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
Antarctic Circumpolar Current Flows More Rapidly in Warm Phases
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 24 June 2021
Researchers found that during the last interglacial period, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) flowed faster than today. A future acceleration due to warming could reduce oceanic CO₂ absorption, intensifying climate change.
Keywords: absorption, global warming, ocean currents, Nature Communications, marine sediment analysis, paleo-data, West Wind Drift
