EurekAlert! In the Spotlight

Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This June, we’re turning our attention to the ocean in honor of World Ocean Day on June 8. Covering more than 70% of our planet, the ocean is full of discovery, wonder, and life. Join us as we explore the science behind marine ecosystems and the important role oceans play in shaping our world.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Oct-2026 03:16 ET (21-Oct-2026 07:16 GMT/UTC)

21-Jul-2026

Heat is coming for Hawaiian corals but study finds there may be time to adapt

University of Hawaii at Manoa
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa used high-resolution modeling that includes small-scale processes to examine projected heat stress on coral reefs over the 21st century. Comparing this heat stress to previous estimates of the rate at which corals may adapt to changing conditions, the authors found that Hawaiian corals have the possibility of adapting to future heat stress, even under a high emissions scenario.

Journal: Scientific Reports
Funder: Uehiro Center for the Advancement of Oceanography, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

20-Jul-2026

Arctic winter sea ice returns to significant decline

University of Southampton
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New analysis shows that a ‘pause’ in Arctic winter sea ice decline seen in the early 2020s has ended following record lows in 2025 and early 2026.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

20-Jul-2026

Microplastics strike hardest when fish are ready to spawn

Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Microplastic pollution is not only a question of how much plastic is in the ocean, but also when fish meet it. A global analysis now suggests that reproductive seasons can turn familiar contamination into a sharper ecological threat. By bringing together seawater observations, fish microplastic burden records, reproductive traits and environmental data, the study shows that spawning windows often overlap with pollution hotspots and co-occurring chemical contaminants.

Journal: Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

20-Jul-2026

The Great Barrier Reef is changing. Why isn’t it on UNESCO’s ‘in danger’ list?

University of New South Wales

A UNESCO draft decision will keep the Great Barrier Reef off its ‘in danger’ list. Meanwhile the Reef keeps changing as ocean temperatures continue to rise.

17-Jul-2026

Methane-eating bacteria in rivers won’t save us from climate change

University of Liège
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Oceanographers have conducted a comparative study in Belgium and Africa on the microbial oxidation of methane in rivers - a natural process whereby certain bacteria consume this powerful greenhouse gas before it is released to the atmosphere. Thisresearch reveals that this biological filter, which is more active in African rivers than in Belgian ones, remains insufficient to offset the rise in methane emissions expected because of global warming and nitrate pollution.

Journal: Science Advances

15-Jul-2026

Deep-sea creatures’ epic migrations between hydrothermal vents

University of Tokyo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Hydrothermal vents on the bottom of the ocean host a broad range of rare and unusual ecosystems. They can be spread very far apart, and yet there will often be overlap in the creatures which inhabit them. Researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, answer a long-standing question in this field about how creatures migrate between hydrothermal vents. Their process involves inspecting the chemical nature of limpet shells to reconstruct their likely journeys, yielding some surprising results.

Journal: Science Advances
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, The Nippon Foundation

15-Jul-2026

USF study identifies the hidden feeding grounds that fuel one of the ocean's most iconic sportfish

University of South Florida
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The study, published in Movement Ecology, found that tarpon do not feed randomly across their range. Instead, they rely on distinct "foraging landscapes" that act as fueling stations during migration.

Journal: Movement Ecology

15-Jul-2026

Microplastics reach even 2,000 meters below the ocean surface, study finds first cross-ocean study reveals how microplastics accumulate in deep-sea hydrothermal vent animals

National Research Council of Science & Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by Dr. Se-Joo Kim and Dr. Jinyoung Jeong at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), in collaboration with researchers from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), has conducted the world's first comparative study revealing how microplastics accumulate in animals inhabiting hydrothermal vents in two different oceans.

Journal: Water Research
Funder: Ministry of Science and ICT