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Behind the Scenes of a Unique Ocean Research Simulator
As our climate continues to change, researchers need to understand the complicated chemical, biological, and physical processes that occur at the boundary between the ocean and the atmosphere. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography has a unique tool that allows scientists to simulate varying ocean environments by controlling winds, waves, water chemistry, temperature, light and more. […]
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The Story Behind the Elusive Pacific Footballfish
It looks like something out of a science fiction movie. A black blob with nightmarish spiny teeth, small black eyes, and prickly skin. A monster that never sees the light of day, using a bio-luminescent bulb swinging from its head to not only light its path, but also attract prey as well. The Pacific Footballfish […]
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From Sea to Pharmacy
The vastness of the ocean is only surpassed by the biodiversity within it; from familiar and unfamiliar mega-fauna, to every microbe and virus inhabiting every corner of the seas – from the deep freeze of the Antarctic to the scorching plumes of volcanic seafloor vents. Paul Jensen describes how he and other researchers are tapping […]
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Understanding the Arctic Climate System
The Arctic is changing rapidly in response to global climate and economic activity and yet much of it remains unexplored with modern scientific techniques. Jeff Bowman is a biological oceanographer who studies marine microbial communities. In this presentation at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography he describes his group’s work in the Arctic […]
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California Seaweed
Kelp cutters once harvested tons of the nearshore kelp off the San Diego County coastline, producing additives for your ice cream, beer and pharmaceuticals. And of course, anyone who has had a California Roll or a bowl of miso soup is familiar with the centuries-old use of Nori. But now Scripps researchers are working to […]
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Eavesdropping on Whales
Since ancient seafarers first heard the strange calls of whales, humans have been fascinated by their meaning – from Flipper’s clicks and trills to the long serenades of Humpbacks. Inhabiting the dark ocean depths, whales use sound in many different ways – from feeding to navigating to finding friends and family. Join postdoctoral scholar Goldie […]
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Lakes Beneath Antarctic Ice: Deep, Dark and Mysterious
Where is one of the last places on earth you would expect to find a never-before known lake? Certainly, any of earth’s best-known deserts…the Sahara, Gobi, or Kalahari right? Technically fitting the definition of a desert by standards of precipitation, Antarctica could also be on that well-known list of dry places. But Antarctica has been […]
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What Happened When Modern Humans Met Neanderthals?
In short, they interbred, according to Svante Pääbo, a Swedish biologist and pioneer of paleogenetics, the study of preserved genetic material from the remains of ancient organisms, including ancient human DNA. He has served as director of the Department of Evolutionary Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, since 1997. […]
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Adapting to Climate Change
As humankind faces massive changes in weather patterns, sea level, ocean acidity, and oxygen levels, Scripps Oceanography has launched a new center focused on understanding and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Mark Merrifield, director of the new center explains how the members of this dynamic network will develop strategies for climate change adaptation. […]
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NASA and International Cooperation
The 12th NASA Administrator, Charles F. Bolden Jr., shares how NASA’s programs and missions function as an instrument of international cooperation, demonstrating the steady guidance of the United States as the world’s leader. Watch NASA International Cooperation – An Instrument of US Soft Power with Charles Bolden – 2017 Nierenberg Prize Lecture