Scientists lose critical climate record as ocean observatory will go dark under Trump funding cuts

A research buoy will be pulled June 16 as the National Science Foundation moves to dismantle most of the Ocean Observatories Initiative by 2027, ending a decade of continuous deep‑ocean monitoring.
Scientists say the timing is especially bad with an El Niño and marine heat waves on the way — losing below‑surface sensors will make it much harder to track warm water, low‑oxygen zones and other hidden changes.
The OOI cost about $386 million, ran 900+ sensors and supported 500+ studies; only a seafloor cable for seismic/volcanic data will remain after budget‑driven cuts.