Oceans

This enigmatic orb has undergone extensive examination and DNA testing, enabling scientists to reveal its true origins

These incredible corals form what may be one of the world’s largest reef systems—and researchers have a plan to restore it

Scientists have learned how male octopuses’ specialized sperm-depositing arm knows where to go

A ridiculous but instructive thought experiment involving deep time, plate tectonics, erosion and the slow death of the sun

Oceanographers hope to find otherworldly ecosystems at hydrothermal vents on the Arctic seafloor

An 18-year dataset from the North Sea reveals that rogue waves are not freak accidents but particular products of ordinary swells stacking up—an insight that could make prediction possible

Companies are experimenting with deep-sea tech to produce cheaper fresh water

Proposed amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act would cut down protections to whales, dolphins, polar bears and other species

A devastating bacterium has decimated populations of sunflower sea stars, predators that play a crucial role in their environment

When researchers discovered evidence of “dark oxygen” last year, the news spread around the world, but the biggest challenge to the science comes from its funders

The underwater world relies on sound signals—so what happens when a noisy reef falls silent?

Data from beach cleanups show that banning or taxing single-use plastic bags makes a difference in ecosystems