@shapeoflifeorg.bsky.social
Reposted
As the year begins to quiet, we’re pausing, like a great egret choosing a steady perch over the constantly moving kelp forest canopy. Nature has a gentle way of reminding us to slow down, reflect, and find balance. Here’s to calm moments, the quiet between chapters, and new beginnings. 💙🌊
December 26, 2025 at 6:59 PM
As the year begins to quiet, we’re pausing, like a great egret choosing a steady perch over the constantly moving kelp forest canopy. Nature has a gentle way of reminding us to slow down, reflect, and find balance. Here’s to calm moments, the quiet between chapters, and new beginnings. 💙🌊
Reposted
An unexpected feast! ROV pilots filmed this during the #ArgentinianDeepSeeps expedition. Read the full caption about whalefalls & their role in the deep Ocean on Insta: www.instagram.com/reel/DSlQw1J...
December 22, 2025 at 10:56 PM
An unexpected feast! ROV pilots filmed this during the #ArgentinianDeepSeeps expedition. Read the full caption about whalefalls & their role in the deep Ocean on Insta: www.instagram.com/reel/DSlQw1J...
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And now a Muusoctopus! Graneledone & Muusoctopus are the 2 octos I've seen most at these depths. Graneledone have 1 row of alternating suckers, while Muusoctopus have 2 rows. @Schmidt Ocean 🌊 dive 887 #argentiniandeepseeps #CONICET #MarineLife
December 25, 2025 at 7:36 PM
And now a Muusoctopus! Graneledone & Muusoctopus are the 2 octos I've seen most at these depths. Graneledone have 1 row of alternating suckers, while Muusoctopus have 2 rows. @Schmidt Ocean 🌊 dive 887 #argentiniandeepseeps #CONICET #MarineLife
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On the 11th day of fossils, my true love gave to me...
11 Cambrian fossils from the Great Basin.
The Great Basin is a large area of Utah and Nevada that was under water 500 million years ago. Life was experimenting and there's lots of strange creatures found here.
1/x
#12DaysofFossils
11 Cambrian fossils from the Great Basin.
The Great Basin is a large area of Utah and Nevada that was under water 500 million years ago. Life was experimenting and there's lots of strange creatures found here.
1/x
#12DaysofFossils
December 24, 2025 at 11:03 PM
On the 11th day of fossils, my true love gave to me...
11 Cambrian fossils from the Great Basin.
The Great Basin is a large area of Utah and Nevada that was under water 500 million years ago. Life was experimenting and there's lots of strange creatures found here.
1/x
#12DaysofFossils
11 Cambrian fossils from the Great Basin.
The Great Basin is a large area of Utah and Nevada that was under water 500 million years ago. Life was experimenting and there's lots of strange creatures found here.
1/x
#12DaysofFossils
We love this wild octopus story www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/s...
This Octopus’s Other Car Is a Shark
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 11:19 PM
We love this wild octopus story www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/s...
Reposted
New suspected species, coined the ‘muddy squid’, displays ‘unusual’ burrowing behaviour observed for the first time in the deep sea. 👀🦑
Read more here: noc.ac.uk/news/discove...
@samsocean.bsky.social
Read more here: noc.ac.uk/news/discove...
@samsocean.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM
New suspected species, coined the ‘muddy squid’, displays ‘unusual’ burrowing behaviour observed for the first time in the deep sea. 👀🦑
Read more here: noc.ac.uk/news/discove...
@samsocean.bsky.social
Read more here: noc.ac.uk/news/discove...
@samsocean.bsky.social
Reposted
#ctenophoretuesday Beroe!
A survey for Ctenophore Ctuesday:
* What way is this comb jelly swimming? Up or Down?
🧪🦑🤷♂️🌊🤿
* What way is this comb jelly swimming? Up or Down?
🧪🦑🤷♂️🌊🤿
![A pinkish, translucent, roughly bell-shaped jelly on a black background. Iridescent and red vertical stripe run down its tapered body. The top comes to a point, and the bottom is slightly flared. Upon close inspection, you can see little grape-like clusters of gonads next to the vertical stripes, which are the comb rows and main canals.
This [relatively] massive Beroe was observed on a blue-water scuba dive off California. It is 18cm (7 inches) long. Photo: S.Haddock ©MBARI 2025
Fun faCT: If you look closely, you can see the reproductive cells on both sides of the canals. Viewed from the end, rather than the side, the female eggs develop next to the major body axis (like North, S, E, W), and male cells develop on the sides of the canal that are 45° off from the axes (NorthEast, SE, SW, NW). So here you can see 2 sets of eggs, and 4 sets of male gonads.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:funpixcztysgcgvutfyjabnl/bafkreihzme4m42oopw2rfdb7aerfad2nwu3vmg2nggav5fhulfewam5on4@jpeg)
December 16, 2025 at 4:30 PM
#ctenophoretuesday Beroe!
Reposted
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This is a really neat paper highlighting how urban juncos have different beak shapes from their wild counterparts and that urban birds’ beaks reverted to the “wild” shape during COVID lockdowns on the UCLA campus. 🪶
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
December 16, 2025 at 5:13 PM
This is a really neat paper highlighting how urban juncos have different beak shapes from their wild counterparts and that urban birds’ beaks reverted to the “wild” shape during COVID lockdowns on the UCLA campus. 🪶
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted
We're kicking off the Christmas Bird Count with @rosemarymosco.com and @corinanewsome.bsky.social, who join us celebrate the common birds that might not be at the top of your pecking order, but should be.🐦⬛
'Just' A Blue Jay? Don't Overlook These Magnificent Common Birds
This Christmas Bird Count, we salute the fabulous, underappreciated, common species. Here's to you, house sparrow.
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 6:23 PM
We're kicking off the Christmas Bird Count with @rosemarymosco.com and @corinanewsome.bsky.social, who join us celebrate the common birds that might not be at the top of your pecking order, but should be.🐦⬛
Reposted
Their findings, published in @natureportfolio.nature.com, reaffirm earlier work by researchers including Steven Haddock of @mbarinews.bsky.social, who have urged the global community to move cautiously in the face of all the uncertainties. mbayaq.co/44cVKEa
Scientists urge caution, further assessment of ecological impacts above deep-sea mining • MBARI
A new study argues that deep-sea mining poses significant risks not only to seafloor ecosystems, but also to animals in the vast midwater realm.
mbayaq.co
November 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Their findings, published in @natureportfolio.nature.com, reaffirm earlier work by researchers including Steven Haddock of @mbarinews.bsky.social, who have urged the global community to move cautiously in the face of all the uncertainties. mbayaq.co/44cVKEa
Reposted
Peek-a-boo with an octopus and her eggs 🙈
MBARI researchers used ROVs to study pearl octopus (Muusoctopus robustus) mothers nesting near warm seafloor springs. Unlike other deep-sea octopuses, their eggs hatched in under two years. The extra warmth boosted metabolism of the moms and their broods.
MBARI researchers used ROVs to study pearl octopus (Muusoctopus robustus) mothers nesting near warm seafloor springs. Unlike other deep-sea octopuses, their eggs hatched in under two years. The extra warmth boosted metabolism of the moms and their broods.
November 19, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Peek-a-boo with an octopus and her eggs 🙈
MBARI researchers used ROVs to study pearl octopus (Muusoctopus robustus) mothers nesting near warm seafloor springs. Unlike other deep-sea octopuses, their eggs hatched in under two years. The extra warmth boosted metabolism of the moms and their broods.
MBARI researchers used ROVs to study pearl octopus (Muusoctopus robustus) mothers nesting near warm seafloor springs. Unlike other deep-sea octopuses, their eggs hatched in under two years. The extra warmth boosted metabolism of the moms and their broods.
Reposted
Serving up some zooplankton squee 🥰
Copepods like the one in this video can be found in massive numbers across the world ocean. They play an important role in ocean food webs as predators—they eat even smaller diatoms and phytoplankton—and prey for animals like jellies, fish, and filter feeders.
Copepods like the one in this video can be found in massive numbers across the world ocean. They play an important role in ocean food webs as predators—they eat even smaller diatoms and phytoplankton—and prey for animals like jellies, fish, and filter feeders.
November 20, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Serving up some zooplankton squee 🥰
Copepods like the one in this video can be found in massive numbers across the world ocean. They play an important role in ocean food webs as predators—they eat even smaller diatoms and phytoplankton—and prey for animals like jellies, fish, and filter feeders.
Copepods like the one in this video can be found in massive numbers across the world ocean. They play an important role in ocean food webs as predators—they eat even smaller diatoms and phytoplankton—and prey for animals like jellies, fish, and filter feeders.
Reposted
Octopuses use their arms to sense and respond to microbiomes on the seafloor news.mongabay.com/2025/12/octo... 🦑🧪🌎
Octopuses use their arms to sense and respond to microbiomes on the seafloor
From the beginning of life on Earth, microbes, small but influential single-celled organisms, have shaped the environment that animals must adapt to in order to survive. Distinct microbial…
news.mongabay.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Octopuses use their arms to sense and respond to microbiomes on the seafloor news.mongabay.com/2025/12/octo... 🦑🧪🌎
Mantis shrimp here too
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
How Inventors Find Inspiration in Evolution
Soft batteries and water-walking robots are among the many creations made possible by studying animals and plants.
www.nytimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Mantis shrimp here too
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted
MBARI’s mechanical technicians and engineers collaborated closely to build a titanium frame capable of holding cameras, sensors, and instruments used in the SINKER—SINKing Ecology Robot—imaging system, which collects vital carbon data. 🔧 🌊 🔬
Learn more: youtu.be/6_elP8a1o0M?...
Learn more: youtu.be/6_elP8a1o0M?...
MBARI's team of mechanical technicians make innovative new tech come to life
YouTube video by MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
youtu.be
November 11, 2025 at 10:54 PM
MBARI’s mechanical technicians and engineers collaborated closely to build a titanium frame capable of holding cameras, sensors, and instruments used in the SINKER—SINKing Ecology Robot—imaging system, which collects vital carbon data. 🔧 🌊 🔬
Learn more: youtu.be/6_elP8a1o0M?...
Learn more: youtu.be/6_elP8a1o0M?...
Biomimicry- so cool! www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
And our piece: www.shapeoflife.org/blog/biomimi...
And our piece: www.shapeoflife.org/blog/biomimi...
How Inventors Find Inspiration in Evolution
Soft batteries and water-walking robots are among the many creations made possible by studying animals and plants.
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Biomimicry- so cool! www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
And our piece: www.shapeoflife.org/blog/biomimi...
And our piece: www.shapeoflife.org/blog/biomimi...
Reposted
They CAN handle the heat, so they are staying in the kitchen.
Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis don't mind a little hot weather. They live around hydrothermal vents and are capable of surviving in water as hot as 91°C.
They are small, with males having mantle lengths less than 6 cm.
#OCTOtober
Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis don't mind a little hot weather. They live around hydrothermal vents and are capable of surviving in water as hot as 91°C.
They are small, with males having mantle lengths less than 6 cm.
#OCTOtober
October 3, 2025 at 9:34 PM
They CAN handle the heat, so they are staying in the kitchen.
Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis don't mind a little hot weather. They live around hydrothermal vents and are capable of surviving in water as hot as 91°C.
They are small, with males having mantle lengths less than 6 cm.
#OCTOtober
Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis don't mind a little hot weather. They live around hydrothermal vents and are capable of surviving in water as hot as 91°C.
They are small, with males having mantle lengths less than 6 cm.
#OCTOtober
Reposted
"You have it in your power to make a difference. Don't give up. There is a future for you. Do your best while you’re still on this beautiful Planet Earth that I look down upon from where I am now."
Those were Dr. Jane's last words, as released by Netflix.
Photo: Katherine Holland
Those were Dr. Jane's last words, as released by Netflix.
Photo: Katherine Holland
October 3, 2025 at 3:47 PM
"You have it in your power to make a difference. Don't give up. There is a future for you. Do your best while you’re still on this beautiful Planet Earth that I look down upon from where I am now."
Those were Dr. Jane's last words, as released by Netflix.
Photo: Katherine Holland
Those were Dr. Jane's last words, as released by Netflix.
Photo: Katherine Holland
It's tunicate month at Shape of Life
Tunicate Evolution and Us | Shape of Life
Tunicates are invertebrates without backbones. But in their larval stage they have all four characteristics of chordates: a notochord, which is like a soft spinal cord; a post-anal tail; a dorsal nerv...
www.shapeoflife.org
September 5, 2025 at 6:12 PM
It's tunicate month at Shape of Life
Reposted
Woah!! What an utterly incredible perspective of coral 😍 🧪🦑🌿
Looks like alien art, but it's a very real and intimate view of Cauliflower soft coral (Dendronephthya) looking up from its base towards its fractal tips.
Australian Geographic 2025 photo competition Winner 🎉
📷 Ross Gudgeon
Looks like alien art, but it's a very real and intimate view of Cauliflower soft coral (Dendronephthya) looking up from its base towards its fractal tips.
Australian Geographic 2025 photo competition Winner 🎉
📷 Ross Gudgeon
August 28, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Woah!! What an utterly incredible perspective of coral 😍 🧪🦑🌿
Looks like alien art, but it's a very real and intimate view of Cauliflower soft coral (Dendronephthya) looking up from its base towards its fractal tips.
Australian Geographic 2025 photo competition Winner 🎉
📷 Ross Gudgeon
Looks like alien art, but it's a very real and intimate view of Cauliflower soft coral (Dendronephthya) looking up from its base towards its fractal tips.
Australian Geographic 2025 photo competition Winner 🎉
📷 Ross Gudgeon
Reposted
Public strongly backs aim of 30% of land and sea set aside for nature, poll finds
Public strongly backs aim of 30% of land and sea set aside for nature, poll finds
Survey of eight countries finds 82% of people support 30x30 biodiversity target, as progress stalls on protected areas
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Public strongly backs aim of 30% of land and sea set aside for nature, poll finds