New book, available April 11, 2025 (CRC Press), offers a comprehensive framework for analyzing and predicting the time-dependent performance of deteriorating structures. The book emphasizes marine infrastructure, addressing system reliability, risk, longevity, sustainability, and optimal decision-making processes. It is a valuable resource for students, engineers, researchers, decision-makers, and policymakers.

Mosasaurs are extinct marine lizards, spectacular examples of which were first discovered in 1766 near Maastricht in the Netherlands, fueling the rise of the field of vertebrate palaeontology (the study of fossil remains of animals with backbones). Palaeontologist Michael Polcyn presented the most comprehensive study to date on the early evolution and ecology of these extinct marine reptiles. On 16 December, Polcyn will receive his PhD from Utrecht University for his research into the evolution of the mosasaurs. "Mosasaurs are a textbook example of macroevolution, the emergence of new and distinct groups of animals, above the level of species. Although they have been studied for centuries, new discoveries, novel research approaches, and the application of technology, are still teaching us about their relationships and behaviors, some of which continues to surprise us. For example, through the use of detailed comparative anatomy aided by micro-CT scanning technology, we have gained a much better understanding of what group of lizards mosasaurs likely evolved from.”

The UPV/EHU’s Materials + Technologies research group analysed the possibility of incorporating coastal marine litter into the urban solid waste management system, which would allow it to be subsequently recycled. The results reveal that the efficiency of separating poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles –one of the most common types of marine plastics– of marine origin is both effective and successful.

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have uncovered in anglerfish a specialized motor neuron population for the first dorsal fin used for “fishing”. When the first dorsal fin evolved from a swimming and buoyancy aid to a hunting tool, the motor neurons shifted their position in the central nervous system. The findings have implications for understanding the potential of evolutionary processes of vertebrates, including humans.

Researchers have discovered a rare example of ‘great fish parenting’ with a common coral reef species found to actively protect their young by eating parasites.

An international team of scientists led by the ESRF, the European Synchrotron, Grenoble, France, has found that emperor penguins detoxify mercury with both sulfur and selenium, a new pathway for a marine predator. This new detoxification pathway for mercury has been unveiled in a study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking method (CSAC) to harmonize satellite ocean color data across various satellites, which paved the way for the generation of reliable, global-scale, long-term, bio-optical properties of the upper ocean.

This research by Virginia Tech documents the first-ever satellite tracking of a critically endangered shortfin mako shark in the Mediterranean, providing valuable data on its movements. This information is crucial for conservation efforts, helping scientists understand the shark's habitat use and role in the ecosystem. Researchers will use the collected data to inform further studies and develop effective conservation strategies.

In April 2021, two tropical cyclones, Seroja and Odette, collided in the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia. Two researchers from the University of Oldenburg, Germany, have now studied how this rare phenomenon affected the ocean. According to their case study, the rendezvous caused an unusual cooling of the surface water and an abrupt change in the direction of the combined storm. Since the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones are increasing as a result of global warming, it is possible that such encounters – and thus more extreme air-sea interactions – will become more frequent in the future, they conclude.

William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS has announced the first round of subawards for the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment and Prevention (TRAP) Program. Totaling more than $1.4M, the funding supports 11 projects focused on removing derelict fishing gear from coastal waters in nine U.S. states and Palau.