Scientists Want to Make Fuel and Plastic Out of Bacteria

Tiny but mighty, octillions of cyanobacteria in the ocean create diesel-like hydrocarbons in huge amounts. A team of researchers wants to know why.

Jun 21, 2019 | 850 words, about 4 minutes

Microplastics Are Highly Diverse and Those Differences Matter

The small pieces of plastics that pollute our oceans are more diverse than we make them out to be. Recognizing their variety may help us find solutions.

May 15, 2019 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

Ships Scrub Up to Meet New Pollution Standard

A new international limit for sulfur emissions is prompting a shift toward a controversial technology.

Apr 15, 2019 | 700 words, about 3 minutes

The Shells of Wild Sea Butterflies Are Already Dissolving

This long-predicted outcome of ocean acidification experiments has started showing up in the wild.

Mar 1, 2019 | 750 words, about 3 minutes

In the Future, Jellyfish Slime May Be the Solution to Microplastic Pollution

Slimy, sticky jellyfish mucus can extract gold nanoparticles from water—now scientists are working to see if its adhesive properties extend to plastics, too.

Feb 28, 2019 | 750 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

The Mysterious Origin of Oolitic Sand

New evidence is emerging for the odd hypothesis that this strange, egg-shaped sand is built by microbes.

Aug 23, 2018 | 450 words, about 2 minutes

How Warming Could Speed up the Sea

As the planet warmed at the end of the last ice age, the abyssal Pacific circulation kicked into high gear.

Aug 16, 2018 | 850 words, about 4 minutes