Understanding how “marine snow” acts as a carbon sink news.mit.edu/2026/underst...
A new study finds hitchhiking bacteria dissolve essential ballast in ubiquitous “snow” particles, which could counteract the ocean’s ability to sequester carbon.
Throwback to one of the most alluring deep-sea fish we’ve ever seen 🤩🎣
Back in 2004, our team of midwater biologists was exploring the midnight zone with a remotely operated vehicle when they happened upon a rarely seen dreamer anglerfish (Oneirodes sp.). Watch here: youtu.be/tHQpaOQEqbI
We'd rather be floating 〰️
This bobtail snipe eel (Cyema atrum) was spotted at 1,941 meters (6,369 feet) in Monterey Bay. Snipe eels in the family Nemichthyidae have thin, tweezer-like jaws that bend outwards. Their tiny, backward-facing teeth work almost like velcro to capture small prey.
Scientific Shot of a Peacock mantis shrimp eyes which are the most advanced in the animal world. Photo by Daniel Sasse.
the mantis shrimp has 16 types of color receptors.
humans have 3.
we see roughly 10 million colors and think that's impressive.
the mantis shrimp is sitting there processing a visual reality so hyperchromatic that scientists genuinely aren't sure what it's like to be one.
#addOcean
Earth is now heating up twice as fast as in previous decades | New Scientist
www.newscientist.com/article/2518...
Student summer field course on Santa Rosa Island! The 2026 Island Experience is an immersive 10-day field course open to all majors. Room, board, and travel costs are free for students. Don't miss out on this interdisciplinary opportunity—the deadline to apply is March 8. www.islexp.org
A Dutch lock is closed for the spring, and its employees want you to tell them when migrating fish come knocking by ringing a digital doorbell
Maine's catch of lobsters has declined for the fourth straight year as the industry continued to grapple with soaring business costs, inflation and a changing ocean.
This is a marvelous change not only for the Humpback whale 🐋 population but for all of us. We need to keep our gentle giants from going extinct.
Fifty years after New Zealand stopped whaling, humpback population showing signs of recovery | RNZ News share.google/X1HB3JFgaePK...
HELLO
🚨 Friendly reminder: TODAY is the deadline to apply for our mini-grant! 🚨
If you’ve been thinking about it, this is your sign to hit submit. 💻✨ Don’t miss the chance to receive funding to support your conference travel!
NOAA seeks information to support improvements to vessel speed regulations
Public encouraged to submit comments:
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
#RightWhales
via noaa.gov fisheries.noaa.gov
We’re proud to highlight the Seafood Watch Best Choice Restaurant program!
Best Choice restaurants source seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean ✅
Help make the best choice for our ocean and learn more about Best Choice restaurants:
mbayaq.co/4uayXUT
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning to widen the shipping channel leading into Port Everglades, blasting through a coral reef and dredging up sediment that could smother acres of coral, federal scientists say. https://wapo.st/4r7kRAU
A mother-daughter team just discovered the largest coral colony ever recorded! 🌊
Located on the Great Barrier Reef, it’s about the length of a soccer field. Discoveries like this remind us why protecting ocean habitats and biodiversity is urgent. https://cnn.it/4ufZVuD
Recommended reading: The Ocean as System – Overcoming policy fragmentation in the fight against ocean acidification.
An essay from the Back to Blue Initiative on ocean policy and why ocean and planetary stewardship matters:
backtoblueinitiative.com/the-ocean-as...
📍Coastal Access Spotlight: North Solimar Beach in Ventura County
Thanks to the California Coastal Commission and the Coastal Act for ensuring that all of these public accessways are free and open every day of the year.
#thankyoucoastalact
#coastalaccess
🍽️ Are we tuned into what's on our plates? 🐟 Scientists at @ucsandiego.bsky.social —including Scripps Oceanography marine biogeochemist Amina Schartup—are tackling mercury toxicity, hidden parasites and food web challenges that affect both ocean life and human health.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act, access is about more than reaching the shore. It is about belonging, stewardship, and shared benefits for all Californians.
🔗 Read more: bit.ly/OPC-FORALL
Spotted: Adorable baby deep-sea squid! 🥰
During a recent scientific cruise aboard MBARI’s R/V Rachel Carson, biologists from our education and conservation partner, @montereybayaquarium.org, encountered a baby glass squid bobbing along in the water column: www.mbari.org/news/mbari-d...
A super important question in my view: which type of CHOCOLATE 🍫 has the lowest climate impact? 😉
www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2026/02/whic...
Important assessment of chronic (long-term) and acute (heat-wave) impacts of ocean warming on fish biomass. TL;DR: long-term warming results in pretty big declines, and heatwaves cause abrupt shifts. #MarineLife 🦑🌊 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🔨🦈 #MarineLife 🦑🐡
A vibrant color photograph of renowned American marine biologist and ichthyologist Eugenie Clark, known as the "Shark Lady," captured in her element during a dive or research expedition. She is wearing a large diving mask pushed up on her forehead, snorkel attached, and a wetsuit or dive gear. She smiles broadly and joyfully while partially submerged in clear ocean water, surrounded by bubbles, with her face lit by sunlight reflecting off the surface. A large white buoy or float and underwater scenery are visible in the background, conveying her lifelong passion for studying sharks and marine life, her pioneering work in shark behavior, and her role as one of the first prominent female scientists in oceanography.
An underwater photograph of a bull shark swimming gracefully in deep blue ocean waters, captured from a slightly below and side angle. The shark has a robust, heavy-set body with a blunt snout, small black eyes, and a grayish-brown upper body fading to a lighter underside. Its dorsal fin is prominent, pectoral fins are broad, and several remora fish cling to its back near the tail. Sunlight filters from above, creating beams and highlights on the shark's skin as it glides with an open mouth revealing rows of sharp teeth, evoking the powerful yet often misunderstood nature of this coastal species known for its adaptability and occasional aggression toward humans.
Ichthyologist Eugenie Clark, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺, died #OTD in 2015. A pioneer in scuba diving for research purposes, she proved sharks are capable of learning and was a world authority on Tetraodontiformes. She founded Mote Marine Lab and used her fame to drive global marine conservation. #WomenInSTEM
The Western Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing rapid warming due to climate change. MBARI researchers led an expedition with an international team of collaborators to study how a warming climate may be affecting seafloor processes in this remote region.
Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/mbari-l...
STUNNING: An image of a humpback whale mother and calf is making headlines after winning top prize at the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards.
The image beautifully captures the close bond between humpback whale mothers and their young. https://bit.ly/4s1uphU 💙
#HumpbackWhaleAwarenessMonth
READ: Global warming is not just changing the air temperature; it’s reorganizing coastal ecosystems.
Around the world, fishers, from Amazonian coastlines to Arctic outposts, are witnessing the ocean change beneath them. What does this mean for the future? https://oceana.ly/4kTohWA
🚨Deadline Extended! We’re still #hiring up to 15 positions for the CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellowship! You now have until March 10.
Start (or finish) your application today: ccst.us/ccst-science...
#scipol #phd #phdjobs #sciencejobs #stemjobs #sciencepolicy
Overhead shot of a person running down the beach “Since 2019, the California Coastal Commission has been embedding Environmental Justice into its decisions—ensuring all communities have a voice in shaping the future of our coast.”
Two images split by paper tear effect. One depicts an aerial shot of farmland along the coast off highway 1 and the other is an aerial shot of the port of Long Beach and Los Angeles. “Taking an environmental justice approach to coastal policy means rethinking of who is connected to the coast and how. It's about equity, access, and inclusion for every community.”
Since 2019, the California Coastal Commission has embedded Environmental Justice into every decision—ensuring all voices count.
#ExcitingNews: Austria has designated a new #RamsarSite that is part of a cross-border national park with Czechia. Characterized by a diverse ecology, Transboundary Ramsar Site Podyjí – Thayatal National Park, Part Austria includes a lake and a swamp forest.
www.ramsar.org/news/austria...
