The open ocean: a world on the move
As land-living animals, we are used to seeing habitats shaped and defined by fixed geographic features like hills, valleys, lakes and rivers. We also recognise changing seasons by looking at …
Course: Exploring Our Ocean
What animals live there?
Most people can recognise the large ice dwelling polar bears and penguins, but many marine biologists are far more interested what lives under the ice and at the seafloor. Here, …
What are the polar regions like?
Temperatures in both polar oceans can be as cold as -1.8°C before it freezes, and the animals living here are specially adapted to living in conditions that are not only …
Why are coral reefs important?
Coral reefs are among the most fascinating ecosystems of the world. Not only are they stunningly beautiful, they also represent a tremendous economic asset. Estimates suggest that coral reefs provide …
What Are Corals and Where Do They Live?
Corals reefs are structures that are entirely built from living organisms. Even though they cover less than 1% of the world’s ocean floor, it has been estimated that ~25 % …
Living with tides
The area between the high and low tide is known as the intertidal zone. Intertidal habitats include sandy and muddy beaches, estuaries, and rocky shores across all latitudes of the …
Explore the Cayman Trough
Seafloor spreading centres are places where new ocean crust forms from the Earth’s interior as two tectonic plates move apart. The Mid-Cayman Spreading Centre in the Caribbean Sea is one …
Microbeads
In this video, Dr Simon Boxall (a Principal Teaching Fellow at the University of Southampton) explains why microbeads, tiny manufactured pieces of plastic added to cleaning products, toothpaste, cosmetics and …
Hidden in plain sight: Humpback dolphin species
Not all new species are found in previously unexplored areas; sometimes a new species is hidden in plain sight and revealed with further study. New fossil species are occasionally found …
Whales as indicators of ocean health
You’ve heard a little about the smallest and most numerous life forms in the oceans from Jon and Verity. But what about some of the most endearing (and largest) inhabitants? …
A puzzle from the past
How can you tell if the sea level has fallen or if the continent has risen? How precise are measurements of prehistoric sea level? In this video Dr Bastien Linol, …