A Shipwreck’s Incalculable Toll on a Remote Reef

After a fishing boat ran aground on a fragile atoll, the consequences for the ecosystem were alarming—and curious.

Jun 24, 2020 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

As Shipwrecks Rust, Oil Spills Are Imminent

After decades at the bottom of the sea, thousands of corroded Second World War wrecks threaten to spill their oil into the South Pacific.

Sep 16, 2019 | 700 words, about 3 minutes

Oil Spills Are Bad for Shipwrecks

By enhancing microbial activity, oil spills may speed up the corrosion of historical shipwrecks and artificial reefs.

Oct 18, 2018 | 450 words, about 2 minutes

Do Ancient Shipwrecks Stand a Chance?

Fishing trawlers are destroying ancient shipwreck sites.

Aug 24, 2016 | 800 words, about 4 minutes

Spanish Empire Shipwrecks Offer New Data in the Quest to Understand Hurricanes

Caribbean Sea shipwrecks offer a high-resolution record of historical hurricane activity, which could be used to tune climate models.

Apr 29, 2016 | 750 words, about 3 minutes

La Belle’s Mysterious Bones

New genetic research unveils an unexpected origin for bones found trapped in a 17th-century shipwreck.

Jun 11, 2020 | 750 words, about 3 minutes

Footprints of Extraction

The Svalbard Archipelago was uninhabited until humans came searching for resources. A historian follows their tracks.

Apr 7, 2020 | 2,500 words, about 13 minutes

Treasure Fever

The discovery of a legendary, lost shipwreck in North America has pitted treasure hunters and archaeologists against each other, raising questions about who should control sunken riches.

Jan 14, 2020 | 5,900 words, about 29 minutes