X-Ray Mag #139

Stricter enforcement of cabin baggage limits and battery rules is creating new challenges for travellers carrying underwater photography equipment.

New marine protected areas in French Polynesia, Chile, Greece and New Zealand highlight growing global momentum toward safeguarding ocean ecosystems.

Research revisiting mirror experiments with cleaner wrasse addresses earlier criticisms and strengthens evidence that these reef fish may recognise their own reflection.

Researchers have documented what may be a rare case of cooperative hunting between killer whales and dolphins, suggesting the two marine predators may sometimes work together to catch salmon.

New research suggests killer whales may listen to dolphin echolocation clicks to locate prey, revealing an unexpected acoustic interaction between two of the ocean’s most sophisticated marine mammals.

Authorities in southwest England are stepping up efforts to combat heritage crime at sea, introducing new guidance and enforcement coordination aimed at protecting historic shipwreck sites from looting and damage.

A proposed amendment in the UK Armed Forces Bill 2026 could extend legal protection to vessels lost in military service, potentially affecting how divers explore many historic wreck sites in British waters.

A 14th-century shipwreck discovered in Singapore waters carried tonnes of Chinese ceramics, offering rare archaeological evidence that the port of Temasek was already a thriving maritime hub centuries before colonial times.

Hollis has issued a formal Stop Use / Stop Sale notice for certain 200LX second-stage regulators, advising divers to remove affected units from service immediately due to a potential safety risk.

At the bottom of the ocean, where sunlight never reaches and pressures would crush a submarine like a tin can, volcanoes blaze and chemicals gush from cracks in the seafloor. It is here, amid utter darkness and crushing cold, that some of the most bizarre and unlikely life forms found on our planet thrive. These places—called hydrothermal vents—are more than just alien oases of life. They may also hold the answer to one of the greatest questions ever asked: Where and how did life begin?

Images and survey data confirm the wreck of SS Lac La Belle, a 19th-century passenger and cargo steamer that sank in 1872 during a storm on Lake Michigan.

Sponges are the oldest animals on our planet, yet they thrive without brains. A sponge silently stuck to the reef blends perfectly into its environment, so that divers often pass it without a second glance. And yet, beneath that still surface, a sponge is astonishingly busy.

After six years of tracking tiger sharks around Hawaii, scientists have identified what appears to be the first known group mating site for the species. The discovery could transform how we understand tiger shark life cycles—and how we protect them.

Among waving seagrass and drifting algae, tiny dragons glide in silence. Seahorses and pipefish move through their world like living calligraphy—slender, delicate, and almost invisible. Their lives unfold quietly, in gestures, colours, and whispers too soft for human ears. Yet, within this miniature world lies one of the ocean’s most mysterious forms of communication.

Landmark decisions expanded international trade controls for more than 70 threatened species of sharks and rays.