Articles for tag: Ocean

Volunteers cleaning up a beach coastline during daytime.

The Great Ocean Cleanup: Can We Really Remove Plastic from the Sea?

Annette Uy

Imagine standing on a pristine beach, the sun setting on the horizon, waves gently lapping at your feet. Now, imagine that same beach littered with plastic debris, bottles, and bags, a stark reminder of human impact on our planet. This is the reality many coastal areas face, as plastic pollution has become a pressing environmental ...

Gyres: The Ocean's Plastic Collecting Systems

Ocean Currents and Trash: How Far a Plastic Bag Can Travel

Annette Uy

Picture this: you’re walking along a beautiful beach, the salty breeze carrying the sound of crashing waves. Suddenly, you spot a plastic bag dancing in the wind before it tumbles into the ocean. What happens next might shock you. That simple plastic bag you just witnessed entering the water could potentially travel thousands of miles, ...

Would Earth Be Habitable Without Its Oceans?

Would Earth Be Habitable Without Its Oceans?

Annette Uy

Picture our blue marble floating in the cosmic void, its azure surface shimmering with the very essence of life itself. Now imagine that same world stripped bare of its vast oceanic blanket, leaving only parched continents under an alien sky. This isn’t just a thought experiment – it’s a journey into understanding what makes our ...

The ocean

The Ocean’s Missing Waves: What Causes Rogue Waves and Tsunamis?

Annette Uy

The ocean, with its vast expanse and endless mysteries, has always captivated human imagination. Among its many wonders are the powerful and often terrifying phenomena of rogue waves and tsunamis. These colossal waves can appear seemingly out of nowhere, causing devastation and leaving scientists and seafarers alike puzzled. What are the forces behind these oceanic ...

You Won’t Believe How 60% of the Ocean Floor Hosts the Rare Supergiant Crustacean

Jan Otte

Far beneath the ocean’s sunlit surface, in crushing darkness and near-freezing temperatures, lurks a creature once thought to be a rarity of the deep. Alicella gigantea, the world’s largest amphipod, a shrimp-like crustacean that grows up to 34 cm (13.4 inches) long has long been considered an elusive oddity. But groundbreaking new research reveals this ...

Microplastics in Paradise? Discover the Hidden Threat in Brazil’s Marine Havens

Jan Otte

Celebrated as havens of biodiversity, Brazil’s marine protected areas (MPAs) are under strict control meant to guard delicate ecosystems from human impact. Still, a novel study reveals a sneaky invader slipping past these defenses: microplastics. Little plastic particles have crept into even the most pristine, no-take reserves where fishing, tourism, and industrial activity are prohibited ...