marine life

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    Deep-Sea Mining 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Deep-Sea Mining 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Quick Key Facts What Is ‘Deep-Sea Mining’? Deep-sea mining is the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the ocean floor using destructive methods such as dredging, drilling and hydraulic pumps. These methods disrupt and harm marine life and their ecosystems. The seabed is a largely unexplored world of unidentified species and mystery. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone […]

    Right Whales Can Live 130 Years or Longer, Research Finds

    Right Whales Can Live 130 Years or Longer, Research Finds

    Scientists have estimated that bowhead whales — the longest-living whale species — can live more than 200 years. It was once thought that the bowhead’s cousin, the right whale, had an average lifespan of about 70 to 80 years, but new research has revised that estimate to more than 130 years — nearly twice as […]

    ‘These Organisms Are Like Sentinels’: Changing Oceans Threaten Plankton Species

    ‘These Organisms Are Like Sentinels’: Changing Oceans Threaten Plankton Species

    According to a new study, some plankton species may face changing environmental conditions by 2100 that could impact marine ecosystems and the ocean’s capacity for storing carbon. Planktonic foraminifera — single-celled organisms who live in seawater — are under threat from warming oceans, a press release from the Max Planck Society said. In tropical regions, […]

    Largest Known Coral Colony Discovered Near Solomon Islands

    Largest Known Coral Colony Discovered Near Solomon Islands

    The largest known coral colony in the world has been found in the southwest Pacific, near the Solomon Islands. Visible from space, the “mega coral” — a collection of tiny coral polyps forming one organism — could be over three centuries old, reported BBC News. The giant coral colony was discovered by a National Geographic […]

    Puerto Rico’s New Marine Reserve Will Protect More Than 14 Endangered Species

    Puerto Rico’s New Marine Reserve Will Protect More Than 14 Endangered Species

    After 16 years of efforts by grassroots organizations, local Puerto Rico communities are celebrating the establishment of the country’s new marine protected area (MPA), Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manatí. The new marine reserve on Puerto Rico’s north coast will protect 77 square miles of marine biodiversity, a press release from the Wildlife Conservation […]