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The first-ever dissection of the world’s rarest whale has unlocked a succession of new-to-science discoveries, including that the spade-toothed whale bears tiny vestigial teeth, akin to human wisdoms, embedded in its gums and carries nine stomach chambers.

Not only has the weeklong examination of the spade-toothed whale – a species so rare it has never been sighted alive – provided a wealth of new insights into this vastly under-studied species, but it has broken new ground in how Indigenous groups can work alongside western science to further our shared understandings of the natural world.

The five-metre-long male spade-toothed whale washed ashore at Otago’s Taiari Mouth (a village on New Zealand’s south island) in July this year, marking the first time a complete specimen ha...

Why is the world still focused on climate mitigation when we should be prioritizing immediate climate action and carbon reduction?

Climate mitigation refers to strategies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow down the rate of climate change. While essential, it’s often a long-term solution.

What about climate action?

Climate action encompasses a broader range of strategies, including mitigation but also adaptation, resilience building, and disaster risk reduction. It focuses on both reducing emissions and preparing for the impacts of climate change that are already happening.

Why is immediate action crucial?

• Tipping Points: We’re nearing critical tipping points, like the melting of the Arctic ice cap, which could trigger irreversible changes.
• Increasing ...

The largest coral ever recorded has been found by scientists in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The mega coral – which is a collection of many connected, tiny creatures that together form one organism rather than a reef – could be more than 300 years old. It is bigger than a blue whale, the team say.

It was found by a videographer working on a National Geographic ship visiting remote parts of the Pacific to see how it has been affected by climate change.

“I went diving in a place where the map said there was a shipwreck and then I saw something,” said Manu San Felix.

He called over his diving buddy, who is also his son Inigo, and they dived further down to inspect it.

Seeing the coral, which is in the Solomon Islands, was like seeing a “ca...

Coral larvae reduce their metabolism and increase nitrogen uptake to resist bleaching in high temperatures, according to a study published November 12 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Ariana S. Huffmyer of the University of Washington, US, and colleagues. High ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, which results from the disruption of the relationship between corals and their symbiotic algae, an increasing concern as global temperatures rise. 

However, relatively little research has examined the effects of high temperatures during early life stages of corals.

In this study, Huffmyer and colleagues exposed coral larvae to high temperatures at the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology. 

For three days during their first week of development, the larvae and their algal ...

The year was 2025. The world was on the brink of a climate catastrophe, and the need for urgent action had never been more pressing. Inspired by the book “I Ran the World,” a group of activists launched a groundbreaking campaign to mobilise millions of people around the world to demand immediate and decisive action on climate change.

The campaign, dubbed “Get2COP,” was centred around a revolutionary app that allowed users to create virtual journeys to the COP30 conference in Brazil. By tracking their steps, runs, or bike rides, participants could contribute to a collective effort to reach COP30 virtually from wherever they lived in the world.

Their purpose? To deliver a message to the policymakers and leaders of the world that something must be done – now!

The app was designed to...

In the vibrant depths of the ocean, a tiny, brightly colored fish played a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of the underwater world. This was the parrotfish, a seemingly insignificant creature with a remarkable ability to save the planet.

Parrotfish were nature’s underwater gardeners. Their strong teeth, resembling a beak, allowed them to scrape algae and other parasites from the surface of coral reefs. As they nibbled away, they unwittingly helped to keep the reefs clean and healthy. But their contribution went far beyond simple maintenance.

Coral reefs were often compared to underwater cities, teeming with life. They provided shelter for countless marine species, from tiny shrimp to majestic sharks...

A human rights-based approach to coral reef protection could ensure governments are held to account for safeguarding marine ecosystems and empower local and Indigenous communities to demand sustainable solutions and climate justice, a new study suggests. An estimated one billion people rely on healthy coral reefs globally for food security, coastal protection and income from tourism and other services. If reefs and their ecosystems are lost, the impact on human health and economic wellbeing would be catastrophic.

Lead author, Dr Emma Camp from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), said the window of opportunity to conserve coral reefs is rapidly closing and despite numerous protective measures, coral reefs around the world continue to degrade.

“2024 marks the fourth global cora...

Scuba diving offers a unique window into the mesmerizing underwater world, but it also comes with a profound responsibility. As divers, we have the opportunity to protect and preserve the oceans we love. As the saying goes: Take only trash, leave only bubbles. Here are the top five ways scuba divers can contribute to ocean conservation:

1. Participate in Clean-Up Initiatives

One of the most direct ways divers can make an impact is by participating in underwater clean-up events. Many organizations and dive shops host regular clean-up dives to remove debris, such as plastic, fishing gear, and other pollutants, from marine environments...

A study of samples taken from inside the bodies of centuries-old coral has revealed the threat climate change now poses to the Great Barrier Reef. Researchers in Australia say temperatures in and around the vast coral reef over the past decade are the highest recorded in 400 years. Extreme heat has already caused five mass bleaching events in the past nine years alone. Writing in the journal Nature, external, the scientists behind the study say increased temperatures, driven by climate change, now pose an “existential threat” to this natural wonder of the world.

“The science tells us that the Great Barrier Reef is in danger – and we should be guided by the science,” Prof Helen McGregor, from the Universit...

Fuelled by climate change, the world’s oceans have broken temperature records every single day over the past year, a BBC analysis finds. Nearly 50 days have smashed existing highs for the time of year by the largest margin in the satellite era. Planet-warming gases are mostly to blame, but the natural weather event El Niño has also helped warm the seas.

The super-heated oceans have hit marine life hard and driven a new wave of coral bleaching.

The analysis is based on data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Service.

Copernicus also confirmed that last month was the warmest April on record in terms of global air temperatures, extending that sequence of month-specific records to 11 in a row.

For many decades, the world’s oceans have been the Earth’s ‘get-out-of-jail card’ when i...