Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is the world's premier independent organization dedicated exclusively to ocean research, technology, and education. We combine state-of-the-art science, engineering, and ship operations to unravel the mysteries of the deep and devise science-based solutions to planet-wide problems.
RECENT NEWS
Next on Ocean Encounters: Small but mighty
Shrink down to meet the microbes and plankton that shape our ocean planet. Wed., May 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET
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🧺 Got laundry? So does #WHOI marine chemist Chris Reddy.
“Ideally, we want to live in a place where we have the least amount of exposure to chemicals, but chemicals are part of our lives, what we’re eating, what we’re using to prepare our food,” he tells @usatoday.
🧪 So when choosing laundry #detergent, how do you figure out which #chemicals are necessary and which you should avoid?
📲 Float over to our profile to get some helpful tips!
May 18
🎊 Join the @museumofscience in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
👩🏻🔬As part of the museum`s series highlighting people and cultures that have made an impact in science and the arts, #WHOI marine policy expert Yaqin Liu will give a #MeetAScientist talk on Saturday, May 25 at 2:30pm.
🐟️ She`ll talk about how artificial intelligence can help monitor illegal fishing activities, and how climate models can help predict the future of ocean fisheries.
📲Learn more at the 🔗 in bio!
📸 by Elise Hugus ©️WHOI
#AAPI #AAPIHeritage #AsianAmericanPacificIslanderHeritageMonth
May 18
⁉️ 🤖 Why would #oceanrobots need to withstand super-hot temperatures in the chilly deep sea?
Thanks to teamwork between the human-occupied submersible #Alvin and the #deepsea robot Sentry, scientists from #WHOI and @lehighu recently discovered FIVE new #hydrothermalvents in the eastern tropical #Pacific— emitting fluids as hot as 630°F and teeming with life.
📲 Find out how tech aided the #discovery from @popularmechanics (link in bio)!
📸 funded by @nsfgov © WHOI
A 12 meter tall black smoker hydrothermal vent; #HOVAlvin approaches the seafloor; #AUVSentry is launched from R/V Atlantis - credit: Mae Lubetkin @hadalflux
#NSFfunded
May 17
🇵🇼The Palau #nautilus, Nautilus belauensis, spends its days hiding out in crevices– and foraging by night on the reef slope.
Considered to be the most “primitive” #cephalopod, these #livingfossils trace their ancestry back 500 million years. Unlike their distant cousins the octopus and the squid, nautiluses live inside a hard shell made up of spiraling chambers. They pump seawater through these sealed chambers to swim and maintain buoyancy between 150-300 meters (500-1,000 feet) depth.
#NautilusesAreAwesome #GiveReefsAChance #KeepItWeird #TinyBubbles
📹 by Evan Kovacs @marine_imagine © WHOI
May 17
🐋 Is #BalticSea marine life at risk from #thallium poisoning?
A #WHOI-led study shows that the toxic element has been accumulating in Baltic Sea sediments for the past 80 years, due mostly to cement production, coal combustion, and the roasting of pyrite.
"While thallium contamination may not be the most immediate concern for the Baltic Sea ecosystem, there is no doubt in my mind that it adds to the urgency of needing to do something to bring the Baltic Sea back to a state where humans and marine life can co-exist naturally," WHOI scientist and Danish national Sune Nielsen tells ECO Magazine.
📲 Read the full story at the 🔗 in our profile!
📸 by Colleen Hansel © WHOI
May 16
#Throwback to 2016, when the Polynesian Voyaging Society double-hulled voyaging canoe Hōkūle‘a visited Woods Hole!
Built in the tradition of ancient Hawaiian wa‘a kaulua and navigated in the Polynesian wayfinding tradition, the port stop was part of a historic voyage around the world that lasted from 2013-2019.
While in Woods Hole, members of the @mwtribeofficial and Aquinnah Wampanoag greeted the @hokuleacrew and @sea_education_association , #WHOI, and other science institutions shared well-wishes with the community.
📲 Learn more at hokulea.com
#AAPI #AAPIHeritage
May 16
OUR WORK
WHOI is at the forefront of groundbreaking science and technology development, unlocking the mysteries of our ocean, its connections to life on Earth, and solutions it may hold to some of our most pressing environmental challenges.
Our scientists and engineers lead more than 800 concurrent projects, tackling some of the most challenging and important problems of our time, from climate change and ocean pollution to sustainable food and energy production.
We operate a fleet of research vessels and vehicles, including two large ships (R/V Neil Armstrong and R/V Atlantis), a smaller coastal research vessel, the iconic human-occupied submersible Alvin, and dozens of other underwater robots.
Through our higher education programs, including the prestigious MIT-WHOI Joint Program, we train new generations of ocean scientists, engineers, and leaders-providing access to cutting edge facilities and unparalleled access to the sea.
WHOI plays a leading role in ocean communications, sharing our insights and knowledge about the ocean to the general public, policymakers, educators, and more, so we can make wise decisions about our ocean, our planet, and our future.
FEATURED PROJECTS
We have over 1,000 scientists, engineers, technicians, and support staff working around the globe and cutting edge laboratories to push the boundaries of knowledge about the ocean.
Ocean and Climate Innovation Accelerator
Bringing together industry, academia, and philanthropy to develop and accelerate new climate change solutions.
Ocean Twilight Zone
Exploring the globe-spanning region beneath the sunlit upper ocean where life thrives
Ocean Worlds
Discovering the links between life in our ocean and the search for life beyond Earth
Marine Microplastics Initiative
Investigating the fate of microplastics and their impacts on marine life and human health
Super Reefs
Searching for corals around the world to help ensure a future for reefs in a warming ocean
Ocean Observatories Initiative
The NSF-funded program measures physical, chemical, geological and biological properties from the seafloor to the air-sea interface.
HADEX
Research and exploration of the deepest parts of the ocean, Earth’s final frontier
Reef Solutions
Working to protect corals and reverse the global decline of reef ecosystems
