(Natural News) Jellyfish are ubiquitous creatures that can be found in the deep sea and in surface waters. Many beachgoers consider them pests because they sting people and can shut down beaches. Some industries also suffer economic losses whenever there is a jellyfish bloom. However, these small and seemingly innocent creatures may soon become more than just pests. […]

(Natural News) Vertebrates are not the only marine organisms that accidentally gulp down mouthfuls of the growing number of microplastics in the ocean. Invertebrates like corals and sea anemones also ingest tiny pieces of plastic that they have mistaken for their prey. In a study supported by the Carnegie Institution for Science (Carnegie), researchers learned that […]

(Natural News) The ongoing drop in ocean oxygen levels is not a new thing. Researchers warn that a similar loss of life-giving gas in the ancient oceans may have triggered a mass extinction in marine life more than 430 million years ago. The Ireviken extinction event took place during the Silurian Period of Earth. It […]

(Natural News) At the bottom of Mexico’s Gulf of California lies hydrothermal vents and cold seeps with hydrocarbon-rich fluids. A recent scientific expedition to this alien environment uncovered the existence of massive venting mineral towers that teemed with strange organisms. The towers reached heights of 23 m and widths of 10 m. Their volcanic flanges […]

(Natural News) What do you call a tiny critter that lives in most corals and creates chlorophyll but doesn’t bother using it to turn sunlight into energy? Dubbed corallicolid, this unusual creature is the first known organism that is capable of phototropic behavior yet doesn’t perform photosynthesis. Corallicolids belong to the phylum Apicomplexa. Its relatives […]

(Natural News) The excessive blooming of blue-green algae might be responsible for the recent spate of deaths among dolphins. A pathological study found toxic compounds in the harmful algae that might cause a neurodegenerative problem similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers from the University of Miami autopsied the brains and bodies of 14 dead dolphins. For […]

(Natural News) Scientists fear that the continued decline in mangrove forests could significantly impact the world’s biodiversity. In a statement, which they made during the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and published in the journal Science, they called the attention of governments from all over the globe to provide stronger protection for small but crucial swathes of mangroves. The case for protecting […]

(Natural News) The mucus layer of fish protect them from injuries and harmful infections. Certain beneficial bacteria that live in fish slime might help in the development of new antimicrobial treatments for drug-resistant infections. Excessive use of antibiotics for treating minor diseases and for fattening animals has led to the appearance of multidrug-resistant bacteria. This has caused […]

(Natural News) Given its gelatinous body, a primitive skeleton, and a mouth ringed by 18 tentacles, the fossil of Daihua sanqiong might be mistaken for a sea monster – were it not for its small size. Its discoverers believe the extinct animal to be an ancestor of comb jellies. D. sanqiong lived 518 million years ago […]

(Natural News) Balloons have a way of making every occasion seem more festive, but if you don’t keep them contained, marine life could pay the ultimate price for your celebration. Experts are warning about the dangers of balloons, which are made of soft plastic that is easily swallowed by birds and other marine life who […]