Washaway No More: An Experimental Beach Barrier Could Be Key to Rebuilding Eroding Coastlines

In 2016, David Cottrell dropped a load of rocks on Washington State’s Washaway Beach to see if he could reverse the erosion—an effort that has caught the attention of engineers.

Feb 23, 2023 | 1,600 words, about 8 minutes

In Cod’s Shadow, Redfish Rise

Thirty years after the population collapsed, the Atlantic redfish fishery is poised to reopen, providing a second chance at a sustainable fishery.

Feb 21, 2023 | 3,100 words, about 15 minutes

Paleotsunami Detectives Hunt for Ancient Disasters

Gigantic tsunamis have been decimating coastlines since time immemorial. We ignore these prehistoric warnings at our own peril.

Feb 16, 2023 | 1,300 words, about 6 minutes

One Year Later, a Tongan Eruption Is Still Reverberating

From tsunamis to vibrational waves to lightning storms, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai explosion is still surprising researchers with superlative discoveries.

Feb 2, 2023 | 1,300 words, about 6 minutes

Farmer, the World May Not Be Your Oyster

Despite the desire for local and sustainable seafood, oyster farmers and communities from New York to Rhode Island are clashing over public access and ocean views.

Jan 17, 2023 | 3,100 words, about 16 minutes

How We Came to Know and Fear the Doomsday Glacier

It’s the world’s most vulnerable glacier and key to the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, yet we’re only now getting to know Thwaites Glacier. What took us so long?

Jan 3, 2023 | 3,700 words, about 18 minutes

The Galapagos Islands Will Be a Cool Refuge in a Warming World

A geological coincidence placed the Galapagos Islands in the line of an icy current that provides food and shelter in a warming ocean. The good news might not last for long.

Nov 16, 2022 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

A Warming Sea Is Forming Crystals and Belching CO₂

In summer months, the eastern Mediterranean Sea is expelling some of its carbon load, creating rock candy–like calcium carbonate crystals in the process.

Oct 24, 2022 | 1,100 words, about 5 minutes