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
Counting on Corals
As struggling reefs put a squeeze on Belize’s Blue Economy, could heat-tolerant corals be the answer?
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📣We made #Alvin`s 60th anniversary official with @uspostalservice and the #UniversalShipCancellationSociety this week! 💌
Special thanks to WHOI`s Dave Dubois for making it possible for #stampcollectors and #deepsea #exploration buffs to mark the occasion, and Joe Gomes of the #WoodsHole post office for doing the official honors.
A pictorial #postmark commemorating the ALVIN’s first dive off the WHOI dock can be yours as well! The ALVIN cancellation #stamp will be available for an extended period of 30 days by mail order at the Falmouth Post Office. In an outer envelope include the stamped envelopes to be serviced and a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient postage for return. Address mail orders to: DSV ALVIN DIVE #1 60TH ANNIVERSARY STATION, Postmaster, 120 Main Street, Falmouth, MA 02540-9998
📸 by Jayne Doucette & Dave Dubois © #WHOI
Jun 28
🕵️ In this episode of CSI: Woods Hole... #WHOI scientists have found a new way to collect and decode #chemicalsignals from tropical reefs to learn more about their health and biodiversity!
🪸The innovative and noninvasive approach provides new avenues for monitoring the impacts of warming water, natural disturbances and disease on corals– and animals that depend on them.
📲Read about this @nsf_gov and @noaa funded research at the bio 🔗
📸 by @amyapprill © WHOI
Jun 27
#Throwback to 1971, when #OceanPioneer Ruth Turner became the first female scientist to plan her own scientific mission and dive in the research submersible #Alvin (following the trail blazed the first woman passenger, Betty Bunce, in 1965).
A world-renowned #malacologist (someone who studies shellfish), Turner used ALVIN to figure out why the #Titanic had deteriorated so rapidly–which turned out to be the work of wood-boring clams known as “shipworms.”
Pictured here with then-Chief Pilot Ralph Hollis aboard the tender Lulu, Turner continued to dive in ALVIN throughout her career. She became a full-time professor at harvard in 1976 and was recognized as a #WHOI Woman Pioneer in Oceanography in 1996.
📲 Discover more deep submergence milestones at ALVIN`s 60th anniversary website (🔗 in bio)!
📸 by Anne Rabushka © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Jun 27
🌊When we protect the ocean, we’re protecting its inhabitants.
That’s what happened when the Mexican government created a 180 sq. mile (~500 sq. km) no-take zone in the Gulf of California’s Espiritu Santo National Park– and even closed it to visitors during sea lion mating season. Protected since 2007, the Los Islotes colony of California sea lions is steadily growing, while neighboring colonies have decreased by 65%.
📲 See more reasons to protect our shared ocean home, through the lens of award-winning photographer @henleyspiers at the link in the comments!
#OurLivingOcean #LifeBeyond #30x30
Jun 26
🏖️ Headed to the beach? Be on the lookout for these small #gelatinous creatures along the shoreline. They may look like #jellyfish, but they’re actually not even related. The clear blobs have been causing a bit of a stir on beaches across the southeastern US... but what are they?!
#WHOI deputy director emeritus Larry Madin explains in @southernlivingmag! Find out at the 🔗 in bio... or hazard a guess in the comments!
#WeirdOcean #KeepItWeird
Jun 26
You may have heard that our beloved submersible, #Alvin, is celebrating six decades of deep sea research this summer. And like many of us "of a certain age," there are rumors about whether or not ALVIN has had any work done... after all, the sub doesn`t exactly look 60!
📣With this milestone, we`re revealing all! Find out all you ever wanted to know (and more) about ALVIN at the 🔗 in our profile!
Jun 25
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