What a 19th-century atlas teaches me about marine ecosystems

Historical maps and records from across Europe show just how much oyster beds and other marine habitats have changed over the centuries.

Ruth H. Thurstan, Associate Professor in Marine and Historical Ecology, University of Exeter • conversation
June 27, 2025 ~8 min

Marine fungi could help feed the world and fight disease

A culture collection of more than 500 fungal strains from seawater, sediments and seaweeds is helping scientists better understand marine fungi.

Michael Cunliffe, Professor of Marine Microbiology, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth • conversation
June 13, 2025 ~6 min


Trump is stripping protections from marine protected areas – why that’s a problem for fishing’s future, and for whales, corals and other ocean life

America’s marine protected areas help fish populations thrive. Trump’s plan to open them to industrial fishing may ultimately harm the fishing industry itself.

David Shiffman, Faculty Research Associate in Marine Biology, Arizona State University • conversation
April 23, 2025 ~8 min

Deep-sea mining threatens sea life in a way no one is thinking about − by dumping debris into the thriving midwater zone

A planned mining method to gather critical minerals from the seafloor would create sediment plumes higher up in the water column where many creatures live.

Alexus Cazares-Nuesser, Ph.D. Candidate in Biological Oceanography, University of Hawaii • conversation
March 25, 2025 ~10 min

Swimming in the sweet spot: how marine animals save energy on long journeys

New research shows sea turtles, penguins and whales swim at optimal depths to minimise the energetic cost of travel.

Kimberley Stokes, Research Officer in Biosciences, Swansea University • conversation
Jan. 30, 2025 ~5 min

Ocean sediment is a ‘mudtropolis’ – meet the carbon-cycling creatures thriving beneath the seabed

There is a diversity of life within our seabeds, capable of moving mountains of mud and slowing the effects of climate change.

Tara Williams, PhD Candidate, School of Environment, University of Exeter • conversation
Sept. 17, 2024 ~5 min

A toxic chemical was blamed for killing thousands of Teesside crabs – but our study explains why pyridine wasn’t the culprit

Scientists who took part in an independent inquiry that refuted the ‘pyridine hypothesis’ faced widespread criticism and distrust from politicians and the media

Mark Fizsimons, Professor of Environmental Chemistry, University of Plymouth • conversation
Sept. 17, 2024 ~10 min

A toxic chemical was blamed for killing thousands of Teeside crabs – but our study explains why pyridine wasn’t the culprit

Scientists who took part in an independent inquiry that refuted the ‘pyridine hypothesis’ faced widespread criticism and distrust from politicians and the media

Mark Fizsimons, Professor of Environmental Chemistry, University of Plymouth • conversation
Sept. 17, 2024 ~10 min


A toxic chemical was blamed for killing thousands of Teeside crabs – but our latest study explains why pyridine wasn’t to blame

Scientists who took part in an independent inquiry that refuted the ‘pyridine hypothesis’ faced widespread criticism and distrust from politicians and the media

Mark Fizsimons, Professor of Environmental Chemistry, University of Plymouth • conversation
Sept. 17, 2024 ~10 min

Marine art deepens our understanding of the oceans – here’s how it has evolved through the centuries

Marine art is an important form of storytelling. Visual, performance, sculptural and moving image arts have driven the evolution of marine sciences too.

Mia Strand, Ocean Nexus Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University • conversation
Sept. 16, 2024 ~7 min

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