News Archive - Brittany Hook

Diving Sector Could Hold the Key to Advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals

A new review paper by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego highlights the untapped potential of the diving community in advancing global marine conservation and sustainability efforts.

Antarctica’s Floating Boundary Moves up to Nine Miles with the Tide

An international study co-authored by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has created a detailed record of the grounding line location of the southern Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica, showing that it moves up to 15 kilometers (nine miles) with the changing tide.

Historic Red Tide Event of 2020 Fueled by Plankton Super Swimmers

A new study led by scientists at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Jacobs School of Engineering has pinpointed how a dinoflagellate plankton species created the major red tide event off Southern California in 2020.

Phenomenal Phytoplankton: Scientists Uncover Cellular Process Behind Oxygen Production

According to new research, the amount of oxygen in one of 10 breaths was made possible thanks to a newly identified cellular mechanism that promotes photosynthesis in marine phytoplankton. The study, led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, was published May 31 in Current Biology.

“Segment-Jumping” Ridgecrest Earthquakes Explored in New Study

A Scripps Oceanography seismologist and colleagues have used a supercomputer to reveal the complex dynamics of the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes — the biggest earthquakes to hit California in more than 20 years.

Underwater Soundscapes

Biological oceanographer Simone-Baumann Pickering leads the Scripps Acoustic Ecology Laboratory, a group of researchers that works in collaboration with other campus labs recording underwater sound data in an effort to learn more about deep sea marine mammals and their prey.

Elephant Seals Drift Off to Sleep While Diving Far Below the Ocean Surface

For the first time, scientists have recorded brain activity in a free-ranging, wild marine mammal, revealing the sleep habits of elephant seals during the months they spend at sea.

“Bizarre” Yoda Acorn Worm Makes Top 10 Marine Species List

A team of marine scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego described a new acorn worm species, Yoda demiankoopi, in a paper published in 2022. Now the deep-sea worm is among the top 10 new marine species acknowledged by the World Register of Marine Species.

New Study Provides First Comprehensive Look at Oxygen Loss on Coral Reefs

A new study is providing an unprecedented examination of oxygen loss on coral reefs around the globe under ocean warming. Led by researchers at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the study captures the current state of hypoxia—or low oxygen levels—at 32 different sites.

New Study Examines Noise Reduction from Retrofitted Shipping Vessels

Researchers with the Scripps Whale Acoustics Lab teamed up with shipping giant Maersk to examine radiated noise from 12 of Maersk’s retrofitted vessels, an effort to identify whether design changes have an impact on noise levels. The study was published March 16 in the journal PLOS One.