marine sciences

Plastic pollution in the ocean. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The Mediterranean Sea floor off Israel is littered with plastic bags – some of the highest in the world

A new study reveals a worrying picture: Israel's maritime territory has one of the highest levels of plastic bags in the world. What is the solution?
Sampling using the ship L'Atalante

"Hitchhiking" microorganisms reflect ocean currents better than free-floating microorganisms

New study finds that microorganisms associated with gastropods reflect ocean currents and environmental conditions better than "free" microorganisms
The University of Haifa and the GEOMAR Institute are studying the effects of climate change. Photo: Haifa University Spokesperson

Maritime cooperation: The University of Haifa and the GEOMAR Institute study the effects of climate change

The uniqueness of the Eastern Mediterranean comes from being one of the marine areas that reacts the fastest to climate change and human impacts, making it an early warning system for the future state of the oceans
A close-up photo of the tube's shell openings. Photography by Ayelet Nir

A snail without limits

The 'pipe builder' snail was awarded the title of 'environmental engineer', in light of its contribution to the construction of rocky surfaces on the coastline and reducing their rate of weathering in an effective way. It came to the brink of extinction, but researchers from Ben Gurion University succeeded
Photo credit: Hagai Nativ, Maurice Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa

With the help of artificial intelligence: an effect of ship noise on dolphins was found for the first time

According to the researchers, the dolphins communicate in a different way and change their vocal behavior when they encounter the noise of a ship and therefore they are definitely affected by the noise of the ships. Past studies have already shown that a change in vocal behavior