Eavesdropping on baleen whale songs in the Pacific Ocean reveals year-to-year variations that track changes in the availability of the species they forage on, reports a new study led by John Ryan, of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), U.S., published February 26, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One.

An Osaka Metropolitan University research team observing anemonefish in the field found they engage in interesting feeding behavior with their host sea anemones.

New Curtin University research has revealed how massive ancient glaciers acted like giant bulldozers, reshaping Earth’s surface and paving the way for complex life to flourish.

By chemically analysing crystals in ancient rocks, the researchers discovered that as glaciers carved through the landscape, they scraped deep into the Earth’s crust, releasing key minerals that altered ocean chemistry.

This process had a profound impact on our planet’s composition, creating conditions that allowed complex life to evolve.

The efficient architecture of our joints, which allows our skeletons to be flexible and sturdy, originated among our most ancient jawed fish ancestors, according to a study published February 25^th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Neelima Sharma of the University of Chicago and colleagues.

Scientists have uncovered lots of evidence that Mars had standing water billions of years ago, before the planet lost its atmosphere. But did it have oceans? Measurements obtained by ground penetrating radar aboard the Chinese rover Zhurong show beach deposits below the surface of Utopia Planitia, an area in Mars' northern plains that some think was an ancient ocean. The deposits, dipping like beach deposits on Earth, would have taken millions of years to form.

Scientists have uncovered lots of evidence that Mars had standing water billions of years ago, before the planet lost its atmosphere. But did it have oceans? Measurements obtained by ground penetrating radar aboard the Chinese rover Zhurong show beach deposits below the surface of Utopia Planitia, an area in Mars' northern plains that some think was an ancient ocean. The deposits, dipping like beach deposits on Earth, would have taken millions of years to form.

New analysis of ancient fossilised rocks known as stromatolites, preserved in southern Zimbabwe, suggests strong links to hydrothermal nutrient recycling, "meaning that early life may in part have been fuelled by volcanic activity". Published in the Nature Communications journal, the research was led by Northumbria University researcher, Dr Ashley Martin and involved an international team with expertise in geology, microbiology, and geochemistry.

Tidal flats are essential for marine life and local economies. These habitats support fish populations, global seafood supplies, and recreational fisheries that generate millions of dollars annually, but restoration and management are urgently needed. Coastal development, overfishing, and climate events are rapidly degrading tidal flats, threatening marine biodiversity and fisheries worldwide.