ocean Archives - Exploring our Oceans

Our deep-ocean expedition in numbers

Our last day of science sampling and we are collecting water just above a site where we suspect there is low-temperature fluid flow at the seafloor 2.5km below the ship. This is the site that in 1974 was named TAG after dredging hydrothermal deposits from the eastern rift-valley wall. Continue reading →

Exploring environmental changes in the Antarctic with Blue Planet II

I joined the BBC Blue Planet II expedition to the Antarctic, where we made the first dives in minisubmarines to reach 1 km deep there. As a deep-sea biologist, those dives gave me new insights into how "dropstones" (typically car-sized boulders that fall from passing icebergs) shape the pattern of life on the ocean floor around Antarctica. Continue reading →

Blue Planet 2 | Episode 6 | Coasts

We have a tendency to take our coastlines for granted. It is by far the most accessible and relatable marine habitat, with thousands flocking there every day for their primary source of food, watersports, or just to relax. The UN estimates 40% of the world's population live in coastal areas. They provide the most extensive economic and social benefits of any natural habitat, encompassing 77% of the services provided to us by all ecosystems. Continue reading →

Mapping the deep, and the real story behind the “95% unexplored” oceans

At the end of this month, we will be running an update of our free Massive Open Online Course ("MOOC") about "Exploring Our Oceans", intended for anyone interested in finding out more about our watery world, with no previous background in science required. One topic we'll look at in Week 1 of the course, "A hidden landscape", is how we map the ocean floor, and how much has been mapped at different levels of detail. Continue reading →

Which came first in whales: extreme breath-hold diving or large body size?

While preparing some size-comparisons of marine life for Week 3 of our free Massive Open Online Course on "Exploring Our Oceans", I was particularly struck by how whales are astounding animals. An adult blue whale can have a body mass of ~150 tonnes. That's around twice the body mass estimated for the largest known dinosaur ever to walk the Earth, and equivalent to the body mass of around 2000 people (i.e. the population of a village, perhaps). Continue reading →

Onwards and downwards: when ROVs or AUVs are lost in ocean exploration

This week saw the news that the Nereus hybrid remotely operated vehicle (HROV) has been lost while exploring the Kermadec Trench at a depth of 9.99 km, during an expedition that has revealed that part of our planet as never before. To link with Week 5 of our free Massive Open Online Course on "Exploring Our Oceans", during which we focus on how we explore the oceans, this post takes a look at some of the ROVs and AUVs that have been lost during ocean exploration. Continue reading →

MINING AT DEEP-SEA VENTS: WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS ON MARINE LIFE?

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are one of the seafloor environments now being targeted for mining of their mineral resources, because the "chimneys" that form at vents are particularly rich in metals such as copper that we need for modern technology. Continue reading →

SHEDDING SOME LIGHT ON THE INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY

In my previous post, I outlined some of the possible impacts of mining at deep-sea vents on marine life, and how effective regulation at a regional scale will be essential to reduce risks of habitat loss and potential species extinction. Continue reading →

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