Sea turtles in Sicily are facing a big problem: plastic. Over seven years, researchers found that nearly 30% of the sea turtles they studied had eaten plastic and other trash. This isn't just a small issue. It's a growing concern that affects turtles of all ages and sizes. The study looked at both living and dead turtles. They found that the amount and type of plast...
Jellyfish are more than just sea creatures. They have tiny friends called microbes that live on and inside them. These microbes can change a lot depending on the time of year and where they live on the jellyfish. A recent study looked at Rhopilema nomadica, a big jellyfish in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This jellyfish is very common there. Researchers found that t...
A ship that was headed to Gaza with a group of people and supplies was involved in a serious incident. Early Friday morning, the vessel was hit by explosions while it was in the Mediterranean Sea, close to Malta. The situation was dire, with the ship on fire and in danger of sinking. The ship was called the Conscience and it was run by a group that goes by the nam...
Sharks have always been a part of the ocean's ecosystem, but their presence near popular beaches can lead to dangerous situations. This is exactly what happened off the coast of Israel. A man lost his life after a shark attack while swimming in an area known for its shark population. The incident occurred during a busy holiday week, with many people in the water d...
Did you know that the central Mediterranean Sea's surface temperatures have been fluctuating for millions of years? Scientists have reconstructed a detailed record of these temperature changes, known as sea surface temperatures (SSTs), using tiny sea creatures called G. ruber and their fossilized shells. This record spans a crucial time period called the Pliocene/Ple...
A Russian cargo ship, Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean Sea after an explosion in its engine room on Monday night. The vessel, owned by a company called Oboronlogistika, was traveling from the Strait of Gibraltar when the incident happened. This company is known to transport goods for Russia’s Defense Ministry. Out of 16 crew members, 14 were rescued and taken to...
Did you know that some corals glow bright red? Meet Corallium rubrum, an octocoral that's only found in the western Mediterranean Sea. This coral isn't like the rest. It's famous for its stunning red color and hardness. Instead of just making tiny calcified structures called sclerites, C. rubrum creates a totally calcified, dazzling red axial skeleton. People have be...