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Research Highlights

Oceanus Magazine

Groundwater: The River No One Sees

Groundwater: The River No One Sees

January 16, 2013
The Retreat of the Gualas Glacier

The Retreat of the Gualas Glacier

November 20, 2012

Like many mountain glaciers, the Gualas Glacier in the Patagonian region of Chile has retreated fast during the past century in the face of climate change. But not only for the reason you’d first suspect. The glacier’s retreat—5.5 miles over…

The Glacial Chronicles

The Glacial Chronicles

November 16, 2012

Graduate student Benjamin Linhoff spent several months in the summers of 2011 and 2012 studying a glacier at a remote camp on the Greenland Ice Sheet. Here are some excerpts from his blog describing life and work there. Leaving home—April…

River Quest

River Quest

November 9, 2012

Max Holmes and Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink spend a lot of time upriver—one day bundled in a parka on the icy banks of the Fraser River in Canada, another day paddling in small dugout canoes called pirogues through jungles along the steamy…

Bacteria Exhibit Altruistic Behavior

Bacteria Exhibit Altruistic Behavior

October 25, 2012

When it comes to bacteria protecting themselves, it’s all in the family. A new study shows that marine bacteria can produce antibiotic compounds that kill unrelated bacteria but do not harm their closest relatives. What’s more, only some of the…

News Releases

The National Academy of Sciences selects WHOI’s Laura Motta as Kavli Fellow

March 20, 2025

Her research focuses on advancing our fundamental understanding of chemistry inspired by marine processes that challenge our current chemical knowledge.

WHOI’s Julie Huber Among 65 Fellows Elected to the American Academy of Microbiology

February 19, 2025

Fellows are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions.

Cellulose Diacetate Side by Side

WHOI Scientists Discover Fastest Degrading Bioplastic in Seawater

October 17, 2024

A new version of CDA was found to be the fastest degrading bioplastic material tested in seawater and is a promising replacement for other long-lasting foam plastic materials.

Benjamin Van Mooy

WHOI senior scientist named 2024 MacArthur Fellow

October 1, 2024

Benjamin Van Mooy receives “genius grant” for his research on biogeochemical networks and the impacts of climate change on ocean health

Ben Van Mooy and a Sediment Trap

Microbe Dietary Preferences Influence the Effectiveness of Carbon Sequestration in the Deep Ocean

September 13, 2024

A series of seemingly small processes helps carry carbon dioxide from the ocean’s surface to the deep sea, where it can be stored away for decades.

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.