The body conditions of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations around the Norwegian island of Svalbard have improved despite sea ice losses, according to research published in Scientific Reports...

New research from the Marine Biological Laboratory examines how a species of frog evolved a unique genetic system for determining sex. Published in PLOS Genetics, the study traces the evolutionary origins of the gene dm-w, which directs female development in Xenopus laevis frogs and descends from dmrt1, a gene involved in sexual differentiation in humans and many other vertebrates. By comparing gene function across species and sexes, the researchers show that duplicated versions of dmrt1 followed different evolutionary paths in males and females. This divergence allowed one gene copy to become nonessential in females, ultimately enabling the emergence of dm-w as a new master switch for sex determination. The work highlights how genetic function can shift dramatically depending on biological context and underscores the role of genetic “tipping points” in evolutionary change.

Researchers from Incheon National University have discovered that prolonged nutrient depletion can significantly increase toxin production in harmful marine algae even when growth appears stable. Although nutrient starvation reduced photosynthetic efficiency, toxin levels continued to rise, revealing a hidden risk phase of harmful algal blooms. The findings highlight the need for monitoring strategies that go beyond bloom size and consider cellular toxin dynamics to better protect seafood safety and public health.

The King’s Trough Complex is a several-hundred-kilometre-long, canyon-like system of trenches on the North Atlantic seafloor. Its formation was long thought to be the result of simple stretching of the oceanic crust. An international research team led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel has now shown that the so-called “Grand Canyon of the Atlantic” was formed around 37 to 24 million years ago through the interplay of a temporarily existing plate boundary and an early branch of the Azores mantle plume. Their findings have been published in the AGU journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems (G-Cubed).

A new study suggests the world’s oxygen depleted seas may have a chance of returning to higher oxygen concentrations in the centuries to come, despite our increasingly warming climate.

Blue carbon, referring to the carbon captured and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems, is often considered as a crucial factor for environmental conservation strategies. A recent study examined the role of Japanese television programs and newspapers in communicating the concept of blue carbon, along with its risks and potentials. The study highlights the need for effective communication strategies to increase awareness and felicitate the development of informed policies. 

URI’s Tracey Dalton is analyzing the economic impact of these harmful macroalgal blooms, co-authoring a paper on sargassum inundation in the Caribbean. The project also included University of Rhode Island alumni Di Jin and Ken Hamel. Their study shows that sargassum events are expected to cause significant negative economic impacts, in the multimillion dollars each year.

A third of fish living in the remote coastal waters of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories are contaminated with microplastics, with especially high rates in Fiji, according to an analysis publishing January 28, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Jasha Dehm at the University of the South Pacific and colleagues.