Amanda Semler
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 the results of experiments conducted in a shipboard laboratory with those conducted at the bottom of the seafloor. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes […]
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 hydrocarbon production (and its immediate consumption by other microbes) mean for cleanup after oil spills? Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes in deep ocean […]
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 the Arctic forever. A team of scientists from the University of Washington used global ocean circulation models to find out where the water goes, and what it threatens along the way. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD […]
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 made life as we know it possible. But the specific group of cyanobacteria responsible has never been identified. A team of scientists from UC Boulder have found a promising candidate hidden in plain sight. Amanda […]
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 discovered that the moon may have a small role in this process. But how? Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes in deep ocean sediments […]
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 useful forms of nitrogen. But why do the microbes have this strange ability, and why do they have it here? Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study […]
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 in the first place? A team of scientists used the fossilized skeletons of deep-sea corals to find out. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes […]
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 of these warmer temperatures: Artificial Upwelling systems. Amanda SemlerI’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 […]
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 a result of climate change. But how can ocean temperatures in the future be predicted? And where in the ocean are the heatwaves most likely to occur? Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System […]
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 the seafloor. With a little bit of food (and patience), the team brought these ancient microbes back to life in the laboratory, using carbon isotopes for their detective work. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in […]
Undersea Volcanoes Explode Dramatically
Under the incredible pressures of the deep sea, how do volcanoes erupt? And how do these eruptions affect the marine environment? An international team of scientists simulated pressurized eruptions in the lab, and developed an explosive new theory explaining how they occur. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and […]
Oil and Gas Seeps: Microbial Elevators through Ocean Sediments
Many microorganisms live in ocean sediments – both at the seafloor, as well as in the subsurface hundreds to thousands of meters below. But how do these separate microbial populations interact, and what are the consequences? Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes in deep […]
A Song of Ice and Sea Level Rise
How much ice is really being lost in the polar regions, and what have been the consequences? A team of scientists use NASA satellites to determine ice mass loss in Greenland and Antarctica since 2003, and the resulting sea level rise. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I […]
Superoxide: A Super Sink of Ocean Oxygen
Ever wondered how oxygen gets depleted in the ocean? A new study suggests that a significant fraction is transformed into superoxide – an intriguing molecule that biologists love to hate. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford University, and I study how microbes in deep ocean sediments produce and consume greenhouse […]
A Seasonal “Freeze” on Arctic Methane Release
According to new research from the Arctic University of Norway, current greenhouse gas budgets overestimate the amount of methane released from the Arctic Ocean to the atmosphere. Read on to find out why that’s the case, and why this news is not entirely good. Amanda SemlerI’m a PhD candidate in Earth System Science at Stanford […]
by oceanbites 3 months ago
Happy Earth Day! Take some time today to do something for the planet and appreciate the ocean, which covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. #EarthDay #OceanAppreciation #Oceanbites #CoastalVibes #CoastalRI- by oceanbites 4 months ago
Not all outdoor science is fieldwork. Some of the best days in the lab can be setting up experiments, especially when you get to do it outdoors. It’s an exciting mix of problem solving, precision, preparation, and teamwork. Here is - by oceanbites 5 months ago
Being on a research cruise is a unique experience with the open water, 12-hour working shifts, and close quarters, but there are some familiar practices too. Here Diana is filtering seawater to gather chlorophyll for analysis, the same process on - by oceanbites 6 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on #oceanbites we are featuring Hannah Collins @hannahh_irene Hannah works with marine suspension feeding bivalves and microplastics, investigating whether ingesting microplastics causes changes to the gut microbial community or gut tissues. She hopes to keep working - by oceanbites 7 months ago
Leveling up - did you know that crabs have a larval phase? These are both porcelain crabs, but the one on the right is the earlier stage. It’s massive spine makes it both difficult to eat and quite conspicuous in - by oceanbites 7 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on #Oceanbites we are featuring Cierra Braga. Cierra works ultraviolet c (UVC) to discover how this light can be used to combat biofouling, or the growth of living things, on the hulls of ships. Here, you - by oceanbites 7 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Elena Gadoutsis @haysailor These photos feature her “favorite marine research so far: From surveying tropical coral reefs, photographing dolphins and whales, and growing my own algae to expose it to different - by oceanbites 8 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on Oceanbites we are featuring Eliza Oldach. According to Ellie, “I study coastal communities, and try to understand the policies and decisions and interactions and adaptations that communities use to navigate an ever-changing world. Most of - by oceanbites 8 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Jiwoon Park with a little photographic help from Ryan Tabata at the University of Hawaii. When asked about her research, Jiwoon wrote “Just like we need vitamins and minerals to stay - by oceanbites 8 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday on #Oceanbites we are featuring @riley_henning According to Riley, ”I am interested in studying small things that make a big impact in the ocean. Right now for my master's research at the University of San Diego, - by oceanbites 8 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Gabby Stedman. Gabby is interested in interested in understanding how many species of small-bodied animals there are in the deep-sea and where they live so we can better protect them from - by oceanbites 9 months ago
This week for #WriterWednesday at #Oceanbites we are featuring Shawn Wang! Shawn is “an oceanographer that studies ocean conditions of the past. I use everything from microfossils to complex computer models to understand how climate has changed in the past - by oceanbites 9 months ago
Today we are highlighting some of our awesome new authors for #WriterWednesday Today we have Daniel Speer! He says, “I am driven to investigate the interface of biology, chemistry, and physics, asking questions about how organisms or biological systems respond - by oceanbites 10 months ago
Here at Oceanbites we love long-term datasets. So much happens in the ocean that sometimes it can be hard to tell if a trend is a part of a natural cycle or actually an anomaly, but as we gather more - by oceanbites 10 months ago
Have you ever seen a lobster molt? Because lobsters have exoskeletons, every time they grow they have to climb out of their old shell, leaving them soft and vulnerable for a few days until their new shell hardens. Young, small - by oceanbites 11 months ago
A lot of zooplankton are translucent, making it much easier to hide from predators. This juvenile mantis shrimp was almost impossible to spot floating in the water, but under a dissecting scope it’s features really come into view. See the - by oceanbites 11 months ago
This is a clump of Dead Man’s Fingers, scientific name Codium fragile. It’s native to the Pacific Ocean and is invasive where I found it on the east coast of the US. It’s a bit velvety, and the coolest thing - by oceanbites 12 months ago
You’ve probably heard of jellyfish, but have you heard of salps? These gelatinous sea creatures band together to form long chains, but they can also fall apart and will wash up onshore like tiny gemstones that squish. Have you seen - by oceanbites 12 months ago
Check out what’s happening on a cool summer research cruise! On the #neslter summer transect cruise, we deployed a tow sled called the In Situ Icthyoplankton Imaging System. This can take pictures of gelatinous zooplankton (like jellyfish) that would be - by oceanbites 1 year ago
Did you know horseshoe crabs have more than just two eyes? In these juveniles you can see another set in the middle of the shell. Check out our website to learn about some awesome horseshoe crab research. #oceanbites #plankton #horseshoecrabs
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