New abyssal fishing worm discovered
National Oceanography Centre
Published: 27 January 2026
Scientists described a new deep-sea worm species, Melinnopsis nathanieli, at nearly 5,000m depth in the NE Atlantic. The worm uses a unique fishing behavior, extending tentacles to capture food in the dark abyss.
Keywords: deep-sea biology, marine biodiversity, polychaete worms, Porcupine Abyssal Plain, species discovery, abyssal ocean, benthic ecology
Scientists harness AI to discover a rise in floating algae across the global ocean
University of South Florida College of Marine Science
Published: 28 January 2026
Using AI to scan 1.2 million satellite images, researchers found global floating algae blooms are expanding, with macroalgae increasing 13.4% per year in the tropical Atlantic and western Pacific since 2008.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, floating algae, sargassum, satellite imagery, algal blooms, remote sensing, ocean monitoring
New acoustic study reveals deep-diving behavior of elusive beaked whales
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science
Published: 4 February 2026
Using 3D acoustic tracking, researchers produced the first detailed description of Gervais' beaked whale deep-diving behavior in the Gulf of Mexico, where populations may have declined 83% since the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Keywords: beaked whales, passive acoustics, deep-diving behavior, Gulf of Mexico, marine mammals, Deepwater Horizon, cetaceans
