MBARI

Marine heatwaves have hidden impacts on ocean food webs and carbon cycling • MBARI New study analyzing data from robotic floats and plankton records reveals how marine heatwaves reshape ocean food webs and slow transport of carbon to the deep sea.

A new study led by @globaloceanbgc.bsky.social researchers at MBARI has found that marine heatwaves can reshape ocean food webs, slowing the transport of carbon to the deep sea and hampering the ocean’s ability to buffer against climate change.

Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/marine-...

The rattail glide 💥
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Rattails, or macrourids, are common throughout the world’s ocean. Big blue eyes give the rattail an edge at finding food in deep, dark waters. Their keen eyesight reveals prey, like fishes and squid, darting just above the seafloor.

@tosoceanography.bsky.social 🤖🌊

At the 26th annual Roger Revelle Commemorative Lecture, MBARI’s Chris Scholin explored how robotics and AI are revolutionizing marine science and emphasized why developing technology and maintaining a persistent presence are critical to understanding our changing ocean: bit.ly/oceanography...

Photo courtesy of Ian Hardy/FPA2. Ten people in professional attire sit around a round table discussing climate science and policy. In the background is a television monitor and a white wall.

This week, MBARI President and CEO Antje Boetius joined #ClimateWeekNYC to share how international scientific collaborations can help guide policy to address climate change, especially in polar environments. She attended meetings around future ocean missions that will help achieve the #BBNJ goals.

Dancing with the worms—a compilation of our favorite Alciopid worm dance moves. ⁠🕺🏽⁠
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Alciopid polychaetes have large, complex eyes with corneas, irises, lenses, and other structures that give them excellent vision. 👀

History made for the ocean: #BBNJ Agreement enters into force, protecting high seas & deep seabed, safeguarding life under water.

“Our ocean is the foundation of our very existence. Today we took an important step forward to save our ocean, & to save our future” - ED @ingerandersen.bsky.social

"Oceanography in the age of intelligent robots and a changing climate" tos.org/oceanography...

@mbarinews.bsky.social

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, both across disciplines and with partners worldwide. 🤝🌎

This week, a team from @ifremer.bsky.social visited MBARI to discuss how our organizations can help each other develop technology to study the ocean and make our work more widely accessible.

MBARI’s Video Lab has developed the first benchmark dataset for multi-object tracking in deep-sea video. 🤖🌊DeepSeaMOT tests machine learning models in real ocean environments. This publicly available tool will help advance AI for ocean exploration. Learn more: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.03499

Can you identify this animal? 🔍️👀

Did you get a kick out of shouting “acorn worm” at your phone? If so, you might enjoy playing @fathomverse.bsky.social. This month, you can find acorn worms by playing FathomVerse and earn a special badge!

Learn more about acorn worms: www.mbari.org/animal/acorn...

Microbes are getting a voice in global conservation. 🌍🦠 The new IUCN Microbial Conservation Specialist Group will develop tools to protect threatened microbial communities—bringing in diverse perspectives to shape a more inclusive biodiversity future. Read more: scripps.ucsd.edu/news/new-spe...

Have you heard of worm-like animals that create spirals on the seafloor, are more related to humans than actual worms, and produce super cute larvae? We’re obsessed with #AcornWorms!

Play #FathomVerse to find acorn worms and earn a special badge!

#AnimalsOfTheDeep @mbarinews.bsky.social

MBARI’s Arctic Expedition continues with cutting-edge technology and research amidst the wonders of the polar environment. From mapping the seafloor to deploying the MiniROV with SLAM navigation, we're unlocking the secrets of Earth’s least-explored frontiers. Dive in: www.mbari.org/expedition/a...

MBARI’s technology is helping researchers document deep-sea biodiversity, and our collaborations with expert taxonomists around the world are helping to advance the discovery of life in the largest living space on Earth.

Snailfishes live in a variety of ocean habitats—from shallow tide pools to deep-sea trenches. The newly described bumpy snailfish (Careproctus colliculi), observed in the depths of Monterey Canyon nearly 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) underwater, has a distinctive pink color and a bumpy texture.

MBARI's advanced underwater technology reveals a new species of deep-sea snailfish • MBARI The bumpy snailfish is one of three new species of deep-sea snailfish described by MBARI collaborators at SUNY Geneseo.

Meet the newest (and cutest) addition to the snailfish family 🐟

MBARI collaborators @sunygeneseo.bsky.social have described three new deep-sea snailfishes, including one first discovered using MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle Doc Ricketts.

Learn more: www.mbari.org/news/mbaris-...

That moment when you spot a deep-sea cutie 😍

Deep-sea hatchetfishes cleverly camouflage themselves in the dark depths of the ocean with light-producing organs along their bellies. This allows them to match the daylight filtering from surface waters above and hide from predators lurking below.

We are thrilled to share that National Geographic Magazine’s September issue features @katycroffbell.bsky.social and the development of DORIS, a low-cost deep-sea imaging system created with @bluerobotics.bsky.social.
Read the full article: www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...

A neighbourly sort of coral 🪸💕

A resident of rocky environments, the mushroom soft coral (Heteropolypus ritteri) offers a haven for small animals seeking protection. A snailfish may hide near the umbrellas of stinging tentacles, or a shrimp might hang on to weather the storm of strong currents.

Life at sea • MBARI Life at sea Expedition log by MBARI Senior Scientist Aaron Micallef The first full days at sea have been a mix of preparation, discovery, and settling into the rhythm of life aboard the IBRV Araon. Wi...

Read more about their journey on the Arctic Expedition Log: www.mbari.org/news/life-at...

The outside air hovers around zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). Their days are filled with science, camaraderie, and quiet awe at the environment around them. The vessel's highlights include comfortable cabins, a ping-pong table, a gym, and authentic Korean food in the galley.

The MBARI team aboard the Korea Polar Research Institute’s (KOPRI) ice-breaking research vessel (IVRV) Araon has been hard at work testing instruments and settling into life at sea.

YouTube video by MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) Immerse yourself in the serene beauty of these stellar deep-sea stars

An @mbarinews.bsky.social playlist showing off 5 minutes of #deepsea sea stars and brittle stars! #echinoday youtu.be/m_lneKApowg?...

Beyond the Lab: Kakani Katija, Ph.D. [Image] Kakani Katija. Credit: Todd Walsh © MBARI /* Disable any hover zoom/magnification, overlay, or cursor change on this specific …

🎙️ Our latest Beyond the Lab features Dr. @kakanikatija.bsky.social, principal engineer and Bioinspiration Lab lead at @mbarinews.bsky.social. Her team created an underwater optical imaging system that visualizes and measures fluid motion, particles, and living organisms in 3D.

Go Beyond the Lab ⤵️

Departure from Utqiagvik • MBARI Departure from Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow, Alaska) Expedition log by MBARI Senior Scientist Aaron Micallef We arrived in Utqiagvik on August 19, 2025, and were transferred to the Korean ice-breaking r...

Read more about their journey on the 2025 Arctic Expedition Log! www.mbari.org/news/departu...

The first day they set up equipment, coordinated logistics, and conducted safety drills. Once the whole party (including scientists from Korean institutions, the Geological Survey of Canada, and the US Naval Research Laboratory) was assembled, they began their transit to the Canadian Beaufort Sea.

A team of MBARI scientists and engineers has embarked on a month-long journey aboard the Korea Polar Research Institute’s (KOPRI) ice-breaking research vessel (IVRV) Araon.

This expedition aims to better understand the dynamics of seafloor permafrost formation and decomposition in the Arctic.

NSF expanding national AI infrastructure with new data systems and resources The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced two major advancements in America's AI infrastructure: the launch of the Integrated Data Systems and Services (NSF IDSS) program to build out...

The FathomNet Database has been selected as one of 10 new datasets added to the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot. We look forward to seeing how this integration can contribute to advances in machine learning and accelerate the analysis of ocean visual data.

New AI approach sharpens picture of carbon export in the Southern Ocean • MBARI Applying machine learning algorithms to a trove of data collected by robotic floats has improved estimates of ocean productivity and carbon export in the Southern Ocean.

Using robots and AI to unlock the secrets of a remote ocean with @soccomproject.bsky.social 🌊🤖🌊

Applying machine learning algorithms to a trove of data collected by robotic floats has improved estimates of ocean productivity and carbon export in the Southern Ocean: www.mbari.org/news/new-ai-...