8 Apr 2008:
Octopus mating games
Many animals (including humans) spend a great deal of time selecting and fighting to keep their mates. Octopuses, which tend to be loners, have never been shown to engage in such complicated reproductive strategies. However, a new research paper by MBARI postdoctoral fellow Christine Huffard shows that at least one type of octopus (and probably others) do engage in elaborate "mating games."

10 Mar 2008:
Dangerous unknowns—
MBARI researcher points out lack of information on chemical weapons dumps in the sea
Large quantities of chemical weapons sit on the seafloor, slowly degrading and posing a hazard to fishers and ocean scientists who stumble upon these stockpiles, according to a recent article by MBARI ocean chemist Peter Brewer and Noriko Nakayama of University of Tokyo.

3 Mar 2008:
Weird worms of the deep
It’s been six years since MBARI biologist Robert Vrijenhoek went looking for deep-sea clams and stumbled upon a 30-foot whale carcass. In those six years, Vrijenhoek and his team observed the ecosystem thriving around this carcass, discovered strange and wonderful worms with roots, sank five more whale carcasses to create artificial whale falls, and hauled cow bones to the seafloor to see if worms would grow on them too.

News Brief — 3 March 2008:
Ocean acidification may affect photosynthesis in marine algae
MBARI researcher Zbigniew Kolber presents findings on the effects of ocean acidification on photosynthesis in the sea at a press conference during the 2008 Ocean Sciences Meeting March 2 through 7 in Orlando, Florida.

Media advisory — 14 Feb 2008:
MBARI researchers speak out on ocean acidification
Most discussion on the impacts of climate change in the oceans has focused on sea level rise. Less well known to the public and policy makers is the continuing decrease in ocean pH resulting from increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Such “ocean acidification” will affect marine life across the globe and throughout the food chain. The implications for social policy could be enormous.

12 Feb 2008:
Gulf of California Expedition postponed
MBARI's research vessel Western Flyer hit unmarked, submerged, granite rocks on Friday, February 8, while approaching the port of La Paz, in Baja California, Mexico. There were no serious injuries and no oil was spilled. The Western Flyer was on its way to La Paz from Moss Landing, in preparation for a four-month research expedition in the Gulf of California.

News Brief — 22 Jan 2008:
Subtropical oceans add oxygen to atmosphere
The subtropical Pacific is a net source of oxygen for the Earth’s atmosphere, according to a new paper published in the Jan. 17 issue of Nature by MBARI marine chemist Kenneth Johnson and Stephen Riser of the University of Washington.

News Brief — 11 Jan 2008:
Marine scientists question commercial plans for ocean fertilization.
In the January 11 issue of Science magazine, MBARI chemical oceanographer Ken Johnson joined 14 other prominent marine scientists from around the world in stating that there is not enough scientific information to justify selling carbon sequestration credits based on ocean iron fertilization.

News Release — 9 Jan 2008:
Stanford, Aquarium, MBARI launch new center to tackle global threats to oceans
To address major, ongoing threats to the marine environment, Stanford University, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and MBARI have joined forces to create the Center for Ocean Solutions.