Quieting the Global Growl
Underwater noise from ships has gotten louder, reshaping marine ecosystems and the lives of animals that depend on sounds to eat, mate, and navigate. Can ships ever pipe down?
Jun 4, 2024 | 5,800 words, about 29 minutes
Scientific Field/Discipline: Physics
Subtopics or categories
Article list
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
Scientists Have Built a Real-Time Sperm Whale Collision Detection System
A computational technique offers the power to track whales in real time—a potential boon in the quest to save whales from ship strikes.
Aug 15, 2022 | 950 words, about 4 minutes
How Rivers in the Sky Melted Antarctic Ice
New research is causing scientists to rethink how polynyas—massive holes in the sea ice—are formed.
Feb 25, 2021 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Salty Seas Make Lightning Brighter
Salt seems to be the reason why bolts are brighter over the ocean than over land.
Jan 4, 2021 | 700 words, about 3 minutes
Riding on a Magic Carpet of Bubbles
A technology called air lubrication offers a way to make large ships more efficient.
Nov 12, 2020 | 500 words, about 2 minutes
Dead Water Comes Alive
A new study sheds light on a ship-stopping phenomenon first described over 100 years ago.
Oct 2, 2020 | 650 words, about 3 minutes
Coastal Job: Exhibit Designer and an Octopus’s Toymaker
Adam Nelson’s work description includes making custom playthings for a prized octopus.
Dec 23, 2019 | 650 words, about 3 minutes