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Examining Connections Between the Ocean and Human Health

An ocean sickness is a human sickness according to experts at WHOI’s Center for Human Health and the Ocean. Marine toxicologist John Stegeman and his team are researching better ways to inform the public on the origins and dangers of marine toxins

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How Long Does Plastic Persist in the Ocean?

floating plastic

It can be hard to predict the average lifespan of plastics in the ocean when so many different types exist. WHOI chemists Chris Reddy and Collin Ward are working to simplify these predictions

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Specialized camera system gives unprecedented view of ocean life

Sosik with sled

With still so much to learn about the planktonic creatures that support the marine food web, scientists with the Northeast U.S. Shelf Long-Term Ecological Research (NES-LTER) project have developed the In-situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) to take better images of these microscopic organisms in their natural environment

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To sail, not to drift

Rick Murray

Navigating a changing ecosystem, funding marine science, and finding hope—WHOI Deputy Director Rick Murray charts the course toward our ocean’s future.

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Will melting glaciers cool the climate?

greenland ice

As glaciers melt at unprecedented rates, WHOI’s Simon Pendleton is looking back to historical records to predict whether this new cool runoff will slow ocean circulation and cool the northern hemisphere––findings which could mean adjustments to some climate predictions.

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Sea Ahead

the sea ahead

Once upon a time, ocean scientists hung up cans on up a tree on Bikini Atoll to measure wave height in the Marshall Islands during nuclear weapons testing. Today, ocean technologies and data harvesting are heading somewhere big, from swarming bots, to more autonomous submersibles, and the miniaturization of ocean sensors

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Looking to the Future

looking ino the future

WHOI researchers discuss various ways that ocean science and technology are enabling a deeper understanding of our blue planet

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Uncharted waters

Uncharted Water

Our global ocean will change dramatically over the next few decades. What might it look like, and how will humans adapt?

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Jellyfish larger than blue whales?

Jellyfish

Recent accounts in the media have described the appearance of lion’s mane jellyfish in waters and beaches in the Northeast as a surprising, sometimes troubling, event, with record sizes and numbers reported from Maine to the Massachusetts south coast. But is this event noteworthy? Or, as some have implied, is it a sign of failing ocean health? Three WHOI marine biologists weighed in to put events into perspective.

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Teaming up for right whales

whale and glider

Researchers from WHOI and NOAA combine underwater gliders with passive acoustic detection technology to help protect endangered species from lethal ship strikes and noise from offshore wind construction

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Working from Home: Scott Lindell

Though pandemic slows countless research projects, kelp breeding program can’t stop. A WHOI community rallies to help Scott Lindell and his lab sort over 2,200 blades.

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The many lifetimes of plastics

plastics by the numbers

Infographics strive to give us a sense of how long plastic goods will last in the environment. But is this information reliable? The findings of a new study from WHOI may surprise you.

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Seven ocean explorers you should know about

June 8th is World Oceans Day, but we’re celebrating the big ole blue all month-long. But, before you post those Cousteau quotes, that inspiring Sylvia Earle documentary, or talk about those neat expeditions by James Cameron, we’d like to present you with five ocean explorers you may not have heard of.

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Statement on racism from WHOI leadership

woods hole aerial

June 1, 2020 WHOI leadership would like to take a moment to acknowledge the recent clear-cut examples of racial injustice demonstrated in our country and their impact on those within…

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Working from Home: Matt Long

A marine chemist spends his time at home tinkering on a high-tech buoy in the basement, proving that being homebound doesn’t mean you can’t think big.

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