Today's Catch

Feb 17, 2011

Cyprus Shipwreck Discovery

This over 2,000-year-old shipwreck in Mazotas, Cyprus, was discovered in 2007. The ship was loaded with wine from Chios, one of the most expensive and sought-after Greek wines in antiquity. The University of Cyprus, in collaboration with the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus and the THETIS Foundation, organized the first Cypriot underwater project and recently began excavation at the site. It is expected to shed light on ancient seafaring and sea routes, commerce in the region, the sizes and gear of cargo ships, the living conditions on board and much more.

Maritime history, Shipwrecks, Smithsonian exhibits

CREDIT:
University of Cyprus
Feb 17, 2011

Mangrove Survival: Against the Odds

Mangroves thrive in hot, muddy, salty conditions that would kill most plants. But even these tough trees are threatened by human development. This lone mangrove shoot in South Bimini, Bahamas stands strong in the path of a backhoe dredging a lagoon. Mangroves, which provide habitat to diverse marine life and protect shorelines from storms and erosion, are disappearing at an alarming rate worldwide.

Caribbean, Human impacts

CREDIT:
Matthew D Potenski, MDP Photography/Marine Photobank
Feb 14, 2011

Ocean Acidification in the Puget Sound

Scientists predict that ocean acidification will impact communities around the world. One of them is the Suquamish Nation, an American Indian tribe on the Puget Sound, in the Pacific Northwest. Students from the Suquamish Tribal Early College High School produced this video to raise awareness about the economic, environmental, social, and cultural impacts ocean acidification may have on their community.

Human impacts, Pacific Northwest
Jan 14, 2011

Arctic Exploration

New technology is making it possible for scientists to go where they’ve never gone before, the depths of the icy Arctic Ocean. By collecting organisms and mapping the seafloor, researchers can discover the effects of climate change on this region and understand the relationship between the ice, water, and the seafloor.

Arctic, NOAA, Polar regions

CREDIT:
NOAA Ocean Today
Jan 14, 2011

Ship Under a Bridge

Ocean conditions change every hour of every day. Tides, currents, and winds are constantly in flux. NOAA’s real-time data helps huge ships navigate safely under bridges and around obstacles. Explore other videos that capture the beauty and mystery of the ocean realm at NOAA Ocean Today

NOAA, Research vessels, Tides

CREDIT:
NOAA Ocean Today
Jan 12, 2011

It’s a Jelly Eat Jelly World

A “pink meanie” jellyfish (Drymonema larsoni)—a species found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean—feeds on a moon jelly (Aurelia). Dr. Keith Bayha from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Dr.

Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Jellyfish, New discoveries, Predation

CREDIT:
Mary Elizabeth Miller, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Jan 11, 2011

Official Report on Gulf Oil Spill Released

The National Oil Spill Commission has released findings from its investigation into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Read the final report or watch the video summary. Then, save the date for the panel discussion One Year After the Gulf Oil Spill here at the Smithsonian and via live webcast on April 19, 2011 at 6:30 pm (EDT).

Deepwater Horizon, Gulf of Mexico, Oil spills

CREDIT:
Flickr User James Davidson (Creative Commons)
Jan 6, 2011

Amphipod Under Arctic Sea Ice

Several species of amphipod like this one, Gammarus wilkitzkii, live permanently within Arctic sea ice. These animals are endemic, meaning they only live here. They acclimate to a wide range of salt levels in the water using a physiological response called osmoregulation.

Adaptations, Arctic, Crustaceans, NOAA, Polar regions

CREDIT:
S. Harper, UAF, Hidden Ocean 2005, NOAA.
Jan 4, 2011

The Hidden Ocean

Hidden beneath Arctic ice is a world few have ever seen. Take the icy plunge with a team of ice-loving scientists.

Arctic, Polar regions

CREDIT:
E. Siddon, UAF, Hidden Ocean 2005, NOAA
Dec 22, 2010

Lovely Weather for a Sub Ride Together With You

Dr. Carole Baldwin, Smithsonian Curator of Fishes, and Adrien "Dutch" Schrier of the Curacao Seaquarium reflect the holiday spirit as they work off the coast of Curacao in the southern Caribbean.

Caribbean, Research vessels, Smithsonian scientists

CREDIT:
Photo by Barry Brown, courtesy of The Curacao Seaquarium