There are very few moments in science where years of work by dozens of people produces a single outcome, at a single moment in time. The "Eureka!" event for the Ocean Health Index project—which makes its public debut today in the journal Nature—occurred last spring when a global score emerged from a thicket of data. More than a year ago we started writing a series in this magazine about the process of developing the Ocean Health Index, hoping to offer a window into the challenges of a complex research project that tackles big, pressing questions. In this case, we are trying to ... Read More

Almost a month after his plane plunged into the Pacific, U.S. Army Air Force bombardier Louie Zamperini was weary of sharks circling his life raft. As Laura Hillenbrand details in her New York Times bestseller Unbroken, dozens of sharks were tracking Zamperini's every move, waiting for him to fall in the water and become their next meal. That was in 1943. Since then, the number of sharks in the world's ocean has declined by as much as 90 percent, and being adrift at sea isn't quite as scary a prospect as it would have been three-quarters of a century ago. So, which ocean is the healthy ... Read More

Differences in perspective shape the way we see the world. Toddlers see nothing but joy in a mud puddle, while parents see piles of undone, badly stained laundry. The sheer cliff face that screams adventure to a climber instills sheer panic in others. Such differences plague the relationship between scientists and policymakers, making it difficult for them to connect in meaningful ways. We repeatedly hear from national and international groups (like the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development or the 2004 U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy) that the oceans are in trouble and that we need ... Read More