Underwater Archaeologists Capture Photos of Japanese Warship That Hasn’t Been Seen Since It Sank During World War II
The “Teruzuki” was a Japanese Navy destroyer that sank near the Solomon Islands on December 12, 1942. Eight decades later, researchers have identified the wreckage in the Pacific
Fossil Flipper Reveals Ichthyosaurs Hunted in Lethal Silence With Unique Adaptations for Stealth
An analysis of a roughly 180-million-year-old fossil fin reveals serrations and flexibility that might have served to dampen sound as the predator swam
As Interest in Deep-Sea Mining Grows, Scientists Raise Alarms About the Possible Ecological Consequences
Gathering minerals such as nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium from the seabed could affect everything from sponges to whales. The long-term effects of these extractions remain uncertain
These ‘Weird’ Sea Spiders Don’t Have Abdomens—and Instead Store Organs in Their Legs. With DNA, Scientists Are Learning Why
Researchers sequenced the knotty sea spider’s genome for the first time, revealing a missing gene that many other animals have
A Rare, Pregnant Ichthyosaur Fossil Discovered in Chile Is Revealing More Secrets About the Early Cretaceous World
The fossil helps scientists better understand not just the animal, but our planet’s geology
Scientists Shed Light on the Mysterious ‘Cold Blob’ in the North Atlantic Amid a Search for Its Cause
In two recent studies, researchers suggest a weakening ocean current system is to blame for a persistent cold spot in the Atlantic Ocean, though other factors may also be at play
Orcas Appear to Be Sharing Their Prey With Humans—but What Does It Mean?
Researchers documented 34 instances of purported prey-sharing behavior, which suggests orcas may be altruistic and capable of recognizing sentience in another species
Scientists Built a Canoe Using Only Prehistoric Tools. Then They Sailed the Dangerous 140-Mile Route Early Humans Traveled 30,000 Years Ago
Five paddlers journeyed from Taiwan to Japan’s southern Yonaguni Island in 45 hours. Their efforts provide new insights into prehistoric mariners’ tools and techniques
More Than One-Third of Tuvalu’s Population Has Applied for a ‘Climate Visa’ to Relocate to Australia
The world-first climate visa agreement will grant permanent residency status to 280 Tuvaluans per year as the island nation grapples with sea-level rise
These Killer Whales Make Tools From Kelp to Massage Each Other in a Newly Discovered Grooming Behavior
Dubbed “allokelping,” it might be a unique cultural phenomenon that’s as endangered as the orca population itself
Scientists Are Just Beginning to Understand How Life Makes Clouds, and Their Discoveries May Drastically Improve Climate Science
Plants, plankton and sea spray all release elements that help the atmospheric blankets form
Scientists Discover First Known Sea Spider Species That ‘Eat’ Methane With the Help of Bacteria
The research offers new insights on interactions between creatures on the mysterious seafloor and sheds light on the methane cycle
More Countries Agree to Protect the ‘High Seas’ in a Step Toward Wider Ocean Conservation
The High Seas Treaty, which would allow nations to create marine protected areas in international waters, is now expected to take effect in early 2026—without the United States on board
Scientists Had Never Seen This Mysterious Squid Alive in the Wild—Until Now. See the First Footage of the Elusive Creature
A three-foot-long Antarctic gonate squid was spotted swimming 7,000 feet below the surface of the Southern Ocean
Sea Horse Smuggling Is a Big Problem, Despite Global Efforts to Protect These Beloved Aquatic Creatures
Between 2010 and 2021, authorities seized around five million individual sea horses worth more than $21 million
A Deadly Disease Is Eating Away at Caribbean Corals and Wreaking Havoc on Reefs. Could Probiotics Be the Solution?
New research suggests the probiotic McH1-7 could help stop the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease among wild corals near Fort Lauderdale, Florida
A 164-Foot Tsunami Pushed This Enormous Boulder Atop a Cliff in Tonga 7,000 Years Ago
The hulking rock, called Maka Lahi, is the size of a two-story house and sits on a 120-foot-tall cliff, covered in vegetation
Once in Dire Straits, Atlantic Sturgeon Are Staging a Comeback on the East Coast
From Maine to Florida, the endangered, prehistoric fish is rebounding, but a recent study shows just how vulnerable the U.S. population remains
See a Lost U.S. Navy Submarine, Sunk During a World War I Test Run, in Digital Detail
Researchers descended to the wreck in underwater vehicles to collect data for 3-D models
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
Set Sail With These 15 Scenes of Sensational Ships
These seafaring shots are harbored in the archives of the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest
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