Ocean Sustainability
Over 70% of the earth is covered in water, which serves as a vital resource human subsistence. Contamination and acidification pose major threats to aquatic health and biodiversity. Microbes offer a promising solution in their ability to breakdown contamination from oil spills and plastics. Applied microbiologists can play a significant part in understanding biodiversity, contributing to solutions, and encouraging stewardship.
Human activities compromise coral health and resilience
Researchers discovered that 25 contaminants from agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical sources accumulated in the soft tissues of coral around Maui, Hawai‘i.
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Scientists find hidden individuality in viral infections
An international team of researchers developed a new way to uncover hidden differences in how viruses infect and destroy individual microbial cells—solving a biological puzzle that has persisted for more than 80 years.
Bacteria form ‘herds’ to survive predators, offering fresh insight into Earth’s carbon cycle
Researchers have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective ‘herds’ when attacked by predators – a survival strategy that could also influence how carbon is stored in the world’s waters.
Phytoplankton apply the onion skin principle
The phycosphere, which surrounds ocean microalgae, is one of the most important marketplaces for organic carbon in the oceans. A new study of chemical signals in this region suggests that the phycosphere consists of multiple layers.
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Climate oscillations shape nature’s coral refuges in a warming ocean
A new study reveals that the natural cooling of coral reefs in the Andaman Sea by oceanographic processes is not constant – but depends on major tropical climate patterns that shape conditions across the tropical Indo-Pacific.
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Arctic microplastics: A ticking time bomb for climate feedback loops
A new study systematically maps the major transport pathways—atmospheric, oceanic, and local—and details how microplastics infiltrate Arctic food webs and interact with physical and biogeochemical processes that govern regional climate.
Biologist will use €1.63m grant to investigate how microorganisms reactivate their metabolism after prolonged dormancy.
Dr. Sofia Doello has been awarded a grant of around 1.63 million euros for her research through the Emmy Noether program. In her project ’Metabolic foundation of developmental transitions’, she will investigate how microorganisms reactivate their metabolism after a prolonged period of dormancy.
South Australian algal bloom species the world’s most toxic harmful microalga yet recorded
The marine microalgae responsible for the most devastating effects of the South Australian harmful algal bloom (HAB) has now been shown to be the most toxic species of its kind ever studied.
With microbial help, sponges use photosynthesis, boosting productivity of tropical coral reefs
In marine environments, sponges tend to eat other organisms to get their nutrients. A new study demonstrates how sponges may also use photosynthesis, with the help of symbiotic microbes, and suggests sponge-rich ecosystems should be added to assessments of carbon sequestration.
Common COVID-19 drugs may pose hidden risks to marine life, study finds
A new study suggests that several drugs widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic can be toxic to marine organisms, even at relatively low concentrations. Five pharmaceuticals were tested on nauplii of the brine shrimp Artemia salina.
Scientists discover how algae colonized corals, jumpstarting the growth of the world’s reefs
A research team questioned why algae are able to thrive inside the cells of coral? The finding could lead to new insights into why algae and coral are failing to thrive symbiotically and suggest ways to reestablish the connection and save the world’s reefs.
Breakthrough for aquaculture: Oral vaccine protects fish from fatal nervous necrosis virus
A novel oral vaccine, that can be mixed into fish feed, provides an effective, practical and cost-effective method to protect fish from the highly deadly nervous necrosis virus.
Deep-sea extremophile yields protein that forms super stable biofilm
Scientists have discovered a protein secreted by a deep-sea extremophile — an organism adapted to extreme environmental conditions — that self-assembles into a biofilm and is highly stable, boosting its potential for biomedical applications.
Emissions from plankton help in forming cloud seeds over the world’s oceans
For nearly fifty years, scientists have suspected that microscopic marine plankton play a role in cloud formation over the oceans. Now, an experiment has suggested that it may be more important than previously thought.
Corals show climate change is reshaping the rules of survival
Which species benefit from climate change, and which are coming under pressure? Using corals as an example, researchers demonstrated that even seemingly successful life strategies can lose their advantage when environmental conditions change.
Decline in plankton across North East Atlantic sends stark warning for ocean health
A new study has used more than six decades of data to show that plankton abundance is declining across vast swathes of the North East Atlantic – a region covering the Atlantic Ocean from Portugal to Norway, and the entirety of the North Sea.
Global assessment of ocean warming impacts on marine ecosystems
New study reveals that year‑round ocean heating by 1.5°C drives over 200 documented marine ecosystem disruptions.
Global port microbiomes reveal hidden biosecurity signals
By analyzing more than 16 million 16S rRNA gene sequences from 1,045 port water samples collected in 23 cities across five continents, a study has found clear biogeographic patterns, a core set of dominant bacterial genera, and widespread potential pathogens.
Fungi help lock carbon into Arctic fjord sediments
A new study shows that fungi may play a surprisingly important role in keeping carbon locked into the seafloor. Researchers have found that marine fungi living in sediments efficiently assimilate dissolved organic matter and retain it as microbial biomass, rather than allowing it to be rapidly remineralised.
How sea-ice microbes survive the Southern Ocean’s harsh winter, and the implications for climate change
New study reinforces the importance of the Southern Ocean marginal ice zone as a critical hotspot for global sulfur cycling where biogeochemical processes for climate regulation are enhanced.
Microbial research captured among winning science images
Microbial research features among some of the winning images in Nature’s 2026 Scientist at Work photography competition. Microbiome sampling of whale sharks, algal blooms, and a coral probiotics village feature among five spectacular images showcasing the diversity and challenges of scientific research.
Scientists just found 4 new species of underwater ‘living pink rocks’ that help to store carbon
Rhodoliths may look like small rocks on the seafloor, but they’re actually living algae that create habitats for marine life and contribute to long-term carbon storage. The deeper ‘low-light’ waters off Japan’s Tanegashima Island harbor a surprisingly distinct and diverse community, including four species completely new to science.
Why plastic lingers: Water chemistry slows nature’s cleanup
In a new study designed to mimic real environmental conditions, researchers found that the chemical makeup of natural waters significantly delays the breakdown of polystyrene, a common plastic used in packaging and food containers. Because sunlight cannot effectively initiate the degradation process, microbes cannot finish the job.