Genetics
The Gene That Stings You
Scientists from Cornell University demonstrate that a single genetic on/off switch controls the emergence of stinging cells in Cnidarians.
Author: Amanda Semler
I'm a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes in deep ocean sediments produce and consume greenhouse gases. I'm a native of the landlocked state of Minnesota, so I've always been fascinated by the ocean. When I'm not in the lab, I love to race triathlons, forward “The Onion” articles to friends and family, and hike with my hound dog Banjo.
Climate Change
Tying Prehistoric Climate Change to Oceanic Methane
Scientists from Texas A&M use preserved microbial lipids to tie prehistoric climate change to widespread oceanic methane release.
Fisheries
A Worrisome Species Shift in the Humboldt Current
By examining ancient fish bones buried in sediments, researchers caution about a potential collapse of anchovy fisheries.
Chemistry
A New Way to Make Hydrocarbons
Marine scientists used isotopic fingerprinting techniques to discover a new way that the hydrocarbons in oil and gas are formed.
Microbiology
First Report of Biologically Produced Elemental Carbon
Deep-sea microorganisms have been found to produce elemental carbon, although the biological reason remains unknown.
Microbiology
Sea Ice Diversifies Antarctic Phytoplankton
A new study finds that communities of phytoplankton become less diverse and export less carbon as sea ice melts.
Microbiology
Oxygen Tied up in Tides
A new study connects ocean tides with the oxygenation of our atmosphere.
Coral
Eat Your Probiotics
A new study shows that an introduction of beneficial bacteria may help corals survive marine heatwaves.
Ecology
Unicellular Predators Feast at Hydrothermal Vents
Hydrothermal vent fluids support an intriguing food web, and unicellular protistan predators play an outsized role.
Microbiology
Under Pressure: Novel Experiments in Microbiology on the Seafloor
Evaluating the effect of pressure on marine microorganisms is notoriously difficult. New research attempts to overcome this challenge by comparing…
Microbiology
Enormous Source and Sink of Hydrocarbons Discovered in the Ocean
A team of scientists just discovered an enormous new source of hydrocarbons to the ocean: cyanobacteria. But what does their…
Physical oceanography
Where Does Arctic Ice Melt Go?
Water in the Arctic Ocean is getting fresher as polar sea ice melts. But that fresher water doesn’t stay in…
Microbiology
Living Fossils Hidden in Plain Sight
Around 2.4 billion years ago, the emergence of cyanobacteria multiplied oxygen concentrations in our atmosphere by almost a million, and…
Chemistry
Lunar Power Over Methane Emissions
Solid methane hydrates in the Arctic Ocean are slowly leaking methane into the atmosphere, and a team of scientists has…
Microbiology
Antarctic Sea Ice Feeds Microbes with a Surprising Ability
By sampling seawater around Antarctica, a Japanese research team has discovered microorganisms that can transform nitrogen gas into more biologically…
Climate Change
Fossilized Deep-Sea Corals Reveal Ancient Ocean Circulation Patterns
An increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations helped end the last ice age. But what caused the carbon dioxide increase…
Coral
Artificial Upwelling Saves Corals from Bleaching
Coral reefs are under threat due to a warming climate. Learn about a technologically-savvy new way to counteract the effects…
Climate Change
So You Thought the Heatwave was Over?
Satellites that measure sea surface temperature have demonstrated that marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent, longer, and more intense as…
Microbiology
Life at One Hundred Million Years Old
A team of scientists traveled to the South Pacific Gyre and discovered 100 million year old, energy-starved microorganisms hidden below…
Geology
Undersea Volcanoes Explode Dramatically
Under the incredible pressures of the deep sea, how do volcanoes erupt? And how do these eruptions affect the marine…