Oceans Archives - Page 2 of 114

A dead tree rises from a pile of rocks, concrete, and bricks heaped along a shoreline. In the background, a flagpole stands with a United States flag and a North Carolina flag outstretched in the wind beside a gray house and under overcast skies.

Confronting Salty Problems in the Coastal Plain

by Kiera O’Donnell, Emily S. Bernhardt, Aeran Coughlin, Ken W. Krauss and Xi Yang 6 July 20266 July 2026

An interdisciplinary network of scientists and stakeholders is working to understand how saltwater intrusion and sea level rise are affecting rural communities and to help address the consequences.

A satellite image shows a river flowing into the ocean. The river is brown compared to the blue of the ocean, and it is distributing a plume of silt into the ocean. The landscape around the water is green.

Research Spotlights

Forty Thousand Cubic Meters of Fresh Water Flow from the Congo into the Atlantic Every Second. A New Study Traces Where It Goes from There.

by Rebecca Owen 2 July 20265 August 2026

Researchers combined observations and modeling to track the movement of the Congo’s freshwater plume, noting that eddies play a significant role in the water’s transport.

Many small, colorful pieces of plastic float in teal-blue water.

AGU News

Millions of Invaders Are Attacking the Ocean, and the Ocean Is Losing

by Caryl-Sue Micalizio 1 July 20261 July 2026

Every year, an additional 11 million tons of microplastics permeate the water column and marine ecosystems within it. Geoscience is contributing to strategies that aim to identify microplastic movements—and stop them.

A sand bar on a beach is surrounded by water on both sides. A coastline with infrastructure is seen in the distance.

Research Spotlights

Extensive Sand Dune Loss Threatens California Coast

by Saima May Sidik 26 June 202625 June 2026

Aerial photos combined with lidar data show the extent of the problem.

Small bits of plastic float below the ocean surface in an artist’s rendering.

Features

Measuring Microplastics in Every Ocean Layer

by Shiye Zhao, Luisa Galgani and Karin Kvale 26 June 20261 July 2026

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.

A turtle rests on a bed of coral beneath the ocean.

Research & Developments

Turtles May Migrate Using Earth’s Magnetic Field

by Emily Gardner 24 June 202625 June 2026

New research indicates that sea turtles seem to navigate across hundreds of miles of open ocean using Earth’s magnetic field.

A metal arm with a cylindrical cage at the end of it extends off the side of a boat, over glassy water with chunks of ice in it. Snowy mountains and clouds are reflected in the water.

Research Spotlights

Machine Learning Rediscovers Equations Governing Ocean Biogeochemistry

by Nathaniel Scharping 24 June 202624 June 2026

Researchers used a process called symbolic regression to derive the equations from a biogeochemical model of the ocean.

A tire is half submerged in a pool of water on a coastline. Tree trunks or wood pieces are also poking out of the sand in the background.

News

What Tires Leave Behind Can Become Toxic Fish Food

by Rebecca Owen 17 June 20261 July 2026

Tire particles might seem tasty, if you’re a fish—but a new study shows how this pervasive microplastic can affect growth and behavior in marine species.