Mantle rocks in Papua New Guinea contain curious geochemical signatures that scientists have traditionally interpreted as evidence of billions-year-old melting. New evidence suggests otherwise.
seafloor
Deep-Sea Exploration Could Help Us Fight the Next Pandemic
Deep-ocean-dwelling microbes may hold keys to improved medical diagnostics and new drugs for fighting diseases. But we must search Earth’s most extreme habitats to find them.
A Cagey Approach to Speedy and Safe Seafloor Deployments
Researchers devised a simple way to deliver ocean bottom seismometers accurately to the seafloor to study ongoing seismic and volcanic activity near the islands of Mayotte.
Exploration and Evaluation of Deep-Sea Mining Sites
Two studies chart new territory for the fledgling deep-sea mining industry through advances in the identification and analysis of seafloor hydrothermal mounds.
How Does Sand Move? New Observations Challenge Prevailing Formulas
Research in the Azores finds a discrepancy between field observations of sediment transport and predictions made with commonly used mathematical formulas.
Mapping a River Beneath the Sea
A recent expedition mapped one of the world’s longest submarine channels, revealing previously undiscovered physical features and raising questions about its unusual origin and shape.
An Ambitious Vision for the Future of Scientific Ocean Drilling
Scientific ocean drilling is an enduring paragon of global research, advancing knowledge of Earth and informing scientists and educators for 55 years. A new road map plots the way to further discovery.
Hydrothermal Microbes Can Be Green Energy Producers
In ultramafic, reducing environments, forming microbial proteins can actually release energy.
Ocean Terrain and the Engineering Challenges for Offshore Wind Farms
Deep coastal seabeds, glacial erratics, and other geophysical hurdles stand in the way of offshore wind farm proliferation. Researchers, engineers, and organizations are adapting and inventing ways to harness the breeze.
