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
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Sea levels across the southern US are rising at alarming rates. #WHOI physical oceanographer Chris Piecuch says the frequency of flooding across the region wouldn`t have happened two decades ago.
📲 Take a tour of the impacts from the Carolinas to Texas with @washingtonpost (link in bio - subscription may be required)
May 9
🌊 Mariners have reported larger-than-life #waves for centuries, but had no way to prove they existed. That changed in 1995, when scientific instruments measured a wave over 84 feet (25.6 meters) in the North Sea. Since then, scientists and mathematicians have figured out what causes waves to go rogue– but the jury is still out on why they happen.
📲 Get prepared for the next Big One! Learn more about #roguewaves at the link in bio!
May 9
🦠🌎🦠 Tiny marine microbes and plankton play an outsized role in shaping our climate and food web– and may even hold the secrets to the origins of life on Earth!
Join us for Ocean Encounters on May 22 as we explore “invisible” ocean life and its profound impacts. 📲 Register for this live virtual event at the link in bio!
#OceanEncounters is an official event of the @unoceandecade
#SmallButMighty
May 8
😲 Scientists from #WHOI and @scripps_ocean are about to go on their deepest dive yet!
@rv.atlantis departs from San Diego next week for the #AleutianIslands off of Alaska. Scientists will travel in #HOVAlvin to 16,000 feet (4800+ meters) in search of #methaneseeps, the deepest-known ecosystems on Earth!
They’ll also send new underwater #robots, #Orpheus and #Eurydice, to the Aleutian Trench. These hadal zone vehicles are equipped with @nasajpl mission control software to scout seafloor targets, maximizing scientists’ time in Alvin. Working together, the robots will create 3D maps of the seafloor and “sniff out” #methane and other naturally-occuring chemicals with a new advanced sensor.
📲 Find out more about this @nsfgov and @noaa-funded research from @cbs8 at the link in bio!
📸: Alvin at the seafloor, imaged with the MISO elevator © WHOI
A squat lobster at the Lasuen Knoll methane seep off the coast of Southern California, photographed by @schmidtocean`s ROV Subastian in 2021.
#NSFfunded #NOAAfunded
May 7
Six years ago, WHOI researchers launched an ambitious plan to more fully understand the mid-ocean Twilight Zone. With transformational funding from @theaudaciousproject, WHOI’s #oceantwilightzone team has developed new technologies and published numerous papers to help safeguard one of the largest ecosystems on Earth. This research continues to reveal the critical role of mid-ocean dwellers in the marine food chain and our planet’s climate and carbon cycle.
🎉Please join us in celebrating with other awardees from the Audacious Project Class of 2024!
May 6
⛵Not too long ago, explorers prayed (naively) for an ice-free #Arctic that would open up expeditious trading routes. Shock, disappointment, and a cautionary tale await as we break down Victorian-era science calling for "an open polar sea."
📲 Travel back in time– read the #Oceanus story at the link in bio!
📸: A map created in 1872 by oceanographer and naval officer Silas Bent shows warm ocean currents and their assumed impact on the ice cover of the Arctic Ocean. (Graphic from Historical Atlas of the Arctic, University of Washington Press)
May 6
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
