Penguins Go Through the Flow
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 5 April 2018
King penguin colonies organize like particles in a liquid, balancing density and flexibility. This discovery helps researchers predict how these colonies may respond to environmental changes, including climate-driven habitat shifts.
Keywords: radial distribution function, aerial imagery, physics of animal groups, remote sensing, seabird ecology, incubation behavior
WHOI Among First Funding Recipients of The Audacious Project
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 11 April 2018
WHOI received a record $35M from The Audacious Project to explore the ocean's twilight zone—an understudied, life-rich region vital to climate regulation. The project aims to develop technologies and inform policy before commercial exploitation begins.
Keywords: robotic sensors, Heidi Sosik, Mark Abbott, marine ecosystems, overfishing, carbon cycle, environmental policy
Atlantic Ocean Circulation at Weakest Point in 1,600 years
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 11 April 2018
New research by UCL and WHOI shows the Atlantic Ocean circulation system (AMOC) is at its weakest in 1,600 years, weakening 15–20% since the 1800s. Continued decline could disrupt global climate and accelerate sea-level rise on the U.S. East Coast.
Keywords: sediment records, Arctic melt, freshwater influx, Nature journal, Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, weather disruption
