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Are corals plants, animals, or rocks?
The base of a coral reef is coral, but what is coral? If you look at a piece of coral that washed up on shore, it’s solid and tough with rough edges and little pits.
Read MoreWelcome Postdoctoral Fellow Alma Carolina Castillo-Trujillo
Alma Carolina Castillo-Trujillo, Postdoctoral Fellow, joins WHOI’s PO Department.
Read MoreWhy do corals bleach?
Corals have a symbiotic relationship with algae. The algae gives corals their color and provides them with food. In return, corals provide the algae with a place to live.
Read MoreSpotlight on Administrative Associate Andrea Harvey
This month, we are spotlighting PO’s Andrea Harvey, who joined WHOI in 2016…
Read MoreHow does bioluminescence work?
Deep in the ocean there’s very little sunlight. But if you could swim down there, it would look a bit like the night sky. Why is this?
Read MoreHow are seashells made?
One of the most striking features of our beaches is seashells. Their whorls, curves, and shiny iridescent insides are the remains of animals. But where do they come from?
Read MoreHow do I become an oceanographer?
Like all scientists, oceanographers are curious. Students who are curious about all things ocean might make great oceanographers. So how do you become one?
Read MoreHow is beach sand created?
Beaches can be white, black, green, red and even pink. What creates those different colors? Why is some sand soft and fine, but other types feel rough? Where does beach sand come from, anyway?
Read MoreWhat’s the difference between climate and weather?
We often hear about the weather. We also hear about climate. The two terms are related. But they are not the same thing. What’s the difference?
Read MoreWhy is pressure different in the ocean?
As anyone who has tried diving to the bottom of a deep pool knows, all that water gets heavy—fast. Extreme pressure is one reason why the ocean floor is still largely unexplored.
Read MoreWhat causes ocean waves?
A trip to the ocean means sun, wind, and waves. Surfers ride them. Children play in them. Swimmers dive beneath them. But what causes waves?
Read MoreDoes the ocean produce oxygen?
It’s easy to think of the world’s forests as the planet’s “lungs.” Trees pump out oxygen—the same stuff we breathe in. But does all our breathable air come from just land?
Read MoreWhy is the ocean blue?
One idea is that it reflects the sky. But if we sink below the surface, the blue color remains. Here, the water isn’t reflecting the sky. So why is the ocean blue?
Read MoreWhy are corals so colorful?
One of the most striking things about coral is its bright coloring. But many are a dull green or brown. So, what gives some corals their bright hues?
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