National Oceanography Centre

12/10/2026

It’s fantastic to see our Autosub Long Range, better known as Boaty McBoatface, contributing to the GIANT project (Greenland Ice sheet to AtlaNtic Tipping points from ice loss) led by the British Antarctic Survey and funded by the UK's Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA).

Operating beneath ice-filled fjords, the autonomous vehicle collected high-resolution measurements and mapped an environment that is notoriously difficult to access and study. These observations will provide valuable insights into the processes taking place where glaciers meet the ocean.

This is exactly where autonomous technology comes into its own. By extending the reach of scientists into some of the planet’s most challenging environments, it enables the collection of important data that helps us better understand our changing climate and improve climate models.

08/10/2026

What happens when you give water a really good shake? 🌊🔷

You might expect splashing, spilling and general aquatic chaos. But under exactly the right conditions, something much stranger can happen...

Our very own Lucy Bricheno joined Hannah Fry and Dara o Briain on the new visualised series of Cases to explore the fascinating world of Faraday waves: remarkable geometric patterns that can appear on the surface of a vibrating liquid.

Along the way, the team explores how Michael Faraday first discovered this phenomenon, whether these patterns could ever form in a swimming pool, what alligators have to do with it, and how satellites are helping us understand the ocean’s wildest waves. 🌍

Catch Episode 2 in a number of ways:
🎧 BBC Sounds (from the morning of Friday 9 October)

📻 BBC Radio 4 (10:00, Saturday 10 October)
Plus a repeat broadcast on Monday afternoon

📺 BBC iPlayer (available from Saturday 10 October)
🔗 Episode links in bio

Tune in to discover the science behind some of the ocean’s most mesmerising patterns.

01/10/2026

We're excited to help reconnect people with the sea, deepen understanding of local environmental challenges, and inspire positive action for a more resilient coastal future.

The Coast-R Network has announced awards to five coastal resilience projects through the second round of its Small Grants Fund

26/09/2026

🌡️ The waters around the UK and Ireland are still much warmer than usual.

Over the last two weeks, temperatures have risen from around 2°C to 3°C above average in many areas, with marine heatwave conditions continuing across parts of the region.

🌊 We're continuing to monitor the marine heatwave: https://www.noc.ac.uk/news/rolling-updates-inside-uks-unfolding-marine-heatwave

17/09/2026

Today marked the first of an exciting programme of ocean activities we’re delivering at the British Science Festival!
Dr Tammy Horton was joined by Sam Robinson from the Royal Historical Society to dive into the fascinating world of deep-sea creatures discovered by RRS Discovery through stories, art and sketching. Attendees even had the chance to get creative, sketching some of these remarkable animals and discovering more about their unusual lives in the deep ocean.
And this is just the beginning! Find out more about our British Science Festival events: https://go.noc.ac.uk/bsf26

British Science Association

16/09/2026

British Science Festival starts today in Southampton! 🌊

We are delivering an exciting program of ocean activities 👀 🦑 🎨

🦑 Find full details on our events here: https://go.noc.ac.uk/bsf26

British Science Association

12/09/2026

Join us from 16-20 September at University of Southampton for roughly 100 FREE events. Inspiring talks, exciting discoveries, and groundbreaking science. Don't miss out.

12/09/2026

It might feel cooler on land, but the marine heatwave still persists around much of the UK 🌊🇬🇧

⬇️ MHW conditions remain in southern half of the UK & Ireland
🌡️In the south, temps are broadly ±2°C warmer than normal
⬆️ Sea surface temperatures (SST) are close to normal conditions in the north of the UK

11/09/2026

🌋 New research published in Nature Geoscience reveals the dramatic impact of the 2022 Hunga volcano eruption on the seafloor.

An international research team, including scientists from NOC has published a paper in Nature Geoscience which gives rare insight into the impact of the rapid submarine caldera collapse, and could help improve monitoring and early-warning systems for volcanic-tsunamis.

Co-author Dr Isobel Yeo , said: “Hunga gave us an extraordinary opportunity to see just how dramatically the seafloor can change during a major volcanic eruption. It is rare to have detailed maps of the seafloor from before a hazardous event. The unique datasets used in this study allow us to reconstruct what happened during the most explosive volcanic eruption this century, helping us better understand how these processes generate devastating marine hazards, like tsunamis."

The research team calculated the total volume of material displaced during the eruption, revealing that Hunga volcano caldera deepened from 150 m to 850 m below sea level and displaced 8.9 cubic kilometres of volcanic material - equivalent to the volume of 1,500 Great Pyramids.

The findings provide new insight into submarine volcanic hazards and highlight the importance of improved seafloor monitoring and tsunami early-warning systems.

Nature | AUT - Auckland University of Technology | Natural Environment Research Council

📷 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

10/09/2026

British Science Festival is just around the corner 👀

We're bringing an ocean-themed line up of FREE events from our leading scientists!

Southampton will become 'Science-hampton' between 16-20 Sept with 100+ free events to challenge your thinking, tickle your senses and generate curiosity!

Will we sea you there?! 🦑 🎨 👀 🌊