Environmental DNA reveals secret reef inhabitants

An international research team uses a global sampling of seawater to reveal which tropical reef fish occur where. To identify species and families, they successfully used the residual DNA shed by the animals present in the ...

The history and mystery of Polynesian navigation

The islands of Polynesia stretch over thousands of miles of ocean, presenting a daunting barrier to ancient people before the invention of magnetic compasses and modern navigation equipment.

The splendid generative potential of the Sierpinski triangle

One transistor can become an oscillator with a surprising richness of behavior. However, even more interesting effects emerge if the structure of connections is fractal and shows some imperfections. Could similar rules explain ...

The secret behind coral reef diversity? Lots of time.

Strap on a diving mask and fins and slip under the crystal-clear water near a coral reef in Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea or the Philippines, and you'll immediately see why divers and snorkelers from across the world flock ...

Large stretches of coral reefs can be rehabilitated

Even after being severely damaged by blast fishing and coral mining, coral reefs can be rehabilitated over large scales using a relatively inexpensive technique, according to a study led by the University of California, Davis, ...

Why are there no sea snakes in the Atlantic?

Sea snakes are an evolutionary success story. With about 70 species, they're the most diverse reptile group in the ocean, outnumbering sea turtle species 10-to-1.

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