The current knowledge in primary and secondary marine aerosol formation is reviewed. For primary marine aerosol source functions, recent source functions have demonstrated a significant flux of submicrometre particles down to radii of 20 nm. Moreover, the source functions derived from different techniques up to 10 microm have come within a factor of two of each other. For secondary marine aerosol formation, recent advances have identified iodine oxides and isoprene oxidation products, in addition to sulphuric acid, as contributing to formation and growth, although the exact roles remains to be determined. While a multistep process seems to be required, isoprene oxidation products are more likely to participate in growth and sulphuric acid is more likely to participate in nucleation. Iodine oxides are likely to participate in both nucleation and growth.