Pitman pioneered research on seafloor spreading, proposed a scientific backstory to the Great Flood and Noah’s Ark, and reveled in spirited discussions of all kinds.
Oceans
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Carbon Cycling in the World’s Deepest Blue Hole
Scientists find new extremes as they research carbon cycling in the Yongle blue hole.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tracking Trace Elements Across the Arctic Ocean
Researchers used data from a pan-Arctic survey of carbon and trace elements to better understand how climate change will affect primary production in one of the fastest warming regions of the world.
Posted inNews
During a Pandemic, Is Oceangoing Research Safe?
With research cruises postponed, scientists are trying to get home safe, and others worry about the fate of their instruments left at sea.
Posted inScience Updates
Satellite Sleuthing Detects Underwater Eruptions
Satellite data helped scientists locate the volcanic source of a pumice raft floating in the South Pacific Ocean, illustrating their promise in locating and monitoring undersea eruptions.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Models Give Global Picture of Mercury Content in Oceans
Concentrations of methylated mercury in high latitudes show the importance of sunlight and biological activity for cycling the metal.
Posted inNews
Leveraging Satellite Sensors for Oil Spill Detection
By using multiple remote sensors, scientists can quickly estimate the nature and thickness of oil spills—important factors for containment efforts.
Posted inFeatures
Deepwater Horizon and the Rise of the Omics
Microbial genomics techniques came of age following the Deepwater Horizon spill, offering researchers unparalleled insights into how ecosystems respond to such environmental disasters.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Tracking Reverse Weathering
Using beryllium isotopes to track in situ formation of clays in the ocean, known as reverse weathering, will improve global models of atmospheric carbon dioxide and ocean alkalinity.
Posted inNews
Microbes Discovered Hanging Out in the Ocean’s Crust
“The lower ocean crust is one of the last frontiers of the exploration for life on Earth.”