Giant viruses play a role in the survival of single-celled marine organisms called protists. These include algae, amoeba, and flagellates, that form the base of ocean food webs. And since these protists form an important part of the food chain, these large DNA viruses are often responsible for various public health hazards, including harmful algal blooms. 

A new study, led by Bigelow Laboratory scientists, examines the ecological consequences of the shift from kelp forests to turf algae, illuminating profound changes to the energy and trophic interactions that shape the food web.

Villefranche-sur-Mer, France - June 6, 2025 - In the frame of the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025, a high-level side event hosted on June 3rd at the Institut de la Mer de Villefranche (IMEV) culminated in the signing of the Declaration of Commitment to Scientific Ocean Drilling.

A team of international scientists, including from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, have tracked over 100 marine megafauna species, identifying the most critical locations in our global oceans for better marine conservation efforts, and the establishment of effective Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), according to new research published in Science.

A global research project endorsed by the United Nations called "MegaMove" has tracked over 100 marine megafauna species, identifying the most critical locations in our global oceans for better marine conservation efforts, drawing from UC Santa Cruz's vast data sets on marine-mammal movements and behaviors.

Virginia Tech joined a global research team that tracked more than 100 species and identified ocean hotspots critical for protecting threatened marine megafauna that fall beyond current conservation zones.

A team of scientists from the SETI Institute and the University of California at Davis documented, for the first time, humpback whales producing large bubble rings, like a human smoker blowing smoke rings, during friendly interactions with humans. This previously little studied behavior may represent play or communication. Humpback whales are already known for using bubbles to corral prey and creating bubble trails and bursts when competing to escort a female whale. These new observations show humpback whales producing bubble rings during friendly encounters with humans. This finding contributes to the WhaleSETI team’s broader goal of studying non-human intelligence to aid in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The popular notion that coral reefs are often surrounded by "deserts", devoid of nutrients and plankton, isn't true.

Cleaner fish stations are the beauty salons of the sea, where bigger fish "clients" come to have tiny fish clean bacteria and parasites off their bodies. A UC Davis and WHOI study explores their influence on microbial diversity in coral reefs.