Scientific news

Fisheries represent one of the main economic sectors affected by marine litter. The amount of garbage trapped in the networks can also damage ships and rigging. A study by the Institute of Marine Sciences has evaluated the amount and type of marine litter in the shallow waters of two fishing areas, the Delta del Ebro (Tarragona) and Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona). Both areas are part of the Natura 2000 network.

On Thursday, July 11th, the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) hosted a meeting between a Chinese delegation, led by Prof. Chunli BAI, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and CSIC, to sign a collaboration agreement to promote remote sensing research in China and Spain.

Domestication involves raising animals in a different environment from their natural habitat, which ends up modifying their behaviour and physical appearance. Charles Darwin was the first to realize that domestic animals were not only more docile, but had common characteristics such as a shorter snout, drooping ears and lack of skin pigmentation in some areas. These changes are known as the "domestication syndrome".

Today, the Institut de Ciències del Mar (Institute of Marine Sciences - CSIC) celebrates a tribute to Pepita Castellví, one of her most projected and pioneer researchers in Antarctica, coinciding with her 84th anniversary. A pioneer of Spanish research in Antarctica, she led the installation of the Spanish Antarctic Base and was its first director.

Rafel Simó, researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences of Barcelona (ICM-CSIC), is one of the 222 scientists who have been awarded an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) in the last call, the results of which have been announced today. It is the first time that the ICM gets an ERC grant.

The ERC Advanced Grants are given to consolidated scientists for innovative research projects. This is a very competitive call; of 2,052 submitted proposals this year in all Europe, only 11% have been selected.

From 11th to 15th of march, the ICM and CephRes co-organize the course "Biology and care of cephalopods as experimental animals", accredited by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Association (FELASA).