Microplastic Pollution Research at Sea
I have been studying plastic pollution for more than a decade. I’ve analyzed hundreds of samples in labs, pored over data and spent years thinking hard about where plastics go once they leave our hands and enter th...
Microplastic Pollution Research at Sea
Our annual Photo Contest is officially wrapped—and wow, you delivered! More than 1,000 ocean lovers shared their incredible ocean and wildlife photos. Thank you for keeping our ocean in focus during National Ocean Month...
2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Winners
Far below the ocean’s surface—where sunlight disappears, pressure skyrockets and temperatures plunge—some of the strangest animals on the planet have evolved to survive. Transparent heads. Glowing bodies. Needle-like tee...
Deep-Sea Animals That Look Like Aliens
I grew up in Chile, a country that stretches like a thin line between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, with more than 4,000 kilometers of coastline. The sea is not just scenery but life itself–artisanal fishermen, coasta...
Preparing for the 11th Our Ocean Conference
There are more than 2,000 species of gobies (Gobiidae) known to science today, making them the largest family of fish in the ocean. But these small creatures are far more complex and essential to marine ecosystems than f...
All About Gobies
Recently, you may have heard about something called “El Niño.” But what exactly is El Niño and its sibling “La Niña”? Why do these terms seem to emerge from the depths of the scientific community...
Do You Know the Difference Between El Niño and La Niña?
Have you ever seen a sleek, brown-and-white bird hover above the ocean, fold its wings and drop into the water like a cannonball, only to surface seconds later with a fish in its grip? If so, you have probably seen an os...
Osprey: The Ocean’s Most Specialized Bird of Prey
As the weather begins to warm across the United States, people are taking to parks and beaches once again for picnics, barbecues and other celebrations with family and friends. And while we’re out enjoying nature, we can...
How to Have a Plastic-Free Picnic
Despite their dramatic name, false killer whales aren’t an orca species. These animals are dolphins—members of the same extended family as the iconic “killer whale” (Orcinus orca). Compared to their namesake counterparts...
All About False Killer Whales
If you’ve ever explored the shores or tidal pools of our ocean, chances are you’ve spotted some small, cone-shaped shells clinging to rocks. These are sea snails called limpets, and they are far more resilient and import...