ROV Dives – Octopus Odyssey

More about the research HERE. Dive 529 - Dorado Outcrop Dive 529 Part 2 - Dorado Outcrop Dive 530 - Dorado Outcrop Dive 530 Part 2 -Dorado Outcrop Dive 516 - Continuing our Coral Search at Whiting Bank Date: April 27, 2023 Location: Whiting Bank, Atlantic Ocean off Puerto Rico Estimated Maximum Depth: 1180 meters … Continued

Todo está Conectado

Perspectivas sobre la conectividad del área de estudio, a nivel regional, entre la columna de agua y el fondo marino, implicaciones para la gestión e investigación. English Translation Below “Todo está conectado”…. Una frase muy trillada que aplica de manera perfecta para lo que sucede en el océano, un medio que obedece las leyes de … Continued

Discovering New Species and Exploring Deep-sea Microbiomes

Traducción al español a continuación Ten to 30 million species are estimated to exist on our planet, yet only ~1 million of these have been formally described. These estimates do not include the vast majority of microbial life, let alone how microbes interact with animals. A major goal of scientific discovery is to understand not … Continued

Fluid Flow through the Crust

Traducción al español a continuación In addition to the biologists studying octopus, the science party on the Falkor (too) includes a geophysicist (me) and a hydrogeologist (Dr. Rachel Lauer).  Our role is to study what is happening beneath the seafloor to understand better the “plumbing” that moves fluids into and out of the ocean crust, … Continued

Odyssey Origins – Week 1 Video Update

The Octopus Odyssey expedition is currently underway in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Costa Rica, with the objective of investigating underwater mountains that scientists believe harbor distinctive habitats and biodiversity. The multidisciplinary science team aims to gain a deeper understanding of the hydrogeology, microbiology, ecology, and geochemistry that potentially contribute to the captivating … Continued

ROV Dives – Health Diagnostics of Deep-Sea Coral

More about the research HERE. Dive 503 - Diving to Desecheo Ridge Date: April 18, 2023 Location: Desecheo Ridge, Atlantic Ocean off Puerto Rico Estimated Maximum Depth: 800 meters Work Completed: Explored the lower ridge benthic cover while transiting up the Desecheo Ridge. Focused on measurements and collections at ca. 150-200 m. Dive 504 - … Continued

4K Highlights ~ Video Update

It sounds like something out of a fairytale: scenes of fantastical creatures - some floating, others firmly entwined within towering mineral chimneys that billow underwater "smoke." These are the very real ecosystems around the hydrothermal vents we were lucky enough to explore during Schmidt Ocean Institute's latest expedition. ROV SuBastian documented wonders including astounding geological … Continued

Ocean Worlds Beyond Earth

One of my favorite memories of sailing with Schmidt Ocean Institute was in 2016 when we were using the ROV SuBastian to explore volcanoes of the Mariana Arc and Backarc in the western Pacific. We live-streamed seafloor video from this amazing sulfur-rich underwater volcano called Daikoku back to shore, and we kept getting the question … Continued