Melissa Hobson

1 week ago | aol.com | Melissa Hobson

Humpback whales are known for their extensive use of bubbles—from powerful, aggressive bursts that prove their prowess during courtship to the bubble-net “curtains” they produce to round up prey in a spectacle that often draws tourists from around the world. Now a new study published in Marine Mammal Science explores rare instances when humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) create dramatic, doughnut-shaped vortex bubbles that look like a rolling underwater smoke ring.

1 week ago | sciencenews.org | Melissa Hobson

Since Jaws was released 50 years ago, great white sharks have, arguably, become the most recognized fish in the ocean. But despite their fame, they’re not the biggest shark species. The largest shark alive today, the plankton-eating whale shark, typically grows to about 14 meters long for females and 9 meters for males, with one specimen reaching nearly 19 meters. Even bigger was the now-extinct megalodon, the largest shark that ever existed.

1 week ago | discoverwildlife.com | Melissa Hobson

Researchers have shed light on the unexpectedly fascinating mating dance of a type of marine worm called Platynereis dumerilii. In the footage, one marine worm shimmies across the seabed while another loop-the-loops through the water like it’s on a rollercoaster. “Responding to phases of the lunar cycle, males and females will rise up in the water column to mate,” Nipam Patel, director at the Marine Biological Laboratory, who shared the video of the marine worms performing a mating dance.

1 week ago | discoverwildlife.com | Melissa Hobson

Whale experts have shared adorable footage of a baby humpback whale breaching off the coast of Western Australia. The short video, taken by wildlife photographer Jason Milligan, shows a newborn humpback whale trying to breach. “Blows my mind that something so new to the world has the ability to launch out the air like that,” Milligan says on Instagram.

1 week ago | discoverwildlife.com | Melissa Hobson

Whales make long migrations, travelling thousands of miles across the ocean. During these vast journeys, many cross busy shipping lanes where they’re put at risk of being hit – and, often, killed – by a fast-moving vessel. Now, researchers are using AI to try to protect them. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) and the University of La Laguna (ULL) are using AI technology from Sea.AI to prevent ship strikes.