While working at the Marine Biological Station, Warburg performed research on oxygen consumption in sea urchin eggs after fertilization and proved that upon fertilization the rate of respiration increases as much as sixfold.
Dok je boravio u Italiji Warburg je istraživao potrošnju kisika jajašaca morskih ježinaca poslije oplodnje, i dokazao je da nakon oplodnje brzina disanja raste čak i do šest puta.