Most living creatures are bound by the fact of birth, aging and death. Few, however, have evolved to break the typical life cycle. The aptly named immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii) is one such animal — and, in a surprise discovery now published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists have added its cousin, … Read more
This is no watered-down phenomenon. Bright, neon-blue ocean currents are being seen off the California coast in a stunning display of bioluminescence. Gorgeous streaks of neon blue water, called bioluminescence, have returned to Southern California waters such as Venice Beach. Getty Images The gorgeous act of nature, where microsized algae brighten waters at night so … Read more
A pregnant 7-foot porbeagle shark appeared to have been eaten by an even larger shark in what researchers believe is the first such evidence of the ocean hunter becoming the hunted. Researchers captured the porbeagle shark near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in late October 2020 and attached two tracker tags – one mounted on the shark’s … Read more
The secret to life on Earth could be deeper than we thought. Scientists have discovered that metal nodules on the ocean floor are producing oxygen in total darkness without any aid from living organisms, which could upend our understanding of the origin of life. This eye-opening revelation was revealed in a groundbreaking study in the … Read more
If you sea something, say something. Fishermen are being instructed to kill an invasive, predatory fish with the potential to devastate local ecosystems. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is warning folks to be on the lookout for the northern snakehead, a marine animal indigenous to Asia that has been spotted in US waters. As … Read more
Sink your teeth into this bit of news. Sharks may be more useful than meteorologists when it comes to long-term hurricane forecasting, experts say — and the clues can be found in their migration patterns. Like dogs and birds before a thunderstorm, sharks who smell trouble will typically move en masse into deeper waters weeks in … Read more
They sea an opportunity for shenanigans. For the last four years, a small band of orcas have been raising hell off the Atlantic coasts of Europe by ramming into nearly 700 vessels and making some sink, according to the Washington Post. Now, a new report highlights the most probable reason why these killer whales dangerously … Read more
Thousands of dead starfish washed up on a beach in Kent, England, and local officials are warning people to stay away from them for fear of potential disease. Thanet District Council advised beachgoers to avoid the carcasses of the creatures, which were found at Margate Beach, according to the BBC. Wildlife conservationist Nik Mitchell posted … Read more
Scientists are taking “The Meg” down a peg. An international review of the megalodon, a giant shark that went extinct 3.6 million years ago, has suggested that it was much slimmer than researchers previously thought. The mammoth ocean predator became the stuff of literary and cinematic legend, most recently with the 2018 sci-fi thriller “The … Read more
Scientists in the Philippines may have found a powerful weapon in the ongoing battle against cancer — an alleged virility-enhancing sea cucumber that happens to be a dead ringer for dog poop. They outlined the marine doo-ppelgänger’s apparent anti-cancer properties, among other unique attributes, in a recent study published in the journal “Plos One.” “What … Read more
It blew these Wales-watchers minds. Sightseers were flabbergasted after spotting an extremely rare “lost” whale while exploring the Welsh coastline, as detailed in a Facebook post making waves online. The party had reportedly been on a SeaMor Dolphin Watching trip off New Quay, Ceredigion, when, all of sudden, they spotted a creature much rarer than … Read more
Summer is heating up for Florida manatees. The Pinella County Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook that they get calls “all the time” about passersby seeing manatees by the shore clumped together. People will call after seeing this startling sight assuming that the manatees are in distress — but they’re actually just mating. “If you see … Read more
Looks like Jaws is on our team now. Shark tracking, a practice among many new tech breakthroughs to keep an eye on the apex predators, may lead to “enormous untapped potential” on analyzing hurricanes and other major storm systems, both new research and other experts say. This could potentially help save a plethora of human … Read more
These saucy-looking sea creatures sure are making a splash. Thousands of so-called “penis fish” have washed ashore on a beach in Rio Grande, Argentina, shocking locals with their phallic appearance. The marine life, which is actually a breed of spoon worm officially known as Urechis Unicinctus, was given its naughty nickname due to its striking … Read more
Scientists are using state-of-the-art tracking devices to keep tabs on white sharks off the coast of Cape Cod this summer to keep beachgoers safe and to learn more about the animals’ habits. Experts on the commonwealth’s coast — which saw a major uptick in sightings of white sharks recently, due to them preying on local … Read more
It could fill a massive knowledge “gap” on alien life. Researchers flabbergasted the science community after discovering the world’s second largest blue hole in Mexico — which could potentially provide a window into life on other planets. The massive sapphire sinkhole was originally discovered in 2021, but was only documented recently in the scientific journal … Read more
Police have arrested a man in connection to a platypus taken from its natural habitat on Tuesday morning. A hunt for a man and a woman, as well as the platypus, was sparked after the pair was allegedly caught on CCTV showing the creature to people on a train. Police said the pair boarded a … Read more
He’s got a few kinks to work out. A gigantic, 56-foot fin whale with severe scoliosis was spotted swimming offshore near the city of Valencia, Spain earlier this month — and scientists were able to capture the rare sight on tape. The 40-ton fella — whose body was contorted into a V-like shape — wound … Read more
A Hawaiian man known as “Dolphin Dave” is facing charges after he allegedly harassed wildlife in a state park. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said 65-year-old David Jiménez of Maui was cited Monday morning at Kealakekua Bay on Hawai‘i Island. This comes after the department’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement received numerous calls … Read more
He’s not a multi-tusker. A meandering — and masturbating — walrus named Thor has popped up in Iceland, two months after eagle-eyed Brits spotted him visiting the UK. Elís Pétur Elísson, who was supervising a fishing boat in the Breiddalsvik harbor, noticed Thor lounging on one of the floating docks Friday. Approaching him with caution, the … Read more