As oceans change, gray whales enter riskier waters
Sonoma State University
Published: 13 April 2026
A study found nearly 18% of gray whales entering San Francisco Bay die there, with ship strikes being the leading cause. Climate-driven ocean changes are pushing whales into heavily trafficked waters.
Keywords: gray whales, marine mammals, San Francisco Bay, ship strikes, whale mortality, marine ecology, ocean warming
Ctenophore research points to earlier origins of brain-like structures
University of Bergen
Published: 5 March 2026
Researchers built a 3D map of the ctenophore aboral organ using electron microscopy, discovering 17 cell types and evidence that centralized nervous systems evolved far earlier than previously thought.
Keywords: ctenophores, marine neuroscience, evolution, comb jellies, nervous system, electron microscopy, marine biology
Industrial fishing has been depleting midwater fish for decades, new WHOI study finds
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 8 May 2026
A new study reveals industrial fishing has significantly depleted midwater fish in the ocean's twilight zone, with catches of species like pomfrets now exceeding traditional targets like tuna.
Keywords: midwater fish, twilight zone, industrial fishing, mesopelagic, bycatch, ocean ecosystems, fish populations
