Baleen whales have a summer job as ocean fertilizers
Institute of Marine Research (Norway)
Published: 13 November 2025
Baleen whales recycling nutrients through feces and urine in the Nordic and Barents Seas can boost ocean primary production by up to 10% in summer, with minke whales dominating nutrient recycling in Norwegian waters.
Keywords: baleen whales, ocean nutrients, primary production, phytoplankton, Barents Sea, Norwegian Sea, marine ecology
The world's first Bamboo Coral Reef discovered?
Institute of Marine Research (Norway)
Published: 9 October 2025
Researchers on the Mareano expedition discovered what may be the world's first documented bamboo coral reef, stretching over 800 meters along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge in the Norwegian Sea at nearly 1,000 meters depth.
Keywords: bamboo coral, coral reef, deep sea, Norwegian Sea, Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge, Mareano, ROV exploration
Blackouts Beneath the Waves
University of California, Santa Barbara
Published: 13 January 2026
Research defines marine darkwaves—sudden, intense periods of underwater light loss lasting days to months—as a new threat to ocean ecosystems. Analysis of long-term data from California and New Zealand reveals these events can nearly eliminate seafloor light.
Keywords: marine darkwaves, underwater light, kelp forests, coastal ecosystems, ocean productivity, seafloor, light loss
