A study conducted by the Madagascar Whale Shark Project has revealed that juvenile whale sharks swim to Madagascar, particularly the island of Nosy Be, to feed.  This is the first major scientific survey of it’s kind in the area and shows it is a newly-identified hotspot for these fish. The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the world’s largest […]

A new study led by the University of Leicester has given an insight into our planet’s climate over half a billion years ago. Using chemical analysis of small fossilised shells, combined with climate model simulations, the team of scientists from the University of Leicester (UK), British Geological Survey (BGS; UK), and CEREGE (France) found evidence […]

In turtles and other reptiles, whether an egg hatches male or female depends on the temperature of its nest. The phenomenon was first discovered in reptiles more than 50 years ago, but until now the molecular details were unknown. A study published this week in the journal Science has identified a critical part of the biological “thermometer” that […]

A new study has found that the majority of marine life in Marine Protected Areas will not be able to tolerate the increase in ocean temperatures associated with climate change. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established across the world’s oceans as a haven to protect threatened marine life. MPAs limit human activity  in an area […]

A new study released this week has revealed that some species of corals are able to combat the effects of ocean acidification by controlling their own chemistry. Researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) at The University of Western Australia (UWA) have identified marine species that are resilient to […]

Hawaii lawmakers passed a bill today banning the sale of sunscreens containing chemicals believed to be harmful to coral reefs, becoming the first US state to enact such a law The chemicals in question, Benzophenone-3 (BP-3; oxybenzone) and octinoxate are ingredients in sunscreen lotions and personal-care products that protect against the damaging effects of ultraviolet […]

A new study from Florida State University shows that increasing microplastic accumulation along the Gulf’s beaches could alter the composition of shoreline sand and jeopardize the sensitive incubation environments of Loggerhead sea turtles. The Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is the most abundant of all the marine turtle species in U.S. waters. But persistent population […]