For more than 50 years, scientists have dreamed of seeing the hidden patterns that govern the motion of nonlinear waves—the unpredictable ripples that shape tsunamis, tides, and turbulent flows. Now, ...

Microscopic ocean algae produce a huge share of Earth’s oxygen—but they need iron to do it. New field research shows that when iron is scarce, phytoplankton waste energy and photosynthesis falters.

By the late 1990s, scientists realized that virus activity was likely shaping how carbon and nutrients cycled through ocean ...

If you know what diatoms are, it’s probably for their beauty. These single-celled algae found on the ocean floor have ornate glassy shells that shine like jewels under the microscope. Their pristine ...

Some 4.6 billion years ago, Earth was nothing like the gentle blue planet we know today. Frequent and violent celestial impacts churned its surface and interior into a seething ocean of magma—an ...