Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Although the deep ocean floor may seem isolated from life on the rest of the planet, it actually plays a vital role in the carbon cycle. Scientists are now gaining a better understanding of that role, thanks to a tracked robotic underwater rover.

The great white shark may be one of the ocean's top predators, but it's still affected by climate change, just like any other animal. That's what's indicated by a new study, which shows that young great whites in California are moving to the north.

As you might imagine, installing seismic sensors on the ocean floor isn't an easy task. Recently, however, scientists were able to detect seabed seismic activity using something that was already down there – a fiber optic telecommunications cable.

A new type of underwater robot has completed sea trials in California. Developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and others, the Mesobot is a semi-autonomous robotic submersible designed to study the marine twilight zone of the mesopelagic region.

To many of us, the great white shark is a mysterious and scary creature from the deep – but now it’s a little less mysterious. Scientists have sequenced the entire genome of the great white shark, revealing a few clues as to how these animals are so good at healing wounds and resisting cancer.

​There's a challenge in bringing deep-sea fish up to the surface. Unless divers poke a hole in the animal's swim bladder, that organ could rupture due to the gas within it expanding as the water pressure lowers upon ascent. A new device, however, is designed to make such poking unnecessary.

​At least half of the oxygen in our atmosphere is created by ocean microbes, which also form the basis of marine food webs that support global fisheries. Scientists are now attempting to better understand the microorganisms, utilizing a new type of autonomous underwater vehicle.