Gulf Oil Spill Anniversary News and Pictures

Gulf Oil Spill, A Year On

On the first anniversary, experts see signs of recovery—but say it's too early to know the true damage.
Zoomable Maps: Oiled Gulf Beaches

Use our zoomable maps to see which Gulf of Mexico beaches were oiled during the spill—and how they're faring now.
Gulf Residents Sick from Spill?

Health issues that continue to plague Gulf Coast communities may be connected to the Gulf oil spill, experts say.
Gulf Oil Plumes Explained

Scientists may have figured out how huge plumes of Gulf oil spread underwater instead of rising to the surface as slicks.
BP Well Sealed for Good

Although the same cannot be said of all abandoned oil wells in the Gulf, experts believe BP's Macondo well is sealed for good.
Gulf Spill Photos: Hard-Hit Animals

From the pancake batfish to the manatee, see what what's happening to animals in the Gulf a year later.
Gulf Beaches Mostly Oil-Free

Florida and Alabama beaches hardest hit by the Gulf oil spill are largely clean a year later—though the oil's not all gone, scientists say.
Photos: Oiled Beaches Time Line

See the evolution of Florida and Alabama beaches blackened by the Gulf spill, from the first oiling to a shore ready for spring break.
6 Gulf Oil Spill Surprises

The Gulf oil spill delivered plenty of surprises—here's a look at some of the predictions experts got wrong.
Is Gulf Oil on the Seafloor?

A year after the Gulf oil spill, experts are finding conflicting data on whether crude coats the bottom.
Odd Fish Deformities Linked to Spill?

Strangely deformed fish and a rise in deaths of marine animals may be related to the Gulf oil spill, scientists say.
Migrating Birds Escaped Oil?

Though predictions of mass bird die-offs in the Gulf never materialized, crude is still oozing into some bird habitats, experts say.
Oil Drilling Turns to Deep Water

The Gulf oil spill did nothing to halt the demand for oil—and now companies are expanding into remote, deepwater sites.
Photos: Four Drilling Frontiers

From the Arctic to Africa—see four remote deepwater sites where oil companies are extending their reach.
Air Pollution Mystery Cracked?

Monitoring the Gulf aftermath revealed pollution due to heavy compounds once thought to play no role in poor air quality, a new study says.
Gulf Spill Dispersants Long-lasting

Massive amounts of dispersants pumped into the Gulf of Mexico to break up the BP oil spill lingered for months, new research shows.
Oil Spill Methane Nearly Gone

Bacteria have dispatched with most of the methane released during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill—in just four months, a new study says.

Latest News

Celebrating 125 Years

Explorer Moment: Azorean Whalers

With Força, Gemina Garland-Lewis learns what it takes to be an Azorean whaler.
From the Stacks: Meow Mix, 1938

Not all the animals National Geographic has covered have been wild ones.