by Rhode Island Sea Grant | Oct 16, 2025 | Coastal Communities, News, Research
Microplastics have become a defining pollutant of our time—now detected from polar ice cores to human bloodstreams. These microscopic fragments, fibers, and beads—smaller than five millimeters and often invisible to the naked eye—form as common plastics break down...
by Rhode Island Sea Grant | Sep 10, 2025 | News, Research
When we think about life on Earth, we might picture scenes from a BBC Planet Earth special—vast rainforests, grasslands, or blue oceans. Yet a new study reveals how the “in-between” spaces—lakes, rivers, wetlands, estuaries, and continental shelves—are...
by Rhode Island Sea Grant | Sep 2, 2025 | Coastal Communities, News, Research
Earlier this summer, a first-of-its-kind study, funded by Rhode Island Sea Grant, mapped the movement and accumulation of microplastics in Narragansett Bay, finding the highest concentrations near urban centers, which are shaped by river runoff and wind patterns. Read...
by Rhode Island Sea Grant | Jul 9, 2025 | Coastal Communities, News, Research
From plastic straws and bottles to food containers and bags, there are the obvious signs of plastic pollution along our coastlines. But once they break down into tiny fragments—known as microplastics—they’re nearly invisible, yet still pose risks to marine life,...
by Rhode Island Sea Grant | Jul 3, 2025 | Coastal Communities, News, Research, Uncategorized
Simulation shows wave energy dissipated and up to 70% less erosion at Crescent Beach L-R Stephan Grilli, Eliza Berry, Judy Gray of the Block Island Coastal Resilience Committee, and Annette Grilli tour island areas facing erosion issues earlier this year. Block...
by Rhode Island Sea Grant | Jun 23, 2025 | Coastal Communities, News, Research, Sustainable Seafood, Uncategorized
New research highlights Vibrio risks in coastal seaweed habitats Opportunistic macroalgae like sea lettuce (Ulva) are increasingly common in coastal ecosystems. New research in Narragansett Bay found that these fast-growing species may harbor higher concentrations of...
