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
New Study Definitively Confirms Gulf Stream Weakening
The Gulf Stream – which is a major ocean current off the U.S. East Coast and a part of the North Atlantic Ocean circulation – plays an important role in…
Read 
Read 
🪸🐠🎣 Did you know 25% of fish rely on healthy #coralreefs? Reefs also support food and jobs for more than half a billion people around the world. Despite their importance, #coral is severely threatened by heat stress and disease– and by the time these impacts are visible, it`s usually too late to save them.
🔬🦠 That`s why researchers from #WHOI, @motemarinelab, and @scripps_ocean are monitoring #Florida’s Coral Reef at the #microscopic level– looking for "silent signals" of coral health and potential pathways for restoration.
📲 Learn more about this #NSFfunded research at the link in bio!
📸 by Amy Apprill & Cynthia Becker © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Sep 29
🛰️ Now that @nasa astronaut Loral O’Hara has made it to @iss, her former colleagues are reflecting on her eight years as a #WHOI mechanical engineer, working on ocean robots and submersibles.
📲 Find out what makes O`Hara "a shining star" from @7news – story link in bio!
📸 by Tom Kleindinst © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Sep 28
#Throwback to WHOI’s original #research vessel #Atlantis, seen here transiting the #PanamaCanal in 1956. As the first American ship built specifically for interdisciplinary research in marine biology, marine geology, and physical oceanography, the "A- boat" made 299 cruises and covered 700,000 miles from 1931 to 1966.
Sep 28
Have you ever seen a #PortugueseManOWar on the beach? Or worse, have you been stung?
Often mistaken for a type of #jellyfish, the beautiful-but-poisonous Physalia physalis is in fact a #siphonophore! While it looks like just one animal, it`s actually made up of genetically identical, highly specialized parts called #zooids: its gas-filled bladder, its tentacles, its digestive units, and its reproductive structures. Each zooid works together to pack a powerful punch!
The man-o-war’s painful stinging tentacles can extend up to 33 feet (10 meters) long– very helpful for catching small fish while the ship-shaped bladder bobs around at the surface!. The "beads" on each tentacle are batteries of stinging cells that inject toxin into any creature they contact.
📸 by Larry Madin © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Sep 27
👏🏽 Shout-out to Heather Benway, the recipient of the 2023 Ocean Science Award from @americangeophysicalunion!
A #WHOI senior research specialist, Benway focuses on nutrient cycling and #paleoceanography, which involves a complex interplay between marine ecosystems and #biogeochemistry. In addition to her own research, she serves as the executive officer of the Ocean Carbon & Biochemistry Project, an interdisciplinary network of scientists researching the response of marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles to environmental change.
According to AGU, Benway’s “scientific efforts have transformed our understanding of the world, impacted our everyday lives, improved our communities and contributed to solutions for a sustainable future.”
🎉 Honorees will be recognized at the AGU Annual Meeting, which attracts over 25,000 researchers from around the world in mid-December. Congratulations, Heather!
Sep 27
There’s no doubt about it– the #GulfStream is slowing down. In an #NSFfunded study, #WHOI`s Chris Piecuch and @miamirosenstiel @rsmas_beal_lab scientists found that water flow in the Florida Straits slowed by 4% since the 1980s.
📲 Think that`s not much? Find out why even small changes are important at the link in bio!
Illustration by @n.renier, photos by @the_hentzoriginal and Paloma Cartwright
Sep 27
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