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.
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The #GulfStream is a major current that runs from the Florida Strait and along the US East Coast. Around Cape Cod, MA (where we’re located), it veers east and across the Atlantic toward Europe. Some of the flow continues northward to subpolar latitudes, where it cools and sinks as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (aka #AMOC ).
⛵️Sailors have long used the Gulf Stream’s average 4-knot flow to aid their northerly course. How much of a boost could that give them? 🤔
📲 Share your best guess in the comments and we`ll enter you in a raffle to become a #WHOI member– and get an awesome Psychedelic Jellyfish T-shirt! 🌀👕🪼
(Already a member, or just want to support our ocean research? You can become a member or gift a membership at the 🔗 in our bio!)
Sep 26
🌡️ Even if greenhouse gas emissions stopped tomorrow, our past emissions will continue to warm the planet and change the ocean.
That’s why @thenasciences + US federal agencies are calling for research into ocean-based methods to draw CO2 out of the atmosphere. Coupled with rapid emissions reductions, that could help humanity avoid the worst effects of climate change.
#WHOI’s Adam Subhas outlines the reasoning behind his lab`s approach– known as ocean alkalinity enhancement– in a @bostonglobe op-ed. Get the facts at the 🔗 in our profile!
#ClimateWeekNYC #ClimateWeek2024 #mCDR #climatesolutions #sciencebasedsolutions
Sep 25
The #GreatOceanConveyer is a system of #currents that transport ocean water around the planet. It’s driven by thermohaline circulation, by which the mixing of cold water at the poles changes the surface water’s density, creating a current as salty waters sink and are replaced by less-salty, warmer water from below.
There’s no real “start” to #oceancirculation, but imagine, for a moment, that you’re a drop of glacier water entering the North Atlantic off of Greenland. How long, on average, will it take you to get back to where you began your journey?
📲 Share your best guess in the comments and we`ll enter you in a raffle to become a #WHOI member and get our latest Psychedelic Jellyfish T-shirt!
(Already a member, or just want to support our ocean research? You can become a member or gift a membership at the 🔗 in our profile!)
Sep 25
🌀⛈️🌀With #HurricaneHelene forming right now in the Gulf of Mexico, it`s time for a little #storm review!
⁉️Where do #hurricanes come from, and how do they get so intense? Check out the full explainer on our YouTube channel (via 🔗 in bio)!
Animation by @n.renier © WHOI
Sep 25
The ocean is in constant motion, but some of its inhabitants have found a niche by remaining anchored in place. Animals as diverse as corals, sea #anemones, oysters, giant clams, and barnacles simply fix themselves in the drive-thru of ocean #currents, snapping up tasty food particles and plankton as they flow past.
While that’s fine for fast food, you might wonder how animals that can’t move manage to spread across the globe!
The answer lies in their ingenious #reproductivestrategies. Many #sessile animals release planktonic #larvae into the water—like the sea anemone larvae you see here. In a fleeting moment of freedom before they settle permanently, larvae ride the ocean currents in search of new habitats where they can anchor, grow, and continue the cycle of life.
📸 by Jialing Cai | Homoplankton
Sep 24
🧪A recent @nytimes story features ocean and river alkalinity enhancement projects around the world– including a #WHOI study that aims to answer questions about the viability and impact of this potential #climatesolution.
"Scientists estimate that similar methods deployed in oceans could remove billions of tons [of carbon dioxide] per year: not enough to cool the planet single-handedly, but significant if societies also stop polluting.”
📲 Read the full story! Find the gift article at the 🔗 in our bio!
Sep 24
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