A new study based on long-term monitoring data demonstrates significant differences in growth between nurse sharks off the coast of Miami and those living just across the Gulf Stream.

Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics have developed a new process that turns ordinary metal tubes unsinkable—meaning they will stay afloat no matter how long they are forced into water or how heavily they are damaged. The researchers describe their process for creating aluminum tubes with remarkable floating abilities in a study published in Advanced Functional Materials. By etching the interior of aluminum tubes, the researchers create micro- and nano-pits on the surface that turn it superhydrophobic, repelling water and staying dry.

Shark bycatch kills millions of sharks each year, even in U.S. longline fisheries, where many are discarded dead. Because sharks grow and reproduce slowly, these losses threaten vulnerable populations and marine ecosystems. FAU researchers have created a patent-pending zinc-and-graphite device that generates a small electric field, repelling sharks from baited hooks without affecting target species like tuna and swordfish. Florida field trials cut shark bycatch by more than 60%, offering an inexpensive, scalable path to sustainable fisheries.

Floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) operate under complex ocean conditions, where currents generate vortex shedding that can trigger platform oscillation, affecting turbine safety and energy output. This study uses high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to explore how different flow incidence angles (0°, 90°, 180°) influence the vortex-induced motion (VIM) of a semi-submersible FOWT platform. Results show clear differences in surge, sway, and yaw responses when the current direction changes, with strong lock-in behavior occurring at reduced velocity V_R = 6–10. The work highlights how pontoons and cross braces suppress VIM amplitudes by disturbing the wake patterns. The findings provide valuable insight for improving design safety and optimizing hydrodynamic performance of FOWT platforms.

Shifting ocean conditions mean that animals have to adjust to the loss of some food sources and changes in their habitats. Now, researchers have used almost 30 years of data to document how the trophic niches and diets of fin, minke, and humpback whales have shifted in the context of environmental changes in the North Atlantic Ocean. They found that these whales are eating more fish and less krill than they used to. Whales also divvied up resources more clearly and kept more to their own niches, which could indicate reduced prey availability in recent years.