Shucking Oysters, Biloxi, Miss.

How Oysters Became a Food Fad Way out West

Oysters in Wyoming and Arizona? In the nineteenth century? Yes, and mighty tasty too!
Finistère by Rhona Haszard, 1926

What Happens When Rising Seas Shift Maritime Borders?

Some countries argue that they should keep their ocean territories, even if the land they're based on is submerged.
Bathymetrical Chart of the Oceans showing the Deeps According to Sir John Murray, 1912

Wait, There’s Noise Pollution at the Bottom of the Ocean?

Anthropogenic sounds have made it all the way down into the deepest place on Earth—Challenger Deep, in the Mariana Trench.
From a movie ad for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, 1917

The Shark-Fighting Brothers behind 20,000 Leagues under the Sea

In 1916, the Williamson brothers used their father's underwater photography device to film a fight with a shark, piquing Universal Pictures' interest.
A school of fish beside a coral reef

Beware Marine Heatwaves

Marine heatwaves are becoming stronger and more common as the climate warms.
Dolphins in captivity

The Ethics of Research on Captive Dolphins

Researchers say that dolphins are so smart that captivity causes them psychological harm. But getting data in the open ocean can be tricky.
A pair of humpback whales

The Cultural Differences in Humpback Whale Songs

One group of researchers found distinct differences among songs from groups of humpback whales that are geographically isolated from each other.
A schematic of manganese nodules mining on the deep sea floor.

The Potential Pros and Cons of Seabed Mining

Concentrations of iron manganese nuggets and other metals in the deep seabed have stirred up interest in mining. But at what cost?
A giant squid

Why Deep-Sea Creatures Get Weirdly Giant

A giant squid sighting has us wondering all over again: how on earth do deep-sea creatures get so large?
A carnival cruise ship

The High Environmental Costs of Cruise Ships

Cruise ships pose many environmental concerns, from waste disposal to toxic paint to the creation of noise that can harm marine life.