You can’t see anything at the bottom of the ocean without the help of technology. Sailors originally created seafloor maps using weighted ropes, known as lead lines, that they would throw over the side of ships; the rope went slack when it hit bottom. After recording the depth, the sailors would create rough topographic maps … Continued
Stunning 800-meter long coral reef discovered with Schmidt Ocean Institute’s underwater robot off Galápagos Islands Video and photos available here. Puerto Ayora, Ecuador– Scientists examining underwater cliff ecosystems onboard research vessel Falkor (too) using the 4,500 meter robot, ROV SuBastian, have discovered two pristine coral reefs in the waters surrounding the Galápagos Islands. These newly … Continued
Dive into a world of unparalleled natural beauty and biodiversity in this ROV highlight reel from the #CliffReefs expedition. Our awe-inspiring journey took us through two of the most pristine and protected areas in the world, where we were fortunate to document amazing displays of nature’s splendor. The expedition’s multidisciplinary team worked to map and … Continued
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
Traducción al español a continuación Have you ever been afraid of the dark? I remember that when I was little, I was always scared when my parents turned off the lights in my room because I thought there could be monsters in the darkness that would harm me. Today, it amazes me that living in … Continued
Hola! My name is Biajani Gonzalez, I recently graduated as an electrical engineering student and will start my graduate studies in physical oceanography this coming fall. As a Puerto Rican, my life experience in the Caribbean— the impact climate change has had on our region, lives, and sustainability— has driven me to purposefully research oceans … Continued
A Haiku Searching the deep-sea For pulses of ROS Fleeting signs of health Traducción al español disponible a continuación Why do we care about ROS? Aerobic organisms may produce ROS for a variety of beneficial functions, including cell growth, signaling, and pathogen defense. However, if the ability of an organism to regulate the production and … Continued
Traducción al español disponible a continuación Written by Dr. Colleen Hansel Life relies on chemistry. For instance, chemical reactions allow animals (including humans) to extract energy from food, for plants to convert carbon dioxide to organic matter, and for fungi to degrade wood. Organisms also produce chemicals to increase the availability of nutrients, repair wounds, … Continued
An audience of hundreds – sometimes thousands – of people ashore watch the live-stream intensely as Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) dives and collects samples. Sometimes when collecting a sample, a researcher narrating the dive suggests that a sample might represent an undescribed (i.e., new-to-science) species. It can take years to formally describe a new species. … Continued
When you hear the word ‘coral’ or the phrase ‘coral reefs,’ what image comes to mind? For most people, it is a light-soaked shallow-water coral reef teeming with life. This is a scene that many of us have become familiar with, either through a first-hand experience of scuba diving or snorkeling in tropical waters or … Continued
