Surfers come in many forms — humans, robots, birds, and even honeybees. Most of the time, though, we see surfers above the water. In this award-winning photo, on the other Keep reading
Tag: ocean waves
Waves Break Up Floating Rafts
Small particles can float on a liquid, held together as a raft through capillary action. But those rafts — like the tea skin below — break up when waves jostle Keep reading
Breaking in Rogue Seas
Many models for forecasting ocean waves simplify the physics by assuming that waves are essentially two-dimensional, like a long breaker heading toward shore. But in the open ocean, waves often Keep reading
The Crashing Waves of French Polynesia
Surfer and photographer Tim McKenna lives in the village of Teahupo’o on Tahiti’s southeastern coast. The area’s shallow coral reef system creates some of the world’s biggest barreling waves, which Keep reading
Beneath the Surf
A surfer duck-dives beneath a passing wave in this image from photographer John Barton. I always love seeing big waves from this underwater perspective. The turbulent surf looks like storm Keep reading
Seeking Rogue Wave Origins
Rogue waves — rare waves much larger than any surrounding waves — have long been a part of sailors’ tales, but their existence has only been confirmed relatively recently. The Keep reading
Banzai Pipeline From Above
On the north shore of O’ahu, Hawaii, Banzai Pipeline is known for some of the most thrilling and deadly surfing in the world. The area’s barrel rolls are triggered when Keep reading
Surfactants and Waves
In the ocean, waves often curl over and trap air, becoming plunging breakers. How do surfactants like soap or oil affect this process? That’s the question behind this video, where Keep reading
Beneath the Waves
Surfing looks entirely different from below the wave. Photographer Ben Thouard captures his images by freediving and observing what goes on overhead. Whether the surfers nearby ride a barrel roll Keep reading
Classifying Waves
In a lab, researchers create their waves in a long, clear-sided tank, where they can observe how the waves form, travel, and interact. To generate the wave, they use a Keep reading