Seeing Spots Spotlight 11.12.2021 Spotted eagle rays’ distinctive markings are turning out to be important identifiers, and may become essential for their protection.
Bringing out the Dead Article 10.28.2021 By sinking a wide array of carcasses into the deep ocean and studying what turns up when they fall, scientists are learning about some of the world’s most exotic scavengers and the roles they play in the darkness.
Billfish Bounty Spotlight 11.25.2020 A striped marlin slices through a shoal of baitfish, a beautiful reminder of the struggle between predator and prey—as well as the fragility and importance of healthy ecosystems.
Northern Lights from the Deep Spotlight 10.28.2020 What could easily be an atmospheric apparition is in fact a formidable predator, and a critical member of its strange, open-ocean ecosystem
The Tuna Herders Photo Essay 11.06.2018 Climate change has forced these Galápagos sea lions to turn to a new food source. Since they can’t outswim their prey, they use wits and teamwork instead.
Facing the Day Spotlight 07.18.2018 Before embarking on an icy fishing expedition in the Southern Ocean, king penguins pause to soak up the morning’s first light.
Mystic Minipizza Spotlight 04.24.2018 This might be your only chance to meet the best-named fish in the sea.
A Drop in the Ocean? Article 04.10.2018 As the world’s marine ecosystems face ever-increasing threats, is the trend toward huge, remote reserves a promising new development or a worrisome distraction?
Hammerhead Gaze Spotlight 12.13.2017 This apex predator’s widely set eyes give it much better binocular vision than most sharks—just one of several reasons why hammerheads are such successful hunters.
Graceful Giant Spotlight 03.21.2017 Their record-setting heft doesn’t stop blue whales from being surprisingly sinuous swimmers.
It’s Got Guts Spotlight 06.14.2016 An elaborate headdress and a frilly external stomach is apparently just what this deep-sea creature needs to survive its precarious youth.
An Audacious Plan in the Twilight Article 04.26.2016 A team of deep-reef explorers attempts to document the unknown biodiversity of Vanuatu’s twilight zone.
