Research: Plastics Suspect In Lobster Disease; Breakdown May Be Interfering With Molt
Woods Hole, Massachusetts - Aug 13, 2008 18:29 EST
The search for what causes a debilitating shell disease affecting lobsters from Long Island Sound to Maine has led one Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) visiting scientist to suspect environmental alkyphenols, formed primarily by the breakdown of hard transparent plastics. Preliminary...

Research: Antarctic's Short-term Spikes, Long-term Warming Linked To Tropical Pacific
Boulder, Colorado - Aug 13, 2008 18:07 EST
Dramatic year-to-year temperature swings and a century-long warming trend across West Antarctica are linked to conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean, according to a new analysis of ice cores conducted by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)...

New Robot Scouts Best Locations For Components Of Undersea Lab; 'A New Era'
Seattle, Washington - Aug 13, 2008 18:05 EST
Like a deep-sea bloodhound, Sentry – the newest in an elite group of unmanned submersibles able to operate on their own in demanding and rugged environments – has helped scientists pinpoint optimal locations for two observation sites of a pioneering...

Scientists: 'High Definition' Hurricane Model Developed; Warming Leads To Less, But Stronger Storms
Virginia Key, Florida - Aug 12, 2008 18:12 EST
In a study published in the July 2008 issue of Geophysical Research Letters, Drs. David S. Nolan and Eric D. Rappin from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science describe a new method for evaluating the...

Scientists Use Naval Exercises To Learn More About How Marine Mammals React To Sonar
Washington, D.C. - Aug 8, 2008 18:09 EST
NOAA’s Fisheries Service, in partnership with top international scientists and the U.S. Navy, has just completed a pioneering research effort in Hawaii to measure the biology and behavior of some of the most poorly understood whales on Earth. During the...

Sea Shepherd Issues Arrest Warrant For The Japanese Whaling Fleet; 'Continued Illegal Whaling Activities'
Friday Harbor, Washington - Aug 8, 2008 16:45 EST
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has drawn up an arrest warrant for the Japanese whaling fleet. “We intend to intervene against the continued illegal whaling activities of the Japanese fleet in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary,” said Captain Paul Watson. “We intend...

UCSB Oceanographer Awarded Prestigious Naval Oceanographic Sciences Chair; 'A Significant Milestone'
Santa Barbara, California - Aug 8, 2008 16:39 EST
UC Santa Barbara oceanographer Tommy Dickey is one of two leading scientists nationwide to be awarded a prestigious Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations Chair in Oceanographic Sciences. The Office of Naval Research Program recognizes pioneering academic...

Eating Fish May Prevent Memory Loss And Stroke In Old Age; Benefits 'Not Found' In Fried Fish
St. Paul, Minnesota - Aug 5, 2008 12:58 EST
Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in the August 5, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American...

Museum Exhibit To Honor History-Making Quadriplegic Diver
Islamorada, Florida - Aug 1, 2008 18:42 EST
Showcasing the unparalleled story of Matt Johnston and his one-of-a-kind dive gear, a "Diving a Dream" exhibit is set to open Wednesday, Aug. 13 at the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum in Islamorada. Johnston, of Woodbury, Minn., made diving history...

Study: Male Fish Deceive Rivals About Their Top Mate Choice; 'no Consciousness Or Self-awareness Needed'
Potsdam, Germany - Jul 31, 2008 18:25 EST
When competitors are around, male Atlantic mollies try to hide their top mate choice, reveals a new study published online on July 31st in Current Biology, a Cell Press journal. They feign disinterest in females after onlookers enter the scene....

Researchers Tag First-ever Free-swimming Leatherback Turtles In New England; 'It's Leatherback Craziness This Year'
Durham, New Hampshire - Jul 31, 2008 17:59 EST
University of New Hampshire researchers have tagged one male and two female leatherback turtles off Cape Cod. They are the first free-swimming leatherbacks ever tagged in New England. The 700 – 800-pound leatherback turtles, an endangered species, were tagged July 17,...

Researchers Race To Make Desalination Eco-Friendly While There's Still Time; 'Projects Could Be Stillborn'
San Diego, California - Jul 30, 2008 14:03 EST
There's one way Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego researchers see the future of desalination in California going. Before a regulatory structure can take shape to govern how seawater is treated and transported to a thirsty public, a...

NASA: New Satellite Producing First Complete Maps Of Global Ocean Surface Topography
Pasadena, California - Jul 30, 2008 13:32 EST
Less than a month after launch, the NASA-French space agency Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/Jason 2 oceanography satellite has produced its first complete maps of global ocean surface topography, surface wave height and wind speed. The new data will help...

Research: Squid Shows How Symbiotic Microbes Induce Profound Genetic Changes In Their Hosts
Madison, Wisconsin - Jul 29, 2008 14:44 EST
Though bacteria are everywhere — from the air we breathe and the food we eat to our guts and skin — the vast majority are innocuous or even beneficial, and only a handful pose any threat to us. What distinguishes...

Study: Reefs Come 'Unglued' In Oceans With High Carbon Dioxide
Washington, D.C. - Jul 28, 2008 20:35 EST
Cements that bind individual coral skeletons and larger coral reef structures are predominantly absent in waters with naturally high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), making these reefs highly susceptible to a wearing down of their physical framework, say scientists with...

Lake Creature With 'Legs' Stumps Floridians; 'Freaked Out A Little Bit'
Ocoee, Florida - Jul 28, 2008 20:21 EST
A fish-like creature with "legs" caught in a Central Florida lake over the weekend sparked a flood of controversy. Shawna Mitchell said she was fishing on Starke Lake in Ocoee when she pulled something strange out of the water. Mitchell's photos...

Scientists Break Record By Finding Northernmost Hydrothermal Vent Field
Seattle, Washington - Jul 25, 2008 17:33 EST
Well inside the Arctic Circle, scientists have found black smoker vents farther north than anyone has ever seen before. The cluster of five vents – one towering nearly four stories in height – are venting water as hot as 570...

Study: Parasite Biomass Exceeds Predators; 'It's Always Been Assumed They Weigh Almost Nothing'
Santa Barbara, California - Jul 23, 2008 17:47 EST
In a study of free-living and parasitic species in three estuaries on the Pacific coast of California and Baja California, a team of researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, the United States Geological Survey, and Princeton University has...

Study: Amazon Outflow Is Found To Power Ocean Capture Of Carbon Dioxide; 'There May Be Other Surprises'
New York, New York - Jul 23, 2008 17:41 EST
Nutrients washed out of the Amazon River are powering huge amounts of previously unexpected plant life far out to sea, thus trapping atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a new study. Until now, the areas around the Amazon and other great rivers...

Scientists: Adding Lime To Seawater May Reduce C02 To Pre-industrial Levels; 'Carbon Negative'
Washington, D.C. - Jul 21, 2008 15:14 EST
Scientists say they have found a workable way of reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere by adding lime to seawater. And they think it has the potential to dramatically reverse CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere, reports Cath O'Driscoll in SCI's...

Annual Underwater Love Affair Set For Florida Keys Coral As Full Moon To Trigger Synchronized Spawning
Florida Keys, Florida - Jul 21, 2008 12:39 EST
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the dates of the August full moon and the suggested that the coral might spawn after the September full moon. The article has been corrected to reflect the correct dates. Underwater...

Shark Conspiracies: The Most Shocking, Educational And Revealing Moments Of Shark Conspiracies
San Diego, California - Jul 21, 2008 10:36 EST
The August, 2008, episode of Shark Conspiracies is now available for free download. Shark Conspiracies explores shark sightings and attacks in a new way, by exposing the cover-ups and misinformation sometimes generated from tourism and conservation interests. Shark Conspiracies claims...

Research: Human Speech Linked To Talking Fish; Neural Circuitry Laid Down Hundreds Of Millions Of Years Ago
Ithaca, New York - Jul 18, 2008 17:56 EST
Talking fish are no strangers to Americans. From the comedic portrayal of "Mr. Limpet" by Don Knotts, to the children's Disney favorite, "Nemo," fish can talk, laugh and tell jokes--at least on television and the silver screen. But can real...

Study: New Indicator Uncovered That Can Predict Coral Health; Dinoflagellates Linked To Disease
Honolulu, Hawaii - Jul 18, 2008 17:49 EST
A new indicator of coral health has been discovered in a community of microscopic single-celled algae called dinoflagellates. The study, released in the July 8th edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that a particular...

Research: Saharan Dust Storms Sustain Life In Atlantic Ocean; 'Ocean Desert' Fertilized
Liverpool, England - Jul 18, 2008 17:44 EST
Research at the University of Liverpool has found how Saharan dust storms help sustain life over extensive regions of the North Atlantic Ocean. Working aboard research vessels in the Atlantic, scientists mapped the distribution of nutrients including phosphorous and nitrogen and...

Study: Antarctic Worms, Sea Spiders, Urchins Pounded By Icebergs; Marine Life Could Suffer 'Severe Effects'
London, England - Jul 18, 2008 09:16 EST
Antarctic worms, sea spiders, urchins and other marine creatures living in near-shore shallow habitats are regularly pounded by icebergs. New data suggests this environment along the Antarctic Peninsula is going to get hit more frequently. This is due to an...

Doctors: Omega-6 Rich Tilapia Healthy; Replacing With Bacon, Hamburgers Or Doughnuts 'Not Recommended'
Washington, D.C. - Jul 17, 2008 18:21 EST
In response to confusing reports, an international coalition of more than a dozen doctors spoke out today to clarify that fish like tilapia are low in total and saturated fat, high in protein and clearly part of a healthy diet....

Study: Caribbean Lionfish Decimating Tropical Fish Populations, Threatens Coral Reefs; 'Voracious Predator'
Corvalis, Oregon - Jul 17, 2008 18:09 EST
The invasion of predatory lionfish in the Caribbean region poses yet another major threat there to coral reef ecosystems – a new study has found that within a short period after the entry of lionfish into an area, the survival...

Researcher Leads Underwater Archeological Expedition In Gulf Of Mexico In Search Of First Americans
Austin, Texas - Jul 15, 2008 18:49 EST
C. Andrew Hemmings, research associate of the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) at The University of Texas at Austin, will lead an underwater archeological expedition July 30 to Aug. 12 in the Gulf of Mexico to search for submerged evidence...

Indian Fishermen Net 10-ton 'White' Shark; 'It Is Not Edible'
Madurai, India - Jul 15, 2008 18:21 EST
A 10-ton white shark was netted by fishermen, 30 nautical miles from Therezpuram coastal village in Tuticorin district Monday. The fishermen pulled the shark from the deep sea to about 25 feet from the shore, after which they found it...

Record-setting Dead Zones Predicted For Gulf Of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay; 'An Ecological Time Bomb'
Ann Arbor, Michigan - Jul 15, 2008 17:23 EST
Record-setting "dead zones" in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay appear likely this summer, according to new forecasts from a University of Michigan researcher. Donald Scavia, a professor at the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), makes the...

Newly Discovered Leatherback Turtle Migration Route May Be Roadmap To Salvation; 'A Really Awesome Flagship For Conservation'
Palo Alto, California - Jul 15, 2008 17:19 EST
With a name like "Leatherback Turtle" you might think the sea turtles could stand up to just about anything the ocean can throw at them, and for more than a hundred million years, they have. But tough, long-lived critters though...

CT Scan Performed On Stranded Pygmy Killer Whale 'Pete'; Lesions Found In Lungs
Sarasota, Florida - Jul 11, 2008 18:24 EST
The condition of the pygmy killer whales brought to Mote’s Dolphin and Whale Hospital on June 16 after stranding near Boca Grande continues to improve, though both are still considered to be in critical condition. One of the whales, nicknamed...

Researchers: Tilapia Contains Potentially Dangerous Fatty Acid Combination; 'Exaggerated Inflammatory Response'
Winston-Salem, North Carolina - Jul 10, 2008 20:59 EST
Farm-raised tilapia, one of the most highly consumed fish in America, has very low levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and, perhaps worse, very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of...

Study: 1/3 Of Reef-building Corals Face Extinction; 'This Can Lead To The Collapse Of Entire Ecosystems'
Arlington, Virginia - Jul 10, 2008 20:06 EST
A third of reef-building corals around the world are threatened with extinction, according to the first-ever comprehensive global assessment to determine their conservation status. The study findings were published today by Science Express. Leading coral experts joined forces with the...

New Fossil Tells Twisted Tale Of How Flatfishes Ended Up With Two Eyes On One Side Of Head
Chicago, Illinois - Jul 9, 2008 19:59 EST
A newly identified fossil and the reinterpretation of previously known fossils, all from Europe and about 50 million years old, fill in a "missing link" in the evolution of flatfishes and explain one of nature's most extraordinary phenomena. All living...

NASA Mission To Be Crystal Ball Into Oceans' Future, Mirror To The Past; 'It's The Motion Of The Ocean'
Washington, D.C. - Jul 8, 2008 19:53 EST
Imagine the lives that could be saved from flash floods and drought, the millions of dollars in fuel costs that could be avoided for fishing vessels, and the homes that could be spared from the effects of coastline erosion if...

Scientists Discover New Reefs Teeming With Marine Life In Brazil; Reef Structure Supports An 'Abundance Of Fish'
Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Jul 8, 2008 19:22 EST
Scientists announced today the discovery of reef structures they believe doubles the size of the Southern Atlantic Ocean's largest and richest reef system, the Abrolhos Bank, off the southern coast of Brazil's Bahia state. The newly discovered area is also...

NOAA And Partners To Explore German Subs Sunk Off North Carolina During World War II
Washington, D.C. - Jul 7, 2008 21:11 EST
NOAA will lead a research expedition July 7-26 to study the wrecks of three German submarines sunk by U.S. forces in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic. “This expedition is the first part of...

NOAA: Half Of U.S. Coral Reefs In 'Poor' Or 'Fair' Condition; 'We Need To Redouble Our Efforts'
Washington, D.C. - Jul 7, 2008 20:44 EST
Nearly half of U.S. coral reef ecosystems are considered to be in "poor" or "fair" condition according to a new NOAA analysis of the health of coral reefs under U.S. jurisdiction. The report issued July 7, The State of Coral Reef...