Environmental DNA is an effective tool for calculating marine biodiversity
July 29, 2021 – New research demonstrates that eDNA can be a valuable tool for monitoring California’s kelp forests.
News Highlight 1
Taking the lab into the ocean: A coordinated fleet of robots successfully tracks and monitors microbial communities
January 13, 2021 – Researchers recently enabled a trio of self-driving robots to locate, follow, and sample a layer of microbes as they drifted in an open-ocean eddy.
Researchers discover carnivorous sponges that make their own light
December 7, 2020 – MBARI scientists confirm the first evidence of bioluminescence in a sponge, showing that the sponges contain the chemicals necessary to make light within their bodies.
Cameras reveal largest aggregation of fishes in abyssal deep sea
Nov 23, 2020 – Researchers recently discovered the largest aggregation of fishes ever recorded at abyssal depths (below 3,000 meters or 9,800 feet) in the ocean.
Monitoring ocean acidification in the coastal ocean
November 17, 2020 – Underwater gliders carrying pH sensors can monitor ocean acidification over large areas and long periods of time.
MBARI participates in 2020 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM virtual conference
Oct 27, 2020 – Last week, MBARI staff joined students, scientists, and engineers from across the country for the 2020 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM virtual conference.
Patterns in blue whale songs show whether the whales are feeding or migrating
Oct 1, 2020 – Recordings from MBARI’s deep-sea hydrophone show that blue whales mostly sing at night when they are feeding, but are more likely to sing during the daytime when they are migrating.
Monitoring river health using a robotic water sampler
Sept 21, 2020 – Researchers from MBARI and the USGS recently published a paper showing how MBARI’s environmental sample processors can be used to monitor the health of rivers.
Listening to an underwater eruption
Sept 8, 2020 – MBARI scientists use sound to track day-to-day changes in the eruption of an underwater volcano.
Canyon up close: New animation drains Monterey Bay to uncover the beauty of its geology
August 18, 2020 – Using mapping AUV data, MBARI researchers worked with Frame 48 to develop the highest resolution animation of Monterey Canyon to date.
Marine biologists publish editorial in New York Times about risks of deep-sea mining
August 14, 2020 – Today the New York Times ran an editorial highlighting the potential effects of deep-sea mining on midwater animals.
Harbor porpoises and seal bombs
August 4, 2020 – Using recordings from MBARI’s deep-sea hydrophone, researchers concluded that the sounds of seal-bombs could affect the behavior of harbor porpoises in and around Monterey Bay.
Ocean research in a time of COVID-19
July 30, 2020 – MBARI’s Summer 2020 CANON experiment shows how robots can collect samples and data at sea even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
DNA analysis confirms a zooplankton community border along Baja California
July 21, 2020 – Using a sweeping DNA analysis technique, MBARI researchers explored the boundaries between different communities of tiny drifting animals along the California coast.
Glow-in-the-dark corals light up the deep sea
July 13, 2020 – A new research paper shows that some of the most common and iconic deep-sea corals can create their own light.
Scientists urge caution, further assessment of ecological impacts above deep-sea mining
July 8, 2020 – A new study argues that deep-sea mining poses significant risks not only to seafloor ecosystems, but also to animals in the vast midwater realm.
New papers describe discoveries at MBARI’s long-term deep-sea research site off California
June 16, 2020 – A recent special issue of the journal Deep-Sea Research II features 16 new papers about MBARI’s long-term, deep-sea research site Station M.
New laser system provides 3D reconstructions of living deep-sea animals and their mucous filters
June 3, 2020 – A new study published in Nature describes a unique laser-based system for constructing 3D models of diaphanous marine animals and their mucous structures in the deep sea.
Hundreds of hydrothermal chimneys discovered on the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest
April 28, 2020 – MBARI’s underwater mapping efforts off the Pacific Northwest have revealed almost 600 hydrothermal chimneys rising from the deep seafloor.
MBARI research and technology featured in 2019 Annual Report
April 22, 2020 – MBARI’s 2019 Annual Report provides a multimedia view of the institute’s latest research and technology.
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About MBARI
Research programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) encompass the entire ocean, from the surface waters to the deep seafloor, and from the coastal zone to the open sea. The need to understand the ocean in all its complexity and variability drives MBARI's research and development efforts.