oceanography Archives - State of the Planet

Cutting Confederate Ties, the U.S. Navy Names Ships for a Pioneering Female Oceanographer and a Daring Enslaved Pilot

Marie Tharp was a marine scientist in a man’s world. Robert Smalls was a skilled sailor, but held as a slave. Both are now being honored by the U.S. Navy.

by |March 16, 2023

How Will a Warming Arctic Affect the Atlantic Lobster Fishery?

Changes in water temperature and circulation could have big impacts for a major fishery.

by |December 14, 2022

Iron-Rich Dust From South America Played Role in Last Two Glacial Periods, Says Study

Dust from the land that gets blown into the ocean appears to influence natural climate swings. A new study looks into where much of that dust came from in the past 260,000 years.

by |November 22, 2022

Defying Some Expectations, Southern Ocean Did Not Increase Carbon Uptake in Ice Ages

In much of the world ocean, there is evidence that iron-rich dust blowing from land has fertilized algae during cold period, increasing uptake of carbon from the air, and keeping things frigid. Not here, says a new study.

by |April 19, 2022

Talking With Bill Ryan, Detective of the Deeps

Marine geologist William B.F. Ryan discusses once seemingly unlikely theories about the evolution of oceans and seas, the hunt for the wreck of the Titanic, the Biblical Flood, and more.

by |February 24, 2022

Why the U.S. Northeast Coast Is a Global Warming Hot Spot

A sharp rise in temperatures on land is linked to unusual heating of the Atlantic Ocean, and changes in wind patterns that send that warmth westward.

by |September 23, 2021

Far-Drifting Antarctic Icebergs Are Trigger of Ice Ages, Scientists Say

Large numbers of icebergs that drifted unusually far from Antarctica before melting into ocean waters have been key to initiating ice ages of the past, says a new study.

by |January 13, 2021
Pierre Dutrieux preparing a Seaglider for deployment in front of the Dotson Ice Shelf, West Antarctica, during a summer 2018 research expedition. (Photo courtesy of Pierre Dutrieux)

Refining Projections of Antarctic Ice Loss and Global Sea Level Rise

Research by Center for Climate and Life Fellow Pierre Dutrieux will lead to greater understanding of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet’s future stability and associated sea level rise.

by |June 16, 2020

Shrinking Snowcaps Fuel Harmful Algal Blooms in Arabian Sea

Driven by changing climate, a uniquely resilient organism is taking over the Arabian Sea, disrupting food chains, fisheries, oil refineries and water desalination plants.

by |May 4, 2020

Increasingly Mobile Sea Ice Means Arctic Neighbors May Pollute Each Others’ Waters

The movement of sea ice between Arctic countries is expected to significantly increase this century, raising the risk of more widely transporting pollutants like microplastics and oil, according to new research.

by |March 18, 2020