The study of cold-water corals, which are corals that exist at all latitudes but require no sunlight, has been limited by the coarse resolution of bathymetric surveys taken from the ocean surface.

Inspired by the sleek and efficient propulsion of squid, jellyfish and other cephalopods, a University of Colorado at Boulder researcher has designed a new generation of compact vortex generators that could make it easier for scientists to maneuver and dock underwater vehicles at low speeds and with greater precision.