Science & Nature

"Pelagic" is an adjective that means "of or relating to the open or high sea, as distinguished from the shallow water near the coast." It is most commonly used to refer specifically to animals...

If you want to learn about the different varieties of seaweed in your coastal area you should collect seaweed. Our oceans contain species of seaweed as numerous as plants that grow on dry land. In...

While the giant sea kelp prefers colder waters, such as those off the Pacific Northwest, tropical oceans harbor their own collection of plants. Tropical oceans also provide a marine highway for...

Ocean City, Md., can be a fisherman's delight with 10 miles of coastal beaches and proximity to the Chesapeake Bay. Ocean City also boasts the world's largest billfish tournament, the White Marlin...

There are a number of dangers facing coral reefs. Much of these are caused by the actions of humans and have increased significantly since the onset of industrialization. In addition to direct...

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as much as 71 percent---nearly three-quarters---of all the earth's surface is covered by the oceans, which hold 97 percent of the...

Vertical currents are the "elevators" that help to keep the general ocean circulation moving. Upwelling is the vertical movement of water from the bottom of the ocean to its surface. As the water...

Ocean currents play a big part in determining the Earth's climate and general health. By constantly having water circulate from warm to cold areas, nutrients for plants and animals are also...

Ocean ecosystems range from the dark ocean bottoms to the tidal shorelines of the continents. Oceans and their ecosystems cover 70 percent of the planet and support two-thirds of the supply for...

Seaweeds are ocean algae that anchor themselves to the ocean bottom with holdfasts. They have three basic colors--red, green and brown--and are divided into two major categories--kelp and wracks.

Japan is an archipelago nation located in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of a series of small islands located at the convergence of several plate boundaries, making it susceptible to a number of...

Since 1846, ocean currents have been tracked by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey and its successor, the National Geodetic Survey, using "drift bottles." Modern drift bottles are...

Antarctic fur seals rely on their blubber and fur to survive in their harsh environment. This fur was prized by hunters; the seals were hunted to near extinction in the 18th and 19th century. ...

The wind and the currents on the surface of the ocean may not always travel in the same direction at the same time. Surface currents arise when the water picks up the energy of the wind and begins...

There are thousands of species of plants that live in the ocean. Ocean plants are affected by the temperature, salinity, nutrients and sunlight available to them. These plants are necessary in...

Currents in the ocean circulate areas of cold and warm water to regulate the climates around the globe. These currents move based upon the density of the water. Cold water with a higher salt...

Beneath the surface of the Earth, magma vents connect the inner mantle of molten rock with the crust. The openings of these vents create volcanoes by bringing magma to the surface, where it cools...

The harp seal is a northern marine mammal that spends most of its time at sea. It is also known as the saddleback seal and the Greenland seal. The hunting of harp seal pups has been a source of...

Recycling is the act of processing objects and turning them into new products. Plastic is a common recyclable, as is newspaper and aluminum. Items, such as plastic bottles, plastic wraps and...

Who hasn't seen the futuristic movie "WaterWorld"? After global warming has affected the earth's atmosphere, and icebergs have all melted, this fictional movie demonstrates future homes and cities...

Topography means the study or description of an area's structures and features. On land, topographical maps delineate mountains, plateaus, valleys and various elevations. Under the ocean, similar...

Sea cliffs receive constant battering from the ocean waves. Over time, these waves take advantage of any weakness in the rock. Harder rock creates headlands which jut out into the ocean as natural...

Offshore drilling is becoming more and more prevalent around the globe, and is having a severe impact on ocean environments. Offshore drilling requires the construction of storage tanks,...

Of all of the human disasters that can affect natural ecosystems, few are as well publicized as oil spills. These accidents can occur on land or in the ocean, though they create a more dramatic...

Sea kelp is seaweed or algae. Some species of kelp form large forests beneath the shallow waters of the ocean. These areas are sometimes referred to as the rain forests of the ocean because of the...

An ocean current can be defined as continuous directed movement of water guided by the earth's rotation, wind, temperature and salinity and caused by the tides. Ocean currents are a key element in...

Ocean currents are some of the mightiest and most important cycles on the planet. They carry vast amounts of heat and water to various locations across the Earth, providing the continual changes...

Tides are the rise and fall of the oceans surface due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Gravitational pull on the ocean actually goes deeper than the ocean itself, pulling on the...

If you grew up in the 1970’s you probably saw the movie “Jaws” and the theme may play through your head when you go down the shore. I am from New Jersey and we say “go down the shore”. I will...

Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates within the earth's crust move suddenly. These sudden movements are caused by the relief of pressure along fault lines or the movement of magma within...

After the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, several countries updated their tsunami warning systems and started to educate their citizens about the warning signs of a tsunami and...

Phytoplankton is one of the smallest and most plentiful organisms on planet Earth and is important to the health and well being of its life in a variety of ways. The collapse of the world's...

The sea urchin is an invertebrate that lives in the ocean. Sea urchins can live near the shore in tide pools, or they can live in the deep sea on the oceans floor. There are more than 700 species...

There are several varied types of bodies of water. These waters may be fresh water or salt water and be moving or contained. Often the size of these bodies of water set one apart from the other,...

The Earth is covered in plates that move in conjunction with the planet's internal heat mechanism. Convection currents deep within the mantle form a conveyor belt, moving the plates and thereby...

There are three-hundred and sixty-eight species of marine animals on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list, a list of animals that are either endangered or vulnerable to...

The different ways of preparing shrimp were outlined in the movie "Forrest Gump." But nothing was mentioned about the life of the shrimp as it grows into adulthood. The shrimp goes through several...

Phytoplankton are some of the smallest living things in the ocean, forming the base of the marine food chain. Some of the smallest fish eat phytoplankton, as well as some of the biggest whales....

Salmonid is the family of fish that contain trout and salmon. The life cycle of the salmonid contains seven stages: Egg, Alevin, Fry, Parr, Smolt, Ocean and Spawning. During a salmon's lifetime it...

Tsunamis are large ocean waves set in motion by unstable sea floor activity. Undersea earthquakes, landslides or volcanic activity are the events capable of destabilizing the sea floor's surface....

Sea themed games teach children about ocean life. Modify the games to fit your age group. If you have a mixed group, pair up older ones with younger to balance out skills. If you play the games in...

A hydrothermal vent is essentially an underwater geyser that expels gas and water from the ocean floor. Like geysers on the surface of the earth, these vents are conduits to pockets of water and...

Ocean currents are water movement and circulation patterns that influence climate zones and weather patterns around the world. The directions these currents take can be impacted by weather,...

Two types of oils can be spilled in the ocean or near coastlines: refined oils and crude oil or bunker fuels. These will have vastly different effects on the surrounding wildlife. Refined oils can...

Loggerhead turtles can be found in mainly in warm ocean waters all over the world. They spend almost all of their time underwater, rising to the surface occasionally for air. Not much has been...

Phytoplankton are microscopic, plant-like organisms that live in abundance on the surface of the ocean. Phytoplankton, which come in a variety of species, each with specific characteristics, are a...

The hydrologic cycle is the natural process that water undergoes as it travels from the ocean to the air to the land and back. For example, ocean water might enter the air as water vapor, which...

Hurricanes are one of nature's most aggressive and impressive acts. These giant storms, which form over the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean, unleash fury on their surroundings. The United...

Jellyfish are invertebrates that live in the oceans. Jellyfish are drifters of the sea, floating along with the ocean's currents and dining on zooplankton, crustaceans and larval fish caught up in...

Although classified as an endangered species, loggerhead turtles are the most populous of all turtle species in United States waters, according to National Geographic. Loggerheads can be found in...