Not all underwater reefs are made of coral − the US has created artificial reefs from sunken ships, radio towers, boxcars and even voting machines

Artificial reefs are structures that humans put in place underwater that create habitat for sea life. A new study shows for the first time how much of the US ocean floor they cover.

D'amy Steward, Master's Student in Biology, University of Guam • conversation
Jan. 18, 2024 • ~9 min

Shipwrecks teem with underwater life, from microbes to sharks

When ships sink, they add artificial structures to the seafloor that can quickly become diverse, ecologically important underwater communities.

Avery Paxton, Research Marine Biologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration • conversation
Dec. 19, 2023 • ~9 min

AI spots shipwrecks from the ocean surface – and even from the air

It's difficult to tell a shipwreck from a natural feature on the ocean floor in a scan taken from a plane or ship. This project used deep learning to get it right 92% of the time.

Leila Character, Doctoral student in Geography, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts • conversation
July 22, 2021 • ~4 min

Explorer Robert Ballard's memoir finds shipwrecks and strange life forms in the ocean's darkest reaches

Oceanographer Robert D. Ballard, who is best known for finding the wreck of Titanic, has written a memoir recounting his biggest discoveries and calling for more ocean exploration.

Suzanne OConnell, Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University • conversation
June 22, 2021 • ~10 min

Titanic salvage: recovering the ship's radio could signal a disaster for underwater cultural heritage

A recent ruling allowing a new expedition to the Titanic wreck gives the go ahead to commercial exploitation.

Fraser Sturt, Professor of Archaeology, University of Southampton • conversation
June 9, 2020 • ~7 min

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