Oceanography is the scientific study of the world's oceans. It includes the living plants and animals under the waves, currents and tides, and the effect of chemicals and pollution on the oceans.

The Census of Marine Life is a global network of researchers in more than 70 nations working together. It is a ten-year long project to evaluate and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life in the oceans. See what they do and how they do it here.

This link takes you to a local lab that does extensive long-term research. Many of the questions their researchers explore will not be answered for months or years to come! Lots of their work is in the deep submarine canyons that start in Monterey Bay. Each year, they hold an open house where you can take a close look at their submersibles.

This is a local lab that is a research station for many California State Universities. Sometimes they are open to the public for talks and workshops, and offer information on a wide variety of current (ha!) research happening there. I've taken some lab courses here during the summer doing genetic studies to track the encroachment of invasive mussels.

All sorts of neat things here from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Photos and descriptions of studies of just about everything relating to the ocean. Includes amazing shots of really neat deep sea research submarines, and all sorts of unusual sea life.

With computers being used more and more in science, the face of research is changing. Here you can get access to long-term studies about and interactive maps of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This also has excellent information on the different kinds of ecosystems found within the sanctuary.

This site highlights some of the latest discoveries about seafloor volcanoes and vents, and how they create environments for extraordinary lifeforms.

This is a big research group from the East Coast, famous for its deep sea studies. Provides information on their latest projects.

As always, I can be reached at askmrc@earthlink.net.