MBARI

MBARI An oceanographic research institute focused on advancing marine science and engineering to understand our changing ocean.
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Thanks to the foresight of founder David Packard, MBARI receives long-term funding that enables the institute to take on high-risk projects, as well as long-term studies that traditional granting agencies may be reluctant to fund. As a result MBARI is uniquely positioned to contribute to socially relevant issues, such as ocean ecosystem management, climate change, and carbon dioxide acidification

of the oceans. MBARI is located in Moss Landing, California, at the head of Monterey Canyon, the deepest submarine canyon adjacent to the continental United States. The institute owns and operates three research vessels, two remotely operated vehicles, and a growing fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles, all of which are regularly used for experiments at sea and for the collection of samples and data. MBARI’s shore-based facilities include laboratories, offices, machine shops, and a large test tank for working on various experiments and technologies.

06/23/2026

The team on Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) collected this footage of a black smoker over 3,900 meters (2.4 miles) deep. Hydrothermal vents were first discovered in 1977. Scientists were amazed to find large communities of organisms that had never been seen before—life powered not by sunlight, but by chemicals rising from the Earth’s interior.

While chemosynthetic ecosystems are well documented along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge itself, little is known about what lives on the fault zones. Prior to this expedition, led by MBARI's Aaron Micallef, the Doldrums Megatransform and Fracture Zone had never been surveyed for hydrothermal venting or the biological communities it might support.

06/11/2026

The silky jelly is one of the fastest swimming jellies, using coordinated jet propulsion to flee danger. 🪼✨️⁠
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Our observations of Colobonema in the depths of the Monterey Canyon have helped visualize that escape in finer detail. While at rest, Colobonema spreads out curly tentacles to capture food. But when threatened, the jelly’s bell rapidly contracts, and its shape quickly transforms. The rounded bell becomes almost tubular in appearance, and Colobonema’s coiled tentacles straighten and elongate. Now, a mad dash to safety begins. A single swimming burst can propel the silky jelly more than five body lengths forward.⁠
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As they make a quick exit, they drop sticky tentacles to confuse potential predators. We have seen silky jellies with tentacles of varying, uneven lengths. This suggests that Colobonema can grow back their lost tentacles.⁠
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We have recorded an extensive archive of deep-sea video that offers insight into more than just animal behavior. Our researchers use this trove of data to understand long-term trends in populations of midwater animals. Comparing thousands of observations of deep-sea jellies reveals how their populations ebb and flow over time.

Congratulations to MBARI's Neptune Fellows! 🎉MBARI postdoctoral fellows Guillaume Liniger, Olívia Soares Pereira, and Sh...
06/11/2026

Congratulations to MBARI's Neptune Fellows! 🎉

MBARI postdoctoral fellows Guillaume Liniger, Olívia Soares Pereira, and Shawnee Traylor have been named inaugural Neptune Fellows. This philanthropic fellowship program, administered by Mission Neptune, supports young researchers working to advance ocean exploration and science.

Launched after the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, in 2025, Mission Neptune is a global public-private consortium that brings together public and private scientific organizations, research fleets, and philanthropic partners to advance ocean exploration and support sustainable governance of marine life, ecosystems, and resources. MBARI is a mission partner in this international initiative.

The Neptune Fellows were announced at a ceremony during the Neptune Forum in Paris, France, on World Ocean Day, June 8. The three-day Neptune Forum brought researchers, explorers, creators, experts, decision-makers, and philanthropists from around the world together to discuss the intersection of ocean exploration, science, economics, culture, and diplomacy. MBARI President and CEO Antje Boetius also played an active role in the Neptune Forum, connecting with the global ocean exploration community to facilitate new collaborations that can expand the reach of MBARI technology.

Learn more: https://www.mbari.org/news/three-mbari-postdoctoral-fellows-awarded-inaugural-neptune-fellowships

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