Climate change and persistent contaminants deliver one‑two punch to Arctic seals, SFU study finds
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 18-Feb-2026 16:11 ET (18-Feb-2026 21:11 GMT/UTC)
New research has identified optimal design for artificial habitats to support restoration of oyster reefs, based on a detailed understanding of natural oyster reef geometry.
While killer whales (Orcinus orca) can trigger immediate departure of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), extended absences from their aggregation sites are also part of the sharks’ natural behaviour, new research reveals. Using 12 years of acoustic telemetry and wildlife tourism sighting data, the Flinders University-led study found that the prolonged disappearance of white sharks from South Australia’s Neptune Islands after a 2015 predation event was unlikely to be driven solely by killer whales.
A new forecasting system developed in collaboration between the University of Helsinki and CMCC delivers detailed 15-day Mediterranean Sea predictions in just 20 seconds. By combining machine learning, ocean physics, and atmospheric data, SeaCast is faster than traditional numerical forecasts and more accurate than traditional physical models, achieving high-resolution predictions that represent a big advancement in marine forecasting. Published in Nature – Scientific Reports, this research opens new horizons for understanding, preparing for, and responding to the challenges and opportunities of the Mediterranean region.
17 February 2026 / Kiel / Las Palmas. Yesterday, an international team of researchers from various disciplines set off aboard the German research vessel METEOR for an expedition along the west coast of Africa, led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The expedition focuses on two poorly understood phenomena: the Benguela upwelling system off the coasts of Angola and Namibia, which partly operates independently of the wind, and the recurring marine heatwaves known as Benguela Niños, which have a significant impact on the local climate and cause flooding in Angola and Namibia.
Beneath the ice of West Antarctica lie natural records of past climate variability, containing sediments deposited during warmer periods when the region was partly or entirely ice-free.
An international team co-led by a researcher from ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) has now retrieved the longest sediment core ever drilled from beneath an ice sheet, using a custom-designed drilling system.
The 228 metre-long core contains geological evidence and fossils of marine organisms that indicate a previously open, ice-free ocean. This archive provides new insights into how sensitive the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is to a warming climate.