Ocean Topic

Seaweed Cultivation

March 23, 2022

When seaweed removes carbon dioxide from seawater, it alters the balance of carbon dioxide between water and air, causing the gas to move from the atmosphere into the ocean.

Coral Stressors

Stressors can affect organisms living on the reef or they can affect the corals, themselves. When corals die, other organisms must relocate or struggle to survive.

Reef Fish

Fish that inhabit a coral reef play essential roles in the reef ecosystem, and reefs without fish struggle to recover from bleaching or other events that damage the coral.

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions

March 22, 2022

Ocean-based, clean energy technologies hold great potential for ocean-based climate solutions, such as blue carbon, biofuels, and carbon dioxide removal systems.

Natural Disasters

Our ocean planet is dynamic and constantly changing, sometimes resulting in dramatic threats to humans.

Cycles

Oceanic cycles — chemical, physical, and biological — are related to cyclic processes in the Earth’s atmosphere, such as the seasons, El Niño events, and long-term climate changes.

Ecosystems

Tubeworms are part of a fascinating deep-sea ecosystem that thrives around hydrothermal vents, where life is powered by chemicals instead of sunlight. Courtesy of Jason Sylvan, Texas A&M Univ./NSF/HOV Alvin/2019/© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Ocean ecosystems are found in polar regions, coastal waters, coral reefs, hydrothermal vents, the abyssal plain, and at the bottom of the sea.

Ocean & Human Lives

The oceans are critical to human life, and ocean scientists are working to investigate the untapped potential of the sea in order to maximize these benefits.

Frozen Ocean

The polar regions are experiencing unprecedented environmental changes that have significant potential impacts on global climate, ecosystems, and society.

How the Ocean Works

Although the oceans cover most of Earth, the the tiny sliver of the coastal ocean greatly influences, and is most influenced by, human activity.

Emperor Penguins

August 3, 2021

The emperor penguin is the largest living penguin species standing around 115 centimeters tall. Once they have found a partner, they work together to keep their young fed and safe.

Ocean Warming

Increasing ocean heat is closely linked to increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, making the ocean an excellent indicator of how much Earth is warming.

Coastal Restoration & Blue Carbon

The worlds river systems sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide by transporting decaying organic material from land to the ocean. Although river transport of carbon to the ocean is not large enough to bail humans out of our global warming problem, knowing how much carbon rivers transport is important part of understanding the global carbon cycle that regulates Earth's climate. Scientists from WHOI recently calculated the first direct estimate of how much and in what form organic carbon is exported to the ocean by rivers. (Illustration by Eric S. Taylor, WHOI Creative © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Blue carbon refers to atmospheric carbon captured and stored by the ocean, which mitigates the effects of climate change by storing carbon for long periods of time.

Right Whales

December 20, 2019

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is one of the most endangered whales in the world—approximately 340 remain—due to entanglement and ship collisions.

Expedition to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary

August 30, 2019

Stellwagen Bank, an underwater plateau off Boston, is a biological hotspot and key fishing ground. It’s a prime whale-watching spot and home to shipwrecks like the Portland, a maritime heritage symbol.

Watch What You Eat

February 27, 2019

WHOI virologist Arun Venugopalan extracts blood samples from clams

Harmful algal blooms can taint seafood with toxins, causing illness or even death. Learn how blooms affect human health through shellfish and fish poisoning.

Earthquakes and Seismic Waves

Earthquakes release energy as seismic waves, revealing Earth’s interior and helping locate quake sources to understand tectonic processes and earthquake physics.

Dating Corals, Knowing the Ocean

February 26, 2019

A slice through the center of a long-dead brain coral is a slicethrough human and ocean history. This 1,000-pound coral grew nearBermuda for 200 years. WHOI Research Associate Anne Cohen and fellowscientists are analyzing coral skeletons to decipher ocean temperaturesas recorded in the rock-like layers during its lifespan. (Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Coral is a useful tool for scientists who want to understand changes in past climate, but recalling that history presents its own set of challenges.

Seafloor Mining FAQs

February 13, 2019

Deep-sea mining extracts metals like nickel and cobalt from ocean floors over 200m deep, with potential environmental impacts and global economic effects. Learn more in this FAQ.

Who Regulates Seafloor Mining?

The International Seabed Authority regulates deep-sea mining beyond national zones, balancing resource access with environmental protection and global benefits.

Groundwater

February 6, 2019

Groundwater is water that exists underground in the spaces between grains of sand or gravel or in the cracks and fractures in solid rock—part of the global water cycle.