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NOAA's Adopt a Drifter Program

Apr 20, 2012 - 12:50PMNOAA is working with students across the globe to place floating buoys throughout the ocean through their Adopt a Drifter Program. The buoys will drift with the help of ocean currents and record the sea surface temperature and...
Jun 3, 2011 - 2:55PM
June 8th is World Ocean Day- a great time to celebrate all that the ocean...
Sep 19, 2010 - 12:09PM
Marine debris--or trash that has washed or been dumped into our ocean and...

SPOTLIGHT

How You Can Help the Ocean

Make the ConnectionThe first step in making a difference is learning about the ocean and how your actions have an impact....
Students study the effect of climate change on crabs.
Feb 8 2011 - 5:37pm
What can students do to help the ocean? It turns out, a lot! These students from across the United States and Mexico are developing action plans on ocean and climate-related issues in their local communities. They’re getting advice from their teachers and experts at aquariums and marine research...
Feb 7 2011 - 8:01pm
What can students do to help the ocean? It turns out, a lot! These students from California are among dozens from the U.S. and Mexico who are developing action plans on ocean and climate-related issues in their local communities. They’re getting advice from their teachers and experts at...
Apr 21 2011 - 3:21pm
For more than 40 years, Earth Day has been a day to get your hands dirty—or wet! No act of green or blue is too small. Whether you choose to plant a tree or pledge to use less water, small collective acts add up. They also help raise awareness and inspire protection of the Earth and its ocean.
Dec 15 2009 - 12:25pm
Coral reefs are beautiful, vibrant ecosystems that house roughly one quarter of all marine species and provide billions of dollars in products and services to humans each year. But they are also vulnerable to human activities – both direct disturbances and small, indirect effects that build up over...
May 29 2012 - 5:37pm
About the IBRC The Indonesian Biodiversity Research Center (IBRC) was founded in June 2010 by a group of seven international research institutions to promote biodiversity stewardship in Indonesia through collaborative research and educational programs. The Center's goal is not only to increase...
Rethink the Shark
Dec 18 2009 - 3:17pm
Sharks have a long and impressive lineage.  Ancient sharks were cruising the ocean 400 million year ago- long before dinosaurs roamed on land.  Relatives of the great white like the giant megatooth evolved more than 20 million years ago.  But today, sharks are threatened from a...
Jun 8 2010 - 1:03am
Last week, we began asking visitors to the Ocean Portal a simple question: “How do you feel about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?"
Jun 4 2010 - 1:00pm
Dr. Sylvia Earle, at the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming's hearing: “Rising Tides, Rising Temperatures: Global Warming’s Impacts on the Oceans.” Dr. Earle is referred to as "Her Deepness" by The New Yorker and the New York Times, and a "Living Legend," by the Library of...
Jan 14 2011 - 7:03pm
Eighty high-school students from across the United States and Mexico are teaming up with educators and experts to develop action plans that will address an ocean/climate-related issue in their local communities—such as the impact of runoff on water quality and the effects of sea-level rise and...
Sep 15 2011 - 12:05pm
Marine debris damages habitat, entangles wildlife, helps transport invasive species, and harms marine animals that mistakenly ingest the trash thinking it is food.  As part of the Smithsonian's Art's and Science program, the museum hosted "DYOB: Design Your Own Bag."  The program aimed to...
Jan 31 2011 - 2:11pm
This map shows the network of Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers, which include aquariums, marine science centers, and laboratories. The network creates a partnership between federal U.S. agencies and Learning Centers across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The network is constantly growing to address...
May 10 2010 - 6:10pm
Sometimes, a tragic event can become a powerful teaching opportunity. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to capture students’ attention and stimulate discussion on topics like: • biology and ecology (How will the oil effect wildlife and the environment?), •...
Jun 16 2010 - 1:40pm
Lately we’ve been fielding questions from Smithsonian visitors wondering how they can help with the oil spill cleanup in the Gulf of Mexico. If there is any good news coming out of this situation, it’s that thousands of people across the U.S. care deeply and are finding ways to respond to the oil...
Jul 18 2011 - 12:01pm
Gyotaku is a traditional form of Japanese art that began over 100 years ago as a way for fishermen to keep a record of the fish they caught. They would apply sumi ink to one side of a freshly caught fish, then cover the fish with rice paper and rub to create an exact image of the fish. The ink...
Jun 24 2010 - 9:49am
Ah, summer (in the northern hemisphere, anyway). For me, despite growing up in land-locked cowboy country, the word summer has always been synonymous with beach. It’s that time of year when bathing suits come out of hiding, and we make our annual pilgrimages to visit the sun, the sand, and the surf.
Jun 1 2010 - 7:38pm
Many household electronics, such as video game consoles, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances, continue drawing power after they are switched off. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that this “phantom” energy use accounts for 75% of the power consumed by electronics in the average home...