Cruise: Hydrothermal Vents of the Western Galápagos

Expedition dates: August 13 - September 10, 2023 In 1977, scientists at the Eastern Galápagos Spreading Center uncovered an ecosystem that changed our conception of life—hydrothermal vents. In the crushing darkness of the deep sea, life thrives on these vents as bacteria facilitate a whole food web by converting chemicals, rather than sunlight, into energy. … Continued

Cruise: 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

Log Post: Catch and Release…

No, wait – the other one: Release then Catch!!! Today was the day that we finally set sail.  Up early for a start-the-day meeting with the Captain, Leighton et al. at 7am on the Bridge then time for due diligence: walking around the labs and making sure that all the science party (myself included!) had … Continued

Log Post: Perth Canyon – a marine hotspot in an ocean desert

Submarine canyons are dramatic topographic features that connect shallow continental shelves to deep ocean basins and create marine hotspots due to their unusual characteristics. They are highly productive zones that support an astonishing diversity of marine life within their depths. Perth Canyon is no exception, and has long been known to attract large aggregations of … Continued

Log Post: Living at the edge – An acidifying ocean

The world’s oceans are 30% more acidic today than only 200 years ago. And by the end of this century, ocean acidity is expected to have increased by an incredible 100–150%. Clearly, this does not bode well and you may be wondering what all of this means for the many plants and animals living in … Continued

Log Post: First Impressions – Exploring RV Falkor

At last, R/V Falkor has entered the Indian Ocean for the first time in her history and is now docked at Henderson, just 35 km (22 miles) south of Perth, where final preparations are made for the upcoming Perth Canyon cruise. Scientists, visitors, and journalists took this opportunity to visit Falkor and participate in a lecture about … Continued

Cruise: Designing the Future 2

Dr. Phillips and his team are looking to create a paradigm shift in how researchers perform midwater exploration. The ‘twilight’, or mesopelagic zone, is receiving renewed interest from the oceanographic community. There are numerous undescribed species dwelling in the pelagic zone beneath the limits of technical SCUBA diving, and improved survey methods have highlighted the biomass that exists in the twilight zone and beyond.

Cruise: Biodiverse Borderlands

Mineral-Rich Habitats of Southern California The deep sea hosts minerals that contain high quantities of elements that are valuable for human societies. Countries around the world are preparing to develop extractive practices for deep-sea minerals, and baseline biological data are needed to further assess the life that may dwell on or around minerals in different … Continued

Log Post: AUV Sirius: A profile

In nautical terms, a “flagship” is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels. Usually it is the largest, fastest, most heavily armed, or best known of the group. The HMS Sirius was the flagship in a fleet that set out in 1787 from England to establish the first European colony in New South Wales, … Continued