With the start of the 2018 hurricane season, we explore what happened last year during one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history – and why. Nyla HusainI’m a PhD student at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. I use a small-scale computer model to study how physical features like surface waves […]
Climate change, due to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning, is arguably the most important issue facing our planet. One of the most detrimental changes already in progress is the shifting pH of the world’s oceans, known as ocean acidification. Although the speed with which the planet is changing does not […]
Winter blues got ya down? For some organisms on our planet, the shortened days may influence their very survival. On this, the shortest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere, read on to find out how one type of tiny marine algae cope with the low-light conditions, and may even thrive compared to their […]
Global temperatures are increasing at a rate never before seen in Earth’s history. Although efforts to mitigate this are still very important, it is also important to study and understand what is going to happen to the plants and animals that live here. Evidence of climate change already surrounds us, and the more we know, […]
The shift from marine to freshwater habitat is a drastic one, and many evolutionary changes accompany it. This article focuses on the evolution of the opercle, a bony outer structure that protects the gills in most fish species. Dina NavonI am a doctoral candidate in the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology program at the University of […]
Everyone knows that polar bears have become the poster children for species threatened by climate change. And it’s for good reason that they are. Polar bears rely on sea ice for access to prey, finding mates, and creating dens. The persistence of the species depends on the state of sea-ice and more generally a healthy […]
Just when we thought squids couldn’t get any cooler, researchers have discovered that squid use ink clouds not just to help them escape from predators, but to be predators themselves! Read on to find out how. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont McKenna College. I work […]
Are you a fish that can’t cope with warming oceans? Don’t hesitate, acclimate! Scientists have found if fish have the chance to acclimate to warmer temperatures they may be better off in the future. Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont McKenna College. I work with Dr. […]
It might be hard for a box jellyfish to buy into the old adage “sex sells,” especially when their gonads are laced with stinging cells. This is just one bizarre adaptation in these organisms, read on to find out more! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont […]
To understand how species may cope with climate change we must look into their genes. Do individuals have different levels of tolerance to high temperature? What can genes tell us about it? Catarina SilvaHi! I am a PhD candidate at Victoria University of Wellington. I study the genetic structure of organisms and how the environment […]