AC Or DC? 2 Newly Described Electric Fish From The Amazon Are Wired Differently
ITHACA, New York -- Aug 28, 2013 20:55 EST
Much as human siblings can have vastly different personalities despite their similar resemblance and genetics, two closely related species of electric fish from the Amazon produce very different electric signals. These species, new to science, are described in the open ...
Research: 'Zombie Fish' Can Reproduce Long After Death; 'Stored Sperm' A First For Vertebrates
RIVERSIDE, California -- Aug 27, 2013 20:48 EST
Performing experiments in a river in Trinidad, a team of evolutionary biologists has found that male guppies continue to reproduce for at least ten months after they die, living on as stored sperm in females, who have much longer lifespans (...
Crocodile Confession: Meat-Eating Predators Sometimes Consume Fruit; 'Appears Widespread'
NEW YORK, New York -- Aug 22, 2013 17:53 EST
It turns out that alligators do not live on meat alone. Neither do Nile crocodiles. A new study led by the Wildlife Conservation Society says that the American alligator and a dozen other crocodile species enjoy an occasional taste of ...
Torpedo Shot From USS Iowa In 1899 Surfaces; 'Several Museums Are Interested'
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Aug 20, 2013 19:16 EST
Naval History and Heritage Command's (NHHC) Underwater Archeology Branch (UAB) dove into the history of a recently-discovered late-19th century No. 24 Howell Torpedo, Aug. 9, and they scored a direct hit.
"We started looking through SECNAV (Secretary of ...
Research: Tiny Fish Make Big 'Eye' To Distract Predator, Boosting Chances Of Survival
QUEENSLAND, Australia -- Aug 19, 2013 19:00 EST
Small prey fish can grow a bigger 'eye' on their rear fins as a way of distracting predators and dramatically boosting their chances of survival, new scientific research has found.
Researchers from Australia's ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef ...
Study: 'Ray' Wings Sold To Consumers Include Vulnerable Species And Can Be Mislabeled
MANCHESTER, England -- Aug 13, 2013 20:07 EST
Genetic testing by DNA Barcoding, has revealed which species are sold under the commercial term 'ray wings' in Ireland and the UK. The blonde ray, given the lowest rating for sustainability in the marine conservation society's good fish guide, was ...
Researchers Look For Answer To The Question: Do Fish Really Feel Pain
BERLIN, Germany -- Aug 9, 2013 19:06 EST
Fish do not feel pain the way humans do. That is the conclusion drawn by an international team of researchers consisting of neurobiologists, behavioral ecologists and fishery scientists. One contributor to the landmark study was Prof. Dr. Robert Arlinghaus of ...
Researchers: Dolphins Keep Lifelong Social Memories, Longest In A Non-Human Species; 'Consistent With Humans'
CHICAGO, Illinois -- Aug 8, 2013 17:03 EST
Dolphins can recognize their old tank mates' whistles after being separated for more than 20 years â€" the longest social memory ever recorded for a non-human species.
The remarkable memory feat is another indication that dolphins have a level of ...
Explorer Trains In Exosuit, New Advanced Diving System That Can Reach 1000 Feet; 'Working In A New Frontier'
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island -- Aug 7, 2013 19:51 EST
Ocean Opportunity, a Rhode Island based not for profit organization, is pleased to announce that its founder, Rhode Island native Michael Lombardi recently became among the first to train in the new deep diving system called the Exosuit.
The Exosuit ...
U.S. Navy Ships Participate In Marine Mammal Studies Of Sonar Responses
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Aug 7, 2013 19:11 EST
Independent researchers working in coordination with the Navy ships USS Dewey (DDG 105) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71) conducted ground-breaking marine mammal behavioral response studies (BRSs) on the Navy's Southern California Offshore Range in July.
The studies occurred ...
2013 Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition Announced; Over $75,000 In Prizes Will Be Awarded
SANTA MONICA, California -- Aug 6, 2013 20:26 EST
Underwater Photography Guide is proud to announce that it is accepting entries for the Ocean Art Photo Competition 2013.
There are over $75,000 worth of prizes, including over 35 liveaboard and scuba diving resort packages, dive equipment, and much more. Grand prizes are ...
Bite Back: Shark Scientists Urge Media To Use New Labels In Reporting Shark 'Attacks'
PHOENIX, Arizona -- Aug 5, 2013 18:07 EST
The American Elasmobranch Society (AES), the leading society of shark researchers in the U.S., is calling upon the Associated Press, Reuters and other media outlets to update their guidelines for editors and reporters to support more accurate stories on ...
Odyssey Marine Recovers Record 1.8 Million Ounces Of Silver From Shipwreck Three Miles Deep
TAMPA, Florida -- Jul 22, 2013 22:24 EST
Odyssey Marine Exploration, pioneers in the field of deep-ocean exploration, has recovered over 61 tons of silver bullion this month from a depth of nearly three miles.
This recovery of bullion from the SS Gairsoppa, a 412-foot steel&...
Study: Manatees Are Touchy-Feely To The Extreme; 'We Needed To Put Their Senses To The Test'
SARASOTA, Florida -- Jul 18, 2013 16:25 EST
Manatees can feel water movements thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair â€" an ability that makes them one of the most touch-sensitive mammals on Earth â€" according to a new study led by scientists at ...
Study: Deepwater Horizon Debris As Likely Source Of Gulf Of Mexico Oil Sheens; 'Fundamental Science Finds A Real World Application'
WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts -- Jul 16, 2013 21:28 EST
A chemical analysis of oil sheens found floating recently at the ocean's surface near the site of the Deepwater Horizon disaster indicates that the source is pockets of oil trapped within the wreckage of the sunken rig. Both the Macondo ...
Scientists Model Long-Term Sea-Level Rise In Response To Warming Of Planet; 2.3 Meters Per Degree Celsius Rise
CORVALLIS, Oregon -- Jul 15, 2013 23:32 EST
A new study estimates that global sea levels will rise about 2.3 meters, or more than seven feet, over the next several thousand years for every degree (Celsius) the planet warms.
This international study is one of the first to combine ...
Scientists Eye Whale Earwax To Study Contaminants In Oceans; 'It's Not Easy; It's Very Tedious'
WACO, Texas -- Jun 28, 2013 20:02 EST
Whale earwax is not a topic that usually comes up on a walk to get coffee, but it did for Baylor U. researchers Dr. Stephen Trumble, assistant professor of biology, and Dr. Sascha Usenko, assistant professor of environmental science.
They ...
Not Endangered: Feds Decline To Protect U.S. West Coast Great White Sharks; 'The Wrong Decision'
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Jun 28, 2013 19:26 EST
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today declined to protect great white sharks off the coast of California under the Endangered Species Act. Although peer-reviewed scientific population estimates at the two primary white shark aggregation sites indicate fewer ...
Scientists Discover Thriving Colonies Of Microbes In Ocean 'Plastisphere'
WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts -- Jun 27, 2013 20:12 EST
Scientists have discovered a diverse multitude of microbes colonizing and thriving on flecks of plastic that have polluted the oceansâ€"a vast new human-made flotilla of microbial communities that they have dubbed the "plastisphere."
In a study recently ...
Researchers: Resourceful Microbes Reign In World's Oceans, Devoid Of 'Genomic Pork'
EAST BOOTHBAY, Maine -- Jun 25, 2013 19:29 EST
research team led by Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences has discovered that marine microbes are adapted to very narrow and specialized niches in their environment. This may explain why so few of these microbesâ€"usually less than 1%â€"can be grown ...
Researchers Uncover Fatal Attraction: Dolphins Choking On Fish, Fishing Line
ORLANDO, Florida -- Jun 24, 2013 20:26 EST
A team of scientists from SeaWorld and the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute has uncovered an unusual cause of death among bottlenose dolphins in Florida's Indian River Lagoon: asphyxiation (choking) by ingestion of certain fish.
"This is the first study ...
Group Delivers International Petitions To The Governor Of Bali To End Sea Turtle Trade
BALI, Indonesia -- Jun 24, 2013 19:14 EST
More than 25,000 people from various countries have signed the petition to force Indonesian government to resolve illegal sea turtle trades in Bali. The petition established by SOS Sea Turtles and ProFauna is delivered to the governor of Bali on 19 June 2013. ...
Frozen In Time: Researchers Find Australian Lake That Resists Human Impact, Untouched By Climate Change For 7,000 Years
ADELAIDE, Australia -- Jun 19, 2013 18:29 EST
Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found that a lake on an island off the coast of Queensland, Australia, has been relatively untouched by changes in climate for the past 7000 years, and has so far also resisted the impact ...
Scientists 'tailing' Spiny Lobster Larvae To Protect Them; 'Larval Lobster Credits' A 'Viable Cooperative Management Strategy'
MIAMI, Florida -- Jun 14, 2013 19:25 EST
The commercial value of spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) in the Caribbean reaches $1 billion annually, thus making it one of the most valuable fisheries in the region. In a new study of this iconic species, Ph.D. candidate Andrew Kough and ...
Researchers Developing Techniques For Tuna Aquaculture In U.S.; 'There Is A Lot Of Commercial Potential'
KINGSTON, Rhode Island -- Jun 13, 2013 19:22 EST
Swimming around and around in a 20,000 gallon tank at the University of Rhode Island's Bay Campus are several large yellowfin tuna captured last fall about 100 miles off the Rhode Island coast. The fish are part of the first effort in ...
Spanish Researchers Sequence The Genome Of Global Deep Ocean; 'No Country Has This Kind Of Samples On A Global Scale'
MADRID, Spain -- Jun 12, 2013 20:08 EST
A team of Spanish researchers, coordinated by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has started to sequence the genome of the global deep ocean. They are using more than 2,000 samples of microorganisms collected in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans ...
Study Questions Iron Seeding For Ocean C02 Sequestration; Phytoplankton 'Hogging The Food'
LEMONT, Illinois -- Jun 12, 2013 20:01 EST
A new study on the feeding habits of ocean microbes calls into question the potential use of algal blooms to trap carbon dioxide and offset rising global levels.
These blooms contain iron-eating microscopic phytoplankton that absorb C02 from ...
Campaigners Warn Tourists: Scotland Home To Mass Seal Shootings; 'Seal Management In Progress'
EAST SUSSEX, England -- Jun 12, 2013 19:50 EST
Campaigners warned tourists to stay away from Scotland if they care about wildlife, especially seals, as they may be horrified to witness mass seal shootings.
The warning comes as television presenter Neil Oliver launched a ÂŁ350,000 campaign promoting Scotland as a ...
Study: 'Living Fossil' Sturgeons Evolving At Rapid Pace; 'They're Kind Of An Outlier'
ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- Jun 7, 2013 16:28 EST
Efforts to restore sturgeon in the Great Lakes region have received a lot of attention in recent years, and many of the news stories note that the prehistoric-looking fish are "living fossils" virtually unchanged for millions of years.
...
Scientists Confirm Theory Regarding The Origins Of The Sucking Disc Of Remoras
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Jun 6, 2013 20:35 EST
Remora fish, with a sucking disc on top of their heads, have been the stuff of legend. They often attach themselves to the hulls of boats and in ancient times were thought to purposely slow the boat down. While that ...
Researchers Discover A New Way Fish Camouflage Themselves In The Ocean
AUSTIN, Texas -- Jun 4, 2013 23:30 EST
Fish can hide in the open ocean by manipulating how light reflects off their skin, according to researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. The discovery could someday lead to the development of new camouflage materials for use in ...
Study: Fish With Parasites Attached To Their Heads Have Advantage Over Predators; 'This Is A Good Thing'
CANBERRA, Australia -- Jun 3, 2013 22:33 EST
Fish with parasites attached to their heads have a stronger preference for left or right when facing a T-intersection, giving them an edge when it comes to escaping predators, research from The Australian National University (ANU) has revealed.
...
Researchers: Sharks Worth More Alive Than Dead; Ecotourism Netting Over $314 Million Annually
VANCOUVER, BC -- May 31, 2013 20:40 EST
Sharks are worth more in the ocean than in a bowl of soup, according to researchers from the University of British Columbia.
A new study, published today in Oryx â€" The International Journal of Conservation, shows that shark ecotourism currently generates ...
42 C: Thermal Limit For Animal Life Redefined By First Lab Study Of Deep-Sea Vent Worms
PARIS, France -- May 31, 2013 19:51 EST
Forty-two may or may not be the answer to everything, but it likely defines the temperature limit where animal life thrives, according to the first laboratory study of heat-loving Pompeii worms from deep-sea vents, ...
Atlantic Research Expedition Uncovers Vast Methane-Based Ecosystem In The Deep Atlantic; 'Our Biggest Discovery'
WILMINGTON, North Carolina -- May 29, 2013 19:05 EST
A marine research expedition sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has led to the discovery of perhaps the world's largest methane cold seep by two university-...
Scientists Find Possible Solution To An Ancient Enigma: What Happened To The Stromatolites?
WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts -- May 28, 2013 20:38 EST
The widespread disappearance of stromatolites, the earliest visible manifestation of life on Earth, may have been driven by single-celled organisms called foraminifera.
The findings, by scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI); Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University ...
Study: U.S. Equipped To Grow Serious Pond Scum For Fuel; 'Part Of The Solution To Our Energy Needs'
RICHLAND, Washington -- May 23, 2013 19:44 EST
A new analysis shows that the nation's land and water resources could likely support the growth of enough algae to produce up to 25 billion gallons of algae-based fuel a year in the United States, one-twelfth of ...
Study Reveals How Fishing Gear Can Cause Slow Death Of Whales; 'Added Buoyancy, Added Drag, And Reduced Swimming Speed'
WOODS HOLE, Massachusetts -- May 21, 2013 19:24 EST
Using a "patient monitoring" device attached to a whale entangled in fishing gear, scientists showed for the first time how fishing lines changed a whale's diving and swimming behavior. The monitoring revealed how fishing gear hinders whales' ability to eat ...
Study: Amazon River Exhales Virtually All Carbon Taken Up By Rain Forest; 'Rivers Were Once Thought Of As Passive Pipes'
SEATTLE, Washington -- May 20, 2013 19:06 EST
The Amazon rain forest, popularly known as the lungs of the planet, inhales carbon dioxide as it exudes oxygen. Plants use carbon dioxide from the air to grow parts that eventually fall to the ground to decompose or get washed ...
Scientists Discover New Bass Species In Florida; 'It Found Us'
TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- May 7, 2013 19:53 EST
Scientists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have uncovered a new species of black bass in the southeastern United States. Scientists have proposed naming the new species the Choctaw bass and recommended the scientific name ofMicropterus haiaka. ...