Scientists and policymakers can now tap into a massive ocean database that’s been free for 20 years. The ️International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)‘s Marine Radioactivity Information System holds over one million verified records tracking radioactivity in seas worldwide, according to an IAEA announcement. It’s helping researchers monitor ocean health with data they can actually trust.
Most environmental research data never sees the light of day. It gets stuck behind paywalls, stored in odd formats, or just poorly labeled. MARIS fixes that. Experts at the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco check every single record before it goes online. They verify the testing methods, look for errors, and make sure everything’s properly documented.
“What makes MARIS unique is not just the volume of data, but the rigorous quality assurance behind every record,” said Paul McGinnity, a research scientist at the labs. That quality control means scientists anywhere can use the data without second-guessing it—whether they’re writing environmental reports or advising governments on policy.
The system tracks radioactivity in seawater, fish, sediment, and other marine matter going back to 1957. You can search by year, location, radioactive element, depth, or species. This matters when comparing radiation levels before and after events like nuclear facility discharges or accidents. It’s also useful for climate studies, pollution tracking, and emergency planning.
MARIS pulls data from monitoring programs in dozens of countries, regional groups like the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, and scientific journals. Everything in the database can be downloaded and reused by anyone, which is the whole point—getting researchers to work together instead of repeating each other’s work.
