A mountain range starts off the coast of Galápagos Islands and ends south of Costa Rica — as part of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, it exists in one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. In this near-pristine underwater habitat, deep-sea corals are extremely important, providing homes for fish, crustaceans and a host … Continued
“What we don’t sometimes realize is that under the water, we have this amazing topography. So you have valleys and hills and mountains, ravines, crevasses – you have places where continental plates are rubbing against each other, and that creates an entirely new space… it is a big three-dimensional connected area.” The #CliffReefs team is … Continued
“The moon has been mapped to much higher detail than the deep sea. It’s a massive cliche, but it is true: We know more about the face of the moon than we know about our own deep ocean.” Different types of maps will reveal different characteristics of a place. The Galápagos Islands are iconic sites … Continued
“Vertical deep-water coral reefs are areas where essentially corals live on the side of an underwater cliff.” Imagine walking in a forest, but then the entire scene is shifted 90 degrees – the forest is flipped up on its side. Everything in that ecosystem – living on the trees and vegetation – is still there, … Continued
Would you follow a trail of crabs? While it took a huge array of the latest technology – sonars, chemical sensors, a remotely operated vehicle and more – the biggest clue that the team was on the right path came from squat lobsters leading the way. Join in the excitement of this momentous discovery and … Continued
After 43 hours of searching, international science team discovers new hydrothermal vent field off the Western Galápagos Video and photos available here. Puerto Ayora, Ecuador– Scientists on a Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition have discovered a new hydrothermal vent field larger than a professional soccer field. The vent field found in the Pacific Ocean off the … Continued
“It is no exaggeration to say that all life on earth is inextricably tied to the rocks upon which we live and the geological processes occurring deep inside the planet.” The latest #GalapagosVents expedition update video dives deep into the history of interdisciplinary research, where biologists, chemists, and geologists work together to paint the first … Continued
Traducción al español a continuación Deep-sea hot springs, also known as hydrothermal vents, were discovered in 1977 along the Eastern Galápagos Spreading Center (EGSC), about 250 miles from the Galápagos Islands. Since then, these hydrothermal areas, as well as those elsewhere around the world, have been visited periodically by researchers eager to study the biology, … Continued
Many people think scientific expeditions always look for something exotic or mysterious. Microplastics are not rare, and are a side effect of our daily lives on earth. We know humans’ actions have impacted the world. It is important we now find out exactly how. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the #MicroplasticDynamics team, led by … Continued
The fashion industry is one of the major sources of microplastic in the Oceans, notably with by-products that come from materials such as polyester. Pei-Wen Jin and Shan Hua are Artist-at-Sea participants during the #MicroplasticDynamics expedition, working alongside researchers on R/V Falkor (too) as part of Ocean Rising. This initiative launched by the Schmidt Ocean … Continued
