Small bits of plastic don’t just float at the sea surface—they span the entire water column. Scientists need consistent methods to track these particles and to better understand the hazards they pose.
marine debris
Posted inScience Updates
Tracking Microplastics Above and Below the Waves
Measuring plastic particles carried on Cozumel’s sea breezes and ocean currents reveals how simple physics shapes the particles’ pathways and the impacts they may have on coastal regions.
Posted inENGAGE, News
Plastic Debris Helps Oil Residues Reach Farther Across the Ocean
Scientists matched oil residues found in Florida to a Brazilian spill thousands of miles away.
Posted inFeatures
Scrambling to Study Smoke on the Water
Timely action shows the impact of urban fires on freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Posted inNews
Avalanches of Microplastics Carry Pollution into the Deep Sea
Scientists observed a once-theorized process ferrying microplastics into the deep ocean.
Posted inNews
Balancing the Deep Ocean Plastics Budget
Up to 11 million metric tons of plastic are sitting on the seafloor, mostly near coasts and shipping corridors.
Posted inNews
Los microplásticos son el ingrediente no tan secreto de la nieve marina
Partículas diminutas de plástico degradadas y cubiertas por biopelículas se hunden hasta el fondo marino llevando consigo carbono.
Posted inNews
In the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, New Marine Ecosystems Are Flourishing
Sea life, stuck to plastic bottles and other human trash, has journeyed far from coastal habitats—and may threaten local species
Posted inNews
Microplastics Are the Not-So-Secret Ingredient in Marine Snow
Particles of tiny, degraded plastics coated with biofilms sink to the seafloor, carrying carbon with them.
Posted inNews
Biodegradable Sensors Could Explore the Seas More Sustainably
Researchers are developing environmentally friendly instruments to monitor the oceans.