
Nutrient Mix enables phytoplankton to flourish
by Herbert - 6th November 2017
Combination of nutrients is necessary to promote plankton growth For the food webs in the ocean and processes such as…

Virus reprograms ocean plankton
by Herbert - 24th August 2017
Infected plankton cells absorb more nutrients A virus that infects plankton can reprogram cells and thus alter the way the…

New underwater observatory to monitor zooplankton
by Herbert - 10th December 2016
Scientists from the Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) have placed an optical-acoustic…

Two-thirds of zooplankton at tropical coral reefs lost to ocean acidification
by Herbert - 24th September 2016
Ocean acidification can fundamentally change the structure of the reef Tropical coral reefs can lose up to two-thirds of their…

Proportion of unicellular plankton much higher than previously thought
by Mares - 29th April 2016
Unicellular planktonic organisms play a more important role in the marine ecosystem than previously thought. This was the conclusion drawn…

Plankton Found To Be Factor In Cloud Formation
by Mares - 27th July 2015
In a recent study, scientists have shown that plankton promoted cloud formation over the oceans. Using satellite measurements and computer…

Goldfish of the Red Sea
by Ivana and Janez - 2nd May 2023
Every diver who's been to the Red Sea must have a picture with the Pseudanthias squamipinnis – Sea goldies. A very common…

Looking at life from a Cassiopea’s perspective – Upside down
by Ivana and Janez - 20th December 2022
Upside-Down Jellyfish live resting on the sea floor, making them look like they are upside-down. They are found in coastal waters,…

Canada: Bursting with Life
by Alex - 16th December 2022
For my final blog post on my visit to Canada, I want to turn my attention fully to the attraction…

Canada: Time & Tide
by Alex - 7th December 2022
It is good for humans to take a break from their busy lives and have a reminder that there are bigger…

The white-spotted octopus (Callistoctopus macropus)
by Ivana and Janez - 1st December 2022
The white-spotted octopus lives predominantly in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, but can sometimes be found…

Cabo Pulmo and endless vortexes of fish (Chapter Five)
by Franco and Sabrina - 22nd November 2022
If your diving wish list includes finding yourself finning inside vortexes of different species of fish so dense as to darken…

The Mediterranean lobster
by Ivana and Janez - 13th October 2022
The Mediterranean lobster, Palinurus elephas, was named after the Roman seaport of Palinurus, known today as Palinuro, in southwestern Italy,…

The Triton Snail
by Ivana and Janez - 7th October 2022
In Greek mythology, Triton, son of Poseidon and god of the sea, is often depicted blowing a horn/shell that looks…

The elusive Basking Shark
by Alex - 30th September 2022
Last summer I headed to the tiny island of Coll, out in the Atlantic, off the west coast of Scotland.…

Visitors In The Night
by Alex - 16th May 2022
Fourth dive of the day done, the liveaboard is at anchor and we’re all tucking into dinner and Lightroom! Surely…

Glow in the Dark
by Alex - 20th December 2021
Trying to search for any positive in the travel restrictions of the last few years is tough, but at the…

The bearded fireworm
by Ivana and Janez - 25th October 2021
Bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata (Pallas, 1766) The bearded fireworm is a marine bristle worm that lives throughout the tropical coastal waters of…

Scottish Freediving Photography
by Alex - 30th August 2021
The chilly waters of Scotland do not attract many visiting divers but they should. Scotland’s geologically splintered coastline means that…

‘Baitball’ watching in the open sea
by Gerald - 12th July 2021
"May the god of the sea spoil you with happiness and let a mighty school of fish slide over your…

Crinoids – Flowers of the reef
by Franco and Sabrina - 14th June 2021
One of the things that struck me most during the first dives I made in Papua New Guinea, and especially the…

The gentle giants
by Ivana and Janez - 2nd April 2021
Whale sharks are on many diver's bucket lists. I envy any diver that has been lucky enough to see one while diving.…

Feather star’s dinner
by Thomas Van Puymbroeck - 19th October 2020
Feather stars live in both shallow water and the depths of the ocean. Their scientific name, crinoid, comes from the Greek…

Motivation For Winter Diving
by Dan - 24th August 2020
Winter. Is. Here. Any diver dreads these 3 words, especially if you live in a colder climate. New Zealand, although…

Sea Anemones
by Ivana and Janez - 4th May 2020
Sea anemones are a group of marine animals that are predatory in nature and are closely related to jellyfish and…

Revisiting a Classic: Thailand’s 8 Best Dives
by LiveAboard - 20th December 2019
For budget-friendly tropical liveaboard diving and encounters with everything from ocean giants to tiny macro treasures, you can’t beat Thailand.…

Jellyfish Dance
by Marjan Radovic - 12th November 2019
Nowadays, jellyfish can be found all over the Adriatic. Though they may have an attractive appearance, jellyfish should be treated…

Eye to eye with the Tiger Shark!
by Gerald - 2nd August 2019
Cocos Island is an island far off the Pacific coast of America. The island belongs to a trio of islands…

Valdés – Patagonien, Argentinien
by Robert - 3rd July 2019
>> VIDEO << Das UNESCO-Welterbe mit kargen Landschaften und blühendem Leben Die argentinische Halbinsel Valdés liegt direkt am Atlantik in…

Corals are the perfect models
by Ivana and Janez - 4th October 2018
Looking at wonderful, colourful, tropical coral reefs, many people believe that the organisms responsible for these structures are plant based.…

Open Ocean Research
by Submaris - 10th April 2018
The Big Blue! Finally! After three days of travelling via plane, a short delay of one day due to carnival,…

The Prettiest of Worms
by Ivana and Janez - 4th April 2018
When we think of worms, these colourful, feathery, flower-like creatures are not the first things that come to mind. Their…

Primitive? Maybe. Ugly? Definitely not!
by Ivana and Janez - 26th March 2018
Featherstars are more scientifically known as crinoids – coming from a Greek word meaning ‘lily-like’- so it comes as no…

The Island of Santa Maria
by Franco and Sabrina - 27th February 2018
Islands in the current of an endless ocean (Part Two) Read Part 1 here Santa Maria In the Azores' archipelago,…

Increasing nutrient input has implications for food webs in the Arctic Ocean
by Herbert - 13th February 2018
Scientists find surprising evidence of rapid changes in the Arctic Scientists have found surprising evidence of rapid Arctic climate change:…

Mantas – the gentle giants of the seas
by Ivana and Janez - 7th February 2018
Manta rays – the diver's dream. Belonging to the family Mobulidae, there are two species of Manta Ray often seen…

Cuttlefish: underestimated players in the ocean
by Herbert - 9th January 2018
Squids play an important role in the food web and in the carbon cycle Squid are marine creatures with fascinating…

Marine Snowfall at Equator
by Herbert - 13th October 2017
Detailed picture of biological particle flow to deep sea along the equator Animal excrement and parts of dead organisms constantly…

The Myth of the Jellyfish
by Mares - 1st September 2017
When I asked my child what jellyfish were, she said they are half fish, half jelly… Well nothing could be…

Copepods rise and shine to internal genetic clocks
by Herbert - 7th August 2017
The Calanus finmarchicus is a copepod that packs a big punch. Although just two to four millimetres, this zooplankton’s genetic…

Why do krill stocks in Antarctica fluctuate?
by Herbert - 9th June 2017
Climatic influences not as important as previously thought Although just six centimeters long, the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) plays an…

Marvels of the Arctic
by Herbert - 9th May 2017
Undertaking a cool journey of discovery Water temperatures of minus 3°C. It is so cold here that using salt to…

Haliphron atlanticus: Deep-sea octopus feeds on jellyfish
by Herbert - 30th March 2017
Octopus then uses tentacles of jellyfish to defend itself The open ocean is the largest habitat on Earth. Within this…

Litter in the sea: New portal offers comprehensive coverage
by Herbert - 29th March 2017
New online portal LITTERBASE compiles all data in one location Where is litter at sea and which species and habitats…

New ocean measuring station at Boknis Eck
by Mares - 1st February 2017
GEOMAR and Helmholtz Center Geesthacht install new sensor node in Baltic Sea Boknis Eck (Boknis Corner) – a name familiar…

Diving in Ireland
by Herbert - 5th January 2017
The Wild West of EuropeIreland has one of the world's greatest soccer fans, who most recently fervently expressed their strong…

Life beneath the ice
by Mares - 17th October 2016
Welcome to the world beneath the ice. We're all familiar with the animals that live above the ice at the…

Greenpeace reports on research on microplastics in seafood
by Mares - 6th October 2016
Microplastics can accumulate in the food chain “In the environment, microplastics act like a foreign body with toxins. It contains…