The long memory of the Pacific OceanThe long memory of the Pacific Ocean
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 4 January 2019
WHOI and Harvard researchers found that the deep Pacific Ocean is still cooling from the Little Ice Age due to centuries-long lag times, suggesting Earth’s ocean heat uptake over the 20th century may be overestimated by about 30%.
Keywords: ocean memory, historical ocean data, global warming, heat uptake, ocean circulation, deep-sea thermometers
Emperor Penguins’ First Journey to Sea
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 17 January 2019
WHOI researchers tracked juvenile Emperor penguins as they learned to swim and dive, revealing they dive beneath sea ice and follow prey near the thermocline. This new data is crucial for predicting species responses to climate change.
Keywords: penguin survival, Marine Ecology Progress Series, penguin behavior, sea temperature layers
For Zombie Microbes, Deep-Sea Buffet is Just Out of Reach
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Published: 21 January 2019
WHOI researchers found that zombie-like microbes deep beneath the ocean floor survive near ancient, usable carbon, but can’t access it—possibly due to mineral binding or sheer distance. The study may inform the search for life on other planets.
Keywords: extraterrestrial life, geochemistry, ocean floor, microbial metabolism, Nature Geoscience, R/V Knorr, R/V Revelle
