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Q&A: Climate expert on what tiny plankton can tell us about the ocean, past & present

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climate science

Marine climate scientist Katherine Allen in the lab using a microscope as part of her marine research.

Tiny shells reveal waters off California acidifying twice as fast as the global ocean

December 16, 2019

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ocean acidification

These colorful specs are actually shells of microscopic animals known as foraminifera that were taken from the mud of core samples off the coast of California.

Watching wildlife at sea or from shore: What you need to know

August 23, 2019

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A Hawaiian monk seal laying on a beach. The sign in the foreground instructs people to walk a safe distance around the seal.

See this? Giant squid in Gulf of Mexico is captured on video for first time

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ocean exploration

June 19, 2019: A giant squid at home in the Gulf of Mexico, at least 3 to 3.7 meters (10 to 12 feet) long, was filmed approaching the deep-sea camera Medusa's "e-jelly" lure before realizing the e-jelly is not food and then retreating. The squid was captured on film about 100 miles southeast of New Orleans, at the at the edge of the Gulf oil field. To get a better look, see the video at https://youtu.be/Lqim34DvCrs.

Sunscreen chemicals, marine life and you: A handy visual guide

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Two free divers gaze at a large grouping of corals.

Mapping the seafloor to protect marine resources

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Spiny lobster.

How does a sanctuary protect marine life?

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Black sea bass in Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

Share the shore with marine life in Hawaii

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Spinner dolphin leaping out of the water.

Scientists uncover a centuries-old case of mistaken identity in the Chesapeake Bay

October 13, 2017

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The newly classified bay nettle jellyfish is found to have smaller features than their saltwater relatives, including a smaller bell and half as many tentacles.

Derelict fishing gear makes the Chesapeake crabby, and not in a good way

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Crab pots (traps) that are lost or abandoned in the Chesapeake Bay can have serious environmental and economic impacts. In this photo a Maryland crab boat fishes in the Chesapeake.

Christmas tree worms? Don't worry, you won't find them in your fir tree

December 19, 2016

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Christmas tree worms come in a variety of bright colors. They aren’t very big, averaging about 1.5 inches in length.

Ocean Fact: What is ocean noise?

December 6, 2016

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environmental impacts

Humpback whales.

Across the globe: Working to protect fisheries, marine species, and habitats

November 23, 2016

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Minke whale in the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

Life in an estuary

September 20, 2016

Great Blue Heron eating a fish in an estuary

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Marine Life Education

Marine mammals

February 13, 2017

New facility provides space to care for stranded harbor seal pups like this one, rehabilitated by the Marine Mammals of Maine.

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Marine Life Education

Sea turtles

January 26, 2017

Loggerhead Turtle escaping a net equipped with turtle exclusion device (TED)

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Marine Life Education

Coral reef ecosystems

School in great numbers at Rapture Reef, French Frigate Shoals, Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument

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Marine Life Education

Aquatic food webs

Phytoplankton is the base of several aquatic food webs. Image from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center MESA Project.

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Marine Life Education

NOAA examines white shark activities in Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

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