Ashley Marranzino
Ocean Tech: Using Robots to Conduct Deep-Sea Research
The deep sea is the largest habitat on Earth, but with freezing water and high pressures it is difficult for scientists to study this ecosystem. With the help of technological advances over the past decades, it is becoming easier to unveil some of the mysteries of the deep. Read on to find out how.
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: Using an Invisibility Cloak for Deep-Sea Camouflage
You may not have to go to Hogwarts to find an invisibility cloak of your own. Although, the trip to this extreme environment full of transparent crustaceans may be just as tricky to get to. Read more to find out how hyperiid amphipods are able to make themselves invisible!
Manmade Pollutants Plague Deep-sea Organsims
Scientists have found an alarming accumulation of certain persistent organic pollutants in an environment previously thought pristine and untouched by humans: the deep sea.
Heroic Humpbacks: Orcastrate an Escape
While watching a pod of killer whales attacking their prey, scientists noticed a small group of humpback whales come to the rescue. Why did these humpbacks risk their own safety to save another animal? Read more about how scientists are investigating this question.
Exciting strides for eDNA: Insights into whale shark population genetics
In the past few decades scientists have found new and exciting ways to use DNA to answer scientific questions. There is now a new technique that could further revolutionize DNA analysis by using tiny pieces of tissue floating around in the ocean. Read more about how scientists are using this technique to answer questions about whale sharks.
The Rebirth of the “Mighty-I”
Happy Halloween! This is the true, spooky tale of life, death, and rebirth beneath the waves. To end off OceanBites’ haunting Halloween theme week, read the story of USS Independence – an aircraft carrier that participated in atomic bomb trials at Bikini Atoll.
The Manta in the Mirror: Are Manta Rays Self-Aware?
Fish are not typically thought of as the most intelligent animals. Yet, new research on manta rays may revolutionize the way we think about how some fish grasp difficult concepts like self-awareness. Read on to see how.
Ocean Exploration aboard the E/V Nautilus
I am fresh off a month-long stay aboard the Corps of Exploration vessel the E/V Nautilus. Read more to learn about the incredible exploration and research conducted aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus
Shark (and fish, reptiles, and amphibians) Week for Scientists II: Notes from the Joint Meeting of Ichthyology and Herpetology 2016
As Shark Week drew to an end, the scientist that study sharks, fish, amphibians and reptiles joined together to discuss their scientific research with one another at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Here are some of the highlights!
Earth Week: Overview on Overfishing
We rely heavily on the oceans as a source of food. Unfortunately, fish populations have declined by over 50 percent over the past several decades. This can spell disaster for us and ocean ecosystems. Read on for to find out more about how we are impacting the oceans through overfishing.
The Mystery of the Virgin Birth
A female eagle ray gives birth to two female pups. But she has been housed in a tank without any sexually mature males. Is it a miracle or is there some logical explanation?
Sea of Love: Hermaphroditic fishes
Finding a date on Valentine’s Day can be hard! Whether you are single or in a relationship, we are trying to make your week a little brighter by sharing some tales of romance from the ocean. Today we will look at the answer some fishes have found for not being able to find a suitable date: they just change their gender!
Oceanbites at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology: Part II
This year’s annual meeting for the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology brought together over 2000 scientists to share their research. With a slew of exciting topics ranging everywhere from ecology to biomechanics, there were plenty of talks worth reporting. But, for the second post on SICB, I will share my most memorable marine talks.
How to See Through a Shell
You may never have heard of this funny little ocean creature, but the chiton is pretty incredible. Why? It has hundreds of remarkable little eyes! Read how materials scientists are using this odd ocean animal as a model for building better materials.
Halloween Edition: Creepy Ocean Critters
For this special Halloween edition of OceanBites we are going to explore the creepy creatures that inhabit our ocean. Get ready to learn about some weird, wonderful, and spooky animals. Happy Halloween!
Colorful adaptations: the use of fluorescence as a lure
When viewed under the right filter, the world can look like one big black light party. A large variety of organisms – everything from plants to penguins – are fluorescent. But what is the purpose of glowing when exposed to certain lights? Researchers tested one hypothesis: these fluorescent organisms may be luring in unsuspecting prey.
Science at Sea
There are many steps in the scientific process before a paper is actually published and results are shared with the public. One of the first steps in this process is collecting samples. For a lot of the research discussed here at oceanbites.org, scientists must go out to sea on a research cruise to conduct their science and get those precious samples. Read on for an inside look into how some of this science is actually done at sea!
Shark Week for Scientists
Shark, fish, and reptile scientists joined together to share their research at the 2015 Joint Meeting for Ichthyologists and Herpetologists last week. Here are some of the interesting talks I was able to see.
Seeing with skin: the secret to octopus camouflage
Capable of blending into the environment in a matter of seconds, the octopus in no normal sea creature. But just how is the octopus able to disguise itself so flawlessly? Researchers reveal that these cephalopods may be able to “see” with their skin!
The first evidence of a warm blooded fish
Fish are cold blooded, right? Their body temperature is regulated by the temperature of the surrounding water. Well, this may not be the case for all fish. New evidence suggests a species of fish, the opah, is warm blooded! This is the first evidence of full body endothermy in fishes, making this fish kind of a big deal
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