Marine Biology

Marine compounds that were once known to be toxic to humans have now become life-saving drugs. Many of these are used either as anticancer drugs or to relieve pain in cancer.

The difference between the colossal and giant squid, the real sea monsters that spawned the kraken legend, is about more than just size!

Octopuses have fascinating abilities. Some have fins that help them move. Others demonstrate intelligence. The genome of one species is very unusual.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest place in the ocean and contains some fascinating animals. NOAA has made some exciting discoveries about life in the trench.

There are many fascinating and beautiful types of mollusks. This page is packed with pictures and facts on the kinds you can easily find, plus some that you might want to avoid at all costs.

Pyrosomes are strange creatures that swim in the ocean and are bioluminescent. They are undergoing a puzzling population increase off the west coast of North America.

Our list of the top 10 weirdest deep sea creatures will take you to the depths of the ocean floor and explore some of the strangest looking creatures on the planet, above or below the water.

The frilled shark is a strange, deep water shark with a wide head, a huge mouth, and a long, eel-like body. It’s caught as bycatch and is near threatened.

The mucus that covers fish has several functions, including protection from multiple dangers and serving as food for young fish. The substance may also be useful for us.

Top predators, such as sharks, are vital to the health of all ecosystems, but they are being hunted and killed close to extinction.

The wonderpus octopus is a beautiful animal found around Indonesia and Malaysia. It resembles a mimic octopus, which has an amazing ability to mimic other animals.

Some sharks produce beautiful patterns of light in a process called biofluorescence. The light emission may have important functions.

Coral bleaching is an event in which corals lose their pigment and main source of food. It often causes corals to die. Oxybenzone in sunscreens may contribute to coral bleaching.

Narwhals are strange and fascinating Arctic whales. The males—and sometimes the females—have a very long tooth that grows through their lip, forming a tusk.

Chimaeras are strange fish that are sometimes known as ratfish, rabbitfish, elephant fish, or rhinochimaeras. The lines on their surface often look like seams.

The unexplored bottom of the ocean floor is home to a plethora of weird and creepy sea creatures who never see the sun. In this Hub I list ten of them, and explain exactly what makes them so creepy.