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OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS
Lauren Sanchez’s journey from a teenage job at a New Mexico waterpark to luxury expeditions across world’s oceans comes into focus nearly four decades later, as her latest Galápagos trip draws attentionLauren Sanchez's career evolved from a teenage waterpark job to marine conservation leadership. She now champions ocean protection as Vice ...- A tiny Yemeni island, Socotra’s strange dragon’s blood trees harvest moisture from fog to survive extreme aridity; 90% of its reptiles and 95% of its land snails are found nowhere else, creating an ecosystem unlike any otherSocotra island boasts unique plants and animals that evolved in isolation. Its dragon's blood trees and cucumber trees store water and have...
- In 2017, USGS and MIT researchers dated a magma pulse to 251.9 million years ago. 9 years later, it links to Earth's worst extinctionEarth faced its worst extinction event around 252 million years ago. Volcanic activity in the Siberian Traps is the leading explanation for...
- In 1988, scientists began quantifying the ocean's global productivity. 38 years later, microscopic phytoplankton produce roughly 50% of Earth's oxygenScientists began measuring the ocean’s global productivity in 1988, revealing a hidden force behind Earth’s oxygen cycle. Nearly four decad...
- In 2025, Miami sank 22 concrete cars beneath the Atlantic; what looks like an underwater traffic jam is actually a giant artificial reef for 2,200 coralsBeneath the waves off Miami Beach, a striking collection of 22 concrete cars lies submerged, serving as artificial reefs that support coral...
- In 2006, volunteers lowered a stripped Boeing 737 into the Pacific; 20 years later, the jet has become a cold-water artificial reefA retired Boeing 737 now rests on the seafloor off Vancouver Island. This aircraft was transformed into an artificial reef by Canada. The X...
- In 1942, the tanker SS Gulfoil was torpedoed in the Gulf of Mexico; nearly 70 years later, NOAA found its wreck covered in Lophelia coralThe SS Gulfoil, a World War II tanker, has transformed into a stunning coral reef over the years. After resting on the seabed for decades, ...
- In a 2026 study, scientists found enough lithium and magnesium in just 0.1% of the ocean to last 50,000 years. Now, an Olympic pool of seawater exposes the huge gap between abundance and accessibilityScientists are exploring the ocean as a potential source of critical minerals needed for batteries, electronics, vehicles, and clean-energy...
- In 2017, billionaire couple gave $165 million to save 24,000 acres of California coastline. It was the biggest donation in the history of Nature ConservancyIn 2017, technology billionaires Jack and Laura Dangermond donated $165 million to The Nature Conservancy to help protect 24,364 acres of C...
- In 2023, the JOIDES Resolution drilled 4,160 feet beneath the Atlantic seafloor at Atlantis Massif. 3 years later, scientists found water carrying a 572°F chemical memory, revealing a possible pathway feeding Lost City’s deep-sea ecosystemThe discovery beneath Atlantis Massif reveals how Earth’s geology, water and deep-sea life are interconnected. The 4,160-foot drilling oper...
- In 2014, Maine began developing a fish elevator to carry American shad past Milford Dam. 12 years later, the system could reopen 600 miles of river habitat to a fish whose migration has been blocked for decadesA Maine fish elevator could reopen 600 miles of river habitat for alewives, giving a small fish a much bigger chance to return upstream. Th...
- In June 2026, El Niño weakened Pacific trade winds, shutting down nutrient-rich upwelling; satellites then watched phytoplankton decline, threatening anchovies and seabirds as the ocean food chain began to unravelEl Niño has returned to the Pacific Ocean in June 2026, impacting marine ecosystems. Weakened trade winds are reducing nutrient upwelling, ...
- In 2021, Cyprus submerged 93 sculptures to create an underwater forest; concrete trees rise from the seabed at different depthsAn underwater sculpture park in Cyprus offers a unique habitat for marine life. This art installation, MUSAN, features concrete figures and...
- In 2023, Georgia sank two retired Atlanta commuter trains; seven months later, divers found corals, fish, and other marine life colonizing the railcarsRetired MARTA train cars were sunk off Georgia's coast to create new reefs. Divers found marine life and coral growth on the cars within se...
- In 2019, Jordan sank 19 military machines in the Red Sea, turning retired tanks, cannons, an ambulance, and a combat helicopter into an underwater museum and artificial reefJordan's Aqaba hosts a unique underwater military museum featuring decommissioned vehicles. These sunken machines now serve as artificial r...
- In 1985, the first invasive lionfish spotted off Florida after aquarium release; in three decades, they spread from Gulf of Mexico to the southern CaribbeanThe invasive lionfish, first introduced in the 1980s, has quickly proliferated across the Western Atlantic, extending its reach from Florid...
- A dried lakebed in Africa's Chad sends 27.7 million tonnes of dust across 5,000 km of Atlantic Ocean each year, carrying phosphorus that helps sustain the Amazon rainforestThe Amazon rainforest has a surprising lifeline. Each year, about 27.7 million tonnes of Sahara dust travel nearly 5,000 kilometres from Ch...
- Quote of the day by Rachel Carson: 'Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never...' - American marine biologist's insightful take on on nature, happiness and inner peaceQuote of the day by Rachel Carson: Renowned for her contributions as a marine biologist and conservation advocate, Rachel Carson emphasized...
- Marine heatwaves a growing threat to physical, mental health of humans: ResearchersMarine heatwaves are having a growing impact on human health in multiple ways. These extreme temperatures can exacerbate storms and raise c...
- Beaches used swarms of rice-sized sand piranhas as nature's cleanup crew to consume dead and decaying matter; the result transformed organic waste into nutrients that return to the ecosystem and support coastal lifeSand piranhas, scientifically known as Excirolana chiltoni, are tiny marine isopods that inhabit sandy intertidal areas along Pacific coast...
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