Welcoming Rod Downie as Fellow of the MBA
The MBA is honoured to welcome Rod Downie as a newly appointed Fellow of the Marine Biological Association (FMBA).
Marine Biological Association welcomes Professor Thomas Miller as a Fellow of the MBA
We are proud to welcome Professor Thomas James Miller PhD as a Fellow of the Marine Biological Association (FMBA).
Ocean Wonders in Yarn: MBA staff and students turn Plymouth post box into call to engage with the ocean
An ordinary post box on Plymouth Hoe has been transformed into an eye-catching celebration of marine life, thanks to a team of creative staff and students from the Marine Biological Association, who have handcrafted an intricately beautiful knitted and crocheted topper inspired by the sea.
Bloomin’ Octopus! New film explores the science behind the octopus surge in the southwest
Filmmaker and diver David Palfrey expected a routine dive off the Cornish coast—but instead encountered something extraordinary: octopus after octopus, gathered in open water and observing him in return. These surprising encounters inspired Bloomin’ Octopus! A Tentacular Spectacular, a new short film exploring the remarkable ‘octopus bloom’ in southwest England in 2025.
Study provides detailed assessment of shifts in toxin producing phytoplankton abundance
UK researchers, including from the Marine Biological Association and the University of Plymouth, have shown how the distributions of two phytoplankton groups known to produce natural toxins that can halt shellfish harvesting have changed in the North East Atlantic over the last six decades.Â
UK invited to compete in nationwide rock pooling challenge with prizes up for grabs
Communities across the UK are invited to join in with a nationwide rock pooling competition this spring, with the Big Rock Pool Challenge National BioBlitz 2026. Combining marine species discovery with competitive wildlife recording, the event brings people of all ages and backgrounds together with the common aim of exploring and recording the incredible biodiversity of our coastal shores.
Research in algae provides insight into the origins of the animal nervous system
A new study indicates that major components of the animal nervous system are found in marine algae and play important roles in cellular communication. Multicellular organisms have developed many mechanisms to allow communication between individual cells. In animals, the amino acid glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter, allowing the transfer of information between neurons in the … Read more
Unlocking the value of biodiversity: report highlights economic impact of the Darwin Tree of Life project
A new economic analysis has shown that sequencing the DNA of all complex life in the UK and Ireland could deliver up to almost £3 billion in benefits to the economy over the next 30 years, with wide‑ranging impacts across agriculture, conservation, and research and innovation.
MBA welcomes Dr Amy Courtney as our new Anne Warner Research Fellow
The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is delighted to welcome Dr Amy Courtney as our new Anne Warner Research Fellow, strengthening the MBA’s internationally recognised programme of discovery science and its long tradition of using marine life to unlock fundamental biological insights. Amy is an evolutionary neuroscientist whose work explores one of biology’s most fascinating questions: … Read more
Exploring coccolithophore communities in the Southern Indian Ocean
Our oceans contain a vast community of calcifying algae, known as coccolithophores, that play a critical role in the global carbon cycle through their ability to produce calcium carbonate in huge quantities. Coccolithophores are particularly abundant in the Southern Ocean, an area known as the Great Calcite Belt, but we know little about these communities due to their remote location.
