Abstract: With the vigorous development of the nuclear energy industry, ensuring the stable supply of nuclear fuel uranium resources is of vital importance. The ocean contains 4.5 billion tons of uranium, more than 1 000 times the amount of terrestrial uranium mines. The uranium extraction from seawater technology is expected to become a pivotal technological reserve for the sustainable development of nuclear energy industry and has been developed for seven decades. However, due to the complexity of the seawater system and the significant impact of marine environmental factors, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of uranium extraction from seawater have not yet met the requirements for industrial application. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the field of uranium extraction from seawater, especially in the design and preparation of new materials, the development and application of new technologies, and marine tests. Scholars are also increasingly focusing on using natural seawater as a “touchstone” to test the performance of uranium extraction materials. This paper comprehensively reviews the research advances in the field of uranium extraction from natural seawater in recent years, focusing on four aspects: the design of new adsorbent materials, the development of anti-biofouling adsorbents, new methods of uranium extraction such as electrochemical/photocatalytic, and the development of marine tests. In terms of new adsorbent materials, it first reviews the research progress of fibrous adsorbent, which are widely recognized as the most practical and potential for large-scale marine tests. Subsequently, it reviews novel adsorbent materials such as metal-organic frameworks(MOFs), covalent organic frameworks(COFs), hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks(HOFs), and protein-based adsorbents. These emerging materials hold great promise for the design of highly efficient uranium adsorbents. However, due to challenges related to mechanical properties, formability, and economic feasibility, they are currently not suitable for large-scale uranium extraction from seawater. In the field of anti-biofouling marine-adaptive materials, the review first categorizes uranium adsorbents into two types based on their anti-biofouling mechanisms: active anti-fouling(antibacterial) and passive anti-fouling(anti-adhesive). It also reviews the research progress of materials that combine both types of anti-fouling mechanisms. These marine-adaptive materials are essential for enhancing the performance and longevity of materials in marine environments. In the field of new uranium extraction methods, the review highlights the advancements in electrochemical and photocatalytic approaches. These methods, which leverage external energy sources, can significantly improve the efficiency of uranium extraction. If their feasibility and cost-effectiveness in marine environments can be addressed, these methods may provide alternative and innovative pathways for extracting uranium from seawater. In the field of marine tests, the review provides a comprehensive overview of the research progress reported by Chinese and Japanese studies, including large-scale production of uranium adsorbents, the construction of marine tests platforms, and the performance of uranium adsorbents in marine environments. Finally, the current status of uranium extraction from seawater is comprehensively summarized and the future development is prospected.