News

Wednesday, 26 August 2015

College Welcomes New Faculty in New Academic Year

Friday, 10 July 2015

The Mystery of the Brownbanded Bamboo Shark

All week, sharks splashed across TV screens as viewers who love (or fear) the kings of the sea tuned into shows about the allure (or revulsion) of great whites, hamnmerheads, makos and more. But if you want to unravel a great shark mystery – and learn why it gives researchers hope about the future of threatened shark populations – turn off your TV ...

Thursday, 02 July 2015

Settlement by Oil Company BP to Support Gulf Coast Research

Oil company BP announced it would settle a number of federal and state lawsuits with plans to pay over $1 billion annually for the next 18 years toward research, clean-up and restoration along the Gulf Coast. The University of Texas at Austin's Marine Science Institute is leading one of the research consortiums on deck to receive support.

Wednesday, 06 May 2015

Abundance Flourishes in Hanna Shoal

Earlier this year, when President Barack Obama said a 1.3 million-acre marine area in Alaska would be off limits for future oil and gas drilling, it sparked the interest of a researcher who has worked in that region for nearly four decades.

Saturday, 21 March 2015

Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems Intimately Tied to Climate

Scientists have discovered that in the mid-1990s there was a large reorganization of the flora and fauna in the Gulf of Mexico linked to a shift in oceanic surface temperatures.

Monday, 22 December 2014

Discovery in Fish Might Point the Way to Cancer Treatment

Peter Thomas, professor of marine science, and researchers in his lab have made a discovery in fish that could provide a chink in the armor of cancer cells.

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Consortium Awarded $9.2 Million for Gulf Oil Spill Research

A University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI)-led consortium of seven institutions was awarded $9.2 million to continue research on the impact of oil spills and dispersants on the Gulf of Mexico and public health.  

Monday, 29 September 2014

Fish Eggs Turn Conventional View of Ocean Food Webs Upside Down

Do you remember in fifth grade science class learning about food webs? Plants absorb energy from the sun, plants are eaten by animals, and smaller animals are eaten by bigger animals. Generally speaking, the flow is from smaller to larger organisms. An analysis by researchers at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute reveals how the flow of nutrients in the ocean can also go in reverse, from larger animals to smaller ones. This new understanding has implications for conservation and fisheries management.

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Changes in Coastal Upwelling Linked to Variability in Marine Ecosystem Off California

In findings of relevance to conservationists and the fishing industry, new research links short-term reductions in growth and reproduction of marine animals off the California coast to increasing variability in the strength of coastal upwelling currents — currents that supply nutrients to the region's diverse ecosystem.

Friday, 20 December 2013

Rescuing Sea Turtles From the Cold

Plummeting temperatures in November and December left dozens of young green sea turtles out in the cold, quite literally.

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Seahorse Heads Have a 'No Wake Zone' That’s Made for Catching Prey

Seahorses are slow, docile creatures, but their heads are perfectly shaped to sneak up and quickly snatch prey, according to marine scientists from The University of Texas at Austin.

Monday, 21 October 2013

Weddell Seals Hunting and Living Beneath Antarctic Ice

A brief glimpse into the life of an Antarctic Weddell Seal with Ed Farrell.

Wednesday, 02 October 2013

Researcher Uses Aquatic Robots to Study Climate Change

Marine scientist Tracy Villareal has won a prize to use aquatic robots to study algal blooms and dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Monday, 23 September 2013

The Fish and the Egg: Toward a New Strategy for Fattening Up Red Drum in Texas

New research may eventually make fish farming cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Thursday, 29 August 2013

Scales Can Tell a Tarpon's Tale

What are the benefits of being a tarpon fish with scales that can reach the size of a human palm? Scientists are able to tell what dark waters you’ve lived and traveled in by analyzing the scales chemically.