Designing the Future 3

In the edgeless realm of the midwater, there is remarkable biodiversity. It is the largest habitat on Earth, extending from just below the sunlit surface layers to far beyond the sun’s reach. Biodiversity abounds in the form of gelatinous drifters such as ctenophores, jellies, and gossamer worms — many with fragile, transparent bodies and the ability to bioluminesce, or light up, the ocean depths. Despite their crucial roles in food webs and carbon sequestration, many mesopelagic animals are poorly studied because they are difficult to observe. Using novel techniques, the science team will create 4D computer renderings that capture the morphology of transparent organisms and gather genetic data in situ. By combining rich imagery with behavioral tracking and chemical studies, the team will gain a deeper understanding of how midwater animals live, feed, and move through the Ocean.

SUBSEA Part 1

The subtropical ocean gyres are thousands of kilometers in diameter, with an average depth exceeding 4,000 meters, making them one of Earth’s largest continuous biomes. Gyres are large, permanent circular current systems primarily driven by Earth’s global wind patterns and its rotation, and are found in each major ocean basin. While often deprived of nutrients, it is estimated that 20% of the ocean’s primary productivity occurs in the subtropical gyres, and these ecosystems may account for up to half of the global ocean carbon export to the deep sea. Understanding their biogeochemistry is required to develop a more accurate understanding of how climate change is impacting the global Ocean. 

Animals as Living Bioreactors PART 1

19 January - 22 February 2026 #LivingBioreactors Each night in the open ocean, hundreds of millions of tons of fish, shrimps, jellies, and other animals rise from the deep to feed near the surface. Then, at dawn, they descend hundreds of meters to avoid predators. This is the largest animal migration on Earth, and a … Continued

Life in Extremes – Cold Seeps of Argentina

Methane and other energy-rich gases escape from the ocean floor, creating landscapes that support an ecosystem adapted to survive independent of the sun’s energy. Typically, only a fraction of the gases that escape these cold seeps reach the sea surface because microbes and animals consume them through a process known as chemosynthesis, which provides the trophic basis for nurturing lush and unique animal communities.

Searching for the Asgards

Almost all visible life on Earth is eukaryotic. Trees, fish, humans, kelp, flowers, and mushrooms all share one thing: they are built from eukaryotic cells. Unlike prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus and mitochondria, the powerhouses that facilitate cellular functions such as eating, breathing, and physical appearance. Yet, where and how the first eukaryote came into existence is still one of biology’s greatest unknowns. Dr. Brett Baker, of the University of Texas at Austin, and an international team of scientists are working to resolve this mystery.

A Tale of Two Submarine Canyons

The Malvinas Current offshore of Argentina — a branch of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current — carries nutrients and cold water from the south, boosting primary productivity in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Underwater canyons along Argentina’s continental slope create irregularities in the seafloor that could change the path of this powerful current, facilitating an exchange of water masses between the shelf and the open Ocean. Scientists hypothesize that, as a consequence of this dynamic, massive phytoplankton blooms and biodiversity hotspots are present near the canyon heads in these waters. 

Visualizing the Deep off Uruguay

The Rio de la Plata drains into the Atlantic Ocean, delivering sediment-rich contents from the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers, each fed by myriad streams and tributaries. The mixing of fresh water with the nutrient-rich seawater upwelled along the continental shelf fosters remarkable biodiversity. Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems, or VMEs, are critical yet fragile habitats that support a diverse array of species, and human activities pose a significant threat to these ecosystems. Currently, there is only one reported VME in Uruguay. It is home to cold-water coral reefs formed by Desmophyllum pertusum, a slow-growing coral that grows throughout the Atlantic Ocean; experts suspect this ecologically important animal is threatened and in decline. Scientists believe there are more vulnerable ecosystems, but have not had access to the technology needed to describe deep-water areas in Uruguayan waters.

Underwater Oases of the Mar Del Plata Canyon

Two powerful currents converge in the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon in Argentina’s Exclusive Economic Zone. One is warm and salty; the other is nutrient-rich and cold. Together, they form the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence, one of the most energetic regions in our global Ocean. These currents help to redistribute heat from the tropics to the poles and play a prominent role in the Earth’s climate. While scientists know these currents support submarine canyon ecosystems, their effects have never been visualized. This expedition will explore the diversity and distribution of seafloor communities in one of the country’s largest deep-sea canyons.

In Search of Hydrothermal Lost Cities

Expedition dates: March 3 – April 11, 2023 On its inaugural expedition, Falkor (too) will head to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with Chief Scientist Dr. David Butterfield from the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory - University of Washington, and his team to search for hydrothermal lost cities. In 2000, scientists found a hydrothermal vent system on … Continued