Live Roundups Editor's Desk Insights Executive Ops Weather About 🔍
Home › Environment › Tiny oyster larvae rely on gravity to feed
Environment

Tiny oyster larvae rely on gravity to feed

Tiny oyster larvae rely on gravity to feed
Phys.org Wednesday 16 September 2026, 22:20 UTC 1 min read
Key Points

Eastern oyster larvae are only 100–300 micrometers long, but their dense calcium carbonate shells make them substantially heavier than the surrounding seawater. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) shows that this excess weight allows gravity to drive the feeding currents the larvae use to bring food to their mouths, a finding that reveals a critical role for gravity in how these tiny animals feed and survive.

Eastern oyster larvae are only 100–300 micrometers long, but their dense calcium carbonate shells make them substantially heavier than the surrounding seawater. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) shows that this excess weight allows gravity to drive the feeding currents the larvae use to bring food to their mouths, a finding that reveals a critical role for gravity in how these tiny animals feed and survive.
Eastern (ORG) the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (ORG) WHOI (ORG)
Originally published by Phys.org Read original →

Related Stories

How climate change worsened Nepal's deadly mountain collapse

How climate change worsened Nepal's deadly mountain collapse September 17, 2026Nearly 1,400 people have died after a mountain slope collapsed and flash floods swept through the valleys of Nepal and Tibet. More than 5,000 people remain missing. The collapse was initially thought to have been caused by an earthquake.

Deutsche Welle 48m ago

UK not doing enough to help world's poorest countries tackle climate change, MPs warn

UK not doing enough to help world's poorest countries tackle climate change, MPs warn Cuts to international aid means the UK is not doing enough to help the world's poorest countries fund measures to tackle climate change, a new report by cross-party MPs has warned The UK is not doing enough to help the world's poorest countries fund measures to tackle climate change as the world braces for the El Niño phenomenon, MPs have warned. A damning report by Parliament's cross-party International...

Daily Mirror 49m ago

Iron, sulfur and purple light unlock greener carbon-carbon bond formation

Much of organic chemistry, including the type used to create and alter medicinal drugs, relies on modifying carbon bonds. Rice University's Julian West has been developing a less expensive, faster and more environmentally friendly way to catalyze these reactions, with a breakthrough published in the journal Nature Catalysis.

Phys.org 2h ago

Hyper Light Drifter dev at risk of closing after laying off 'nearly everyone'

Hyper Light Drifter dev at risk of closing after laying off 'nearly everyone' A tough end for another indie darling. Making games can be a brutal business, and another studio may have fallen victim to those struggles. Heart Machine Founder Alx Preston posted on LinkedIn today that the maker of Hyper Light Drifter has cut most of its team: "We had been working on an unannounced title, funded by a publisher.

Engadget 2h ago