Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) WHOI is the world's largest independent ocean research, engineering and education organization.

09/03/2026

With approximately 380 individuals and only 70 reproductive-age females left on the planet, these critically- endangered whales are already on the brink. However, the U.S. House just passed legislation that would delay federal protections and conservation management strategies for North Atlantic right whales until 2035.

“We don’t have to choose between protecting a species and continuing to fish for lobster and crabs in New England. We have the technology to do both,” says WHOI Scientist Emeritus Michael Moore.

“The path forward is innovation and investment, not delay. For example, on-demand gear has been identified as a promising technology for reducing the risk of deadly entanglements while allowing fishers to continue working.”

👉Learn more about on-demand gear and other solutions that protect wildlife—and fishers: go.whoi.edu/narw

Before computers, researchers had to sift through data by hand. 😱Throwback to 1962, when scientist Carl Bowin installed ...
09/03/2026

Before computers, researchers had to sift through data by hand. 😱

Throwback to 1962, when scientist Carl Bowin installed the first computer on a WHOI ship. The IBM 1620 could analyze gravity measurements in real time inside a special air-conditioned room aboard the research vessel Chain.

The computer was so expensive that Bowin had to rent it. "We paid monthly fees for an IBM maintenance guy to go to sea with us," Bowin said. "It was very costly. Because it was air-conditioned, the computer room soon became a popular hangout, especially on cruises in the tropics."

IBM officials were initially doubtful the computer would survive at sea, but Bowin reported a "thrilling sense of importance" when the machine performed successfully.

By 1969, computers were standard equipment aboard WHOI ships.

🌀 Peak hurricane season is upon us! ⁠⁠The National Weather Service predicts lower-than-normal hurricane activity in the ...
09/02/2026

🌀 Peak hurricane season is upon us! ⁠
⁠
The National Weather Service predicts lower-than-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin (which includes the Gulf Coast) this year, while the eastern Pacific will likely continue to see above-average storm activity.⁠
⁠
Across the globe, storm intensity is increasing, fueled by record temperatures on land and at sea—and even communities far inland face risks. Ocean monitoring systems such as the Ocean Observatories Initiative and a global network of Argo floats can help us prepare for future storms.

💪 Knowledge is power. Learn more: go.whoi.edu/Hurricane

09/01/2026

In the summer of 1985, WHOI scientist Robert Ballard and his crew quietly set out for the North Atlantic on the Navy-owned research vessel Knorr. On board with them: new WHOI-developed underwater imaging technology to survey the wreckage of the USS Scorpion, a nuclear submarine lost at sea in 1968. In collaboration with Ifremer, Ballard’s team also planned to survey the area for the wreckage of the RMS Titanic. 🤫

After less than one week of scouring the seafloor, in the early morning hours of September 1, the fatigued WHOI team recognized one of Titanic’s boilers in the video feed from Argo. They followed the debris trail north, leading them to the wreck of the Titanic itself. After 73 years lying at the bottom of the North Atlantic, they had found RMS Titanic. (Watch video with sound up to feel the excitement on board!)

📲Dive into discovery with the full video: go.whoi.edu/titanic-1985

🧑‍🔬 Searching for the perfect post-doc? Broaden your horizons at WHOI while advancing knowledge of our ocean planet!We’r...
09/01/2026

🧑‍🔬 Searching for the perfect post-doc? Broaden your horizons at WHOI while advancing knowledge of our ocean planet!

We’re currently seeking applicants with background in math, engineering, economics, physical and biological sciences, and policy for 18-month appointments with a WHOI advisor. In 2027, Special Postdoctoral Scholarships will also be awarded in Marine Policy and Ocean Carbon Cycling. Additional awards may be available to support appointments in cross-cutting topics that grow scholarly expertise in emerging areas of institutional strength.

📲 Find out more and apply by October 15: go.whoi.edu/pdscholarship

Can the ocean take up more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere—safely and effectively? 🤔Last summer, a federally-permitte...
08/31/2026

Can the ocean take up more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere—safely and effectively? 🤔

Last summer, a federally-permitted study led by WHOI scientists tested whether adding alkalinity to seawater would increase its ability to absorb more acid-forming CO2. While initial results were benign, the researchers are continuing to investigate potential impacts on marine life, including commercially-important lobster.

“The ocean is 70% of the Earth’s surface and, if [ocean alkalinity enhancement] is really going to scale, we have to understand how this might work in the open ocean, too,” Subhas said.

👉 Read the full story in The Guardian: go.whoi.edu/guardian-locness

📸 Daniel Cojanu/WHOI

"Science is an adventure, not a career."Inspired by the surprisingly edible condition of a bologna sandwich that survive...
08/31/2026

"Science is an adventure, not a career."

Inspired by the surprisingly edible condition of a bologna sandwich that survived for months at sea in HOV Alvin, WHOI biologist Holger Jannasch and his colleagues were the first to identify the effects of pressure on deep-sea microbial metabolism in the late 1960s. He designed and developed a variety of sophisticated instruments for sampling bacteria from deep-sea depths, which yielded valuable insights into the fragile nature of marine food chains and the impacts of waste-dumping in the ocean.

After the discovery of hydrothermal vents in the late 1970s, Jannasch confirmed his early theory of the existence of deep-sea bacterial life. Jannasch passed away in 1998, but his work lives on at WHOI.

👉Learn more about this inspiring : go.whoi.edu/holger-jannasch

📸 © WHOI
1 & 2 - Holger Jannasch with instruments he developed to sample and culture deep sea bacteria
3 - The contents of an Alvin lunch that spent nearly a year in the deep sea after slipping from its tether in 1969
4 - Electron microscopy image of hydrothermal vent bacteria

With the summer nights getting cooler, so can you! 😎The WHOI shop has a range of sweatshirts that show your support for ...
08/30/2026

With the summer nights getting cooler, so can you! 😎

The WHOI shop has a range of sweatshirts that show your support for ocean science while keeping you warm. From the brisk mornings by the ocean to the late-night bonfire, this sweatshirt will be your go-to for any fall occasion.

👉 Shop the collection: go.whoi.edu/Sweatshirts

08/30/2026

How do you place a temporary “spot tag” on a whale shark? The answer is simple: just keep swimming, just keep swimming 🎶

That’s what MIT-WHOI grad student Jaida Elcock shares with Popular Science. “Even though the shark looks like it’s swimming slowly, it’s definitely a lot faster than you are.”

To study the behavior of the largest fish in the ocean, Elcock attaches monitoring tags that record the shark's location as it swims. Each tag carries a built-in radio transmitter, so once it pops off, Elcock and her team can track it down and retrieve the data.

Elcock is studying whale shark migration patterns to understand why these filter-feeding fish are coming to the New England continental shelf, and what they're eating out there.

🦈 Take the plunge to learn more: go.whoi.edu/whale-shark-popsci

08/30/2026

It's International Whale Shark Day!🥳

MIT-WHOI grad student Jaida Elcock plays "tag" with the largest fish in the ocean to study their behavior.

✋You're it! TAG a friend who you think would like this video and the science that helps us understand these incredible animals.

Address

86 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA
02543

Telephone

+15085481400

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI):

Shortcuts

Share

Category