The invertebrates found in a mussel bed on Dillon Beach in western Marin County are just as abundant as they were in 1941. But the types of organisms have changed.
The Ocean
Conservation
In Surprising Turn, Crabbers Take to Whale-Safe Crab Pots
Yet again this winter, Dungeness season was delayed to keep whales safe. In a surprising turn after years of adamant resistance, more Dungeness crabbers are trying out—and pretty darn happy with—new pots designed to keep humpbacks from getting entangled.
Fall Issue 2024
Naturalist’s Notebook: Making Waves
The next time you sit at the shore, ponder the physics crashing before you.
Fall Issue 2024
AIs Are Beginning to Illuminate the Deep Sea
Scientists are racing to understand deep sea ecosystems before human activity transforms them forever.
The Ocean
Raising Hungry Sea Star Babies Is No Cinch
Scientists want to reintroduce these many-armed roombas as a great help for kelp.
Fall Issue 2024
Jason, the Argonauts, and Four Thousand Satellite Buoys
Meet the Argo floats, thousands of small buoys across the world’s oceans that send us intel on sea conditions. And meet the other Argo.
Fall Issue 2024
Fall 2024 Almanac: The Ocean
Ocean life has its seasons, just like land. In fall, furious upwelling relaxes; warmer water pushes toward shore. A tranquil pause before winter’s storms.
Latest Stories
The Backstory on Pacifica’s Whale Bonanza
Scientists surveying marine life off our coastline have been watching marine mammals roll in for the Bay Area seafood buffet.
Fall Issue 2024
Fall 2024 Editors’ Letter: A Deep Dive
One way we work toward a more sustainable relationship with the ocean is to establish a culture that feels connected to the ocean, and a culture that has the opportunity to look closely, to explore, and to understand.
