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Research Highlights

Oceanus Magazine

Psychotherapy for Plankton

Psychotherapy for Plankton

September 9, 2011

The scene: A diatom is out of its oceanic habitat and on a couch, talking to a therapist. The diatom is stressed. It can’t ever seem to get enough nutrients. And it’s feeling underappreciated …  Diatom: People just don’t seem…

Up From the Seafloor Came a Bubbling Brew

Up From the Seafloor Came a Bubbling Brew

September 5, 2011

Eleven days after the explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 20, 2010, representatives from BP called Andy Bowen at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). “It had become obvious just how dire the circumstances were,” Bowen said. The…

Four Men. Twelve Hours. One Crucial Sample.

Four Men. Twelve Hours. One Crucial Sample.

July 21, 2011

The prize they coveted amounted to nothing more than about four gallons of natural gas and less than a half-cup of oil. Where it came from, however, made it unique. Scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) sought the definitive…

A Plume of Chemicals from Deepwater Horizon

A Plume of Chemicals from Deepwater Horizon

July 18, 2011

Along with the torrent of hot gas and oil spewing from the bottom of the sea, hot hints and rumors were also streaming out of the Gulf of Mexico in the spring of 2010. Several scientists on the scene of…

A Small Sip from a Big Gusher

A Small Sip from a Big Gusher

April 20, 2011

How much oil gushed out of the Deepwater Horizon well and into the Gulf of Mexico? For all stakeholders in the oil spill, that is a critical starting point for any discussions of fair settlements. For scientists, it is the…

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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