New WHOI-led study reveals hidden chemical currency fueling the ocean carbon cycle
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 18 March 2026
Researchers identified diverse molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and drive Earth carbon cycle, representing up to 23% of dissolved organic carbon.
Keywords: phytoplankton, metabolites, carbon cycle, dissolved organic carbon, microbial ecology, ocean chemistry
10 Years of the Casper Octopus
NOAA Ocean Exploration
Published: 27 February 2026
A decade after an ROV spotted a translucent octopod nicknamed Casper at 4,290 meters depth, the species remains unclassified as no specimen has been collected for study.
Keywords: deep-sea octopus, Casper octopus, deep-sea discovery, ROV, marine taxonomy, deep ocean, cephalopods
Towering corals and tiny worms: Mapping the invertebrate community on the deep seafloor
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Published: 16 March 2026
Scientists deployed centimeter-scale mapping technology during MBARI's Deep Sea 3D expedition to study invertebrate communities on the Monterey Bay seafloor.
Keywords: deep-sea biodiversity, invertebrates, seafloor mapping, corals, sponges, benthic ecology, Monterey Bay
