Science

Seabin Project helps to reduce trash in ocean water

The “Seabin project” could be a game changer in the ongoing race to clean-up and protect our oceans. The brainchild of two Australian friends Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, Seabin is set to become the world’s first automated in-water trash…

Group of Paper Nautilus in California documented on video

Paper nautilus is a rare and enigmatic species of cephalopod which rarely graces the pages of Reef Builders, but when it does, it’s usually only one specimen at a time. Very little is known about the paper nautilus, its life…

Christmas tree worms and feather dusters of the suborder Sabellida

Sabellida is a suborder of annelid worms in the class Polychaeta. These tube dwelling worms are filter feeders and are commonly identified by a ring of feathery tentacles extending outwards. Members of the suborder include the feather duster worms (Sabellastarte…

The tiny Hairy Octopus is an irresistible puffball of cuteness

The tiny Hairy Octopus is one of the cutest creatures we have come across, and at around 5cm (2inch) long, you won’t want to blink or you might miss it. This well disguised cephalopod gets it names from the long ‘hairy’…

Racing Extinction a film by The Oceanic Preservation Society

The Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) is back with a new film called Racing Extinction, a documentary which sets out to expose the undercover world of endangered species and the race to protect them against mass extinction.

What you should know about the Crown-of-Thorns starfish

Acanthaster planci, more commonly known as the Crown-of-Thorn starfish, is a voracious predator which feeds on stony coral polyps. The starfish gets its name from the toxic thorn-like spines covering its body, which resemble a biblical “crown of thorns”. The…

Reef Builders Indonesia Travelogue – Bali Aquarium Serangan Coral Farm

Staring out to sea only a few short kilometers from the hustle and bustle of Denpasar Indonesia, it would be easy to miss what is going on beneath the surface. Above, you would notice surfers paddling between crashing waves and fishermen wading out…

First video of the fully settled out captive bred yellow tangs

The successful captive breeding of the yellow tang in aquariums took more than ten years of effort. So to celebrate we’re going to help the Oceanic Institute take a longer form victory lap with yet another update of the captive…

In the Seychelles, scientists are getting help from nature’s cleanup crew

An innovative new technique for cleaning farmed corals is giving researchers more time on the reefs and less time scrubbing. Inspired by nature, researchers in the Seychelles have found that by sending corals to the ‘cleaners’ before transplanting them to…

The Great Barrier Reef Foundations announced the Winner of the 2015 Bommie Award

Patrick Buerger, a German-born PhD candidate from the Townsville’s Australian Institute of Marine Science has been awarded the grand prize of $5000 AUS for his 360 degree film titled, Coral disease treatment with phage therapy. Buerger’s creative use of technology…