Tag

Marine Biology

All articles tagged with #marine biology

science1 hour ago•6 min saved

Sea Cucumber Tissue Survives Years in Microbial Seawater, Challenging Regeneration Models

Researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences reported that detached tissue from the cold-water sea cucumber Psolus fabricii remained viable and grew for over three years in natural, microbe-rich seawater. Published in Science Advances, the study found that these explants absorbed amino acids directly from the water to fuel healing and cell differentiation, bypassing the need for sterile, axenic laboratory conditions. This discovery suggests a new model for biological resilience and offers a potential low-cost, invertebrate alternative to traditional human cell lines for biomedical research.

via SciTechDaily|

#cell-biology #marine-biology #regenerative-biology

science1 day ago•2 min saved

Deep-Sea Swallower Fish Captured Swallowing Prey Ten Times Its Mass

Scientists captured rare footage of a black swallower fish near Trinidad and Tobago at 1,259 meters depth, showing the small creature swimming with a stomach distended by prey up to ten times its own mass. The fish, which typically measures 10-20 centimeters, possesses a dislocating jaw and balloon-like stomach to consume large meals in food-scarce deep-sea environments. While the footage confirms the extreme distension, the specific prey remains unidentified due to the lack of underwater scanning technology.

via ScienceAlert|

#chiasmodon-niger #deep-sea #marine-biology

science3 days ago•16 min saved

Decades-old mislabeling ends as student identifies new giant isopod species in German collection

A 32.2-centimeter giant isopod specimen, misidentified for over 30 years, has been formally described as a new species, Bathynomus tuebingoborikensis, by researchers at the University of Tübingen using advanced 3D imaging.

via Gizmodo|

#bathynomus-tuebingoborikensis #marine-biology #micro-ct-imaging

science4 days ago•11 min saved

New Studies Reveal Surprising Animal Behaviors, From Orcas Fleeing Pilot Whales to Elephants Using Name-Like Calls

Recent research highlights unexpected animal capabilities, including orcas avoiding pilot whales, elephants using name-like vocalizations, and bumblebees surviving underwater. These findings challenge previous assumptions about animal intelligence and resilience.

via Listverse|

#ai-translation #animal-behavior #conservation

science5 days ago•2 min saved

Tonga eruption creates 195-square-kilometer pumice raft carrying over 100 species to Australia

An August 2019 underwater volcanic eruption near Tonga generated a massive pumice raft covering 195 square kilometers, larger than Aruba. This floating debris field traveled over 3,000 kilometers to reach Australian waters by April 2020, transporting more than 100 species of marine organisms, including corals and barnacles, across the Pacific Ocean.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#biodiversity #marine-biology #pacific-ocean

science6 days ago•10 min saved

From Bird Flu to Melting Sea Stars: Ten Mass Animal Die-Offs That Defied Explanation

A recent compilation highlights ten historical and ongoing mass animal die-offs that resembled apocalyptic events but stemmed from specific, often unexpected causes. Key examples include the 2010 Beebe, Arkansas incident where fireworks caused thousands of blackbirds to crash, the 2014-2016 'Blob' marine heatwave that starved four million murres, and the 2015 saiga antelope collapse in Kazakhstan triggered by a bacterial outbreak. Other notable events include the 2013 sea star wasting disease, the 2016 Chilean red tide, and the ongoing H5N1 avian influenza panzootic. While some events were linked to toxins, disease, or weather anomalies, others remain partially mysterious, illustrating the complex vulnerabilities of global wildlife populations.

via Listverse|

#avian-influenza #conservation #ecology

science8 days ago•40 min saved

Florida Study Shows PVC Umbrellas Can Reverse Coral Bleaching

A new study from Nova Southeastern University demonstrates that temporary underwater shades can mitigate and reverse coral bleaching caused by heat stress. By blocking 60% of light, these simple structures helped brain corals in the Florida Keys recover color during a severe thermal event, offering a low-cost, scalable protection strategy for vulnerable reefs.

via Good News Network|

#climate-change #coral-reefs #florida-keys

environment8 days ago•1 min saved

Delaware’s Redbird Reef: A 24-Metre-Deep Subway Graveyard Fueling Local Economy

Redbird Reef, located 24 metres off Slaughter Beach, Delaware, is a massive artificial reef constructed from retired New York City subway cars, tanks, and vessels. While it generates $6 million annually for the local economy and supports diverse marine life, experts warn that storms can destroy these structures, turning them into hazardous debris. The site serves as a cautionary tale for the long-term environmental impact of artificial reef projects.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#artificial-reef #delaware #environment

environment8 days ago•15 min saved

Great white sharks shift north to Canada's Atlantic as warming waters boost prey

Great white sharks are increasingly appearing in Canada’s Atlantic waters, driven by warming oceans that have expanded seal populations. While sightings in Nova Scotia have surged, experts note that most sharks are transient visitors rather than permanent residents. Recent non-fatal attacks have prompted caution among divers, though the risk remains low.

via BBC|

#climate-change #environment #great-white-sharks

science9 days ago

UBC Researchers Unveil Two New Sea Spider Species in Salish Sea After Century Gap

University of British Columbia researchers have described two new species of sea spiders in the Salish Sea, marking the first such discovery in the region in nearly a century. The study, published in Organisms Diversity & Evolution, identifies Callipallene pilosuspedes and Tanystylum kiixin among five total species found in shallow waters. These tiny arachnids, which lack abdomens and breathe through their skin, highlight significant gaps in marine biodiversity data and raise concerns about the impact of climate change on undocumented marine invertebrates.

via Nautilus | Science Connected|

#biodiversity #marine-biology #new-species-discovery

science10 days ago•15 min saved

Florida Study Confirms Underwater Shades Reverse Coral Bleaching in Caribbean

Researchers at Nova Southeastern University have demonstrated that simple underwater shading structures can significantly reduce and even reverse coral bleaching in the Caribbean. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the study tested 20 PVC-and-nylon 'umbrellas' over brain coral colonies in the Florida Keys during the second-highest heat stress event on record. The shades cut light exposure by 60%, allowing corals to recover color and avoid mortality, offering a low-cost, temporary mitigation strategy for high-priority reefs while global warming continues.

via Gizmodo|

#climate-change #conservation #coral-reefs

science-and-environment11 days ago•8 min saved

Super El Niño Drives Record Coral Bleaching as Scientists Test Acoustic and Microbial Rescue Tactics

A record-breaking El Niño is intensifying global coral bleaching, with hard coral cover dropping 8.9% in 2024 alone. Researchers are deploying experimental interventions, including underwater soundscapes and probiotics, to aid recovery, though experts warn that sea-level rise may outpace reef growth within 35 years.

via Nature|

#climate-change #coral-reefs #el-nino

science13 days ago•0 min saved

Fossil Teeth in Egyptian Desert Reveal 80-Million-Year-Old Shark Ecosystem

A team led by Cairo University’s Dr. Tarek Yassin identified 14 fossilized shark teeth in Egypt’s Western Desert, confirming the area was once a shallow tropical sea. Published in Cretaceous Research, the findings reveal five distinct species, including an ancient relative of the goblin shark, preserved in phosphate-rich rocks from 70 to 80 million years ago.

via DOGO News|

#cretaceous-period #egypt #fossils

science-tech13 days ago•10 min saved

Giant Clam Shell Decodes 200-Year-Old Climate Diary of the Great Barrier Reef

Researchers reconstructed month-by-month climate conditions at the northern Great Barrier Reef 200 years ago by analyzing the shell of a giant clam (Tridacna gigas). The study, conducted in partnership with Aboriginal communities, reveals that pre-industrial summers were 0.9–1.2°C cooler than today, while winters remained similar. The shell’s geochemical layers provided a detailed record of temperature and rainfall variability, including El Niño and La Niña cycles, offering a rare high-resolution climate archive for the Southern Hemisphere.

via The Conversation|

#climate-science #great-barrier-reef #indigenous-partnership

science15 days ago•1 min saved

Pea Crab Males Risk Life to Mate Inside Mussel Shells

The pea crab, a tiny parasite living inside mussels, exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism where females remain permanently inside the host while males exit to mate. Males possess specialized swimming adaptations and hardened exoskeletons to navigate the open water, despite facing significant risks of injury or death during these excursions. This behavior is driven by the high reproductive payoff, as a single female can produce over 9,000 eggs, with larval stages eventually returning to settle in new mussel hosts.

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#crustaceans #marine-biology #mussels