Some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host.
To better understand how corals improved their tolerance to heat stress, the researchers at the University of Miami examined more than 40 years of coral reef-monitoring data from Panama, one of the longest datasets of its kind in the world.
Observations using the newly upgraded human-occupied vehicle Alvin are the first of a deep-sea coral reef in the Galápagos Marine Reserve. The reef, found at 400-600 meters (1,310-1,970 feet) depth at the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, supports a breathtaking mix of deep marine life, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution writes.
The sunflower sea star was once a common sight along North America's Pacific coast. Although it is now an endangered species, scientists are hailing it as a potential saviour of the region's threatened kelp forests.
Recent research reveals its crucial role in controlling the population of kelp-eating urchins, thus offering a glimmer of hope for these vital marine ecosystems.
Paying tourists can take trips in small submarines to see the sunken wreck of the Titanic.
According to BBC, OceanGate Expeditions, a private company that organises deep sea expeditions, confirmed in a statement that it owned the missing submersible and people were on board.
