EurekAlert! Marine Science - News Releases

News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 2-Jan-2026 12:11 ET (2-Jan-2026 17:11 GMT/UTC)

Seaweed based carbon catalyst offers metal free solution for removing antibiotics from water

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new metal free carbon catalyst made from seaweed could offer a greener way to clean antibiotic polluted water, according to a new study in Biochar X. The team reports that its porous carbon material, derived from a common marine polysaccharide and doped with nitrogen and sulfur, rapidly breaks down the antibiotic norfloxacin in water while avoiding the use of toxic metals or sulfur chemicals.

New circoviruses discovered in pilot whales and orcas from the North Atlantic 

Arizona State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A collaborative team of researchers identified two new circovirus species in short-finned pilot whales and orcas from the Caribbean region of the North Atlantic Ocean. Using high-throughput sequencing of archived tissue samples, the team determined seven complete viral genomes that represent two distinct species, named shofin circovirus and orcin circovirus. Structural and phylogenetic analyses showed that cetacean circoviruses form a separate clade within the genus Circovirus and exhibit unique capsid loop features not seen in other circoviruses. The study provides the first evidence of circoviruses in cetaceans from this region and expands understanding of circovirus diversity, evolution and potential ecological significance.

Journal: Virology

New USF study finds widespread rule-breaking in whale shark tourism hotspot

University of South Florida
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Drone footage revealed constant violations of Mexico’s whale shark tourism rules, even when far fewer boats were on the water than regulations allow. The findings raise broader questions about whether popular wildlife encounters — from manta rays and sea turtles to whales and even elephants — are truly “ecotourism” and highlight the need for stronger monitoring and community-led stewardship.

Journal: Journal of Sustainable Tourism

Ancient manatee relative reveals that sea cows have engineered the Arabian Gulf’s seagrass ecosystems for over 20 million years

Smithsonian
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Today, the Arabian Gulf is home to manatee-like marine mammals called dugongs that shape the seafloor as they graze on seagrasses. A newly described fossil site in Qatar reveals that ancient sea cows engineered aquatic ecosystems in a similar way more than 20 million years ago.

Journal: PeerJ
Funder: Smithsonian Institution, Qatar National Research Fund

Climate extremes triggered rare coral disease and mass mortality on the Great Barrier Reef

University of Sydney
Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Sydney marine biologists have identified a devastating combination of coral bleaching and a rare necrotic wasting disease that wiped out large, long-lived corals on the Great Barrier Reef during the record 2024 marine heatwave. Their findings suggest climate change is happening too quickly for corals to adjust.

Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
Funder: Australian Research Council

Ocean current and seabed shape influence warm water circulation under ice shelves

University of East Anglia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research reveals how the speed of ocean currents and the shape of the seabed influence the amount of heat flowing underneath Antarctic ice shelves, contributing to melting.

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) used an autonomous underwater vehicle to survey beneath the Dotson Ice Shelf in the Amundsen Sea, an area of rapid glacial ice loss largely due to increasing ocean heat around and below ice shelves.

Funder: Natural Environment Research Council, U.S. National Science Foundation

Tsinghua University Press launches ocean journal to promote global marine research collaboration

Tsinghua University Press
Business Announcement

Tsinghua University Press is pleased to announce the official launch of Ocean (www.sciopen.com/journal/3008-1203), an international, peer-reviewed open-access journal dedicated to advancing research in ocean science, technology, and engineering.

Journal: Ocean

Oyster larvae on drugs move slowly and are stressed

Society for Risk Analysis
Meeting Announcement

The discharge and prevalence of psychoactive drugs in surface waters has raised concerns about potential risks to ecosystems and public health. Yet there is limited information on the ecotoxicity of these compounds in marine environments and aquaculture.

Meeting: Society for Risk Analysis 2025 Conference

Connection and protection boost health in coral reefs

University of Oxford
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Coral reefs may seem like paradise, but they are being degraded by a range of global and local factors, including climate change, poor water quality, and overfishing. New research reveals that connections between reefs help stabilise reef health, reducing the risk of collapse, and that a dual approach – improving conditions on both land and sea – may be the best way to protect these crucial ecosystems.

Journal: Ecological Applications

High seas fisheries management falls short of mandates, analysis finds

Duke University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The regulatory bodies charged with managing and conserving fisheries across two-thirds of the world’s oceans are threatening marine ecosystems by significantly underperforming, according to an analysis published on Nov. 24 in Environmental Research Letters. Led by researchers from the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, the analysis comes as the United Nations prepares to enforce a new oceans treaty that will require collaboration with these regulatory bodies, called Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).

Journal: Environmental Research Letters

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