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Research Highlights

Oceanus Magazine

Risks and Remedies from the Sea

Risks and Remedies from the Sea

May 26, 2005

Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have embarked on a novel collaboration to investigate harmful algal blooms, ocean-borne pathogens, and potential pharmaceuticals from marine sources.

Robo-Sailors

Robo-Sailors

January 28, 2005

In the mid-1990s, the Navy began funding research for small, robotic vehicles to perform unmanned reconnaissance in coastal waters. At WHOI, that helped spark the development of REMUS (Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS), designed and built by Chris von Alt, Ben Allen, and colleagues in the Oceanographic Systems Laboratory.

Where Are Mines Hiding on the Seafloor?

Where Are Mines Hiding on the Seafloor?

January 25, 2005

Eternally and incessantly, waves and currents stir up sand from the seafloor near the coast. Sediments get suspended in the ocean, carried onshore and off, and deposited elsewhere. In the process, objects on the seafloor—natural and unnatural—can get buried and uncovered.

The New Wave of Coastal Ocean Observing

The New Wave of Coastal Ocean Observing

January 6, 2005

Estuaries are the borderlands between salt and freshwater environments, and they are incredibly diverse both biologically and physically. The diversity and the high energy of the ecosystem make estuaries remarkably resilient. With a better understanding of these systems, we can reverse

their decline and restore the ecological richness of these valuable, albeit muddy, environments.

Shaping the Beach, One Wave at a Time

Shaping the Beach, One Wave at a Time

October 4, 2004

For years, scientists who study the shoreline have wondered at the apparent fickleness of storms, which can devastate one part of a coastline, yet leave an adjacent part untouched. How can this be? The answer lies in the physics of the nearshore region?the stretch of sand, rock, and water between the dry land behind the beach and the beginning of deep water far from shore.

News Releases

Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution identify heat-resistant kelp strain

February 10, 2025

A new strain of kelp can help support sustainable farming

Nereid Under Ice

WHOI vehicles go to extreme sides of the globe

December 10, 2024

Simultaneous missions near Greenland and American Samoa support critical research about ocean life and sea level rise

Multi-disciplinary teams respond to recent hurricanes to measure real time impacts of storm surge, waves

November 15, 2024

A joint team, including WHOI researchers, recently mobilized to investigate the real-time impacts of storm surge and waves from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Thermal camera onboard

Ship-mounted camera systems increase protections for marine mammals

October 15, 2024

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.

Reef Acoustic Playback System

New funding will boost vital reef restoration work

October 2, 2024

Coral Research and Development Accelerator Program funding will advance acoustic enhancement research in the Caribbean

News & Insights

WHOI builds bridges with Arctic Indigenous communities

February 10, 2021

NSF program fosters collaboration between indigenous communities and traditional scientists, allowing WHOI’s autonomous vehicles to shed light on a changing Arctic

WHOI-assisted study finds ocean dumping of DDT waste was “sloppy”

October 29, 2020

An investigative report this week in the LA Times features the work of WHOI’s marine geochemistry lab in identifying the discarded barrels and analyzing samples from the discovery.