New Deep-Sea Worm Discovered at Methane Seep off Costa Rica
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Published: 6 March 2024
Scripps Oceanography researchers discovered a new deep-sea worm, Pectinereis strickrotti, near a Costa Rican methane seep. The blind, gill-bearing worm adds to the deep sea’s known biodiversity and highlights the need for continued exploration.
Keywords: deep-sea worm, Pectinereis strickrotti, Scripps Oceanography, methane seep, Costa Rica, ragworm, deep-sea biodiversity
Study Illuminates the Protective Role of Fluorescence in Neon-Colored Sea Anemones
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Published: 8 March 2024
Stanford and Scripps scientists discovered that sea anemone color variation is controlled by a single fluorescent protein gene, which also acts as a powerful antioxidant protecting cells from stress.
Keywords: sea anemones, fluorescence, genetics, antioxidants, intertidal zone, citizen science, Anthopleura
Canals Used to Drain Peatlands Are Underappreciated Hotspots for Carbon Emissions
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Published: 11 March 2024
A UC San Diego–Stanford study finds that drainage canals in Southeast Asian peatlands are major, overlooked CO₂ sources, with microbes and sunlight breaking down dissolved peat carbon and sending ~35% into the atmosphere.
Keywords: peatlands, carbon emissions, UC San Diego, Stanford, drainage canals, climate change, Southeast Asia
