Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves en Footage shows coral bleaching on Ningaloo reef as Great Barrier Reef hit at the same time – video https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/footage-shows-coral-bleaching-ningaloo-reef-great-barrier-reef-hit-same-time-video <p>Australia’s world heritage-listed reefs – Ningaloo on the west coast and the Great Barrier Reef on the east – are being hit by simultaneous coral bleaching, with teams of scientists on both coasts monitoring and tracking the event across thousands of kilometres of marine habitat. On Western Australia’s Ningaloo reef, waters have accumulated the highest amount of heat stress on record during an extended marine heatwave that has hit coral reefs all the way along the state’s vast coastline</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/footage-shows-coral-bleaching-ningaloo-reef-great-barrier-reef-hit-same-time-video" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 22 Mar 2025 19:00:05 +0000 admin 99364 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Scientists identify ‘tipping point’ that caused clumps of toxic Florida seaweed https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/scientists-identify-tipping-point-caused-clumps-toxic-florida-seaweed <p>Giant blobs along 5,000-mile-wide sargassum belt has killed animals, harmed human health and discouraged tourism</p> <p>Scientists in Florida believe they have identified a “tipping point” in atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic Ocean they say caused <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/03/sargassum-seaweed-algae-florida-bacteria-vibrio">giant clumps of toxic seaweed</a> to inundate beaches around the Caribbean in recent summers.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/scientists-identify-tipping-point-caused-clumps-toxic-florida-seaweed" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 22 Mar 2025 10:00:47 +0000 admin 99363 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Rare Wright’s gardenia reappears in record numbers in Seychelles https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/rare-wright-s-gardenia-reappears-record-numbers-seychelles <p>Conservationists find critically endangered species thriving on Indian Ocean island of Aride</p> <p>Record numbers of <a href="http://www.islandconservationseychelles.com/uploads/8/1/2/2/8122859/wrights_gardenia-_ozordi_dimans.pdf">Wright’s gardenia</a>, one of the world’s rarest and most fragrant trees, have been counted on the tiny tropical island of Aride in Seychelles.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/rare-wright-s-gardenia-reappears-record-numbers-seychelles" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 22 Mar 2025 05:00:41 +0000 admin 99362 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Falconer ‘extremely close’ to catching hawk attacking Hertfordshire villagers https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/falconer-extremely-close-catching-hawk-attacking-hertfordshire-villagers <p>Bird of prey’s violent reign in Flamstead could soon come to an end, according to parish council </p> <p>It stole two woolly hats from the head of a 91-year-old pensioner. It clawed a jogger’s scalp and left him reeling. It is said to swoop in from behind without making a sound, has a penchant for tall men’s heads and – so far – has evaded capture.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/falconer-extremely-close-catching-hawk-attacking-hertfordshire-villagers" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 23:31:26 +0000 admin 99359 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Ditch the balloons and swap the plastic toys for cake: how to have a waste-free birthday party https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ditch-balloons-and-swap-plastic-toys-cake-how-have-waste-free-birthday-party <p>Low waste doesn’t have to mean no fun – with a little creativity you can celebrate an occasion without hurting the planet </p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ditch-balloons-and-swap-plastic-toys-cake-how-have-waste-free-birthday-party" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 23:00:34 +0000 admin 99360 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The Guardian view on climate fiction: no longer the stuff of sci-fi | Editorial https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/guardian-view-climate-fiction-no-longer-stuff-sci-fi-editorial <p>A new prize recognises the power of storytelling to address the biggest issue of our time</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/guardian-view-climate-fiction-no-longer-stuff-sci-fi-editorial" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:50:12 +0000 admin 99358 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Octopus jumps shark and goes for a ride on its back https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/octopus-jumps-shark-and-goes-ride-its-back <p>Researchers spot orange Maori octopus clinging to back of large shark off coast of New Zealand in December 2023</p> <p>Footage of an octopus riding a shark has stunned scientists – and delighted marine animal enthusiasts.</p> <p>Researchers spotted the orange Maori octopus clinging to the back of a large shortfin mako shark in the Hauraki Gulf off the northern coast of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/newzealand">New Zealand</a> in December 2023. The University of Auckland research team was searching the ocean for feeding frenzies at the time.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/octopus-jumps-shark-and-goes-ride-its-back" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:13:18 +0000 admin 99356 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Southeast Asia's fisheries benefit from small-scale, multispecies capture https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/southeast-asias-fisheries-benefit-small-scale-multispecies-capture <p>Despite decades of warnings about overfishing, Southeast Asia's capture fisheries have proven remarkably robust.</p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:15:32 +0000 admin 99361 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Bob Brown urges Greens to punish Labor at election if Albanese amends law to protect salmon farming https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/bob-brown-urges-greens-punish-labor-election-if-albanese-amends-law-protect-salmon-far <p>PM’s pledge to protect Tasmanian industry will weaken laws already failing to protect natural sites and at-risk species, environmentalists say</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/bob-brown-urges-greens-punish-labor-election-if-albanese-amends-law-protect-salmon-far" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:00:27 +0000 admin 99354 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Mysterious bags of ‘hazardous’ materials appeared in Mexico. Then we found more https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/mysterious-bags-hazardous-materials-appeared-mexico-then-we-found-more <p>An investigation found thousands of white bags near Monterrey, but aerial footage shows a bigger problem</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/mysterious-bags-hazardous-materials-appeared-mexico-then-we-found-more" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:00:22 +0000 admin 99357 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org