Latest news with #WoodsHoleOceanographicInstitution
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Submersible explores the crash site of a sunken submarine
National Submersible explores the crash site of a sunken submarine June 25, 2025 | 4:42 PM GMT Deep sea submersible from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution explores the crash site of USS F-1 submarine, which was accidentally rammed and sunk by another sub in 1917.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient groundwater records reveal worrying forecast for US Southwest
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Aquifers in the U.S. Southwest will be more badly affected by climate change than those farther north, a new study suggests. Climate models predict that a warmer climate will lead to less rainfall in regions like Southern California and wetter weather in the Pacific Northwest. But what could really spell trouble for the Southwest is that groundwater pools there are more sensitive to climate shifts than pools farther north, researchers said. Modern aquifer records are poor indicators of what happens when Earth gets warmer, because humans have pumped out huge amounts of groundwater. So instead scientists looked at records from the past, with the end of the last ice age (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago) revealing some of the changes that might be coming our way. "The last ice age gives us a window to explore groundwater dynamics that might be quite relevant to future change," study lead author Alan Seltzer, an associate scientist specializing in marine chemistry and geochemistry at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said in a statement. Researchers looked at the period between 11,000 and 20,000 years ago, when ice sheets retreated from North America and storms moved northward. Before this period, what is now the U.S. Southwest received abundant rainfall, while the present-day Pacific Northwest was relatively dry. But by the start of the Holocene — the current geological epoch — the climate had shifted to resemble today's patterns, with a wet Northwest and a drier Southwest. Related: Groundwater in the Colorado River basin won't run out — but eventually we won't be able to get at it, scientists warn For the new study, Seltzer and his colleagues analyzed ancient groundwater from the Palouse basin aquifer, which sits beneath Washington and Idaho. Ancient groundwater holds geochemical clues, such as dissolved noble gases, that can reveal past changes in water table depth. The researchers measured different versions, or isotopes, of the noble gases krypton and xenon from 17 wells in the aquifer, which enabled them to reconstruct water table depths over 9,000 years of global warming. The scientists then compared these records with records from the San Diego aquifer in Southern California that Seltzer and other researchers had previously compiled in a 2019 study. The researchers revealed their findings in a new study published June 11 in the journal Science Advances. In response to global warming and drier conditions at the end of the last ice age, water table levels in Southwestern aquifers dropped sharply. In contrast, water table levels in the Pacific Northwest stayed surprisingly stable, despite an increase in rainfall, according to the new study. The reason for this may be that groundwater systems with a shallow water table — where water sits nearer the surface, such as the Palouse basin — are able to transfer more water to neighboring soils than systems with a deep water table, so they remain relatively stable. Surface soils are less compact, and can therefore hold more water than deeper soils. RELATED STORIES —1.2 billion-year-old groundwater is some of the oldest on Earth —6 million-year-old 'fossil groundwater pool' discovered deep beneath Sicilian mountains —'Precipitation, the source of all fresh water, can no longer be relied upon': Global water cycle pushed out of balance 'for 1st time in human history' Systems with a deep water table, such as the San Diego aquifer, are more sensitive to changes in rainfall. Without precipitation, these aquifers rapidly dry out, according to the study. To confirm their findings, the researchers compared the ancient groundwater data from the aquifers to groundwater processes in an Earth system computer model. "The model gave almost exactly the same answer as the isotope measurements," Seltzer said. Overall, the research suggests that aquifers are more vulnerable to climate change in the Southwest, which is predicted to get drier over the coming decades, than in the Pacific Northwest. Millions of people in the Southwest depend on groundwater to live — and "these results should help direct research and adaptation efforts" to combat water insecurity, study co-author Kris Karnauskas, a climate scientist and associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, said in the statement.
Scientific American
17-06-2025
- Science
- Scientific American
Readers Respond to the March 2025 Issue
FINDING A TOXIC SOURCE In ' Penguin Cartography ' [Advances], Gayoung Lee reports on research by marine biologist John Reinfelder and his colleagues about the accumulation of mercury in penguins. The story highlights gold mining as a source of such mercury. But according to an October 2010 article in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's (WHOI's) journal Oceanus, most of the mercury in the oceans has been created by coal power plants. This link is important because burning coal is also a major source of the carbon in the atmosphere that is causing climate change. TERRENCE DUNN VANCOUVER, WASH. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. REINFELDER REPLIES: The WHOI article Dunn notes was published before the United Nations Environment Program's Global Mercury Assessment 2018, which shows that artisanal and small-scale gold mining constitute the largest single source of anthropogenic mercury emissions (representing 38 percent of such emissions). Coal combustion is the second-largest source (representing 21 percent). INSIGHT ON INSIGHT In ' The Wonder of Insight,' John Kounios and Yvette Kounios explore the neurocognitive underpinnings of the 'aha! moment.' I wonder whether the authors—or others in the field—have explored similar neurocognitive mechanisms in the experience of humor, particularly the moment of 'getting' a joke. Much like insight, the punchline of a joke often reconfigures our understanding of preceding information, and the moment of laughter seems to share the element of sudden recognition or restructuring. MARK HALLIWELL SMITH BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. The authors assert that 'messages about rewards can enhance insight—but only when they are displayed so briefly that a person cannot consciously perceive them.' Yet rewards' effect on insight is nuanced and context-dependent. Highly important rewards might sometimes shift focus toward immediate goals and thus limit the broad, exploratory thinking that is beneficial for insight. But in other contexts, they can boost motivation, persistence and creative problem-solving. Moreover, the authors seem to present a strict dichotomy by suggesting that only subliminal rewards can boost insight, potentially overlooking the role of conscious incentives. JAMAL I. BITTAR TOLEDO, OHIO Up to my early 20s, I was a highly creative person and produced beautiful paintings. Since I finished college and went into a line of work that requires a lot of analytical thinking, I have struggled to be artistically creative again. Until now, I thought I was just too mentally exhausted to produce new ideas. But after reading this article, I wonder if highly analytical tasks and constant deadlines at work are suppressing the part of my brain that used to make me creative. AILYN MONTES MIAMI, FLA. THE AUTHORS REPLY: Smith likens jokes to puzzles and suggests their punchlines can cause one's initial understanding to become restructured. There is a fair amount of research on this topic. But 'getting' a joke can impose a burden on the would-be life of the party: When you haven't rehearsed the joke sufficiently, you might mentally fixate on the punchline and give away the meaning of the joke while telling it. When you see something in a new light, it can be hard to remember it in the old light. Bittar argues that explicit rewards can motivate creativity. Research shows that the prospect of such a reward can incentivize people to persist on solving a problem, making them more likely to come up with a good idea. Research also shows, however, that offering explicit rewards can narrow the scope of thought to ideas closely related to the goal, making it more difficult for a person to explore remote associations and fringe ideas that could be fodder for a creative insight. And recent research does suggest that subliminal rewards, in particular, can energize thought without narrowing one's thinking. Outside-the-box thinking is more likely when one's eyes are not on the prize. Montes's reflections on how work-related pressures can sap one's creativity will ring true for many people. The kind of relaxed reverie that can give birth to an insight can be easily crushed by anxiety, the constant pressure to stay on task and a lack of sleep. That's why many creative ideas unexpectedly emerge during vacations. It's also why some businesses take their creative teams on vacationlike retreats. AH, SUGAR, SUGAR ' Sweet Surprise,' by Saima S. Iqbal [Advances; February], reports on a study on exposure to sugar restrictions among mid-20th-century infants in the U.K.: economist Tadeja Gračner and her team found that such exposure mitigated chronic ailments later in life. Is the relevant 'sugar' sucrose, which is 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose? If so, is glucose or fructose, or both, the culprit for subsequent ailments? RAJESH KULKARNI VIA E-MAIL GRAČNER REPLIES: Throughout the article, 'sugar' refers primarily to added sugar—sugar that is added to foods rather than naturally occurring, or intrinsic, sugar. These additives can come in many forms, including but not limited to honey, table sugar, molasses and high-fructose corn syrup. Our study did not specifically examine the exact sources of added sugar. OBJECTIVE SPHERICITY ' The Roundest Object in the Universe,' by Phil Plait [The Universe; February], asserts that, among known astronomical objects, the sun is the closest to a perfect sphere. I realize Plait was talking about natural objects, but I was surprised that he made no mention of Gravity Probe B. That orbiting experiment, which tested predictions of Einstein's general theory of relativity, used four fused quartz spheres as its gyroscopes, and these objects were more spherical than the sun. DON JENNINGS COLLEGE PARK, MD. PLAIT REPLIES: I should have made it clear that I was exploring the question of the most spherical natural object. As many people have noted, there are some artificial objects vying for the title. They indeed include the gyroscopic rotors developed for NASA's Gravity Probe B mission, which launched in 2004. These ball-bearing-like gyroscopes were 3.8 centimeters across and deviated from sphericity by the thickness of just a few atoms. Unfortunately, there wasn't room in the article to mention them. So right after it was published online in November 2024, I followed up with more information in issue number 801 of my Bad Astronomy Newsletter. Other contenders for roundest object are the spheres used to measure Avogadro's constant, the number of atoms or molecules in one mole of a given substance. Having a nearly perfectly round object isn't just a matter of idle interest; our understanding of the universe can depend on it! CLARIFICATIONS In ' The Traumatic Roots of Addiction ' [October 2024], Maia Szalavitz refers to the train bound for Auschwitz with her father and his mother onboard as what was abandoned by the Nazis in 1944. The online version of ' Deep-Sea Mining Begins,' by Willem Marx [May], now describes Alisher Usmanov as a businessperson.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Over 100 marine megafauna struggle for survival, despite global protections
Source: The oceans are home to iconic marine megafauna , including majestic whales, ancient turtles, agile seals, and powerful sharks. These incredible water creatures sit at the very top of the ocean food webs, playing a crucial role in maintaining balanced and healthy marine ecosystems. But now, over 100 marine megafaunal species are facing mounting threats as increasing human pressure dramatically reshapes their home—the vast and fragile ocean environment. According to recent research conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the Australian National University (ANU) has carefully tracked the movements of these megafaunal species throughout the oceans to pinpoint the most important areas that require urgent and focused conservation efforts. About marine megafaunal species Marine megafauna are the giants of the ocean—large animals like whales, dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and giant rays. These creatures aren't just beautiful and captivating; they're essential. They play critical roles in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems. Their presence supports biodiversity and helps oceans function as stable, resilient ecosystems. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fastest Selling Plots of Mysore from 40L | 40+ Amenities PurpleBrick Learn More Undo Sea creatures like whales help circulate nutrients by diving deep and then surfacing to breathe, effectively stirring the ocean layers. Sea turtles keep seagrass beds healthy by grazing. Despite their importance, these marine megafauna face mounting threats from human activity. Overfishing, ship strikes, entanglement in plastic waste, noise pollution, and habitat loss all harm marine animals. Many of these animals are long-lived and slow to reproduce, so their numbers can't quickly bounce back once harmed. Climate change compounds these challenges by warming waters and disrupting migration and breeding patterns. Efforts to protect endangered marine megafauna According to reports, Sequeira in 2020 launched the MegaMove project, which aims to unite the marine movement ecology community to confront the urgent challenges facing ocean life. Sequeira said, 'MegaMove brings together an international network of researchers to provide innovative research to advance the global conservation of marine megafauna.' She explained, 'Our research shows that, in addition to protected areas, implementing mitigation strategies like changing fishing gear, using different lights in nets, and creating traffic schemes for ships will be key to alleviating current human pressure on these species.' Hidden routes of the big ocean creatures Currently, marine protected areas (MPAs) cover just eight percent of the world's oceans. However, the UN High Seas Treaty aims to expand that coverage to 30 percent. This new study shows that while the 30 percent goal is important, it may not be enough. The research team tracked animal movements to find areas critical for feeding, breeding, and migration. 'The impacts of a changing ocean on marine megafauna are already evident,' said Camrin Braun, assistant scientist and ocean ecologist at WHOI. 'Our recent work tracking marine predators, including an earlier WHOI-led study, indicates that changes in the ocean are expected to fundamentally alter the status quo for where these species are and how they live.' Getting ready for a changing ocean The study connects closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 14, which focuses on life below water. By combining large-scale tracking data and coordinated international efforts, this research offers a clear path forward—a future where marine megafauna continue to thrive alongside a growing human presence on the seas Also read | Astronomers discover high-altitude clouds darkening skies in YSES-1 system
NBC News
10-06-2025
- Science
- NBC News
Emperor penguins show dramatic decline in one region of Antarctica, satellite photos show
WASHINGTON — The population of emperor penguins in one part of Antarctica appears to be declining faster than previously thought, according to a new analysis of satellite imagery released Tuesday. The estimated population of 16 penguin colonies — visible in satellite photos taken between 2009 and 2024 — had declined 22% during that period mainly because of climate change that's shrinking the amount of available sea ice. It's unclear whether this drop is seen across the continent, scientists said. 'Sea ice is very important for the penguins because they breed on sea ice and forage on sea ice,' said Peter Fretwell with British Antarctic Survey, who helped analyze the data. Scientists previously estimated that the total emperor penguin population declined about 10% across all of Antarctica over the past decade and a half. The latest survey included a region covering the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea and Bellingshausen Sea. 'It's absolutely alarming that the numbers are so much worse than predicted,' said Daniel Zitterbart, a penguin researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, who was not involved in the study. There are uncertainties in the latest estimate. The analysis relies on a calculation of how densely the penguins are clustered in each area where they're detected in a single satellite photo taken each year. The colonies studied represent about 30% of the total emperor penguin population, which lives only in Antarctica. The loss of stable sea ice may be affecting the penguins in ways beyond shrinking their breeding grounds. 'More predators like leopard seals and orcas may be able to come in closer to the colonies if sea ice breaks up earlier in the year,' said Fretwell.
