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Research Highlights

Oceanus Magazine

The Scientist and the Poet

The Scientist and the Poet

June 13, 2013

Alice Alpert, a graduate student in the MIT/WHOI Joint Program, studies what the chemistry of coral skeletons can tell us about the ocean in the past. Before coming to WHOI, she worked in Antarctica as a lab technician. There she…

How Is Fukushima's Fallout Affecting Marine Life?

How Is Fukushima’s Fallout Affecting Marine Life?

May 2, 2013

» 日本語版 The Fukushima nuclear disaster delivered an unprecedented amount of radioactivity into the sea over a relatively brief time. How did that pulse of cesium and other radioisotopes make its way through the marine food chain? Scott Fowler, who…

Radioisotopes in the Ocean

Radioisotopes in the Ocean

May 1, 2013

» 日本語版 The release of radioisotopes from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011 amounts to the largest-ever accidental release of radiation to the ocean. It came mostly in the form of iodine-131, cesium-134 and cesium-137, the primary…

ABCs of Radioactivity

ABCs of Radioactivity

April 30, 2013

<!– // –> » 日本語版 To the average layperson, “radioactivity” is a harsh and scary word. But the fact is that radioisotopes, both natural and artificial, are all around us. And for marine scientists in particular, they are important tools.…

Japan's Triple Disaster

Japan’s Triple Disaster

April 25, 2013

» 日本語版 The chain of calamity now known as Japan’s Triple Disaster began with a massive rupture in the ocean floor. At 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, below the seafloor off the country’s northeast coast, the Eurasian and Pacific…

News Releases

Ancient groundwater records reveal regional vulnerabilities to climate change

June 17, 2025

New WHOI-led study shows the Southwest may be more sensitive to drying than the Pacific Northwest

Water sampling

Seawater microbes are a powerful tool for diagnosing coral reef health and strengthening conservation efforts, according to new paper

May 16, 2025

Compared to taking visual observations of reef habitats, analyzing water microbes provides a more immediate picture of health.

Berhard Peucker Ehernbrink

From river to sea: Research team, including WHOI chemist, receives international award

May 14, 2025

The Frontiers Planet Prize recently announced National Champions from 19 different countries.

Research almost two decades in the making: What can cicadas tell us about the Earth’s metals?

May 14, 2025

Billions of cicadas will be emerging on Cape Cod, and other parts of the country in late May or early June.

Tica hydrothermal vent

Scientists in Alvin witness seafloor eruption on the East Pacific Rise

May 2, 2025

Long-awaited event sets the stage for scientists to learn more about physical, chemical and biological processes in the deep ocean East Pacific Rise, Pacific Ocean (May 2, 2025)  – Scientists diving in the human-occupied vehicle Alvin recently witnessed a rare…

News & Insights

What happens to natural gas in the ocean?

October 6, 2022

WHOI marine chemist Chris Reddy weighs in on a methane leak in the Baltic Sea

Wave Glider provides gateway to remote exploration

November 10, 2020

WHOI geochemist Chris German pairs an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) called a Wave Glider with other vehicles to expand research here and on other Ocean Worlds

Sea Dust

Mining ancient dust from the ocean’s loneliest spot

September 24, 2020

Researchers investigate dust from the ocean’s farthest point from land to reconstruct the climactic history of the Southern Hemisphere, and understand how micronutrients have influenced biological productivity in this oceanic desert.

Working from Home: Mallory Ringham

July 2, 2020

WHOI-MIT joint program student outfits her basement to do vital work on a marine carbon sensor

plastics by the numbers

The many lifetimes of plastics

June 15, 2020

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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