By increasing the non-redundant genome set from 59 to 227, the study revealed extensive previously unrecognized diversity and distinct ecological distribution patterns across the global ocean. The researchers also identified auxiliary metabolic genes and evidence of transcriptional activity, providing new insights into the potential ecological roles of these viruses and their interactions with archaeal hosts. The findings were published on 2 September in Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research.

Researchers undertook a study of the ocean’s topography to better understand its impact on Earth’s climate. They discovered that the shape of the ocean floor does affect the global climate system. Their research was published in the journal Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research on August 25, 2026.

Wetlands are well known for filtering water, storing carbon, and supporting biodiversity. Yet much of their microbial genetic diversity remains unexplored, particularly in high-altitude ecosystems. A new study of the Napahai plateau wetland in Yunnan Province, China, has uncovered a distinctive pattern in DNA polymerase genes, suggesting that this isolated alpine wetland contains a genetic profile that differs from those found in marine, freshwater, hot spring, and agricultural environments.