Researchers undertook a study of the ocean’s topography to better understand its impact on Earth’s climate. They discovered that the shape of the ocean floor does affect the global climate system. Their research was published in the journal Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research on August 25, 2026.

Wetlands are well known for filtering water, storing carbon, and supporting biodiversity. Yet much of their microbial genetic diversity remains unexplored, particularly in high-altitude ecosystems. A new study of the Napahai plateau wetland in Yunnan Province, China, has uncovered a distinctive pattern in DNA polymerase genes, suggesting that this isolated alpine wetland contains a genetic profile that differs from those found in marine, freshwater, hot spring, and agricultural environments.

Following the 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, freshwater and marine threespine stickleback hybridized in a newly formed wetland in Otsuchi, Iwate, Japan. Nine years of genomic tracking revealed rapid elimination of marine-derived genomic regions within ten generations, identifying key reproductive-isolation loci controlling freshwater survival and migration to the sea. The study also found that widespread genetic incompatibilities contribute to genome-wide elimination, providing rare real-time insight into the genetic mechanisms maintaining species boundaries.

A new study published in Nature Communications shows that flooding can actually occur at predictable times of day.

This is the first U.S.-based study to assess microplastic deposition before, during, and after a hurricane. The research — conducted by team from Virginia Tech, Western Carolina University, Highlands Biological Station, and the University of North Carolina — was published recently in Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management.

Sharks can hear – and react to – underwater sounds from nearly 250 feet away, according to a new study that provides the first quantified evidence of long-distance sound detection in free-swimming sharks. Researchers found that blacktip sharks rapidly changed course when they detected low-frequency sounds, revealing that they not only hear distant sounds but also determine where they are coming from. The findings also show sharks are more sensitive to lower-frequency sounds, providing new insight into how these ancient predators sense their underwater world.

A high-resolution modeling study of Tropical Cyclone Shaheen found that sea surface temperature and terrain height influenced the simulated storm through different mechanisms. Increasing sea surface temperature by 2°C produced the strongest model response, intensifying the simulated cyclone and increasing coastal rainfall, while reducing terrain height mainly affected the storm’s track, vertical circulation and the distribution of orographic rainfall. The findings provide a case-based assessment of ICON sensitivity and may support further evaluation of regional grey-zone cyclone simulations

New research from the University of Sydney challenges the perception of crown-of-thorns starfish as purely destructive. The findings suggest controlled populations can have a positive impact on coral prevalence and diversity.