News Releases
New WHOI study shows seawater may offer early clues to changing reef health
An interdisciplinary approach reveals how chemistry, microbes, and ocean circulation work together to shape reef ecosystems
Read MoreWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution launches the Schiller Center for Reef Solutions
Transformative, $25 million investment will advance cutting-edge science and scalable solutions to protect coral reefs worldwide
Read MoreAutonomous underwater robot discovers hidden coral reef “hotspots”
New underwater robot opens new possibilities in coral reef conservation by autonomously identifying biodiversity “hotspots”
Read MoreWHOI scientist joins global Tara Coral expedition to unlock secrets of climate-resilient reefs
A two-year mission across the Coral Triangle will probe how viruses and reef ecosystems could help some corals withstand rising ocean temperatures.
Read MoreSeawater microbes offer new, non-invasive way to detect coral disease, WHOI-led study finds
Coral reefs support more than 25 percent of all marine life and underpin the livelihoods of roughly one billion people globally.
Read MoreSeawater microbes are a powerful tool for diagnosing coral reef health and strengthening conservation efforts, according to new paper
Compared to taking visual observations of reef habitats, analyzing water microbes provides a more immediate picture of health.
Read More‘Fishial’ recognition: Neural network identifies coral reef sounds
Faster identification of fish sounds from acoustic recordings can improve research, conservation efforts
Read MoreNew study highlights the correlation between live corals and fishing yields
Research led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution predicts lower fishing yields as corals struggle to survive
Read MoreShip-mounted camera systems increase protections for marine mammals
This technology uses thermal imaging to detect a whale’s body or spout and provides real-time information on their distance and bearing from a vessel.
Read MoreNew funding will boost vital reef restoration work
Coral Research and Development Accelerator Program funding will advance acoustic enhancement research in the Caribbean
Read MoreWHOI and the University of the Virgin Islands extend Partnership
WHOI and the University of the Virgin Islands entered into a MOU extending their working partnership in the exploration and protection of the world’s oceans.
Read MoreWHOI Scientists ‘read’ the messages in chemical clues left by coral reef inhabitants
What species live in this coral reef, and are they healthy? Chemical clues emitted by marine organisms might hold that information
Read MoreStudy: eDNA methods give a real-time look at coral reef health
Researchers from WHOI studied the microbes in coral reef water by examining eight reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands over a period of seven years, which included periods of hurricane and coral disease disturbance.
Read MoreSonic Youth: Healthy Reef Sounds Increase Coral Settlement
Researchers at WHOI demonstrated that replaying healthy reef sounds could potentially be used to encourage coral larvae to recolonize damaged or degraded reefs.
Read MoreNew Study: Deep Sea Sensor Reveals That Corals Produce Reactive Oxygen Species
A new sensor on the submersible Alvin discovered reactive oxygen species for the first time in deep-sea corals, broadening our understanding of fundamental coral physiology Woods Hole, MA — Just…
Read MoreScientists Discover Additional Healthy Deep-sea Coral Reefs and New Seamounts in the Galápagos
Stunning 800 meter-long coral reef discovered with Schmidt Ocean Institute’s underwater robot off Galápagos Islands Puerto Ayora, Ecuador– Scientists examining underwater cliff ecosystems onboard research vessel Falkor(too) using the 4,500…
Read MoreInnovative Techniques Provide New Means to Monitor Coral Reef Health
These new techniques, which look at microbes and dissolved metabolites of reefs, offer a new means to examine reef features and have broad conservation applications.
Read MoreScientists Aboard R/V Atlantis Discover Deep-Sea Coral Reefs in the Galápagos
Observations using the newly upgraded human-occupied vehicle Alvin are the first of a deep-water coral reef in the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
The reefs are located at depths between 400-600 m, atop previously unmapped seamounts.
Toward a New Era of Reef Solutions
WHOI coral reef researchers propose a new technology-centered focus to study and conserve coral reefs
Read MorePalau’s Rock Islands Harbor Heat-resistant Corals
Scientists studying reefs in Palau have identified subgroups of a coral species that exhibit remarkable tolerance to the extreme heat associated with marine heatwaves
Read MoreStudy Examines the Impact of Coral Chemical Compounds on Reef Composition and Health
The study found that the organic chemical compounds produced through metabolism —known as metabolites or exudates—vary significantly by coral species and that the compounds impact the abundances and compositions of reef microorganisms differently.
Read More“Digital Reefs” awarded $5 million
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) $5 million to participate in NSF’s ground breaking Convergence Accelerator Program. The project, led by WHOI scientist Anne Cohen, builds the world’s first Coral Reef Digital Twin, a 4-dimensional virtual replica of a living coral reef powered by state-of-the art data and models.
Read MoreWHOI campaign sheds light on new strategies and solutions for the coral reef crisis
In advance of World Ocean Day on June 8, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is launching its Give Reefs a Chance campaign, aimed at raising awareness of what WHOI scientists and engineers are doing to tackle the corals crisis, the importance of coral reefs, and what we can all do to give reefs a chance to survive.
Read MoreDevelopment of a curious robot to study coral reef ecosystems awarded $1.5 million by the National Science Foundation
A prototype of an autonomous underwater vehicle capable of navigating complex underwater environments and of collecting data adaptively over long periods of time. Daniel Hentz / ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution…
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