Sea urchins can drill holes in solid rock with just their teeth
If a sea urchin can't find a suitable pit to live in, it makes one – even if it has to spend months gnawing away at hard granite
A capsized oil tanker is releasing invisible toxins into the sea
The slick of oil condensate from a stricken tanker in the East China Sea is a threat to all marine life, not least because it is invisible
Genital parasite crabs are struggling to find sex partners
Parasitic crustaceans called castrator pea crabs spend most of their lives hiding in the sex organs of limpets, and that makes it difficult to find a mate
Venice may be almost 200 years older than anyone thought
Two peach stones found in sediment beneath Saint Mark’s Basilica could extend the history of Venice by 180 years
Venice may be almost 200 years older than anyone thought
Two peach stones found in sediment beneath Saint Mark’s Basilica could extend the history of Venice by 180 years
Goldfish go months without oxygen by making alcohol inside cells
Goldfish and crucian carp have evolved enzymes that turn carbohydrates into alcohol when no oxygen is available – helping the fish survive in ice-locked pools
Jellyfish blooms linked to offshore gas platforms and wind farms
Vast blooms of jellyfish are becoming increasingly common – perhaps because human-made offshore platforms act as ideal nursery grounds for young jellies
Giant deep-sea worms may live to be 1000 years old or more
Escarpia laminata lives on the sea floor, where food is plentiful and predators are absent – a perfect environment for longevity
Mud eel’s wonky body may help it ambush prey
A pair of sea-floor-dwelling eels found off the coast of West Africa have lopsided features that may help them operate as ‘sit-and-wait’ ambush predators
Two-headed porpoise caught in fishing net is first ever found
Fishers caught more than they bargained for when they pulled out the first known two-headed porpoise, one of only 10 recorded cases of cetacean conjoined twins