Oceanography

He might be the most important scientist you've never heard of, but the ocean current that bears his name helped shape the development of evolutionary theory.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

Climate change may be melting glaciers, but it's also reducing the oxygen of the world's oceans. Without oxygen, many marine organisms may no longer be able to survive.

ByJohn Perritano

The Denmark Strait cataract dwarfs every other waterfall in the world, but you can't see it because it's deep under the Atlantic Ocean.

ByJesslyn Shields

Measuring sea level has changed almost as much as the tides during the 200 or so years scientists have been tracking it. Find out how it's tracked today.

ByJohn Perritano

Underwater icicles, also called brinicles or sea stalactites, form when super-cold brine meets normal seawater. The sub-zero phenomenon can kill some sea life.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

The NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer just wrapped up the third leg of its recent expedition into the deep Pacific waters, finding a number of cool new species.

ByChristopher Hassiotis

Very little of the world's water is usable because of its high salt content, but a process known as desalination may help change that. How does desalination work to turn salt water into fresh water?

ByLaurie L. Dove

Without water, Earth would be a barren and lifeless planet. But did you know the Earth's water supply has not increased or decreased for billions of years? No wonder hydrologists are so fascinated by water.

ByJennifer Pocock

Rough times call for creative measures. The world is filled with oceans, and oceans are filled with wave energy that could potentially be transformed into power. Is wave energy a viable fossil fuel alternative?

ByJane McGrath

It's colorless, odorless and definitely life-sustaining, but is it invisible to the naked eye? Not usually. So what's going on with everyone's favorite liquid?

ByRobert Lamb

Also known as "freak waves," these colossal walls of water have been alleged to be in the range of 100 feet or more. Learn what separates rogue waves from other large waves, what causes them and find out about some of the better-known rogue wave incidents.

ByEd Grabianowski

There's still a lot we don't know about the world. A thousand years ago, we thought we could literally sail off the edge of the planet. Good thing we're quick learners. But while space may be the final frontier, the ocean may be the greater mystery.

ByKate Kershner

There's no denying it: "Anomaly" is a great word, full of danger and mystery. So when an underwater object is declared a bona fide anomaly, it's no surprise our ears perk up a bit. But is the Baltic Sea anomaly worth the hype or just a big old dud?

ByKate Kershner&Yara Simón

The oceans are rising, and they're threatening to take down some of the world's brightest cultural gems. Here are 10 of the most notable spots endangered by climate change.

ByChris Opfer

Tubeworms aren't antisocial; they just prefer an environment that's a little different from the rest of us — one that happens to be as hot as an oven and riddled with bacteria.

ByOisin Curran

Seventy percent of the Earth's fresh water is in polar ice caps, the those caps calve icebergs all the time. So why can't we use those icebergs to provide fresh water that so many countries are in desperate need of?

ByMarshall Brain

You might never notice the relentless movement of the oceans unless their waters went eerily still. What forces drive the oceans every second of the day?

ByJennifer Horton

If it looks like a party is on, maybe they'll come back. Playing the sounds of a noisy, healthy coral reef can attract important fish species to devastated reef habitats.

ByJesslyn Shields

It covers more than 30 percent of the planet, and is home to all kinds of sea creatures. What other facts make the Pacific Ocean so amazing?

ByMark Mancini&Yara Simón

NOAA's Argo program distributes floating observatories across the globe. Why? They collect data about the world's oceans that is critical to understanding the planet.

ByJennifer Walker-Journey

Anyone who's been to the ocean has probably seen the foamy white stuff that clings to the sand after a wave breaks and recedes, but what the heck causes that bubbly foam and is it dangerous?

ByKristen Hall-Geisler

Cross seas may looks super cool. But you never want to get caught up in the grid-patterned waves they generate.

ByJohn Perritano

EXXpedition创始人艾米丽·佩恩captain the 300, all-female crew in its first Round the World sailing voyage.

ByPatty Rasmussen

Sealab was a U.S. Navy program that allowed undersea divers to go deeper and stay underwater longer. So why did it disappear?

ByJesslyn Shields

Environmental researchers found that large river systems with lots of surrounding residents are the sources of plastic debris in the oceans.

ByMark Mancini