In the ocean, phytoplankton helped by diazotrophs play an outstanding role in withdrawing CO₂ from the atmosphere. But climate change is disturbing this delicate balance.
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Articles on Oceans
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Ocean swimmers often wax lyrical about the benefits of a regular dip in the salt water.
The Atlantic Ocean is still growing physically, but humans are over-harvesting its rich fisheries. The most famous one – North Atlantic cod – has become a textbook example of harmful overfishing.
An international agreement has set an ambitious deadline for action on some of the biggest problems facing the world's oceans.
Some beaches in the world tend to consistently produce huge waves. Places like Nazaré Canyon in Portugal and Mavericks in California are famous for their waves because of the shape of the seafloor.
Scientists had been uncertain about why killer whales are dying in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. A new study takes an in-depth look and provides the tools to help prevent additional deaths in the future.
Marine fish could serve as a crucial global emergency food supply in times of crisis, if marine ecosystems were in a healthy state to start with.
The pattern of autumn sea ice growth has been completely disrupted. The director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center explains what's happening.
Healthy seagrasses form underwater meadows teeming with fish and shellfish. A successful large-scale restoration project in Virginia could become a model for reseeding damaged seagrass beds worldwide.
This is up to 35 times more than the estimated weight of plastic pollution on the ocean’s surface.
It's only happened twice since naming started in 1950, and there's an unusual twist to where many of the storms formed this year.
Laura went from a tropical storm to a major hurricane in less than 24 hours, sending coastal residents scrambling to prepare. Hurricanes Harvey and Michael exploded in strength in similar ways.
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After the oil spill, the usual sight of families strolling by the sea was quickly replaced by volunteers working hard in a concerted effort to protect their coast.
Companies are eager to mine the deep ocean for valuable mineral deposits. But scientists are concerned about impacts on sea life, including creatures that haven't even been discovered yet.
An enormous amount of fishing gear is cut loose in the ocean each year. The losses cut into fishers' profits and kill marine wildlife. A new project aims to get ghost gear out of the ocean.
Africa's blue economy initiatives focused on economic outcomes. Limited attention was given to social equity and ecological sustainability.
Between 1986 and 2016, Kenya lost about 21 of its seagrasses.
Global long-term data simply doesn't exist for jellyfish, so scientists struggle to predict, track and mitigate their potential effects.
Born on July 30, 1920, geologist and cartographer Tharp changed scientific thinking about what lay at the bottom of the ocean – not a featureless flat, but rugged and varied terrain.
Recent shark-related deaths fuel the debate around the best way to keep people safe in the water, without hurting marine wildlife.
Top contributors
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Professor, University of Queensland, The University of Queensland
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Adjunct Professor of Marine Ecology, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
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Associate professor, University of Western Australia
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Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO
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Senior Principal Research Scientist - Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO
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Postdoctoral researcher, Stanford University
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Suzanne OConnell is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wesleyan University
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Professor & Director, Marine Futures Lab, University of Western Australia
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Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
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Professor, The University of Queensland
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Winthrop Professor, Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia
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Senior Lecturer in Geography, University of Wollongong
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Professor and Dean of Science, UNSW
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Senior Curator of Marine Invertebrates, Museums Victoria
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Lecturer in Marine Biology, Swansea University
