July 8, 2021 By Veronique Greenwood The New York Times
Sea otters run hot. It’s not just a manner of speaking: Scientists have found that the furry mammals’ metabolisms work at a rate three times what might normally be expected from a creature their size, burning swiftly through calories.
The Coelacanth May Live for a Century. That’s Not Great News
June 23, 2021 By Max G. Levy Wired
Scale markings reveal that this weird fish’s lifespan is double what scientists first estimated. That also means they’re closer to extinction than we thought.
As Seagrass Habitats Decline, Florida Manatees are Dying of Starvation
June 21, 2021 By Greg Allen NPR
In Florida, wildlife managers and environmental groups are stunned by a record number of manatee deaths. More than 750 manatees have died since the beginning of the year, the most deaths ever recorded in a five month period. Most of the deaths are in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, where a large die-off of seagrass has left manatees without enough to eat.
The Deep Sea Is Filled with Treasure, but It Comes at a Price
June 14, 2021 By Elizabeth Kolbert The New Yorker
We’ve barely explored the darkest realm of the ocean. With rare-metal mining on the rise, we’re already destroying it.
There’s a New Ocean Now—Can You Name All 5?
June 8, 2021 By Sarah Gibbens National Geographic
On World Oceans Day, Nat Geo cartographers say the swift current circling Antarctica keeps the waters there distinct and worthy of their own name: the Southern Ocean.