As the ocean temperature rises, many marine species are moving toward the north and south poles in search of cooler waters, thus rewriting the menus of seafood restaurants on the West Coast of Canada.
Without this tiny, ubiquitous shellfish, the story of human life on Earth may have played out quite differently.
A biologist examines microplastics found in sea species at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research in Greece, Nov. 26, 2019.
Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images
Alongside with milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans and fish, shellfish are one of the eight allergens that account for 90% of food-related allergic reactions. What if a vaccine could exist?
Oysters are big business along the Gulf Coast, but raising them off-bottom – which yields a premium product – is just starting there. Hurricane Michael showed it won’t be easy.
Remains of meals at Haua Fteah cave reveal a lot about past climates in in the Gebel Akhdar region of Libya.
Amy Prendergast
Archaeologists are trash sifters. They use clues preserved in artefacts, plant and animal remains that people threw away or left behind to reconstruct the past.
Oysters can do a lot more than they’re given credit for.
Oysters aren’t just good for a feed. They also give a vital boost to coastal ecosystems, which is why efforts are underway to restore Australia’s once-abundant oyster reefs to their former glory.
Colleen Burge, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Oysters grow in seawater and filter their food from it, so how do you shield them from waterborne diseases? Scientists are working to develop strains that are resistant to a fast-spreading herpes virus.
A new study shows that sustainable fish farming in deep ocean waters could produce as much seafood as all of the world’s wild fisheries, in a space the size of Lake Michigan or Africa’s Lake Victoria.
Mud oysters played a largely unappreciated part in Australia’s history.
Cayne Layton
In colonial times Australia’s waters were teeming with mud oysters that provided food, cement, and cleaned the oceans. Now a 20-hectare man-made reef aims to restore some of their former glory.
Some sea animals with smooth shells can dig themselves into the sand in just a few seconds.
Flickr/jridgewayphotography
Maëlle, 7, wants to know why some shells are smooth, while others are corrugated. It turns out that while corrugated shells are strong, smooth shells can move fast.
Paul McElhany, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Global climate change is altering the chemistry of the oceans. A recent study suggests that the Pacific coast’s lucrative Dungeness crab fishery could suffer as ocean water becomes more acidic.
Shellfish will have more brittle shells as oceans get more acidic – making them more vulnerable to predators. New research gives a fascinating glimpse into how they will adapt.