News
Marine and Environmental Sciences
Students dissect oysters and squid, learn about coastal ecology during the annual high school symposium at Northeastern
Students from a dozen area schools measured oysters, dissected squid and learned why plastic is called “ocean smog” during the annual High School Marine Science Symposium at Curry Student Center on Northeastern’s Boston campus. The 250 students got a chance to talk with fledgling and experienced scientists during the event, which was sponsored by Northeastern […]
March 08, 2024
Marine and Environmental Sciences, Psychology
We can’t combat climate change without changing minds. This psychology class explores how.
A new offering for the spring 2024 semester, PSYC-4660 is a seminar in cognition, a subset of psychology that covers how people encode, represent and process information from the environment in the brain, according to Coley, a psychology professor with a dual appointment in environmental science. Humans & Nature zeros in on how those things […]
March 07, 2024
Bowen to explore microbial activities in new $8.4M coastal marsh project
Dr. Bowen's work in this collaborative project focuses on using tools from molecular biology to understand how the diverse metabolisms of microbes affect the ecosystem services provided by marshes.
March 06, 2024
The largest body of water west of the Mississippi disappeared 130 years ago — now it’s back
The San Joaquin Valley of California, despite supplying a significant percentage of the country’s food, is nevertheless a dry, arid place. Fresno, at the heart of the valley, receives just over 10 inches of rain a year on average, according to the National Weather Service, and sometimes as little as 3. And yet, until the […]
February 05, 2024
New species of mussel that lives in an ancient undersea forest discovered by Northeastern marine scientist
A Northeastern marine scientist has discovered a new species of tiny mollusk that lives in an ancient, submerged cypress grove called the Alabama Undersea Forest. Dan Distel, research professor at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center, says the bivalve written up in the journal Deep Sea Research represents a new genus and species of mussel and offers […]
February 02, 2024
Was a baby great white shark caught on camera for the first time? Northeastern expert explains why it could be major discovery
What is believed to be a live newborn great white shark has been spotted on camera for the first time ever, potentially providing marine biologists with the best look yet at where the apex predator may give birth. Dan Distel, Northeastern professor of marine and environmental sciences, says the discovery could play a role in […]
February 01, 2024
Honeybees are key to biodiversity. Researchers say ecosystems collapsing because of climate change have bee-like species that can be reintroduced
There are very few animals as important to our world as honeybees. There is, of course, the delicious honey they produce, but they are also essential in maintaining food security and the biodiversity that is threatened by climate change and fast-becoming our strongest natural defense against it.
January 05, 2024
How long will the volcanic eruption in Iceland last? It depends how much magma needs to come out, expert says
The signs started appearing in early November, and people waited anxiously as earthquakes and ground swells indicated a volcanic eruption near Grindavik, Iceland, was imminent.
December 19, 2023
Wrapping up the MES Fall 2023 Undergraduate research experience in style!
Our undergraduate scholars presented their findings while engaging in Q&A dialogue with the audience. Each student provided in-depth analysis of data obtained throughout the course of their research at Northeastern University.
December 12, 2023
What happens when sunlight breaks down plastics in the ocean? Potentially harmful chemical byproducts are left behind, research finds
Northeastern researchers found in 2021 that an estimated 4 million to 10 million tons of plastic carbon enter the ocean each year.
December 05, 2023
Climate modelers can’t agree on the Mississippi River’s future. Northeastern professor Samuel Muñoz is settling the debate.
The Mississippi River, an ecological, cultural and economic hub of activity, is dangerously misunderstood — at least, by climate modelers.
November 21, 2023
Is a volcano about to erupt in Iceland? Expert explains the telltale signs an eruption might occur
Residents of Grindavik, a fishing town in southwestern Iceland, have evacuated and a state of emergency has been declared, as local authorities say a volcanic eruption may be imminent.
November 13, 2023
The clock is ticking. Can ‘scientific diplomacy’ save the world’s hottest sea?
Already the world’s hottest coastal environment in the summer, the shallow sea between the Arabian peninsula and southwestern Iran continues to heat at a breathtaking pace.
October 02, 2023
Can reefs be designed for immunity? Genetic research is identifying disease-resistant super corals in the Caribbean
Witnessing disease outbreaks that have nearly annihilated staghorn coral colonies in the Caribbean, Northeastern scientist Steven Vollmer wondered what lessons a few lone survivors might offer for the future of coral reefs.
September 28, 2023