Pacific

Corals in Palau did not suffer mass bleaching during the 2017 marine heatwave despite levels of heat stress and light intensity that were broadly equivalent to the conditions that led to mass bleaching in 1998 and 2010 at the same reefs.

Pacific coral reef shows increase in climate resistance

The ability of coral reefs to adapt to changing ocean temperatures is a pressing question in marine biology.  

Coral reefs are currently experiencing significant declines. These declines are primarily due to marine heatwaves, which lead to widespread coral bleaching and mortality. Understanding how coral communities can adapt to increasingly severe and frequent marine heatwaves is crucial for their survival in the face of climate change.

Rui Matsumoto taking an ultrasound reading on a whale shark. Photo by Simon Pierce
Rui Matsumoto taking an ultrasound reading on a whale shark. Photo by Dr Simon Pierce

Studying wild whale sharks in the Galapagos with underwater ultrasound and blood sampling

(VIDEO: Researcher Al Dove collecting a blood sample. Video by Dr Simon Pierce)

DS: What were some of the challenges encountered when doing underwater ultrasounds? How did the team overcome them?

Lifou in New Caledonia

Lifou's Kiki Beach, as seen from the cliffs, Lifou, New Caledonia
Lifou's Kiki Beach, as seen from the cliffs, Lifou, New Caledonia

Stretching over 500km, the Loyalty Islands of New Caledonia in Melanesia are a tropical oasis in the Pacific. It is here that one can experience the beautiful underwater world of Lifou, home to a diverse array of marine life. Pierre Constant shares his adventure there.

Galápagos Islands

Sunbathing marine lizard, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Sunbathing marine lizard, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

An enchanting and ecologically unique place, immortalized by Charles Darwin’s seminal work on evolutionary biology in 1859, the Galápagos Islands hold a revered spot as one of the truly magical locations of the world. During pandemic times, when stillness and quiet replaced the cacophony of tourists, it seemed even more captivating. Brandi Mueller reports.

The USS Johnston off Seattle, Washington (USA), on 27 October 1943

USS Johnston, world's deepest known wreck, identified

The 115m-long US Navy destroyer is widely known for her bold action in the Battle off Samar, the Philippines.  The actions of the relatively lightly armed Johnston—sunk after a fierce battle with a large fleet of Japanese warships—helped stop the Japanese Admiral Kurita's Center Force from attacking vulnerable U.S.

Reef fish called Chromis viridis (blue-green chromis) and Chromis margaritifer (bicolor chromis) swim among the staghorn coral (Acropora acuminata) at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific.

World’s Largest Marine Protected Area Designated by President Obama

President Obama announced today that he’s creating the world’s largest marine protected area.

The proclamation — which Secretary of State John F. Kerry announced during an oceans meeting he convened in New York on Thursday — will mean added protections for deep-sea coral reefs and other marine ecosystems that administration officials say are among “the most vulnerable” to the negative effects of climate change.