Science

  • Team Seeks Skittish Seabird Off NC Coast

    Researchers are looking for the mysterious black-capped petrel off Cape Hatteras, a threatened pelagic bird that breeds on Caribbean islands and travels far to forage.

  • New Tsunami Research Rides on Small Waves

    NOAA scientists studying meteotsunamis say learning more about these smaller tsunami-like waves that reach N.C. beaches generally unnoticed could help in forecasting storm surge and coastal flooding.

  • Study Eyes Tourism’s Effect On Groundwater

    Researchers studying groundwater quality on Bogue Banks, where there’s no central wastewater treatment plant, have shown correlations in nitrogen levels and seasonal population spikes.

  • Forum Links Coastal Scientists, Community

    Numerous factors play a part in oyster reef growth rates, according research shared during a recent symposium at the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City.

  • Study: Expect Worsening Wastewater Woes

    Researchers say excessive rainfall, rising sea levels and other factors are compounding the problems that cause sewage spills, and towns may be overwhelmed trying to address more and more wastewater system failures.

  • Restoration Work A Test for Carbon Farming

    Researchers say a project in northeastern N.C. to restore pocosin wetlands that were drained for agriculture could become a model system for capturing CO2, the greenhouse gas most associated with climate change.

  • Research: Hurricanes’ Effects on Estuaries

    Research by Hans Paerl and his colleagues at the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences sheds new light on the effects increasingly frequent hurricanes could have on the Neuse River estuary and Pamlico Sound.

  • New Tool Makes Oyster Restoration Easier

    Scientists and stakeholders have created a mapping tool that indicates optimal locations to restore oyster reefs, which is being put to use creating a sanctuary in Pamlico Sound.

  • Study: Nesting Turtles Prefer Dark Beaches

    Anna Windle at the Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort has been leading a study on sea turtle nesting and artificial light, finding that nest density is higher on darker beaches.

  • Not Just Young Sharks, More Big Ones, Too

    Bull sharks are increasingly using North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound as a nursery, according to a recent study, but long-term research has shown that waters in the region are teeming with more large sharks – a good sign for the ecosystem.