NOAA: Making Waves

You know about ocean tides, but how much do you know about ocean currents? Watch our three-minute video podcast to learn what puts the motion in the ocean.

Prior to the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Exxon Valdez was the largest spill to ever occur in U.S. coastal waters. In this episode, we talk with NOAA marine biologist Gary Shigenaka to find out how marine life is faring today in Prince William Sound, Alaska. We also look at lessons we might learn from this environmental disaster in light of growing oil exploration and shipping traffic in the Arctic.

How do we use sound to 'see' the sea floor? Our latest podcast explains how sonar works and includes a great visualization that shows how sound data is used to make nautical charts.

In this video episode: two Civil War-era sailors lost over 150 years ago aboard the U.S.S. Monitor are laid to rest. Don't miss this moving three-minute video brought to you by NOAA Ocean Today.

It's Shark Week! Tune in to hear 'Hooked on Sharks,' the latest episode of 'On the Line,' a new podcast from our colleagues at NOAA Fisheries. 'On the Line' features interviews with NOAA scientists who study fish, marine mammals, and other ocean life. In 'Hooked on Sharks,' we hear about a research project to see if a special type of hook can help vulnerable populations of sharks to survive.

Coral reefs are under intense pressure from climate change, pollution, and unsustainable use. So what can we do about it? To answer that question, we need to better understand the main threat to our reefs. Humans. Join us for a discussion about the social side of protecting coral reefs with scientist Peter Edwards from NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

In this video podcast, see how real-time ocean data is aiding Coast Guard search and rescue operations.

It's hurricane season. Are you prepared? Find out with this video from NOAA's Ocean Today.

How do we measure elevation changes in estuaries--marshy areas where land elevations are constantly shifting? How will sea level rise affect the flora and fauna that live in these places? See how National Geodetic Survey experts are laying the groundwork to help answer these challenging questions at Waquoit Bay in Mass.

In this video podcast, learn what ocean acidification is, how it's affecting marine life, and how NOAA tools are helping people monitor and adapt to changes in ocean chemistry.