Planet Earth (Oceans) contains NERC's latest marine science news. It is aimed at non-specialists with an interest in the sciences of the environment. Features are written by NERC scientists, whether they be professors or PhD students. Feed compiled from planetearth.nerc.ac.uk by the British Oceanographic Data Centre. http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/ Copyright (c) 2013 NERC. All rights reserved. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-gb Mon, 12 May 2014 11:19:26 +0100 Mon, 12 May 2014 11:19:26 +0100 5 webmaster@bodc.ac.uk FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.4.0) http://www.feedforall.com https://www.bodc.ac.uk/images/nerc_logo.jpg http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/ Natural Environment Research Council Planet Earth 125 32   Scientists can now forecast how much sea ice will cover the Arctic at the end of the summer by measuring the area covered by ponds of water on the ice in spring.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1666 6522A8E5-C923-4523-BB43-0F75E3BAF9DD Thu, 1 May 2014 11:17:55 +0100   A new species of bug, similar in appearance to the common woodlouse, has been found plastered all over a whale carcass on the floor of the deep Southern Ocean.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1659 D19A5AE7-1B76-41BB-9057-3578096EE94C Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:15:21 +0100   Aggregates - sands and gravels - are essential for building and maintaining our houses and infrastructure, so we need to be sure we have a reliable supply. Tom Bide and Joseph Mankelow explain how geological mapping is taking us in the right direction.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1614 6CAB5499-F95A-4D40-A3F3-AE12130405DB Wed, 16 Apr 2014 11:12:57 +0100   Male cod may 'sing' to females during mating, suggests a new study investigating the sounds cod and pollack produce during the spawning season.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1656 30E54320-E671-4B19-ABB2-E6C8F3E087D0 Mon, 14 Apr 2014 11:10:18 +0100   Seabird guano emits more ammonia into the atmosphere in warmer and wetter climates, scientists have found.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1637 8157DA5F-38AB-45F7-B16A-A2DE1E05B4D6 Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:07:08 +0100   The first simple animals may have triggered the oxygenation of the oceans, say scientists, challenging previous assumptions that the oxygenation came first and made more complex life possible.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1636 97A1A7F9-1DAD-45F2-AAF5-8226EFFAF1E0 Tue, 11 Mar 2014 11:05:19 +0100   Seaside swimmers face the greatest risk of being dragged out into deep water when the waves are small and the tide is low, new research has revealed.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1633 83A0C48A-93A0-4F25-A45E-84B809AAF85D Wed, 5 Mar 2014 10:34:01 +0100   Fish that eat near busy shipping lanes, may not be as efficient at foraging for food, say scientists investigating the effect of elevated noise levels on marine life.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1631 1C97E1F0-293F-4351-8075-390FB536BE8B Mon, 3 Mar 2014 10:31:35 +0100   As oceans warm some species may be forced to find new habitats or face extinction, scientists say.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1625 84FF5FF9-9E13-42EB-A49E-47EA011F16E5 Wed, 19 Feb 2014 10:28:21 +0100   Scientists have found an unexpected wealth of life more than two kilometres down in the mid-Atlantic. Monty Priede describes the ECOMAR project's voyages of discovery.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1616 88C82C4E-0AD5-47C8-9FF0-C0F5B7A2EC8B Fri, 14 Feb 2014 10:25:19 +0100   New research used very high-resolution satellite images of the Peninsula Valdes in Argentina to develop a system that automatically detects and counts Southern Right whales in their breeding area.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1612 CCFD999D-B723-4AC1-BFD8-9D91CA7E56DF Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:21:17 +0100   Seabirds have distinct individual personalities that affect where they feed and how likely they are to prosper, a pair of recent studies suggests.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1602 9198776F-C1B4-4035-9810-D1763582A13F Wed, 5 Feb 2014 10:06:19 +0100   Ancient plankton shells drilled out of the sea floor may enable scientists to see how ocean temperatures 150 million years ago varied from day to day.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1603 CC769506-B57F-4A18-BAAB-4D1461AA5541 Mon, 3 Feb 2014 07:50:36 +0000   Extreme El Niño events, which cause major disruption to rainfall patterns around the world, will double over the next century, scientists have warned.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1591 1D59C0C6-E2B5-42EF-9FEB-4352269AB355 Sun, 19 Jan 2014 07:48:11 +0000   In 2010 the UK government committed £75m to a new ship that would lead the world's marine research capability. As the vessel neared completion, Adele Walker took a trip to Southampton to see how our money has been spent.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1555 5514039B-AC25-4A54-9534-F02127F7A329 Mon, 13 Jan 2014 07:44:44 +0000   The 2011 Japan tsunami, which killed up to 20,000 people and caused the partial meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant, was made worse by an underwater landslide, according to scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1570 8795D163-A49F-4448-ADF3-C288150F10A7 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 13:38:30 +0000   The latest satellite data suggests that a bounce back in Arctic sea-ice extent seen this summer compared with last summer is also mirrored in the volume of ice.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1569 FCE107BB-2ABC-4F84-8A88-347DFFD1D23F Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:20:29 +0000   When reports started coming in that southern Britain had been hit by a tsunami, they were hard to believe. But it turns out there really had been one - just not the kind we usually hear about. Dave Tappin describes the scientific detective work that uncovered the truth.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1537 796B8427-968C-4606-9C51-D47BDE4D53D0 Fri, 8 Nov 2013 15:59:46 +0000   A new study suggests that plans to lock up carbon and slow climate change by adding nutrients to the ocean to encourage plankton growth might have been directed at the wrong places.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1544 51E4F21C-6C09-4D07-97CF-3CD63D0CE4EA Fri, 1 Nov 2013 15:56:25 +0000   Killer whales are one of just three species - including humans - which continue to live long after they have stopped reproducing. But scientists still don't know why these animals evolved this unusual menopausal trait.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1529 688F4F2B-C895-4207-BFD1-29500E3F3885 Fri, 18 Oct 2013 15:53:05 +0000   The Arctic is a hostile and unforgiving place, with a harsh climate and extremes of light and temperature. It is hardly conducive to human life, yet its secrets may well hold the key to understanding the effects of global warming, over the proceeding decades of this century. Sam Illingworth describes a current project aiming to uncover them.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1508 E8D2DA2F-0C94-4CD5-8D94-314BE6B227E0 Fri, 16 Aug 2013 10:52:51 +0100   Urgent cuts in carbon emissions are needed if Caribbean coral reefs are to survive past the end of the century, scientists have warned.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1507 B6050124-A745-476D-8EBE-4FA850409008 Tue, 13 Aug 2013 10:49:42 +0100   A tsunami which struck the Yealm estuary near Plymouth, UK in 2011 was caused by the weather, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1504 1F7C18C1-CAEF-457D-AA03-7E4BCC3019C1 Thu, 1 Aug 2013 11:09:46 +0100   Humans have long had a great fascination with the sea. The mystery of our oceans has inspired scientific investigation since the 3rd century BC. But even after many centuries of study, Bhavani Narayanaswamy asks, how much do we really know about what lies beneath?]]> http://bodc.me/pe1502 3D497538-BB15-41BF-8EDE-B07F86AC09BB Mon, 29 Jul 2013 08:09:19 +0100   Thresher sharks hunt schools of sardines by whipping their tails over their heads to stun several fish at the same time, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1498 3A3ECEE2-65E1-4CE4-9255-43A9A0F4C2FC Wed, 10 Jul 2013 08:07:05 +0100   Lavas from the Afar Depression in Ethiopia, where three tectonic plates are spreading apart, have given scientists a new insight into how ocean basins form.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1496 1391E24D-1271-4216-947B-2617329BCFE6 Wed, 3 Jul 2013 08:55:09 +0100   This week in the Planet Earth Podcast: Alex Souza of the National Oceanography Centre and Jon Rees of Cefas talk about how their work could save the dredging industry money, maintain coastal defences and protect salt marshes.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1495 29759864-DD84-4961-AB7E-D56AD4A3E4C3 Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:52:28 +0100   Better modelling tools could help policy makers unlock the UK's huge tidal power potential without too much environmental damage, according to a new review.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1470 C66C1EA1-9556-4312-8CA0-C28E2AF9806B Fri, 21 Jun 2013 15:36:47 +0100   Scientists have discovered the origins of a crab which thrives in the inhospitable conditions created by hydrothermal vents in the deep sea.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1487 0A741ED0-6503-4927-A6FD-7DE1A3D7CC46 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:20:05 +0100   When jellyfish die they sink to the ocean floor faster than other marine organisms, allowing the oceans to absorb carbon dioxide, new research shows.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1485 07F6E9FF-960C-428E-AA3A-251DEC8D0258 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:17:26 +0100   Gannets only feed in areas belonging exclusively to their colony, preferring to leave those belonging to neighbours alone, new research shows.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1482 CA6BD187-07BD-4DC4-8DA2-507FB082FF4C Thu, 6 Jun 2013 12:16:11 +0100   Seals wearing special tags are playing a vital role in collecting temperature and salinity measurements from the polar oceans, delivering insights for weather forecasters, climate scientists and biologists, according to a new review.]]> http://bodc.me/pe477 B3A68AB7-5F1C-431D-BE3C-D8E531CE4A5A Mon, 3 Jun 2013 12:09:16 +0100   Four of Greenland's most important glaciers could contribute up to 5cm to sea-level rise if global temperatures increase by 4.5°C by the end of the 22nd century, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1476 32C40515-4270-4CE4-9029-7241E9384EBA Fri, 31 May 2013 12:06:57 +0100   The potential hazard posed by earthquakes at a subduction zone south-west of Pakistan could be greater than previously thought, a new study suggests.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1467 C5028283-1559-4B7F-8128-460736A372D0 Fri, 24 May 2013 12:04:21 +0100   Dean Wilson recently returned from a research cruise off Japan, carrying out deep-sea drilling to gather rock samples and sensor data on the geology beneath the seabed. The results will give us a better understanding of the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis. He describes life aboard the good ship Chikyu.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1459 5FAB3342-938A-48F4-BB2A-B540A12BAD1D Fri, 24 May 2013 12:01:17 +0100   Scientists have found an entirely new genetic route by which a now-banned chemical causes sexual and hormonal disruption in a marine mollusc.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1466 10C9A2AE-1772-4EF1-B354-F84A8F289CAF Thu, 23 May 2013 11:58:44 +0100   Ocean acidification is damaging some marine species while others thrive, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1465 221BDA2D-D308-43B9-A2C9-E85FF59E23D9 Tue, 21 May 2013 11:56:16 +0100   Sonar used by the navy may cause porpoises to get trapped in fishing nets and killed, according to a recent study.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1451 46310458-CFB2-4E20-8DA8-408EE5267DA3 Mon, 13 May 2013 11:53:56 +0100   Salt plays a greater role in undermining chalk cliffs than previously thought, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1427 CDE99EAC-1F68-407B-843A-895F75343E90 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:51:06 +0100   A sudden switch from herring to sardines in the English Channel in the 1930s was due to a long-term ocean cycle called the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), an international study shows. This is the first evidence linking the AMO to trends in important European fisheries.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1434 2330F1FB-78FD-4C7A-A033-50233AD6E478 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:47:18 +0100   Scientists have found a new way of testing for the genes of particular kinds of fish quickly, cheaply and accurately.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1429 411F6B40-1C9A-4047-AD2C-B2523415197C Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:44:45 +0100   A pair of anal fins on a fossilised fish may give scientists a deeper insight into the evolution of our ancestors.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1433 5E47ED2A-56F4-4470-8756-B96F57CCE898 Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:42:27 +0100   Fine particles produced by burning fossil fuels are slowing coral reef growth, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1430 C65314F3-6291-460D-BD12-DCFCE3001D3B Sun, 7 Apr 2013 11:39:52 +0100   The summer melting season in the Antarctic Peninsula has lengthened over the last 60 years, new research shows. This is contributing to sea-level rise, and may be linked to the rapid break-up of ice shelves in the area.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1424 C3427616-C2A6-4418-86F7-C5EE2108DA4A Thu, 4 Apr 2013 11:37:14 +0100   New research tracking the movement of dredged sediment around Liverpool Bay could save millions of pounds, according to scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1422 C44DAA36-011A-4A38-A89E-4932D27B9E19 Tue, 2 Apr 2013 11:31:55 +0100   Allowing farmland that's been reclaimed from the sea to flood and turn back into salt marsh could make it absorb lots of carbon from the atmosphere, a new study suggests, though the transformation will take many years to complete.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1407 420FA8D1-4B60-4EA4-AA46-CD7877739FD4 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:28:39 +0100   Shellfish could provide the UK with much more healthy, cheap food than they do at present, but concerns about pollution and its possible impact on people's health stand in the way, and environmental change could make the problem worse. Shelagh Malham and James McDonald explain how their research will help.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1380 2BDBFA0F-ACA7-491C-87FC-2280B53A7330 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:26:02 +0100   Images from cameras attached to the tails of gannets have revealed their appetite for fishing boat discards, soon to face a ban under reforms to the EU Common Fisheries Policy.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1389 66A6015A-FFA2-4A6D-9E49-E388AACF6C7B Wed, 6 Mar 2013 11:08:08 +0100   Scientists have used genetic testing on animals that died of natural causes for the first time, potentially boosting efforts to save endangered species.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1397 698CDA14-8854-440F-9F2B-CE452BFCD83B Tue, 5 Mar 2013 11:05:42 +0100   A new model can predict the location of the most important fishing grounds for the black-browed albatross, helping conservationists to protect this endangered species.]]> http://bodc.me/pe388 1F46C6C2-F00D-43ED-8B41-064519CF1089 Fri, 1 Mar 2013 11:02:40 +0100   Sea levels around the equator will rise up to 150 per cent more than the global average by 2100, new research reveals.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1370 171663D0-6B07-47D2-9E14-D679D0FBA42F Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:59:13 +0100   Acidification of UK waters may make industrially-contaminated sediments more toxic over time, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1365 9233AC5D-B579-400D-9C75-914F39706BAD Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:50:26 +0100   Cormorants have started to move further north as the seas warm, but they then face an exhausting migration south to escape the Arctic night, scientists have found.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1361 F0FC6EB6-70CD-42AE-B6E6-57A06ED84A4C Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:47:52 +0100   Hawksbill Turtles are mostly monogamous, mating far offshore then storing sperm until they can lay their eggs on the beach, scientists have discovered.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1356 830B85C1-E534-44D9-A9EF-9E8E588495AC Mon, 4 Feb 2013 10:44:58 +0100   Shells that spent decades sitting ignored in a Welsh museum have shown scientists that climate change is seriously harming ecosystems around Antarctica.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1349 7FD5A97B-3181-4368-8D44-315D704FA833 Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:41:45 +0100   Scientists have found tiny fragments of plastic in the digestive systems of fish pulled from the English Channel.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1343 76002DAB-AE49-4119-8DBD-DC47E9F63B38 Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:38:22 +0100   What's the point of studying dead whales and the worms that eat them? Recondite research can be more relevant than you'd think, as Nick Higgs explains.]]> http://bodc.me/pe317 234ACBFF-E7DF-4B9B-AFFB-85B12B6A30BA Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:35:04 +0100   Many are deeply concerned about how ocean acidification will affect marine life. But if some organisms will be badly hit, the work of David Suggett and Jason Hall-Spencer suggests others will flourish.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1315 A556C5DD-818D-4020-AB71-43478E1D11B3 Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:22:36 +0100   A changing climate could have a drastic impact on fish populations in the tropics, but according to new research it's likely to boost stocks in some cooler waters.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1325 5E7B27EA-4E1C-4AF7-8E12-9575F3618C39 Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:18:37 +0100   Cold-water corals face an uncertain future as increasing CO2 in the atmosphere changes the chemistry of our oceans. Laura Wicks set sail on the Changing Oceans Expedition to find out how these amazing animals are likely to fare.]]> http://bodc.me/pe313 C4A97E73-4A2B-469D-B774-2D0AF4BAA0DB Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:14:59 +0100   Around 430 to 360 million years ago, fierce-looking armoured fish called placoderms roamed the world's oceans. Most illustrations show them with jaws and teeth. But whether or not they actually had what we'd now describe as teeth has long been the subject of intense debate among scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe303 8869028A-57B9-48A0-94AD-D8E8E464760E Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:09:33 +0100   Scientists have created a more accurate history of how Earth's climate has varied over the last 1.5 million years, after developing a new method that lets them draw on natural temperature records that have never before been analysed.]]> http://bodc.me/pe299 F50C153B-FE63-42C5-8E15-BAA1C39AC4A8 Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:05:24 +0100   Too many nutrients can put corals at risk, a new study shows. Excessive nitrogen in the water affects their ability to cope with rising water temperatures and other environmental pressures, making them vulnerable to harmful bleaching.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1305 2D4FF35F-7A68-4919-B50B-8BCD21C9ACA4 Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:01:55 +0100   Rafts of pumice thrown out by volcanic eruptions probably helped populate the world's coral reefs and continue to be important for their survival, according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/pe263 47B169F3-35E0-4E12-979D-43E8C3646D2F Tue, 7 Aug 2012 09:55:12 +0100   UK-led researchers have identified skin cancer in a wild fish population for the first time. They found that an unusually high percentage of fish they caught from islands in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park had dark skin lesions reminiscent of human skin cancer.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1264 F80484C4-A8B8-4425-9EBE-E836133A8AB6 Fri, 3 Aug 2012 10:38:49 +0100   Numbers of basking sharks around Britain's coast seem to be on the increase, say scientists. And not only are there more sharks but they are also living longer, according to the largest study ever carried out.]]> http://bodc.me/pe258 AE3AC14F-B5BB-4965-97A9-CCC25C6D7A65 Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:07:03 +0100   New research into seabirds highlights the need for marine conservation to consider the different behaviours of males and females in the species it aims to protect.]]> http://bodc.me/pe1257 94DDA425-E7EE-447E-BF86-3E17466B80F0 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:57:06 +0100   Two of the largest rises in sea level in the last 20,000 years may have been caused by the collapse of huge valleys of ice linking massive North American ice sheets, say researchers.]]> http://bodc.me/pe254 065AFFCA-7C78-4153-BFFA-BE63E3428B3A Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:54:19 +0100   Tiny pieces of plastic contaminate almost every sea in the world. Now scientists have found that marine creatures like fish and birds are eating this microscopic waste, which may be harming their health.]]> http://bodc.me/pe229 F13B73B8-4FA7-4819-8E63-00F536508C3A Thu, 17 May 2012 12:17:55 +0100   UK companies could cash in on the massive opportunities available from producing biofuels and other products from cultivated algae, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe227 9087B57D-93F8-4980-B40D-A59D939A6B73 Tue, 15 May 2012 15:25:21 +0100   The microscopic organisms on which almost all life in the oceans depends could be even more vulnerable to increasingly acidic waters than scientists realised, according to a new study.]]> http://bodc.me/pe226 516180B2-C796-4277-9315-577FA049088E Tue, 15 May 2012 15:09:40 +0100   New satellite images are providing unprecedented global views of the distribution of salt and fresh water across the surface of the Earth's oceans. Chris Banks describes how scientists at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton are helping discover how accurate this new information is, and what it can tell us about the global water cycle.]]> http://bodc.me/pe162 1B88617E-F6B0-4D2C-8D5F-38B6943CBFAD Fri, 11 May 2012 14:56:48 +0100   Scientists have long been concerned that the massive West Antarctic Ice Sheet could collapse if global temperatures keep climbing. If it did, sea levels are predicted to rise by as much as five metres.]]> http://bodc.me/pe216 C9117502-2B69-4F02-A78A-73FBACB4BAEF Fri, 4 May 2012 12:17:12 +0100   Scientists should change how they study the relationships between fish and their habitat, according to a recent report.]]> http://bodc.me/pe208 B8C858DE-6F57-41FF-9251-ABA139ED5496 Thu, 3 May 2012 12:14:53 +0100   Warm ocean currents are the main reason Antarctica has lost so much ice in recent years, says a UK-led team of scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe204 CB454F9E-DE57-445D-AEB2-85623B4AF37E Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:09:30 +0100   Scientists have produced the first map which shows the changes in the thickness of Arctic sea ice through the entire winter season. The map is the most accurate and extensive yet.]]> http://bodc.me/pe203 57142A87-6B4C-475C-87BB-A74644672C1C Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:59:27 +0100   The latest study suggests we may still be able to eat as much fish as we do today 40 years from now. But for that to happen, we'll have to change our ways, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe199 6C72CE4E-4F07-447F-9D4C-4D96E2B25076 Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:43:52 +0100   At the heart of all of our scientific theories and models are the data we collect by experiment and observation. The quality of our science is inextricably linked to the quality of these data, many of which are unique. Leilani Smith describes how NERC is investing in the growth of this valuable asset.]]> http://bodc.me/pe157 DAD5998C-146F-4D9D-9382-F8F0269F6BA8 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:04:46 +0100   Some corals may be able to adapt to changes in sea temperature, making them more resilient to climate change than previously thought.]]> http://bodc.me/pe189 6D67941F-9089-4944-92D8-812033CB9313 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:12 +0100   Deep sea species more diverse than we thought, researchers say. Working in the seas around New Zealand, they concentrated on a closely-related group of species, known as a genus, called Rhachotropis. They found a new species and made fundamental discoveries about the family's origins.]]> http://bodc.me/pe188 3034C000-E110-4136-8BFD-B93FA1DC5A0D Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:00:56 +0100   A new study shows that Marine Protected Areas provide ideal habitats for green turtles, and the larger and longer-established the protected areas are, the more turtles they support.]]> http://bodc.me/pe184 63926833-ADA3-4BC6-B3E5-239D44F3DD55 Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:56:51 +0100   Scientists say the market for shark fin soup is the likeliest reason for the sharp drop in blue shark numbers over the last 30 years.]]> http://bodc.me/pe179 936A94F2-814F-48AF-89DC-D7F035779A06 Fri, 9 Mar 2012 13:47:17 +0000   Animals from very different groups that developed independently into plankton-eating giants took similar evolutionary steps along the way, new research shows.]]> http://bodc.me/pe165 419451C9-749F-4E40-AB43-3C009222940D Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:04:27 +0000   Researchers have used information about seabird colonies and food availability to create a mathematical model which predicts where they forage for food during the breeding season.]]> http://bodc.me/pe150 48642F9A-25EC-4E46-875A-5505086DF6B2 Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:02:22 +0000   British scientists have discovered an enormous dome of fresh water in the western Arctic Ocean. They think it may result from strong Arctic winds accelerating a great clockwise ocean circulation called the Beaufort Gyre, causing the sea surface to bulge upwards.]]> http://bodc.me/pe141 FB32A283-4762-4C92-92D4-5ACA8950E4DF Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:58:12 +0000   Bottom trawling fishing boats have devastated many cold water coral reefs along the margin of the North East Atlantic Ocean. Now, researchers have found large cold water coral colonies clinging to the vertical and overhanging sides of submarine canyons 1350 metres below the surface of the Bay of Biscay.]]> http://bodc.me/pe139 A742B82A-4DE7-44B2-84CD-B54211159DFC Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:56:00 +0000   Scientists have discovered huge numbers of new marine species clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents on the deep sea floor near Antarctica.]]> http://bodc.me/pe131 4B7FB5C6-5AA0-46AF-A69B-F0DC4A419539 Wed, 4 Jan 2012 12:53:40 +0000   They could be mistaken for exotic blooms, but the colourful creatures captured in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean actually belong to a family of recently discovered acorn worms.]]> http://bodc.me/pe128 94D31C60-7C46-4578-8547-759233ED1215 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:49:41 +0000   Scientists have solved the mystery of how tiny marine crustaceans called copepods regulate the rhythms of their life-cycle.]]> http://bodc.me/pe121 8DB0E2D2-C66A-42C9-AEA0-1D1C119C6284 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:46:34 +0000   To most of us, one seal seems much like another. But a new study shows they have varied personalities that lead to distinctive approaches to parenting.]]> http://bodc.me/pe117 A6B09EAF-1354-4312-A5D5-B7067EA32F7B Wed, 7 Dec 2011 12:44:02 +0000   Differences in the patterned clicks that sperm whales use to communicate with each other seem to be down to culture and not genetics, say researchers.]]> http://bodc.me/pe115 523912EA-AD5C-43FF-9C3E-D11F6684C1F1 Mon, 5 Dec 2011 12:42:16 +0000   At just a few centimetres long, hatchling loggerhead turtles may seem powerless to resist being swept around the Atlantic Ocean by powerful currents.]]> http://bodc.me/pe113 6D98C67F-9B75-46DC-B22C-4DFC7C6C1039 Thu, 1 Dec 2011 12:40:34 +0000   Stocks of fish like cod and herring are likely to collapse within 40 years if European fisheries ministers continue to ignore scientific recommendations on how much fish should be caught each year, warn researchers.]]> http://bodc.me/pe105 1A9B5972-79A9-4E5D-B7EE-1BCA8CE5011E Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:44:41 +0000   A remarkably complete record of a prehistoric seabed ecosystem of a kind never discovered before has been revealed with X-ray scanning.]]> http://bodc.me/pe104 C3A80FFB-D558-4187-9B87-07379FB7DC50 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:37:36 +0000   Plant and animal species around the world have to change their lifecycles or move to new territories to cope with climate change. A new study, published today in Science, finds that some parts of our planet with the richest mix of species are likely to be hardest hit.]]> http://bodc.me/pe84 7FA2A815-5677-4C9A-BB4E-A7FBEF3BD015 Fri, 4 Nov 2011 12:37:04 +0000   Scientists have discovered that female Antarctic fur seals have an uncanny ability to return to within a body length of where they were born when it's time to breed.]]> http://bodc.me/pe85 B73624A7-2103-4099-8931-2A44E92FC367 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:29:46 +0000   Scientists have provided the first proof that a warming climate around the West Antarctic Peninsula is damaging the region's marine life.]]> http://bodc.me/pe68 9312544C-7775-4C3F-A81A-CBD5375B45FD Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:31:11 +0000   Sophisticated tracking technology has revealed for the first time where little auks go straight after the summer breeding season on the east coast of Greenland.]]> http://bodc.me/pe63 13DB3B81-04D4-4A6E-BF16-1D7D084B3C8E Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:26:11 +0000   Salmon know when their most common predator is around, because they can tell that it's eaten salmon before, new research shows. Young fish can do this too, even if they've never encountered that particular predator before.]]> http://bodc.me/pe61 9A615602-E088-4E9B-A18F-4DC9A78886CC Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:23:09 +0000   Coastal fish farms seem to do less harm to nearby plants and animals than previously believed, a new study reveals. And marine ecosystems can recover from this damage surprisingly fast.]]> http://bodc.me/pe50 DE30DEFD-7B12-47E4-B4D8-AC4E78C08AD2 Wed, 7 Sep 2011 11:20:02 +0000   The deep sea is in trouble. A recent study has found that it's being damaged by human activities, and that this is only likely to get worse. Scientists are now calling for better management and conservation of entire deep-sea ecosystems.]]> http://bodc.me/pe47 F9569CF1-B746-46A7-95B9-249F348C6DA2 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 11:15:10 +0000   When people ask Jonathan James what he does for a living the response is often: 'what on Earth for?' But he thinks working on the largest, highest, coldest and windiest continent on the planet is incredible. The British Antarctic Survey diver shares his first winter under the ice.]]> http://bodc.me/pe3 776741BB-B059-4145-A9F8-FE8D0F5F2F04 Fri, 5 Aug 2011 12:20:53 +0100   Young Atlantic puffins migrating for the first time scout out their own routes, rather than relying on genetic programming or help from their parents, the latest study reveals.]]> http://bodc.me/pe33 9C8C2B8F-C423-4A6C-ADBF-147E3FA64AE5 Tue, 2 Aug 2011 12:18:23 +0100   Groupers could help stem the rapid spread of the invasive lionfish which threatens to wreak havoc across the Caribbean, but only if they're protected from fishing, a study has concluded.]]> http://bodc.me/pe28 0B4A431B-4C1F-463E-81F8-F7E82E6A422D Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:15:40 +0100   Far from being at the whim of wave and tide, the enigmatic jellyfish has been found by new research to move deliberately in search of food - an ability that could threaten the future of other species already at risk from human activity like fishing.]]> http://bodc.me/pe26 D85C5F2F-4AC2-4B49-9177-767E64FC98D9 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:13:23 +0100   Antarctic krill regularly feed on the seabed, scientists have found. Until now the tiny crustaceans were thought to live mainly near the ocean surface.]]> http://bodc.me/pe017 D29B437B-9845-4245-AB8C-371DD859CC5D Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:29:08 +0100   Scientists have discovered how to find out where Atlantic salmon spend their time at sea by analysing the chemistry of their scales, in a breakthrough that may help preserve dwindling populations.]]> http://bodc.me/pe14 F6AF97EE-9F0D-48C3-82BD-E6751391E1F9 Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:21:29 +0100   Stopping people fishing around Caribbean coral reefs by designating them legally protected marine reserves could help some of them survive the effects of a changing climate by more than 50 years.]]> http://bodc.me/pe981 B6EE9D20-DD5F-4F55-8518-912938401239 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:20:01 +0100   Adding iron to the oceans in an effort to curb growing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere would lead to 'significant changes' in deep-sea ecosystems, the latest study suggests.]]> http://bodc.me/pe11 82DE806B-163D-4396-895B-D53303ADA085 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:14:26 +0100   Satellite tracking technology has revealed in detail for the very first time the annual movements of thousands of loggerhead turtles that live off the east coast of the US.]]> http://bodc.me/pe999 CFEF33C3-3E7C-490F-AB99-07A28BD9C6EC Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:12:36 +0100   Tiny marine crustaceans known as copepods control their buoyancy in a similar way to sperm whales, the ocean's biggest predators, according to a new study.]]> http://bodc.me/pe997 CE1A30F8-3163-49A4-9D8F-31F2BCC85D2F Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:08:13 +0100   Baby clownfish, made famous in the film Finding Nemo, appear to lose their ability to hear as sea water gets more acidic, researchers have discovered.]]> http://bodc.me/pe986 A1E5C60A-69AA-46CC-A260-FDFEA8C55013 Wed, 1 Jun 2011 12:06:04 +0100   Sponges are a group of common and diverse aquatic creatures, very abundant in coral reefs where they are an important part of the ecosystem. But new research has found that if the balance is disturbed, sponges can outcompete the corals and damage the reef in the long term.]]> http://bodc.me/pe972 BB118318-6616-4DC6-8674-7E57B3C86539 Tue, 3 May 2011 12:02:54 +0100   A new approach to assessing coastal management strategies could give us a much more accurate picture of the long-term costs and benefits than has previously been possible, say scientists.]]> http://bodc.me/pe968 9D635FD8-4943-415B-B9FB-5C1EE86C59F9 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:58:52 +0100   The loss of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean caused by a warming environment could be made worse by previously undetected turbulence, which has been identified by scientists from Bangor University.]]> http://bodc.me/pe955 ECCF3FB3-624D-428F-9C06-B546C8EB6917 Thu, 7 Apr 2011 11:49:16 +0100   Planet Earth Podcast: how the famous White Cliffs of Dover could be made of fish poo (at least partially), why one researcher is so interested in dead whales, and why the Japan earthquake was so powerful and devastating.]]> http://bodc.me/pe949 F3F02A95-A23F-4841-B8E3-229089A1786D Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:46:59 +0100   Most of us use sight to find out about our environment, but echolocating animals - like bats, dolphins, oilbirds and cave swiftlets - use sound. Now scientists are trying to apply the techniques animals use, to help us in many fields of human endeavour. John Rees from the British Geological Survey tells us more.]]> http://bodc.me/pe876 DA728454-7C8F-4858-84F4-7A7D59B60032 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:42:13 +0000   Tiny particles of calcium carbonate that help make up tropical seabeds are produced in the guts of fish, scientists have shown.]]> http://bodc.me/pe934 F2D522E6-2EB9-4FE0-BC95-6CA8FB55AFD6 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:39:35 +0000   Sharks are very fussy about their personal hygiene and health, so they pay regular visits to marine 'cleaning stations' to rid themselves of parasites or have injuries dealt with, a new study reveals.]]> http://bodc.me/pe935 DB627B5E-F7F6-438D-A629-F283213BAF03 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:37:22 +0000   A detailed study has revealed that the giant West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have remained intact for at least 200,000 years, even though there was a particularly warm period - called an interglacial - about 125,000 years ago.]]> http://bodc.me/pe933 B5C965E3-D1AD-40BD-B036-2ED1648F6A00 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:34:46 +0000   Japan has been rocked today by a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake, the biggest in the region for many years. It struck off the north east coast, around 375km from Tokyo, at 14.46 hrs local time (05.46 GMT)]]> http://bodc.me/pe929 87028E50-6F14-455B-AAFA-0EA41D06B87F Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:31:41 +0000   It's a simple question. How much biodiversity is there around the South Orkney Islands? But as David Barnes explains, the answers revealed a rich variety of living things that surprised almost everyone.]]> http://bodc.me/pe882 06FCF8CE-CA7B-46DA-98F4-F8AE2FD80C50 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:29:49 +0000   The decline of coral reefs over the last few decades is often squarely blamed on human activity. But a recent study suggests the picture is in fact a little more complex.]]> http://bodc.me/pe907 6150E6FF-0167-4D37-AB1F-8C03F301A4EA Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:27:17 +0000   A new species of shrimp has been named after the Scottish scientist who discovered it, almost four decades after the last new member of its family was found.]]> http://bodc.me/pe926 9EADC177-6EA4-439B-82A0-9DC586BFBD7D Fri, 4 Mar 2011 11:21:28 +0000   Between 1925 and 1951, three research ships made a series of pioneering voyages in Southern Ocean. The Discovery Investigations are well documented, but the valuable raw data they brought back remained out of reach of modern science. Andrew Mackey explains how these important records are finally seeing the light of day.]]> http://bodc.me/pe877 E27DB25D-20C2-41E6-BC64-9E912D3F1ACB Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:18:47 +0000   Meticulous sea-level research at Southampton University's School of Ocean and Earth Science (SOES) suggests that large long-term sea-level rise is coming our way unless we take drastic action soon. Eelco Rohling tells us what this projection is based on.]]> http://bodc.me/pe880 0F63B864-2E56-4483-85EF-3E4960AA50A4 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:16:05 +0000   Human activities are affecting large areas of the deep seabed, according to a recent study – and trawling the seabed for fish is the most widespread. Our activities are having an impact on an ever-growing swathe of sea floor, and scientists say more regulation and better data are needed to control the damage.]]> http://bodc.me/pe915 6436D9F1-E5C7-4324-A2C3-ED2BC1D26294 Tue, 8 Feb 2011 17:35:36 +0000   Scientists once thought all killer whales were the same. But we're now finding out that behind the black-and-white facade there's huge variety. Andy Foote describes how his team found at least two different types in the waters around Britain.]]> http://bodc.me/pe878 CB60C2BE-F89C-4AF9-AB78-D322A71D50DF Fri, 4 Feb 2011 13:38:30 +0000   A much wider range of baby shellfish can hear and react to underwater noise than previously thought. These tiny crustaceans use noise to avoid predators that lie in wait around busy coral reefs, researchers have found.]]> http://bodc.me/pe908 807CC746-0AE8-4658-A3F1-563E86684B0B Fri, 4 Feb 2011 12:47:00 +0000   In this latest watery-themed Planet Earth Podcast, Richard Hollingham hears how the underwater world isn't the soundless place you might imagine.]]> http://bodc.me/pe909 B5763FDD-BAA3-44C6-B25B-E51D5DFE1CEE Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:44:37 +0000   Sperm whales communicate with other members of their pod using a handful of patterned clicks which all individuals in the group share, researchers have found.]]> http://bodc.me/pe904 BE892506-9CCF-4C34-8418-5B03A05B1A89 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:39:50 +0000   One of Britain's best known seabirds migrates to different sides of the Atlantic depending on how successful its breeding season was, researchers have found. Unsuccessful kittiwakes tend to spend their winter on the Canadian side of the Atlantic, while their more successful colleagues stay much closer to home.]]> http://bodc.me/pe902 DEE4F747-0659-43EF-8FCC-9BC621B5C138 Thu, 6 Jan 2011 13:05:51 +0000   Scientists have used satellites to track the world's largest nesting population of leatherback turtles across the South Atlantic for the first time. Their results reveal the routes the critically endangered creatures take make them more vulnerable to commercial fishing in the South Atlantic than previously thought.]]> http://bodc.me/pe901 CC1ED3AC-C459-4589-BF69-91ECFB0D3D0C Wed, 5 Jan 2011 12:21:15 +0000   Problems with how scientists communicate with the media and in how reefs' health is assessed have created a skewed public understanding of coral bleaching, according to a new study.]]> http://bodc.me/pe899 F18AD71C-80C6-4F91-8826-B94600CAA0CF Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:18:50 +0000   Warmer seas triggered by the 1997-98 El Niño led to a dramatic drop in the number of reef fish around French Polynesia, scientists have found. The fish may have starved, because higher water temperatures killed off tiny marine creatures called plankton, which the fish feed on when they're young. ]]> http://bodc.me/pe896 F3D6938D-AC11-481C-B8A8-8827627B8B83 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:51:43 +0000   Scientists have used data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) ice mission, Cryosat-2 to create the first complete map of ocean circulation in the Arctic.]]> http://bodc.me/pe897 8E308E44-14FE-460B-A93C-343B4F815395 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:43:00 +0000   Populations of Great Cormorants in Arctic waters have grown as sea ice has retreated and the sea surface has become warmer, scientists have found. A study of sea surface temperatures and cormorant populations over half a century showed that on average the birds' numbers increased in warmer winters and decreased in relatively colder years.]]> http://bodc.me/pe895 C2A865F6-CE62-483C-94A6-B3F5FEA971CE Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:22:24 +0000   Scientists used to think the open ocean was a watery desert. Now we're starting to understand the diversity of life there and the profound influence it has on our climate. Types of plankton that were once dismissed turn out to play a vital role in the carbon cycle. Dave Scanlan and Mike Zubkov explain.]]> http://bodc.me/pe840 14C93DCC-A3AE-4AFB-8A3F-4A9A1C2FB266 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:51:40 +0000   Cory's shearwaters may be less vulnerable to climate change than other long-distance migratory birds, say scientists.This is because they are much more flexible about where they go for the winter than was previously thought.]]> http://bodc.me/pe872 EECAE6F5-EC58-4A20-B05F-CF080472D839 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:55:34 +0000   Sediment samples from a Scottish beach turn out to harbour ecosystems far richer and more diverse than anyone had previously suspected.]]> http://bodc.me/pe867 68976D54-1A1A-4DB0-A5A0-F6B4CC7FED0C Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:38:59 +0000   An entirely new species of fish and a feeding frenzy of cusk-eels are among the highlights of a recent research expedition.Until now nothing was thought to live at this depth in the south-east Pacific's Hadal zone, 6km down; the discovery strengthens the idea that each deep-ocean trench has its own unique ecosystem.]]> http://bodc.me/pe845 05A6B228-15E2-4702-BFE8-73D5C3168152 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:50:30 +0100   The grey-headed albatross's favourite food is a type of squid that normally lives deep in the Southern Ocean. So, how do the birds find them? It turns out that the albatrosses probably track the squid down by smelling the oily slicks that float to the surface when they feed.]]> http://bodc.me/pe825 3E9D02E6-2383-4334-B77C-F02BB871FF3D Fri, 1 Oct 2010 16:29:40 +0100   Scientists recently found plastics floating in some of the most remote and inaccessible seas in the world - just off the coast of Antarctica. Although it clearly looks ugly in such a pristine environment, scientists are more concerned about the major role plastics play in moving alien species around the world. ]]> http://bodc.me/pe815 4C4CC8BE-EBB2-4842-BD96-796A808A85EC Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:25:27 +0100   The skeletons of fallen whales on the ocean floor attract specialised animals that live on the oil in their bones. But some bones have more oil than others, and this affects how quickly they decay and which creatures they attract, a new study suggests.]]> http://bodc.me/pe808 5B538400-1B43-4D34-BCC8-8FD34695C152 Wed, 1 Sep 2010 16:21:38 +0100   Alan Jamieson and the HADEEP team are returning to the lightless depths of deep-ocean trenches, and they'll once again be sharing what they find with Planet Earth Online readers on this blog.]]> http://bodc.me/pe804 B95B2C39-6BC7-4CD4-963F-17A384A56F91 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:11:01 +0100   Sea levels are still likely to rise by at least 30cm by the end of 2100, compared with 2000 levels, unless we use the most extreme geoengineering solutions to ease climate change while also cutting CO₂ emissions, say researchers.]]> http://bodc.me/pe803 A6FFE752-CCD8-43DF-ACDC-EA9AEB0D5B85 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:06:22 +0100   Christmas Island red crabs must be the envy of many a runner. They can go from virtual couch potato to multiple marathon athlete with almost no training. Now scientists have discovered that this dramatic transformation is driven by a humble hormone.]]> http://bodc.me/pe802 22CB98C8-4443-41CA-9C5D-8866C3A98C31 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:51:21 +0100   Coastal earthquakes that cause the earth to shift are often dated by the remains of marine creatures that are exposed and killed when the ground lifts out of the sea.]]> http://bodc.me/pe799 9DF668F1-97F0-49F0-93D7-506A1A2D167C Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:49:15 +0100   Sea levels are still likely to rise by at least 30cm by the end of 2100, compared with 2000 levels, unless we use the most extreme geoengineering solutions to ease climate change while also cutting CO₂ emissions, say researchers.]]> http://bodc.me/pe803 2A718F9E-763F-4C50-911F-FDD8652726B3 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:52 +0100   In September last year, some of the top names in the marine world gathered in the Fishmongers' Hall in London to celebrate the Marine Biological Association's 125th anniversary. Guy Baker looks at some of the work that has led to this success.]]> http://bodc.me/pe752 6893EBBD-A67F-42ED-A55F-27CD577F389F Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:58:34 +0100   You might think noise pollution is only a problem for humans, but it also influences fish's choice of territory. New research has suggested artificial sounds like engine noise are hampering their house-hunting efforts by leading them away from good habitats.]]> http://bodc.me/pe792 860A87C3-6C31-408E-8495-E3A5AEF3744E Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:11:54 +0100   Entire communities of seabirds including albatrosses, storm petrels and shearwaters rely on bait and discards from fishing boats as their main source of food, report scientists. The birds fly from the South Atlantic to the waters off the coast of south Brazil to feed on energy-rich shark livers thrown overboard.]]> http://bodc.me/pe785 6D62CB7B-CFBB-47FC-B301-D23199C7B788 Mon, 2 Aug 2010 16:57:06 +0100   Most scientists think that fluctuations in ocean circulation are linked to changes in climate. Now they've found evidence that links those fluctuations to the kind of temperature increases that can end an ice age.]]> http://bodc.me/pe781 FB58A634-2DAF-4868-8BAF-0F57F480D453 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:56:54 +0100   The seabed around Scotland is giving up the secrets of the last ice age. Kate McIntyre and John Howe explain how.]]> http://bodc.me/pe749 BD0C27E3-4384-4EA6-B480-C8DAC1F7A692 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:00:56 +0100   The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and the UK Met Office have joined forces to revamp the Porcupine Abyssal Plain Sustained Observatory (PAP-SO) in the northeast Atlantic.]]> http://bodc.me/pe771 97DAE538-2347-44B5-BDA2-15F837CCA646 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:58:17 +0100   Isoprene produced at sea has profound effects on our climate and on ocean ecosystems, but until recently it's received limited attention. Dan Exton explains how this neglected gas is at last getting the notice it deserves.]]> http://bodc.me/pe748 7DABAEB6-58E5-4467-82B5-6C85B2231AEF Mon, 5 Jul 2010 18:03:33 +0100   Large ocean predators like tuna, sharks and ocean sunfish use two different tactics to search for food depending on whether it's abundant or sparse, scientists have shown for the first time.]]> http://bodc.me/pe739 14D46586-CD1B-411F-8000-80EF37394CE1 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:08:37 +0100   The effects of Greenland's extraordinary weather patterns are felt worldwide - they influence the movement of water all around the globe. To find out more, intrepid scientists have to brave some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Ben Harden describes his recent trip to Arctic waters.]]> http://bodc.me/pe673 D3B972EB-E7B4-41CA-B45A-3532FA52BC78 Fri, 21 May 2010 17:15:22 +0100   Scientists have found that female catsharks maintain same-sex social networks and establish long-term relationships with specific members of their group. But when males are introduced this harmony is disturbed, and the less sociable females don't adapt so well to the changes.]]> http://bodc.me/pe723 AA85C3AD-6356-4586-B2A0-0874067537BF Fri, 14 May 2010 17:12:19 +0100   Coral reefs are among the world's richest ecosystems, but environmental change is fast putting them at risk. Scientists are revisiting fundamental questions in coral research to understand how corals will fare in the future. David Suggett and colleagues explain.]]> http://bodc.me/pe670 34A406E1-B431-4DF5-A14C-81D3B7FD4714 Fri, 7 May 2010 17:09:50 +0100   The new technique of macroecology lets ecologists take isolated samples of plant and animal life and piece the results together to understand how species are spread across a wide area. Tom Webb explains how marine science is helping in the search for a general theory of biodiversity.]]> http://bodc.me/pe677 E2F55175-F2FF-4220-83D8-07CD87FDE2C8 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0100   Global sea level is likely to rise by anywhere between 0.6 and 1.6 metres by the end of the century, say scientists. What's more, they say increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases would be responsible for 95 per cent of this rise.]]> http://bodc.me/pe709 2DE90FA2-5165-4333-9995-E17298A63B31 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:03:13 +0100   Scientists have found the deepest known hydrothermal vents, some 5 kilometres down beneath the waves of the Caribbean in the Cayman Trough.]]> http://bodc.me/pe707 17EC9990-0982-4575-8366-323F5A94378A Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:55:17 +0100   Global warming is likely to make marine turtles to hatch more females than males and may reduce nesting success, according to a review of the effects of increasing temperature on the turtles' biology.]]> http://bodc.me/pe690 AD9A6F3C-0B70-4D25-8119-1135F4D43EF2 Thu, 4 Mar 2010 11:21:00 +0000   Coral reefs do not grow continuously and some reefs off Australia are dead structures, relics from past periods of growth. But this is not necessarily a sign of major ecological catastrophe - when the opportunities arise, reefs know how to make the most out of it and can grow very quickly.]]> http://bodc.me/pe672 F7ACD0E8-596C-4E12-B734-99394754EB2C Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:55:00 +0000   Seawater has changed over time. Now scientists have found a new way to determine how, by looking at the chemical composition of carbonate veins found in the ocean crust. The team worked out how seawater has changed over time by comparing the carbonate veins found in old rocks with veins collected in younger ocean crust.]]> http://bodc.me/pe665 6838A1F2-FA02-44B0-A109-820FEC97CE8F Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:40:00 +0000   Carbon dioxide released from fossil fuels and dissolved in the ocean is making seawater more acidic and causing trouble for marine life. Now a new model suggests that seawater is acidifying at a rate that exceeds anything seen on Earth over the past 65 million years. The speed of change may in fact be faster than what marine animals can cope with.]]> http://bodc.me/pe664 A1F73390-94F8-4B21-9837-972502965EB3 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:43:00 +0000   Scientists on the British research ship RRS James Cook have explored deep-sea volcanic vents in the Southern Ocean for the first time with a remotely-operated vehicle, working a mile and a half deep on the ocean floor, to understand the extreme environment around the vents.]]> http://bodc.me/pe659 8046633F-31E4-4083-895F-5B7599C3314E Sat, 6 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000   Scientists have found that the common skate can be split in two genetically distinct species. This is worrying because this bottom-dwelling fish was already critically endangered and the two new species are probably in even greater danger of extinction.]]> http://bodc.me/655 246F1233-8749-44E1-8C1E-C60E0A1DBA58 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:00:00 +0000   If you think the blobfish - dubbed the world's ugliest animal - is unappealing, at least it attracts sympathy for being threatened with extinction. The carpet sea squirt has no such redeeming qualities. It's not just ugly, it's also an invasive species that poses a serious threat to UK marine life. Now the critter has been spotted in Scotland.]]> http://bodc.me/653 FB3C662A-59B6-49AB-B0FB-ABAF1F3A48BB Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:46:00 +0000   Terrible weather last summer brought an invasion of Portuguese man-o-war 'jellyfish' to British waters. So many drifted onto Cornish beaches last year that some tourist hot spots had to be closed to protect visitors.]]> http://bodc.me/648 48B9E9E8-B127-456C-8F9D-B2B4B48C0603 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:12:00 +0000   Sea stars can turn themselves the right way up when they are placed on their backs. But pollution reduces their self-righting abilities. Awadhesh Jha explains how this could make them an important tool for assessing the impact of contaminants on fragile ecosystems and even on people.]]> http://bodc.me/581 090C7F1F-243F-40F5-AEA7-7E2356EC23C7 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:08:00 +0000   Nick Higgs is on a research cruise off Japan to find out more about the amazing ecosystems that form around dead whales on the seabed.]]> http://bodc.me/639 82D3AA3A-83E4-4152-B4A9-7F85A3F62BAE Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:24:00 +0000   Arctic terns make the longest migration of any animal on the planet, scientists can confirm. The birds fly up to 80,000 kilometres every year while migrating from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again. As Arctic terns can live for 30 years, this is like making three trips to the moon and back.]]> http://bodc.me/637 437F19B0-7A0E-4744-8066-EB4893F8CC60 Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:00:00 +0000   Protecting coral reefs from fishing could help them recover from damage more quickly than previously thought possible.]]> http://bodc.me/640 2D74AE68-7B07-4DA2-B121-90D8A5B5D05C Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:50:00 +0000   Close-up photographs of bizarre marine animals in one of the fastest-warming seas on Earth show the area is home to a huge diversity of life. The creatures include ice fish, octopus, sea pigs, giant sea spiders, rare rays and basket stars.]]> http://bodc.me/634 B189CABC-FBC5-445D-925A-CE8E73BA4848 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:51:00 +0000   Scientists have taken the first steps to protect harbour porpoises in British waters and identified the Firth of Lorne and the Sound of Jura in the west coast of Scotland as suitable places to establish special areas of conservation.]]> http://bodc.me/619 F4DFAE67-29E2-4144-BC5E-1116C0D66D8D Tue, 8 Dec 2009 11:38:00 +0000   The oceans can take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and counter the damaging effects of rising emissions - but to what extent? Now, a group of scientists has devised a cheap and precise way to monitor exactly how much carbon the oceans are able to store, using a fleet of commercial ships fit with custom-made sensors.]]> http://bodc.me/618 1C61994F-50B9-46C1-B0DC-BABEE54A5AF5 Fri, 4 Dec 2009 14:36:00 +0000   Sally Hall, a PhD student at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, has discovered four new species of king crab from a pile of untagged specimens at the Smithsonian Collections of the National Museum of Natural History in Washington.]]> http://bodc.me/614 4EB802E2-A733-429E-87E7-923642C78F5D Wed, 2 Dec 2009 16:31:00 +0000   The Greenland ice sheet is losing ice at an ever increasing rate, say scientists. What's more, they've shown for the first time that the loss of ice is split equally between what's happening on the surface - like ice melting and varying levels of snowfall - and icebergs calving off from the fronts of glaciers.]]> http://bodc.me/596 ADE84393-F0B6-4F74-B0D6-64491AB1AEE9 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0000   Scientists have photographed the deepest fish ever filmed in the Southern hemisphere, and the second-deepest seen anywhere in the world.]]> http://bodc.me/598 A9D8315A-7FC0-421B-80E6-9836718C81FD Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:02:00 +0000   How do fossils form around hydrothermal vents? Crispin Little describes how his team found out by making their own.]]> http://bodc.me/576 4947ED78-3CEF-4992-B536-34DBC78F0FBF Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +0000   Ice melting in Antarctica has opened a new area of sea as big as Wales, where tiny marine plants called phytoplankton can bloom and absorb extra carbon from the atmosphere. But before we open the champagne, this positive effect does not offset the damage done by carbon emissions.]]> http://bodc.me/594 967B9E4C-20E2-4D12-85F6-A7221FD5ED72 Mon, 9 Nov 2009 13:44:00 +0000   Forget about manliness or dominant status - for Neanthes marine worm females, nothing is more attractive than a male reeking of babies. The smell of fatherhood is crucial when choosing a partner because the female dies after laying her eggs and the survival of her offspring depends entirely on the male's parenting skills.]]> http://bodc.me/592 46A3E6C5-08A1-4DB8-A41D-E2AB4EB2BFBE Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:34:00 +0000   Winds blowing from the Sahara Desert in Africa to the Atlantic Ocean carry more that just sand: new research finds that dust storms are a major source of iron to the ocean and control the cycle of nitrogen, an important nutrient for marine creatures.]]> http://bodc.me/588 67CC33DE-24CC-4056-8D9E-6C7ABE00FFF0 Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:21:00 +0000   Dr Clare Woulds inspires young scientists with tales of deep-sea exploration.]]> http://bodc.me/469 2FA858A9-957A-4DA9-81A5-95F43CA6BF6F Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:34:00 +0000   Sharks abandon their young pups as soon as they're born. But far from being cold-hearted mothers, scientists have shown for the first time that they provide their pups with super-sized livers to live off while they learn to hunt.]]> http://bodc.me/565 92D8F90E-22EB-4B27-9268-393C843D5452 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0100   For the first time scientists have managed to track a large oceanic fish using a GPS device able to relay highly accurate positioning data right to the researcher's laptop. This breakthrough will open many research possibilities with implications for conservation and fishery management.]]> http://bodc.me/560 E4C03341-7CB3-470B-8E40-A3028AC1986E Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:52:00 +0100   It may not be 'blue skies work' or 'cutting-edge research', but long-term monitoring has produced some hugely important - and highly influential - science. Becky Allen looks at some of the world-class long-term monitoring NERC funds.]]> http://bodc.me/509 930A09F5-1B2A-46D9-A4F1-7F7F5EE92063 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:09:00 +0100   Scientists have used a tiny camera mounted on the back of an albatross to record the first images of the birds scavenging next to a killer whale in the Southern Ocean. The images show other albatrosses trailing the surfacing whale.]]> http://bodc.me/555 19A53BB8-7496-48AF-A2FD-CF9914453D4A Wed, 7 Oct 2009 17:12:00 +0100   Scientists have used a tiny camera mounted on the back of an albatross to record the first images of the birds scavenging next to a killer whale in the Southern Ocean. The images show other albatrosses trailing the surfacing whale.]]> http://bodc.me/553 CB2F7471-1B6D-4790-A109-66D73D41A694 Wed, 7 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0100   How can microscopic bullet splatter on the clothing of murder victims help climate scientists? Guy Rothwell describes some of the remarkable techniques sedimentary core specialists are using to piece together past climates.]]> http://bodc.me/522 A3F098A4-D5B1-4790-83E8-8FF058237638 Mon, 5 Oct 2009 12:09:00 +0100   Why fish are running out and how tiny environmental details matter for some climate models.]]> http://bodc.me/550 8D15A005-F0FD-4F7C-BCB4-61A55C051EB1 Mon, 5 Oct 2009 09:00:00 +0100   Climate experts hotly debated the implications of a much warmer future and ways to adapt to the changes at a conference in Oxford this week. Global temperatures could reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels before the end of this century and rising sea-levels could drown some small islands, if greenhouse gas emissions continue at current rates.]]> http://bodc.me/549 D4688F59-859C-4BE5-B464-FBB9111C5180 Fri, 2 Oct 2009 13:13:00 +0100   The whole ocean floor is made up of volcanic oceanic crust - isn't it? Well, probably not. Roger Searle explains.]]> http://bodc.me/511 3C4CA49F-B202-4722-8D72-426824B415A2 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:56:00 +0100   The most comprehensive study of Antarctic and Greenland glaciers yet shows that ice-sheet thinning has reached the far north of Greenland, has intensified in Antarctica and is spreading and penetrating far into the interior of both ice sheets.]]> http://bodc.me/541 171D2E64-A722-4198-86BF-839D268ACB13 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0100   Satellite images reveal just how quickly the Antarctic Ice Sheet is changing. But how long has this been going on? Revisiting old studies can illuminate a complex situation, as Matt King explains.]]> http://bodc.me/461 934B9400-EE45-4703-B006-6F3FA7A20E72 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:57:00 +0100   Why satellite technology is set to tell us more about ocean currents. This week Richard Hollingham talks to Professor Meric Srokosz from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton about a new European Space Agency satellite, due to be launched on 2 November.]]> http://bodc.me/534 44E309E4-0B14-4A08-BD69-9BF499BE1EC5 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0100   Baby lemon sharks like spending time with lemon sharks their own size, rather than bigger or smaller sharks. They also prefer hanging out with sharks of their own species. Although scientists know a lot about the social airs and graces of other enigmatic marine creatures like dolphins and whales, relatively little is known about the sociability of sharks.]]> http://bodc.me/536 6A06F4AE-095A-4C9A-A9CD-CB5A4799E183 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:59:00 +0100   Scientists have long known that viruses pick up the odd gene or two from their hosts. But new findings suggest that giant viruses have taken this concept to extremes - none more so than the coccolithovirus, which infects coccolithophores - tiny marine algae with armoured shells.]]> http://bodc.me/535 8EF86ECC-5E9C-40BC-AE80-2B185EA24799 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:05:00 +0100   Craig Venter aims to revolutionise our understanding of the microbial world and the genetic riches it harbours. When he visited Plymouth recently, Kelvin Boot spoke to him about his plans for the next stage of an ambitious genomic world tour.]]> http://bodc.me/523 4134D684-39FE-4087-9B22-22DAF5143D46 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:15:00 +0100   East Antarctica started to ice over around 34 million years ago when atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) dropped to twice the levels they are at today, report researchers in Nature.]]> http://bodc.me/531 AFFE95DA-ABD1-4F9D-8EE3-774089308BCE Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:00:00 +0100   Water temperature controls the life cycle of many commercial fish in the English Channel. Colder years mean that some species may spawn earlier and miss the peak abundance of their food supply, thus decreasing their chance of survival.]]> http://bodc.me/533 CE2175D7-CEE1-44D2-B0F7-53F74D09B5DD Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:39:00 +0100   New research could help scientists provide better warnings ahead of natural disasters like coastal flooding. Flooding and erosion threaten four million people and properties in England and Wales.]]> http://bodc.me/524 A284FEF1-E083-401A-AC34-A1307DB233D7 Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:04:00 +0100   Harbour seals lose more heat to the atmosphere while shedding their fur coats, according to new research. Infra-red cameras show hot spots appearing all over the seals' bodies during this period, with their average body temperature climbing more quickly and to a higher peak after they emerge from the water.]]> http://bodc.me/528 EC72A35B-79D1-4EA5-9A37-8154592FED1C Wed, 9 Sep 2009 12:59:00 +0100   More than 8,000 years ago, temperatures suddenly dropped all over the North Atlantic Ocean. Now, scientists have shown the first clear link between this event and freezing conditions on mainland Canada, where summers quickly turned cold.]]> http://bodc.me/526 1AF04D9D-D051-4B5E-8A9F-F3ED5620FC5C Fri, 4 Sep 2009 17:07:00 +0100   Scientists have found more than 250 plumes of methane gas rising from the seabed near Svalbard in the Arctic Circle.]]> http://bodc.me/516 1C5A86BB-F8E7-4247-88A5-F4D44337F5FF Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:05:00 +0100   The Copenhagen conference on climate change demonstrated that scientists are trying hard to communicate their work to the public. But some of the media headlines showed that this process still needs work, as Hazel Jeffery and Peter Cox explain.]]> http://bodc.me/431 5530E709-1502-4FB0-8EE6-6DAAAEE5F4E7 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:41:00 +0100   One of Antarctica's greatest glaciers is thinning so quickly it could disappear within 100 years. This is 500 years sooner than previously estimated and jeopardises a volume of ice that could raise global sea levels by around 25cm.]]> http://bodc.me/505 5A7F453F-DD07-4FD6-993E-4A3E501720B5 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:00:00 +0100   If you're looking for pristine and colourful coral reefs teeming with exotic marine life, you don't have to go the tropics: British scientists have discovered five cold-water coral reefs much closer to home, offshore western Scotland.]]> http://bodc.me/496 497C09F4-583E-4853-B286-43B4F19B718E Tue, 4 Aug 2009 12:51:00 +0100   The 20 million square kilometres of sea ice that surrounds Antarctica every winter is made of more than just water. It contains million of microscopic creatures.]]> http://bodc.me/490 5EF05F58-408E-458E-8F33-0DCAADD458B2 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0100   Tidal energy farms may disrupt the natural balance of marine sediments. This can have positive or negative consequences for coastal environments and should be taken into account when deciding where to build such farms.]]> http://bodc.me/486 DBD021E5-BFD3-4E68-9C90-45B14B1EFEC1 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:44:00 +0100   Tiny microscopic algae, known as diatoms, reveal that Arctic sea ice developed much earlier than previously thought. The findings, published yesterday in Nature, are the first direct evidence for the early development of polar sea ice.]]> http://bodc.me/481 C411D3FF-2B6D-40AB-8996-B7C29180F69A Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:24:00 +0100   Two separate species of tiny marine organisms, a sea-floor dweller and an ocean surface swimmer, are one and the same despite radical differences in lifestyle. The surprising discovery has implications for the evolution of foraminifers: the group survived the Cretaceous mass extinction by finding a refuge in the relative safety of the sea-floor.]]> http://bodc.me/468 4779EC8B-B65A-4BA4-BEF2-669C7E6E60AC Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:25:48 +0100   Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) will not necessarily protect migratory fish from population collapse, scientists have found. The results, based on new simulations, show that including migration behaviour in models is essential to understand fisheries' sustainability.]]> http://bodc.me/466 29D24AA1-6B12-4250-8BF3-B104F8F8295F Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:20:00 +0100   The equatorial Pacific Ocean was better at locking carbon away on the seabed during the last ice age than it is today. This helped to keep atmospheric carbon dioxide levels low, according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/462 EFAF8BF1-2B23-4135-87CA-82DF7DBC2F4E Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100   One molecule, dimethyl sulfide, affects cloud formation, bird behaviour and the smell of the seaside. Scientists are just beginning to unravel the many ways, the many genes and the many microbes that make the gas. Andy Johnston investigates.]]> http://bodc.me/412 95240408-CC4A-417F-BE35-AD22A3E56143 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:08:00 +0100   Current carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere may commit us to sea-level rises of up to 25 metres, says new research based on a comparison of Antarctic ice temperature records with new sea-level data from the Red Sea.]]> http://bodc.me/456 2DF1A730-4154-4FB3-9542-54C4090C2647 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:54:00 +0100   How understanding the movement of sediments in the Dee Estuary helps the Airbus A380. Today the wings of the largest passenger airliner in the world, the Airbus A380, are transported by barge up the estuary from Broughton in Cheshire to Mostyn docks on their way to the French headquarters of Airbus in Toulouse, France.]]> http://bodc.me/455 FC1B6A5F-BA25-4995-AB59-F57C901BE8B4 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:27:00 +0100   Sea water freezing onto the bottom of the massive Larsen C ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula could be helping to stop it from collapsing, say researchers. New research shows that the ice shelf is made up of ice that could be helping to keep it stable.]]> http://bodc.me/453 854ABDE1-E48E-415E-B50F-BD43C666627E Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:08:00 +0100   The international fishing industry has taken big steps in recent years towards improving the sustainability of fish stocks. Despite this, illegal fishing is still a major problem in many areas of the world's oceans.]]> http://bodc.me/452 3463017B-CFF3-4070-AE76-B6BEF0FCFD6E Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:00:00 +0100   When planning a trip, is it best to hurry up to save time or slow down to save fuel? The answer depends on the circumstances. For imperial shags racing against the clock to feed their chicks, the solution is to make the most of the available time.]]> http://bodc.me/450 4D2CD628-0274-4949-8B26-3490B549D79D Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0100   Caribbean coral reefs are flatter and their structures dramatically less complex than they were 40 years ago, researchers report for the first time this week. This could could seriously affect biodiversity and coastal defences.]]> http://bodc.me/448 4E159ACA-81F4-4260-A88A-B272405544D0 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:48:00 +0100   Phytoplankton are tiny single-celled plants found throughout the world's oceans. Although they're small, they're crucial, because they provide food for the rest of the marine food chain.]]> http://bodc.me/441 B0EF34A6-FC1A-482A-A8E1-AE5D270FF70B Mon, 8 Jun 2009 11:52:00 +0100   Sperm whales adapt baby-sitting strategies to local conditions, says new research. If the group is small with only one calf, it's the mum's closest relative who looks after the infant. But if the family has many nursing mothers, they take turns to look after each other's babies.]]> http://bodc.me/444 0892AB2C-DDA6-498C-806E-CFA9674B324D Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:52:00 +0100   Possibly one of the world's best known geneticists, Craig Venter, has visited scientists at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Famous for mapping the human genome, Venter is in the middle of a massive expedition which he hopes will build a complete genetic map of the ocean.]]> http://bodc.me/433 EC07976D-62F9-449D-B19E-4A67EEB559DA Fri, 22 May 2009 10:40:37 +0100   Penguins leave Antarctica after summer, but where they go in winter was a mystery. Now, thanks to a tiny location device, scientists discovered that macaroni penguins do not go sunbathing: they spend winter feeding in the cold southern oceans.]]> http://bodc.me/430 846AE3F0-6D9C-4EE3-8B21-D4609D65CC64 Wed, 20 May 2009 15:56:00 +0100   Scientists identify the world's largest population of leatherback turtles in the coast of Gabon, West Africa. The discovery was possible thanks to thorough aerial survey of nesting beaches combined with ground monitoring.]]> http://bodc.me/427 36E40986-75C9-483F-8005-348B017B23F0 Tue, 19 May 2009 16:31:00 +0100   The potential contribution to sea level rise from a collapse of the west Antarctic ice sheet has been overestimated by around a half, according to a study published in Science.]]> http://bodc.me/423 AD3305CF-8A18-46CA-A030-5CEB4371098D Fri, 15 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100   UK Arctic research is set for a boost after a recent move by the Natural Environment Research Council. NERC has opened an Arctic office dedicated to providing support for UK Arctic researchers, confirming the country's commitment to polar science.]]> http://bodc.me/418 FDE5109C-1BA9-4211-9B93-C033031B68E9 Tue, 12 May 2009 15:10:00 +0100   The polar regions are changing faster than anywhere else on Earth. Scientists now predict the Arctic will be ice-free over the summer in just 10 or 20 years' time. The question is, how will this affect the region's biology?]]> http://bodc.me/417 392FBD0E-5E95-4279-B3D4-FFCDFBA66CCE Mon, 11 May 2009 01:00:00 +0100   Climate change is already causing major changes to our oceans, according to a new report. The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership has released its annual 'ecosystem linkages report card', highlighting how big, fast and closely interlinked these changes are. ]]> http://bodc.me/413 62827ECD-F9B3-4093-B76A-D070BAACB743 Thu, 7 May 2009 10:11:20 +0100   The poles are warming up faster than any other region on the planet. Arctic sea ice is both thinning and receding and Antarctic ice shelves are either disintegrating or are at risk of collapse. A recent study suggests human activity is to blame.]]> http://bodc.me/410 26498FB3-3DD2-46DD-95DB-FE3D83B52569 Tue, 5 May 2009 14:46:15 +0100   The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has launched an £11 million 5-year programme to research how increasing carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels are affecting the ocean's acidity and the marine food chain.]]> http://bodc.me/405 6110BB18-BD9B-465D-8603-39E4C98855F6 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:05:13 +0100   School children in the coastal city of Plymouth have just discovered that the world's oceans are becoming more acidic. Kelvin Boot follows them as they make a cartoon to communicate this to the wider world.]]> http://bodc.me/400 874769E7-B18B-48C1-9F42-8195D05EBDFC Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:37:00 +0100   Arctic sea ice reached a record low extent in summer 2007 and its thickness the following winter also decreased. Researchers are keen to figure out what's behind the melt and are concerned that climate change might be to blame.]]> http://bodc.me/395 9784FB85-4375-41CC-95C7-B4B750272612 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0100   Conservation experts from 24 world-leading organisations including the WWF and Conservation International have identified one hundred key scientific questions that, if answered, would help conserve global biodiversity. Scientists say if the questions are answered swiftly, it could stem massive biodiversity loss.]]> http://bodc.me/393 45FB164F-6C1B-4C17-9533-CB566F6E07B6 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:30:00 +0100   An ice bridge connecting an Antarctic island to the mainland and holding an ice shelf half the size of Scotland in place has broken for the first time in recorded history. The break-up of the bridge raises the possibility of the whole ice shelf disintegrating, say researchers.]]> http://bodc.me/383 200D2F24-309B-4908-BCCA-B7BAD72FBCE7 Tue, 7 Apr 2009 11:21:00 +0100   Tidal barrages along the west coast of Britain could supply over 10% of the nation's electricity needs, according to new research. A tidal barrage across the Severn Estuary would provide 5% of present UK electricity demand, but four other estuaries could supply a further 5%.]]> http://bodc.me/380 0465D0F1-0719-489A-84C6-1940A4711059 Mon, 6 Apr 2009 12:03:00 +0100   Whale milk could provide a nutritious alternative to cows' milk, according to marine researchers - and is feasible on commercial scales.]]> http://bodc.me/377 7A6876F2-FA31-4AB3-9D01-419D1ACAC522 Wed, 1 Apr 2009 11:30:00 +0100   A new polar research agreement between UK and Canada to share ships, aircraft and polar bases, and increase science cooperation, paves the way for a greater understanding of the rapidly changing polar regions.]]> http://bodc.me/367 1B81B813-9B91-495A-ACC1-87A85CEFEEF2 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0100   Able to dive to a depth of 6000 metres, Autosub 6000 allows scientists to access more than 90 per cent of the Earth's ocean floors. Science writer and broadcaster Richard Hollingham finds out more about what's in store for this robot submarine.]]> http://bodc.me/372 4FB30DB6-00A5-4B00-8F1B-1980E0723CAC Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0100   In June 1982, Monty Priede harpooned a basking shark off Scotland's west coast. Not an act you'd normally expect from a young marine biologist, but he wasn't trying to injure the huge fish - just to attach a satellite transmitter for an innovative piece of research.]]> http://bodc.me/355 8204C415-5EC9-4918-94FF-6ABC8AD2778A Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:48:00 +0000   A UK-built robot submarine has successfully returned from a perilous 110-kilometre expedition under an Antarctic ice shelf. The high-risk expedition was necessary to find out why the glacier has been thinning and accelerating in recent decades.]]> http://bodc.me/366 3C504075-B6B3-4326-B1C9-52B26A679789 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:10:00 +0000   The launch of ESA's gravity-mapping satellite, GOCE, has been heralded a success - an hour and a half after lift-off.]]> http://bodc.me/365 4A4BE812-3148-4918-BFEB-C14062E9F6AD Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:36:00 +0000   Scientists from Oceanlab at the University of Aberdeen are preparing to try to beat the record they set last year for the deepest fish ever caught on camera (7700m).]]> http://bodc.me/364 8ED3EA36-5E8F-4DAD-A652-D66723104919 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:33:00 +0000   The European Space Agency has put off its plans to launch a satellite to measure the Earth's gravity field. A technical problem meant controllers abandoned the launch just seven seconds before they reached the point of no return.]]> http://bodc.me/362 218954FA-F0D4-4523-A24B-337A77D82302 Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:14:00 +0000   The European Space Agency plan to launch a new satellite to map variations in the Earth's gravity field with unprecedented accuracy on Monday 16 March. The satellite will give UK scientists vital information about ocean circulation and sea level change fro climate research. It will also provide a universal system of working out height around the world.]]> http://bodc.me/359 4A39D2D5-404C-4A99-971D-EC773D739894 Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000   Global warming will be difficult to reverse, even if emissions stop abruptly, according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/358 7C9F7C32-DCDB-49EF-897E-811C4C1E18FB Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:55:00 +0000   Commercial fishing in the north-east Atlantic could be harming deep-sea fish populations a kilometre below the deepest reach of fishing trawlers, according to a 25-year study published on Wednesday.]]> http://bodc.me/356 2989CD77-D2C3-4217-A595-8AF421B3C41E Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:54:00 +0000   An international team of scientists is set to sail to the equatorial Pacific to recover a continuous record of climate conditions over the last 55 million years.]]> http://bodc.me/348 ACE229F3-AB68-4F70-AC39-6946EA0D37C1 Mon, 9 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000   New research suggests subtle changes in sea level on the eastern coast of the United States may give clues to the strength of the most important ocean circulation in the North Atlantic.]]> http://bodc.me/350 76A90B8D-C716-4E4F-AC05-DA36A50F9840 Thu, 5 Mar 2009 09:30:00 +0000   In March, the European Space Agency launches what has been dubbed 'the Formula One of spacecraft'. The Earth observation satellite's sleek design is essential because its orbit is so low it will literally skim the top of the atmosphere.]]> http://bodc.me/345 8C749B36-E60B-4197-8D88-C491F3B2A5CC Tue, 3 Mar 2009 14:53:00 +0000   A UK-led international team of scientists is set to explore one of the planet's last great frontiers - an ancient lake hidden deep beneath Antarctica's ice sheet. The lake, which is the size of Lake Windermere, lies beneath three kilometres of ice could contain unique forms of life.]]> http://bodc.me/347 F6223D79-7378-45D5-B0BD-D930C4015020 Tue, 3 Mar 2009 10:02:00 +0000   Researchers have found an invisible line in the Pacific splitting its mako shark population in two. Like attendees at an aquatic school disco, males stick to one side and females to the other. The finding may explain the sharp drop in numbers - fishermen may unwittingly be catching more of one sex than the other.]]> http://bodc.me/343 E2F3037E-44D3-4232-8D2C-28858E9BAA8A Sun, 1 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000   Most people wouldn't dispute that generating energy from wave or tidal power is good for the environment. But what is the impact of underwater devices used to harness energy on marine animals like whales, dolphins and fish?]]> http://bodc.me/336 43110E45-1D01-4F58-B56E-B48558352BBE Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:00:00 +0000   Heavy rain in the summer of 2007 washed large amounts of nitrogen into the English Channel, causing algal blooms and changing the function of marine microbes that can photosynthesise, called phytoplankton, according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/334 FE9B8605-21FC-4A28-922F-1FD5F65309BC Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:00:00 +0000   The Bering Sea between Alaska and Siberia has long been seen as ancient peoples' likeliest route to North America. Now researchers have traced the path of sediment across the same stretch of water, in a discovery that could improve our understanding of the area's history.]]> http://bodc.me/325 6C7894AE-F39E-433A-924A-8E6C0A101CF5 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:30:00 +0000   Scientists have found the oldest evidence for animals in the fossil record, pushing back the date of the earliest-known animal life by at least 100 million years to more than 635 million years ago.]]> http://bodc.me/318 3127DC41-81C2-4261-B716-EFB2ACE5D400 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:34:00 +0000   A new red fluorescent protein could help to improve imaging techniques and aid progress in biomedical research, say scientists. Christened 'mRuby', the fluorescent protein is derived from one found in a bright red sea anemone native to the tropics.]]> http://bodc.me/315 544EC42C-6E80-417E-91E0-5C7800A8EAD4 Thu, 5 Feb 2009 15:02:00 +0000   The Hollywood feature film 'The Day After Tomorrow' follows Earth's rapid descent into a deep ice age. The cause: a sudden slow-down of a major Atlantic Ocean circulation. But researchers have found that the ocean circulation seems to have a built-in safety valve that helps it to naturally stabilise itself in some circumstances.]]> http://bodc.me/312 0056151E-648B-4669-9128-C08BE2851103 Thu, 5 Feb 2009 07:30:00 +0000   Burning the Earth's remaining fossil resources without technology to capture the carbon they contain could subject the planet to five times as much extra heating from the greenhouse effect as it has already experienced, according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/311 0D2D454D-DF78-4D59-8C6B-FFBBF22C8D4E Tue, 3 Feb 2009 10:29:00 +0000   Rising sea levels since the last ice age have significantly increased the oceans' capacity to absorb CO2, according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/308 498ED129-E4B7-4AF6-8C23-42742277F3C4 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:03:00 +0000   A region of the Southern Ocean naturally rich in iron leads to up to three times more carbon being locked away at the bottom of the ocean than a similar area lacking in iron, according to research in the journal Nature.]]> http://bodc.me/305 95AF52A2-E966-4E5B-B712-210704C5ACF6 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000   A new map showing the temperature of the sea surface at the height of the last ice age, 23,000 to 19,000 years ago, will help scientists improve their models' ability to predict future climate change.]]> http://bodc.me/294 3A7E9334-F8A4-41C7-AEF5-BEB8D6128F9A Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:08:00 +0000   Graeme Hays and Vicky Hobson talk to science writer and broadcaster Richard Hollingham about the novel approach they are using to track jellyfish blooms in the Irish Sea.]]> http://bodc.me/292 B8D3EC89-62AA-40CF-B51F-3B7BB97C5AE9 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000   Global sea level could rise one metre this century according to new research.]]> http://bodc.me/293 34567D2C-82DB-441E-BDE1-DFCF2AFF9428 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:06:00 +0000   It's rarely a problem to tell how rough the sea is when you're afloat on it. But gauging conditions from a distance and across a wider area has always proved much harder.]]> http://bodc.me/286 24BC541E-1D47-4A58-A495-449DAF6817D5 Fri, 9 Jan 2009 17:32:00 +0000   UK scientists are set to be the first to investigate in detail the creatures living around hot water vents surrounding the coldest continent, Antarctica.]]> http://bodc.me/283 B1C78777-F8C0-45F3-898A-4BB2EC0D5344 Thu, 8 Jan 2009 07:00:00 +0000   Around half of the carbon dioxide we've pumped into the atmosphere so far has been absorbed by the oceans. While at first this might sound like good news, one side effect is that sea water is becoming acidic, which is bad news if you live in it.]]> http://bodc.me/15 0F11C905-E3B1-4516-85EC-BDBC75816425 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 12:17:00 +0000   Climate change has many dangerous consequences, but few of them have risen to prominence as quickly as the threat of ocean acidification. Tom Marshall explores the problem.]]> http://bodc.me/265 9FCCB16B-5A51-4C7C-89AD-35A522741E30 Mon, 5 Jan 2009 06:59:00 +0000   Newly-discovered fossils are shedding light on the organisms that lived on land before plants came on the scene. Charles Wellman explains.]]> http://bodc.me/213 745B00B9-AF3A-4A1B-99F4-839E9A6282DC Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:29:00 +0000   Research on the effect of typhoons on Taiwanese rivers has shed light on what scientists think could be an important and hitherto little-recognised carbon sink.]]> http://bodc.me/272 401B8765-DD1E-4324-BC1C-24E077545070 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:57:00 +0000   Volcanoes in the tropics have influenced the climate over the last four centuries, according to new research. Researchers found that volcanic eruptions in the tropics are associated with periods of lower sea surface temperatures in the Indian and Pacific oceans.]]> http://bodc.me/269 7BB179B7-7D07-4BA4-818E-E4F719495D8E Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:36:00 +0000   The Scottish government and the European Union are backing plans to show seaweed and other marine algae are viable biofuels. Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, says the £5 million initiative could bring long-term economic benefits and jobs to remote coastal areas and islands.]]> http://bodc.me/267 D955829D-09C8-44B0-BD4D-EE53B9E02620 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:21:00 +0000   We often hear tropical corals are the rainforests of the oceans. But there are more coral species from deep, cold waters than shallow warm waters. As we approach Charles Darwin's 200th anniversary, he might be amused to learn that Britain's best-known cold-water corals - the Darwin Mounds - were named in his honour. These and other corals come under the spotlight in a new international research project.]]> http://bodc.me/215 C7CEFC52-4ED4-4ABE-9AB3-F9F9047B97E4 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:26:00 +0000   Tiny particles of iron released by melting icebergs could reduce the effects of human greenhouse gas emissions, according to new research. The iron could fertilise the growth of marine microorganisms, causing them to absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.]]> http://bodc.me/264 04F1A73A-3374-4FBD-B728-DB3AD3630D20 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:31:00 +0000   Marine parasites infect great forests of seaweed but are difficult to detect. Scientists in Scotland and Germany have just developed a new genetic technique to rapidly identify the most common kelp parasite.]]> http://bodc.me/257 35FECB7E-1ACA-44FA-9AC7-093B18646747 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 09:40:00 +0000   The first comprehensive inventory of land and sea creatures living around a group of Antarctic islands reveals that the region is richer in biodiversity than the Galapagos Islands.]]> http://bodc.me/253 87F5AC97-6500-446C-B667-B5F6A84F6324 Mon, 1 Dec 2008 17:11:05 +0000   Richard Hollingham talks to researchers at Plymouth Marine Laboratory about the role of marine algae in atmospheric cooling.]]> http://bodc.me/17 46AF19D7-B536-4799-B403-A9E6194AF283 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:39:00 +0000   To protect coral reefs we need to understand how they respond to stressful conditions - and that's proving more complex than previously thought. Sebastian Hennige explains.]]> http://bodc.me/211 BFA0C555-696D-4064-B449-136559FE8649 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:08:00 +0000   Creatures that make their own green fluorescent pigment aren't confined to shallow waters and coral reefs, as scientists thought until recently.]]> http://bodc.me/240 950E8DE2-0954-4E56-94C5-C6BDEBFB62EA Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:00:00 +0000   Barnacles may not seem the likeliest creatures to be fastidious about where they live. But new research shows that they spend a lot of effort picking their spot.]]> http://bodc.me/238 2712AB32-5EAA-46A4-A6D7-0AEB93CC07A5 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:00:00 +0000   Octopuses now found throughout the world's deep oceans share a common origin in the waters around Antarctica, according to new research conducted as part of the ground-breaking Census of Marine Life project.]]> http://bodc.me/236 30FE46B2-46A7-4179-9CD4-CED5FC356B1E Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:05:00 +0000   Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor are dark, forbidding environments, with pressures of over 200 atmospheres and temperatures that can reach 400oC, yet they are crawling with life. ]]> http://bodc.me/231 CA4D99F2-BE67-448F-9AC6-3B7EB09FD71F Fri, 7 Nov 2008 11:06:00 +0000   Coastal management in the UK for floods and erosion now takes a 100-year perspective. Such long-term decisions need a rigorous evidence-base. Judith Wolf describes two new projects, including the world's first coastal simulator, that aim to help.]]> http://bodc.me/233 2D223715-EF4B-45A6-A0AC-F29D2ABFBC90 Fri, 7 Nov 2008 10:57:00 +0000   Science writer and broadcaster Richard Hollingham visits the north Norfolk coast and meets Dr Sophie Nicolson-Cole to find out how research from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change could benefit anyone living in a vulnerable coastal region.]]> http://bodc.me/6 4FED1D43-5331-445C-A848-E4F27A12A3E7 Fri, 7 Nov 2008 10:00:00 +0000   Human activities are making parts of the oceans saltier, according to research due to be published next month by scientists at the Met Office Hadley Centre and the University of Reading.]]> http://bodc.me/232 65104B2A-8F51-4ED2-8AA9-FB719BC2C4A6 Thu, 6 Nov 2008 11:09:00 +0000   The vast majority of the world's volcanoes erupt and collapse out of sight beneath the oceans.]]> http://bodc.me/230 6286FA6B-84C5-4E76-B426-50EFE21A4F58 Thu, 6 Nov 2008 11:10:00 +0000