Amorina Kingdon’s Contributions:
Letting Carbon Sink with the Fishes
Fish fall to the seafloor when they die, sequestering carbon in the deep. Our penchant for catching big fish is breaking the cycle.
Oct 13, 2021 | 1 min 50 sec
Flying by the Fat of the Sea
Scientists may have cracked an essential secret of shorebirds’ marathon migrations.
Sep 14, 2021 | 5,300 words, about 26 minutes
In the Absence of Cruise Ships, Humpbacks Have Different Things to Say
Researchers don’t know exactly what the whales were saying, of course, but the discovery that the proportions of call types changed is intriguing on its own.
Sep 2, 2021 | 900 words, about 4 minutes
The Murky Origins of an Enigmatic Artifact
A projectile point dredged from the deep could tell us so much about early people in Tierra del Fuego—if only we knew its age.
Mar 19, 2021 | 600 words, about 3 minutes
Seahorse Dads Have Gotta Feed Those Buns in the Oven
A recent study sheds light on the role male seahorses play in nourishing their babies.
Feb 1, 2021 | 450 words, about 2 minutes
Coral Versus Climate
Coral reefs are projected to do really poorly as climate change accelerates, but most of our data comes from lab studies. How have corals actually responded to an already-changing ocean?
Dec 17, 2020 | Interactive feature
Fukushima’s Radioactive Wastewater Dilemma
What to do with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of contaminated water?
Nov 26, 2020 | 1,400 words, about 7 minutes
Hiding in Plain Light
A natural phenomenon of light and waves helps prey fish use stealth when running from predators.
Jun 30, 2020 | 2 min
Expanding Canada’s Biggest Port Will Be a Blow to Wildlife
A new environmental assessment raises plenty of concerns about the proposed new terminal at Vancouver’s Roberts Bank*
Apr 16, 2020 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Honey, I Scared the Squids
The sounds made by industrial pile drivers freak out squid, but they seem to adjust. Sort of.
Mar 2, 2020 | 450 words, about 2 minutes
Creatures with Circatidal Rhythms Move to a Different Beat
New research shows that while the song may be different, the players are the same.
Feb 20, 2020 | 750 words, about 3 minutes
Shipboard Swarm on the High Seas
A throng of unexpected visitors to a navy ship sheds light on insect migration.
Dec 30, 2019 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
The South Pointing Spoon
One of the world’s first compasses was a magnetized spoon.
Dec 20, 2019 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
A High-Pressure Job
What construction workers, scuba divers, and a risqué dance have in common.
Dec 17, 2019 | 4 min 20 sec
From Berth to Death
Flu kills. It kills even more when new technology changes everything.
Nov 19, 2019 | 4,200 words, about 21 minutes
The Ants That Picnic on the Beach
A barren Brazilian beach offers a window into how ants forage.
Sep 25, 2019 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
Belugas’ Downward Spiral
The Arctic mammals are losing ground. This warming world is beating them down.
Jul 24, 2019 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Why Ocean Shores Beachcombing Is a Blast
Collectors at this year’s beachcombing fair in a Washington town had something surprising to put on display.
May 28, 2019 | 6 min
The Baffling Case of the Belugas that Won’t Bounce Back
What’s keeping Cook Inlet belugas from thriving?
May 21, 2019 | 4,500 words, about 23 minutes
Two Flies Walk into a Barnacle
Then they mate and their babies eat the barnacle. Seriously.
May 9, 2019 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Killer Whales Are Insufferable Gossips
With new technology, scientists eavesdrop on the private conversations of these blubbery blabbermouths.
Apr 1, 2019 | 100 words, a quick read
Fish in Tubes
The salmon cannon is just one place where fish go tubular.
Mar 13, 2019 | 900 words, about 4 minutes
Humpback Moms Need a Quiet Place to Nurse
Ship noise and development could disturb nursing humpbacks during a crucial time.
Mar 6, 2019 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
This Snail Fights Sea Stars with Fancy Frills
New research investigates why some sea snails use precious resources to make their shells extra fancy.
Feb 15, 2019 | 500 words, about 2 minutes
The Stories Whale Lice Tell
Humpbacks can’t tell you who they hang out with. But their lice can.
Jan 2, 2019 | 750 words, about 3 minutes
Okay Google, Let’s Map Some Mud
A massive new map of the world’s mudflats may help save critical shorebird habitat.
Dec 19, 2018 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Imploding Kelp
The answer to the pressing question of how low kelp can go.
Oct 12, 2018 | 450 words, about 2 minutes
Playing Viking Chess with Whale Bones
Game pieces made of whale bone may be evidence of the emergence of industrial whaling in ancient Scandinavia.
Sep 25, 2018 | 1,000 words, about 5 minutes
Nudibranchs: Armed and Fabulous
These marine mollusks seem to tempt fate with their lack of shell and come-hither colors, but there’s danger in that decoration.
Sep 19, 2018 | 1,700 words, 14 photos
Detecting Pregnancy by Proxy
Subtle changes in how long northern elephant seals dive show when they’re pregnant.
Jul 20, 2018 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Greenland Sharks Undeterred by Shark-Repelling Hooks
To the shark’s detriment, its vacuum-like feeding technique allows it to bypass the repelling effect of magnetic fishing hooks.
Jul 12, 2018 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
Porpoises Flee from Noise Pollution
Toothed whales, which communicate at higher frequencies than their baleen brethren, are also disrupted by artificial noise.
May 23, 2018 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
Fish on Acid Have Their Senses Confused
Acidic water affects how one fish species parses sight, smell, and sound—a potential sign of neurological disruption.
May 4, 2018 | 600 words, about 3 minutes
The Intertidal Architects of the Coast
Some of the coastline’s most diligent designers are marine invertebrates.
Apr 26, 2018 | 900 words, about 4 minutes
Melting Glaciers Do More Than Raise Sea Levels
The movement of meltwater from ice to the ocean carries some surprising cargo.
Mar 9, 2018 | 800 words, about 4 minutes
Why Scientists Should Do It in the Dark
Sample zooplankton, that is.
Mar 5, 2018 | 500 words, about 2 minutes
Are Scientific Tracking Tags Hurting Wild Animals?
New research shows telemetry tags may force seals to work harder and swim slower.
Jan 22, 2018 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Climate Change Is Good for These Crabs’ Genitals
We always knew there would be winners and losers.
Jan 18, 2018 | 600 words, about 3 minutes
Shellfish Can’t Say No to Drugs
Unfortunately for them. But it is teaching scientists about the consequences of pharmaceutical pollution.
Jan 5, 2018 | 800 words, about 4 minutes
Hatchery Fish Often Fail in the Wild. Now We Might Know Why
Epigenetics explained, with help from ’80s pop.
Dec 21, 2017 | 850 words, about 4 minutes
Actually, Dolphins Don’t All Look the Same
Humans are more than capable of telling individual dolphins apart just by their faces.
Dec 13, 2017 | 450 words, about 2 minutes
Changes to the Ocean’s Micro Creatures Could Have Macro Effects
The effects of climate change reverberate through the ocean’s food webs.
Nov 27, 2017 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Fish in Formation
How schools of fish use physics to swim smarter, not harder.
Nov 2, 2017 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
A Hard Shore Is a Dead Shore
How anti-erosion measures hurt fish—and living shorelines may help.
Oct 16, 2017 | 950 words, about 4 minutes
Saving the Ocean One Outfit at a Time
The sea suffers for fashion. Kombucha leather and leased jeans to the rescue.
Sep 26, 2017 | 2,900 words, about 15 minutes
These Cages Save Baby Fish
On developed shorelines, oyster shell “safe houses” offer sanctuary.
Sep 19, 2017 | 900 words, about 4 minutes
The Great Salmon Escape: Is There a Better Way to Farm Fish?
We’ve just seen how open-net fish farms can go wrong. It’s time to look at the alternatives.
Sep 1, 2017 | 600 words, about 3 minutes
Dolphins Master Decapitation
In the Gulf of Mexico, dolphins have learned a deadly new trick.
Aug 17, 2017 | 450 words, about 2 minutes
Ocean Racket Makes for Rascally Wrasses
Motorboat noise spurs rise in fish-on-fish crime.
Aug 4, 2017 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
Why Don’t Whales Get Out of the Way?
Ships are huge and loud, yet they seem to take whales by surprise.
Jul 27, 2017 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
A Healthy Ocean Needs Viruses
And the more we learn about them, the weirder they get.
Jul 21, 2017 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
Not Your Average Beach House
Forget rebar or prestressed lumber—the sea provides a bounty of alternative construction materials.
Jul 6, 2017 | 850 words, about 4 minutes
Putting the Local in Marine Conservation
A new proposal for a code of conduct considers marine protection and the needs of people.
Jun 5, 2017 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
The Shellfish Gene
How shellfish farmers are leaning on genes to unmask the secrets of mussels, scallops, and oysters.
May 23, 2017 | 2,200 words, about 11 minutes
Life Interstitial
What does it take to live between the grains of sand?
Apr 28, 2017 | Interactive infographic
Here Be Tiny Dragons (and Other Micro Beasts)
Researchers reveal the microscopic life in between the grains of sediment.
Apr 18, 2017 | 5 min
Stealing the Slims River
River piracy could become more common in a warming world.
Apr 17, 2017 | 950 words, about 4 minutes
Listen to How Loud the Sea Is
Our interactive sound map explores the busy marine soundscape, from kayaks to cruise ships.
Apr 6, 2017 | Interactive infographic
The Wrong Whale In All The Right Ways
New research reveals how the North Pacific’s wrong whale escaped exploitation during whaling’s heyday.
Apr 1, 2017 | 100 words, a quick read
Rich Dolphin, Poor Dolphin, Beggar Dolphin, Thief
Human activity turns dolphins into beggars and thieves. What does that mean for their social lives?
Mar 23, 2017 | 850 words, about 4 minutes
Luxury Living for Retired Whales
The Whale Sanctuary Project wants to build an ocean home for captive killer whales.
Mar 2, 2017 | 1,000 words, about 5 minutes
A Renaissance Field Guide to Fantastical Fish
Dutch fisherman Adriaen Coenen’s visual masterpiece chronicled the ocean’s denizens, real and imagined.
Feb 24, 2017 | 800 words, about 4 minutes
Pinch Me
In a Washington State lake, two of the most globally invasive crayfish species are duking it out. Should we step in?
Feb 17, 2017 | 1,600 words, about 8 minutes
The Origins of Ghana’s Iconic Black Star Line
The focal point of the African nation’s flag was inspired by the name of its first shipping line.
Feb 3, 2017 | 400 words, about 2 minutes
The Hunter’s Designer Shades
Yup’ik hunters wore visors decorated with beautiful charms and designs.
Jan 6, 2017 | 500 words, about 2 minutes
Santa Claus Is Coming to Port
Before he was seasonal, he was seagoing.
Dec 22, 2016 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
The Questionable Science of Vancouver’s Port Expansion
A flawed environmental impact assessment may have consequences for the western sandpiper.
Nov 28, 2016 | 5,500 words, about 28 minutes
The 6,000-Year-Old Village
Traditional knowledge meets Western science on the central coast of British Columbia.
Nov 22, 2016 | 7 min 30 sec
The Dark Side of Lighthouses
Mouthfuls of molten lead, wild weather, and insanity: the occupational hazards of an early lighthouse keeper.
Nov 18, 2016 | 1,000 words, about 5 minutes
Coral, Explained
A little bit algae, a little bit rock, and a lot animal. If you’ve ever wondered about the life of a coral, this photo essay will help.
Sep 1, 2016 | 2,000 words, 13 photos
Bottoms Up
After years on the ocean floor, these five salvaged beverages were still drinkable—for better or for worse.
Jul 15, 2016 | 900 words, about 4 minutes
Captains of Industry
Five seamen who sold the world (cigarettes, rum, and spinach).
Jun 3, 2016 | 900 words, about 4 minutes
Doing Science with Stories
The experiences of people who live close with the land offer a potentially valuable complement to traditional climate change data.
Apr 27, 2016 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Infographic: Get the Hell Off My Beach
Coastal access laws around the world.
Apr 15, 2016 | Infographic
The Race for Arctic Oil
Oil companies have always looked north for vast oil fields, and they won’t stop any time soon.
Feb 8, 2016 | Infographic
Et Tu, Ocean?
The role of the sea in melting the Arctic.
Feb 2, 2016 | 3 min 15 sec
Old Coast, New Coast: Halifax Harbour
One December morning, the world’s largest explosion tore through the heart of Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. The city grieved, rebuilt, and carried on.
Nov 4, 2015 | 500 words, about 2 minutes
All Three Sides of the Story
Five geographical triangles that shaped the ocean’s history.
Oct 14, 2015 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Hazardous Waters
Five perils that you can encounter at sea, and where they’re most likely to strike.
Jul 29, 2015 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
The Captain and the Punch Bowl
Those were the days—when booze and pottery cemented social relationships.
Jun 30, 2015 | 500 words, about 2 minutes
Manjirō Nakahama: From Castaway to Samurai
The first Japanese person to live in the United States, Manjirō’s incredible journeys are seafaring legend.
Jun 29, 2015 | 600 words, about 3 minutes
The Little Post Office That Could
When Britain dubbed Herm Island too tiny to merit a post office, the islanders found a way to get that problem licked.
Jun 15, 2015 | 400 words, about 2 minutes
Navigating a Sticky Situation
People from the Marshall Islands created beautiful, unconventional charts to navigate across the sea.
Jun 5, 2015 | 300 words, a quick read
Five Islands We Are Really Sick Of
An island stay sounds dreamy, but the reality of these five quarantine islands was often a nightmare.
May 29, 2015 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Global Shipping and Emissions
Shipping traffic has grown rapidly in the past two decades—and so have its emissions. But what does that mean for the atmosphere?
Apr 22, 2015 | Infographic
Coastal Villages that Moved Away
Build a dam, Sam. Set off a bomb, Dom. Block a view, Lou. There are at least 50 ways to move your coastal village, but we’ve narrowed it down to five.
Apr 22, 2015 | 550 words, about 2 minutes
Stefan Drzewiecki, Submarine Tsar
The world’s first submarine fleet was pedal-powered and short-lived. But its design was a game changer for modern warfare.
Apr 22, 2015 | 450 words, about 2 minutes