Biology Marine biology

News

20 May 2026
In the latest in a series of studies showing how lab-raised fish differ from those raised in more natural environments, researchers found that medaka maintained in more natural settings ovulated earlier than those in the laboratory. These findings highlight the challenges of inferring natural behavior from that observed in the laboratory.
A black sea bream swimming off after being released into Hiroshima Bay following tagging with an ultrasonic transmitter for the study. (Kentaro Kawai / Hiroshima University)
15 May 2026
Ultrasonic tracking in Hiroshima Bay shows that male and female black sea bream move differently during the spawning season, offering a novel discovery into the reproductive behavior of a broadcast-spawning sparid fish in the wild.
09 Apr 2026
As climate change intensifies harmful algal blooms worldwide, an international team led by Hiroshima University has developed a hybrid modeling approach that combines algal movement simulations, AI, and long-term monitoring data to sharpen forecasts of these bloom events—linked to environmental damage, mass fish die-offs, economic losses, and risks to human health.
06 Apr 2026
Researchers have confirmed that golden sweeper fish steal the bioluminescence enzymes from their prey rather than produce them naturally.
22 Jan 2026
A research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) recently collaborated with an international research team to publish a study revealing a correlation between global contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in globally consumed edible marine fish and associated human health risks. The study found that consumers may be exposed to elevated levels of PFAS by consuming imported fish such as salmon, tuna, swordfish and cod — even in regions with low environmental pollution — thereby increasing food‑safety risks.
Structure of the light-harvesting antenna (Cf-LHCII) in Codium fragile
22 Oct 2025
In the marine green alga Codium fragile, unusual carotenoids rapidly dissipate harmful chlorophyll triplet states, protecting the organism from light-induced damage. Using EPR spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations, the study revealed the structural and electronic principles behind this photoprotection, offering insights for potential bio-inspired solar technologies.
07 Aug 2025
Environmental conditions affect reproduction times in model fish
01 Jul 2025
Ateneo biologists confirm invasive tinfoil barb in Laguna de Bay, warning it could disrupt native fish and harm local ecosystems.
Asia Research News Editors Choice
23 Jun 2025
Cyborg jellyfish, 3D collagen, Light, light go away, AI electronic nose, FLASHing cancer, Hydrogen storage in nanoscales & Can I drink this? Read all in the latest Editor's Choice
11 Jun 2025
Near the eastern coast of Luzon, Philippines is the Benham Bank, an underwater seamount taller than the country's highest peak, Mt. Apo. Researchers from the University of the Philippines' Marine Science Institute discovered that it is a thriving ecosystem full of unique, untouched biodiversity.
Infrared camera footage shows medaka fish spawning at midnight.
05 Jun 2025
Continuous 24-hour observations clarify time these fish engage in courtship, spawning
26 May 2025
Jellyfish cyborgs may sound like something straight out of science fiction. But harnessing jellyfishes’ natural locomotion provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly means to monitor coral reefs, track oil spills or observe climate change. Now, a team from Tohoku University’s Department of Robotics has successfully modulated the swimming behavior of jellyfish using gentle electric pulses and generated a means of measuring it via AI. In doing so, they have created a gentle way to harness the powerful swimming mechanisms of jellyfish.
Anemonefish seem to understand what food to feed their host sea anemones for their mutual benefit.
26 Feb 2025
Anemonefish provision food they don’t eat to increase size of host sea anemones
Editor's Choice
20 Feb 2025
Asteroid contains life’s building blocks, How fish detect color, Eco-friendly artificial muscles, Cell imaging gets a glow-up, Quantum gem, Healing skin with milkfish. Plus the 2025 Magazine is here, Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
Edward Hopper's Nighthawks with medaka fish heads in place of human heads
12 Feb 2025
Field observations in natural river environment hold clues to easing model organisms’ life in labs
harmful algal blooms study_hiroshima university
07 Feb 2025
Because of climate change, harmful algal blooms are increasing in frequency and intensity. New science helps demystify the frequent harmful algal blooms in the Pacific off the coast of Chile by studying how algae species interact with each other and their environment.
Great Barrier reef
24 Jan 2025
Tsuyoshi Watanabe uses corals to understand the environment of the past and what it can tell us about people living then.
The pineal gland of zebrafish is located atop the head
16 Jan 2025
Zebrafish arrestins take turns inactivating key protein depending on intensity of light
Medaka mating
08 Jan 2025
Intimate insights into relationship between cost of gamete production and sexual selection
12 Nov 2024
Hokkaido University and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. signed a partnership agreement in June 2022 to address various social issues in Hokkaido and lead the creation of a sustainable society. As part of this collaboration, Hokkaido Air System Co., Ltd. will equip one of its aircraft with an external camera to commence the world's first regular flight-based red tide monitoring starting in the summer of 2025.
07 Nov 2024
The two Pseudo-nitzschia species found in Luzon produce a dangerous neurotoxin that can cause severe sickness and permanent short-term memory loss.
Xochitl Édua Elías Ilosvay (researcher) and Kazuki Seike (translator) during a personal interview with a coastal fisher at a Fisheries Cooperative Association in the northern region of Shikoku Island. (Credit: Kameyuki Seike)
25 Oct 2024
A new scientific study reveals the complex relationship between the impacts of climate change and the adaptive responses of coastal fishers in the southern coasts of Japan.
Editor's Choice
07 Oct 2024
Mirror, mirror, in my tank, who’s the biggest fish of all? Sigma bond spotted, Balancing cell membrane, Exploring quantum squeezing and Outbreak preparedness. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
Fish in the mirror
11 Sep 2024
Cleaner wrasse check their body size before fights due to having their own mental representation
10 Sep 2024
Seaweed helps brain health, Whales in long-distance relationships, Jumpstarting male fertility, Demystifying black hole turbulence, Shrimp to steel & Mpox Resources. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
22 Aug 2024
One of the smallest lifeforms may have the biggest impact on marine ecosystems. Researchers at Tohoku University modeled how climate change can affect phytoplankton – and our future.
Bowhead whales are tagged in Disko Bay, West Greenland, to track their movements and diving behavior. (Photo: Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen)
11 Aug 2024
Applying chaos theory to the movement of iconic arctic whales uncovered a 24-hour diving cycle and a long-range (~100 km) synchronization.
Trajectories of the abundance-weighted center of gravity (COG) for eight commercial species
01 Aug 2024
Commercially important marine fish and invertebrate species will likely shift northwards under a warmer climate.
Helper (left) and dominant breeder/parent (right) of Neolamprologus savoryi
18 Jun 2024
Study shows fish may use punishment to promote help from their offspring
12 Apr 2024
Zika virus vaccine targets brain cancer, 120-year quest to farm lobsters, Arctic nightlife bursts with sound, Eating a robot, Molecular orientation is key & New treatment for ALS and dementia. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Events

01 Jun 2021 to 30 Jun 2021
The Ocean Celebration event runs 1-30 June 2021 and is organized by the Borneo Marine Research Institute of Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Researchers

Jorge García Molinos is an aquatic ecologist broadly interested in global change ecology and macroecology.
Associate Professor Sitti Raehanah Muhamad Shaleh is the director of Borneo Marine Research Institute at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
Professor Qiu Jianwen currently works at the Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University. He is interested in ecology and adaptation of apple snails, biodiversity and systematics of polychaetes, stress responses in shallow-water corals, and deep-sea biology. His research involves the use of various molecular tools including transcriptomics, proteomics and genomics.

Giants in history

Edgardo Dizon Gomez (7 November 1938 – 1 December 2019) was a Filipino marine biologist who recognized the need to protect marine resources, especially coral reefs, in the Philippines.
Osamu Shimomura (27 August 1928 – 19 October 2018) was a Japanese organic chemist and marine biologist who dedicated his career to understanding how organisms emitted light.
The techniques that make industrial pearl culturing possible were developed over a century ago at the Misaki Marine Biological Station in Japan. The station’s first director, Professor Kakichi Mitsukuri, emphasized to Kokichi Mikimoto in 1890 that stimulating pearl sac formation was important for pearl growth, and they went on to successfully develop methods for culturing pearls.