Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is the world's premier independent organization dedicated exclusively to ocean research, technology, and education. We combine state-of-the-art science, engineering, and ship operations to unravel the mysteries of the deep and devise science-based solutions to planet-wide problems.
RECENT NEWS
WHOI Receives $25 Million to Accelerate Search for Ocean-based Climate Solutions
Major funding commitment from board chair Paul Salem comes amidst increased attention on ocean’s role in climate and growing pace of funding from public and private sources
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🦅 Albatross! Blue-footed boobies! Terns! Ospreys! Seabirds live in some of the most extreme places on the planet and migrate incredible distances to mate, find food, and raise their chicks. So what’s their strategy?
Find out at Ocean Encounters, a live virtual discussion with seabird ecologists from around the world. Register for the February 14 event at the link in bio!
#OceanEncounters is an official event of the @unoceandecade
Feb 7
The Pelagia noctiluca (or "open water night light" #jellyfish) is pretty, but packs a punch. Found in coastal waters around the world, these "purple-striped jellies" or "mauve stingers" produce bioluminescent light and catch zooplankton on tentacles laden with stinging cells. Look, but don`t touch!
📸 by Larry Madin © #WHOI
#WeirdOcean #SmallButMighty #JellyfishOfInstagram
Feb 7
🌎️ What happens at the poles doesn’t stay at the poles.
From wavy #polarvortexes that wreak havoc with the Texas power grid, to a slowdown of an #ocean #circulation system that keeps the North Atlantic relatively warm, our planet’s #climate is heavily regulated by the Arctic and Antarctic. That’s why #WHOI scientists are gathering data, modeling systems, and connecting the dots– trying to keep up with the pace of our rapidly-melting world.
Find out how they’re doing it– and how the poles impact you– from #Oceanus magazine. 📲 Read The Polar Imperative at the link in bio!
📸 by Dan Lowenstein, Nick Cobbing, Alison Macdonald, @the_hentzoriginal © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Feb 6
🌬️ 🌧️🌱 #AtmosphericRivers deliver crucial water supplies to the West Coast of North America, but as we have seen in Southern California this week, too much of a good thing is a very bad thing. So is this natural phenomenon getting more intense?
@npr talked to climate experts about the connection between the warming ocean and disaster-level flooding on land.
📲 Read or listen at the link in bio!
🛰️ GOES-West Water Vapor image courtesy of @noaa Physical Sciences Laboratory
Feb 6
💡 How can #jellyfish research lead to biomedical #breakthroughs?
🔬 Like many deep-sea creatures, Aequorea victoria, or “crystal jellyfish,” give off a greenish-blue light when disturbed. But unlike other #bioluminescent animals, these North Pacific jellies produce a substance called “aequorin," which can be further isolated into “green fluorescent protein,” or GFP. Both substances have important #biomedical applications, such as tracking cancer cells, identifying environmental toxins, bio-imaging, and tracking the movement of calcium in cells. Synthetic GFP is now made in biomedical laboratories.
These bioluminescent jellies intrigued scientists as far back as 1921, and the hard work paid off. By the 1990s, research into aequorin led to crucial scientific discoveries and life-saving diagnostic tools– and Nobel Prizes in 2008. But that might just be the beginning! As recently as 2020, new discoveries were being made about the species in this photo, Aequorea australis, a southern Pacific species that encodes even brighter fluorescent proteins than its northern cousin!
#WeirdOcean #SmallButMighty #MarineBioBreakthroughs
📸 by Larry Madin © #whoi
Feb 5
🆘 Help us choose the cover art for our new #Oceanus #podcast!
📻 In the audio edition of our flagship magazine, you’ll hear about #WHOI people and projects advancing the frontiers of ocean science and accelerating the search for solutions.
So help us out before we launch and swipe ➡️ to see the options!
Share your favorite in the comments! ⤵️
Feb 5
OUR WORK
WHOI is at the forefront of groundbreaking science and technology development, unlocking the mysteries of our ocean, its connections to life on Earth, and solutions it may hold to some of our most pressing environmental challenges.
Our scientists and engineers lead more than 800 concurrent projects, tackling some of the most challenging and important problems of our time, from climate change and ocean pollution to sustainable food and energy production.
We operate a fleet of research vessels and vehicles, including two large ships (R/V Neil Armstrong and R/V Atlantis), a smaller coastal research vessel, the iconic human-occupied submersible Alvin, and dozens of other underwater robots.
Through our higher education programs, including the prestigious MIT-WHOI Joint Program, we train new generations of ocean scientists, engineers, and leaders-providing access to cutting edge facilities and unparalleled access to the sea.
WHOI plays a leading role in ocean communications, sharing our insights and knowledge about the ocean to the general public, policymakers, educators, and more, so we can make wise decisions about our ocean, our planet, and our future.
FEATURED PROJECTS
We have over 1,000 scientists, engineers, technicians, and support staff working around the globe and cutting edge laboratories to push the boundaries of knowledge about the ocean.
Ocean and Climate Innovation Accelerator
Bringing together industry, academia, and philanthropy to develop and accelerate new climate change solutions.
Ocean Twilight Zone
Exploring the globe-spanning region beneath the sunlit upper ocean where life thrives
Ocean Worlds
Discovering the links between life in our ocean and the search for life beyond Earth
Marine Microplastics Initiative
Investigating the fate of microplastics and their impacts on marine life and human health
Super Reefs
Searching for corals around the world to help ensure a future for reefs in a warming ocean
Ocean Observatories Initiative
The NSF-funded program measures physical, chemical, geological and biological properties from the seafloor to the air-sea interface.
HADEX
Research and exploration of the deepest parts of the ocean, Earth’s final frontier
Reef Solutions
Working to protect corals and reverse the global decline of reef ecosystems
