Pollution
Fifty years later, the West Falmouth oil spill yields lasting contributions to remediation efforts
After 175,000 gallons of oil spilled from a barge that ran aground along West Falmouth Harbor, the contaminant has all but disappeared, save a small marsh inlet that continues to serve as a living laboratory for scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Read MoreRapid Response at Sea
As sea ice continues to melt in the Arctic and oil exploration expands in the region, the possibility of an oil spill occurring under ice is higher than ever. To help first responders cope with oil trapped under ice, ocean engineers are developing undersea vehicles that can map oil spills to improve situational awareness and decision making during an emergency.
Read MorePutting the ‘nuclear coffin’ in perspective
WHOI chemist and marine radioactivity expert shares his thoughts about radioactivity waste leaking from Runit Dome—a bomb crater filled with radioactive soil in the Marshall Islands that is now being penetrated by rising sea levels
Read MoreWHOI Joint Program Student Short Talks: Early Exposure to HAB Toxins and Later Life Consequences
Alia Hidayat, MIT-WHOI Joint Program Sponsored by: Biology Department
Read MoreKnow Your Ocean Science Chats: Microplastics in the Ocean: Fact or Frenzy?
Mark Hahn, WHOI Sponsored by: WHOI Discovery Center & Visitor Center
Read MoreMarine Microplastics
What are marine microplastics? Marine microplastics are small fragments of plastic debris that are less than five millimeters long. Some…
Read MoreOil Spills
Oil in the Ocean The systematic study of oil in the ocean is relatively new to science, but since the…
Read MoreFukushima Radiation
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake 80 miles off the northeast coast of Japan triggered a series of tsunamis that struck nearby shorelines and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Read MorePollution
Oil spills, discarded chemicals, and leaky engines are burdens to the ocean and those who try to clean it.
Read MoreBeach Closures
Hundreds of beaches nationwide are closed each year due to the presence of potentially harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the water.
Read MoreFAQ: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Frequently Asked Questions What caused the earthquake? The magnitude 9.0 earthquake that occurred 80 miles east of the island of…
Read MoreFAQs: Radiation from Fukushima
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake—one of the largest ever recorded—occurred 80 miles off the coast of Japan.…
Read MoreFukushima and the Ocean
Oceanus Magazine Volume 50, No. 1, Spring 2013 A special, bi-lingual issue of Oceanus Magazine that explores the causes and…
Read MoreInvestigating Oil from the USS Arizona
Flounder Now Tumor-free in Boston Harbor
In the late 1980s, more than three-quarters of the winter flounder caught in Boston Harbor – one of the most polluted harbors in America – showed signs of liver disease, many of them with cancerous tumors. But now, a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has documented a dramatic rebound in flounder health spurred by decades of remediation efforts, including a $3.8 billion project to construct a sewage treatment plant and a 9.5-mile discharge tunnel with a 6,600-foot-long outfall diffuser. The findings appear in the Nov. 20, 2018 issue of the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.
Read MoreWill Oxygen in the Ocean Continue to Decline?
Levels of oxygen in the ocean have decreased in the past, causing catastrophic losses of marine life. Scientists worry that…
Read MoreReassessing Guidelines for Oil Spill Cleanups
Dispersants contain detergents, not unlike those people use to wash dishes, which help break oil into small droplets that can…
Read MoreThe Bacteria on Your Beaches
The widespread use of antibiotics is increasing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria—perhaps into the ocean, too.
Read MoreReassessing Guidelines for Oil Spill Cleanups
A new discovery could change the way officials approach oil spill cleanups.
Read MoreA Long Trail of Clues Leads to a Surprise About Oil Spills
Scientists followed evidence from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill to discover an unexpected phenomenon.
Read MoreSunlight Reduces Effectiveness of Dispersants Used in Oil Spills
A research team led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) found that sunlight chemically alters crude oil floating on the sea surface within hours or days. In a follow-up study the team reported that sunlight changes oil into different compounds that dispersants cannot easily break up. The results of these two studies could affect how responders decide when, where, and how to use dispersants.
Read MoreBacteria-Based Sensor Could Detect Oil and Gas Leaks
quotes Christopher Reddy
To Track an Oil Spill
WHOI scientists are helping to develop a robotic underwater vehicle that can track oil spills and help responders mitigate damage in remote or ice-covered areas such as the Arctic Ocean and the Great Lakes.
Read MoreCoast Guard Cites Tugboat as ‘Responsible Party’ for Woods Hole Oil Spill
quotes Chris Reddy