Oceans

Oceans

Director’s exploration of the abyss goes deeper than Hollywood glitz

Oceans

Synthetic lint ends up in oceans

Microplastics from clothes and other consumer products evade sewage treatment and end up on beaches, studies find.

Earth

Simulation tracks ocean’s missing heat

Climate scientists suggest energy is buried deep undersea or released to space.

Animals

Lionfish no match for big groupers

Despite its invasive success, the lionfish can't withstand grouper appetites.

Microbes

Gulf floor fouled by bacterial oil feast

Observations may explain the widespread mortality of sediment-dwelling animals.

Science & Society

Methane from BP spill goes missing

Latest sampling suggests either that microbes have already devoured the most abundant hydrocarbon produced by the leak — or that researchers have simply lost track of it.

Environment

Gases dominate Gulf’s subsea plumes

Shipboard experiments in June show that natural gas dominates the Gulf oil plumes and that its components are the favorite choice of microbes.

Science & Society

Placement of marine reserves is key

A study finds that focusing on the heaviest-fished areas can help meet conservation goals.

Oceans

Death by magma

Widespread extinctions in the world’s oceans millions of years ago may have been triggered by massive underwater volcanic eruptions that created much of the Caribbean seafloor.