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Research Highlights

Oceanus Magazine

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…

Elemental Journeys

Elemental Journeys

October 19, 2012

Humans have changed the face of the Earth by significantly altering the natural movements of chemicals on the planet’s surface, according to a new study by geochemists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). The scientists analyzed how 77 different elements…

Deep-sea Detectives

Deep-sea Detectives

September 20, 2012

Links to related materials Mid-Ocean Ridges—Articles, illustrations, and video showing how new seafloor crust forms Mapping the Seafloor with Multibeam Sonar Profile of Marshall Swartz Story of the SDSL Data-Link Life at Vents and Seeps While Oil Gently Seeps from…

Deep-sea Detectives

Deep-sea Detectives

September 20, 2012

Links to related materials Mid-Ocean Ridges—Articles, illustrations, and video showing how new seafloor crust forms Mapping the Seafloor with Multibeam Sonar Profile of Marshall Swartz Story of the SDSL Data-Link Life at Vents and Seeps While Oil Gently Seeps from…

News Releases

New WHOI study shows seawater may offer early clues to changing reef health

July 27, 2026

An interdisciplinary approach reveals how chemistry, microbes, and ocean circulation work together to shape reef ecosystems

MassDEP awards $500,000 to support eelgrass restoration

June 4, 2026

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is supporting a two-year study to quantify carbon storage in both natural and restored eelgrass meadows in coastal waters.

New WHOI-led study reveals hidden “chemical currency” fueling the ocean’s carbon cycle

March 18, 2026

Researchers have identified a diverse set of molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and help drive Earth’s carbon cycle

ocean

Scientists outline case for next-generation ocean iron fertilization field trials

February 5, 2026

A new paper argues that larger, longer studies with rigorous monitoring and clear safeguards are needed to accurately assess OIF as a potential long-term CO2 storage solution.

Seawater microbes offer new, non-invasive way to detect coral disease, WHOI-led study finds

January 20, 2026

Coral reefs support more than 25 percent of all marine life and underpin the livelihoods of roughly one billion people globally.

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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