Oceans 21 is a Conversation international series examining the history and future of the world’s ocean.
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Articles on Pacific Ocean
Displaying 41 - 60 of 78 articles
The Pacific Ocean produces oxygen, helps regulates the weather, provides food and livelihoods. It’s a place of fun, solace and spiritual connection. But its delicate ecology is under threat.
Scientists had been uncertain about why killer whales are dying in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. A new study takes an in-depth look and provides the tools to help prevent additional deaths in the future.
New research confirms that massive plumes of buoyant hot rock once rose from near the Earth’s core to the surface and triggered vast volcanic eruptions - and that New Zealand sits on top of one.
The absence of climate drivers – specifically, the Indian Ocean Dipole and La Niña – explains why Australia has gone so long without heavy rains.
Almost a decade before the moon landings, humans reached the lowest point on Earth’s surface.
As well as a stark warning about climate change, the disaster underlines the importance of wildlife monitoring.
New South Wales boasts many wonderful ocean pools, thanks to a combination of climate, geology, culture and prosperity. Despite concerns about costs, economic and health benefits far outweigh these.
Fishers who hunt wild tuna use fish’s natural attraction to floating objects to lure them to known positions near GPS-equipped rafts. However, these rafts are attracting increasing concern.
The day and a half it takes to get from New York to Singapore and back offers plenty of time to ponder the economics of ultra-long-haul flights – and wonder why we’d want to make it any longer.
If you’ve ever wondered where the ocean currents flow around Australia’s coastline then we have a great map for you.
Noisy waters may be making it harder for southern resident killer whales to communicate with each other and find their food.
Sea snakes spend their lives in the water, giving birth to live young at sea, so why are they only found in some of the world’s oceans? The answer lies in a combination of climate and geography.
Pacific salmon are ingrained in the culture and economy of Canada. They are also a key link between ocean and land. But what happens if a pipeline failure contaminates their habitat?
It can fill in the scientific gaps.
In 1850, the Micronesian island of Nahlapenlohd was the scene of Pohnpei state’s first battle involving cannons and muskets. Less than two centuries later, it has sunk beneath the waves.
Palau has banned commercial fishing in most of its waters – while encouraging more foreign visitors.
Walter Munk might be the most under-appreciated man in surfing, but he is a big deal in ocean science. If you’ve ever checked a surf forecast before paddling out, you have him to thank.
After making worldwide headlines with the story of the Pacific “garbage island”, researchers were sent a photo of the same beach, white sand free of litter, as recently as 1992.
If the Pacific Ocean enters an ‘El Tio’ phase, it could speed the world towards 1.5 degrees of global warming, one of the crucial benchmarks of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Top contributors
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Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne
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Lecturer, The University of Melbourne
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Forrest Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia
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Professor of Biology, University of Victoria
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Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
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Professor of Coastal Oceanography, The University of Western Australia
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Professor of Geography, School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast
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Chief Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, CSIRO
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Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, University of Tampa
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A/Prof., School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Water Futures, University of Technology Sydney
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Head of Operational Climate Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Sydney
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Professor emeritus, The University of Melbourne
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Lecturer in Ornithology, Charles Sturt University
