Pacific Ocean

Awaroa Beach

New Zealanders Just Crowdfunded a New Addition to this National Park

Over 40,000 people donated to buy Awaroa Beach and gift the site to Abel Tasman National Park

Did Ancient Pacific Islanders Use Obsidian to Make Their Tattoos?

A team of Australian researchers think they may have found tools used to ink the ancients

An acorn worm observed at a dive spot called Twin Peaks

Mission to Mariana Trench Records Dozens of Crazy Deep Sea Creatures

The <i>Okeanos Explorer</i> has spent three months mapping the seafloor and recording deep sea life in the ocean's depths

New research is causing the original keystone species, the ochre sea star Pisaster ochraceus, to lose some of its supposed ecosystem-controlling powers.

Tide Shifts Against the Concept of a Keystone Species

Starfish challenge a key ecological concept, ushering in a slightly-more democratic era for tide pools everywhere

Trash on Cheung Sha Beach, Lantau

Hong Kong Beaches Are Swamped With Trash, and No One Knows Why

The piles of rubbish could be transported by ocean currents or recent floods

Two canal workers pose in the cut

Commemorate the Panama Canal's Expansion With These Photos From Its Construction

The Panama Canal is opening a third lane to accommodate new mega cargo ships, a feat almost—but not quite—as impressive as building the original

Blake Lively in "The Shallows."

How Realistic Is the Shark Science in "The Shallows"?

We ask shark expert Chris Lowe whether the science in the upcoming shark thriller has any teeth. Beachgoers: You're welcome.

This visualization shows how temperatures in the top 1,000 feet, approximately, of the Pacific Ocean at the equator were warmer or cooler than average during 5-day periods centered on three dates this spring: March 14, April 13 and May 3. 

Say Goodbye to a Historic El Niño and Hello to La Niña

Conditions are looking ripe for the cooler climate pattern to take over in the Pacific

America's beaches are filled with treasures for beachcombers.

Five of the Best Beaches for Beachcombing in the U.S.

On the hunt for seashells and other buried treasure? Here’s where to look

A Chilean beach–before.

Why Are Chilean Beaches Covered With Dead Animals?

Warm waters have turned the country's once-pristine coast into a putrid sight

"Shark Vision" Shines Light on Biofluorescent Species

Using a specially designed filter, divers uncovered the glowing patterns on the skin of catsharks

Mass Bleaching Destroys Swaths of the Great Barrier Reef

Surveys show that 55 percent of reefs surveyed were severely affected by high water temperatures, with half of those expected to die

Watch a Massive Swarm of Crabs Scuttling Along The Ocean Floor

Marine biologists say this behavior has never been seen before

Silverside fish are among the species protected by a new West Coast commercial fishing ban on foraging fish.

NOAA Just Moved to Protect Puny Fish

Why a new ban is a big deal for the ocean's tiniest creatures

What's Over the Horizon? These New Maps Will Show You

Andy Woodruff's line of sight maps show what you're facing from any coastline in the world

Some of the coral bleaching near Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef

Massive Bleaching Event Hits the Great Barrier Reef

Warm ocean temperatures have impacted large swaths of the Great Barrier Reef in the last month, part of a worldwide coral die-off

Figure from the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, Germany

New Study Details Interbreeding of Ancient Humans With Evolutionary Cousins

Genetic analysis shows multiple periods of inbreeding—trysts that may have given ancient humans the genetic tools they needed to survive

Deep-Sea Robot Spies Ghostly, Unknown Octopus

Previously-undiscovered octopus spotted hanging out on the ocean floor

A 19th-century illustration depicts a scene off the coast of Peru, where bird poop, or guano, was harvested as a valuable agricultural fertilizer.

How the Gold Rush Led to Real Riches in Bird Poop

The ships carrying gold miners to California found a way to strike it rich on the way back with their holds full of guano

Where are the whales?

Hawaii’s Humpback Whales Have Gone Missing

Scientists expect about 10,000 whales to visit Hawaii's tropical waters this winter—but they're taking their time

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