🪸The #NazcaHighSeas expedition, supported by #OceanDecade Alliance member Schmidt Ocean, documents extraordinary biodiversity. Many experts believe that the area is a priority for designation as one of the world’s first high-seas marine protected areas: ow.ly/68X450T8tmx

20 POTENTIAL NEW SPECIES discovered on the #NazcaHighSeas expedition led by @schmidtocean with Ocean Census Science Network scientists. Rare squid caught on camera, and first sighting of species in Southern Pacific. Find out more ⬇️ oceancensus.pulse.ly/xiakq3dyds #SpeciesDiscovery

#NazcaHighSeas: Researchers discovered & mapped a new seamount, ~2 miles tall in international waters. Highlights from 28-day expedition include encountering remarkable biodiversity & locating lush animal forests w/ ancient corals like this Iridogorgia. schmidtocean.org/new-seamount-a…

Ever heard of a Flying Spaghetti Monster? Bubblegum coral? Casper the ghost octopus? Scientists have found incredible marine life around a massive, newly discovered underwater mountain: edition.cnn.com/2024/08/28/sci…

All praise to thy noodly appendages, may your sauces be rich and hearty.

🚨New species alert!🚨 #OceanDecade actors @OceanCensus and Schmidt Ocean identify 20 potentially new marine species in their latest #NazcaHighSeas expedition. This brings the number of species documented in this region to 1,300, and continues to grow. ow.ly/Viqu50T9uBf

Underwater mountains offer prime space for sponges, anemones, coldwater corals & more. #NazcaHighSeas news: The findings highlight a remarkable diversity of ecosystems while revealing gaps in understanding how seamount ecosystems are connected. More info: schmidtocean.org/new-seamount-a…

🌊 Scientists from @schmidtocean and the Ocean Census Science Network have uncovered 20 potential new species! Highlights include a rare squid caught on camera and a first-ever sighting of a species in the Southern Pacific.

2018 #ArtistAtSea Lily Simonson found the perfect muse, albeit a mechanical one, for her painting on the R/V Falkor. Who knew our robotic guide to the deep, ROV SuBastian, was a suitable partner for painting? #SciArtFriday

Manganese nodules are at the center of deep-sea mining debates. They begin as a mere fragment: a bit of rock or shell enveloped by precipitates of manganese, iron oxides, other metals (cobalt&zinc). It grows slowly, millimeters per million years. This one is about size of potato

This ctenophore was observed 1.4 miles below the Ocean’s surface during a test dive at the beginning of our recent #NazcaHighSeas expedition off the coast of Chile. AKA Comb jellies - these boneless creatures have been around for well over 500 million years.

Follow those fins! This Cirroteuthid is a cirrate octopus possessing 1 row of suckers on each arm, & each sucker has 2 tiny cirri, finger-like bristles. This one was documented on the #AtacamaTrenchAncients expedition. More info about different octopus: octonation.com/incirrate-vs-c…

The #EruptionArchives expedition has begun, featuring research that aims to provide information on how active volcanism impacts the ocean and marine ecosystem recovery following a major disturbance. More info: schmidtocean.org/cruise/fire-an…

Totally tubular! Sea cucumbers, members of the echinoderm group, play an important role in recycling nutrients. @noaaoceanexploration calls them the vacuum cleaners of the deep, because “they eat their way along the seafloor, separating the organic matter from the inedible”.

Mantis shrimp along the #SalasyGomezRidge. International scientists observed seamounts w/distinct ecosystems & awe-inspiring creatures & believe the unique attributes of each underwater mountain may warrant comprehensive protection for the whole region. schmidtocean.org/scientists-fin…

discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/m… From the recent #NazcaHighSeas expedition off coast of Chile

The Ocean rocks! Every once in a while, slow your robot down and marvel at the geology.... The science team noticed the different colors and suspect this is a sedimentary layer formed over the volcanic rocks beneath. Footage from an unnamed seamount along the #SalasyGomezRidge.

The Earth is art. One of our talented multimedia correspondents, Alex Ingle, took these stunning images as the current #EruptionArchives expedition got underway and the ship moved toward the fjords along the southern coast of Chile. #SciArtFriday schmidtocean.org/cruise/fire-an…

Pristine Ecosystems And A Hundred New Lifeforms Discovered Remote Seamounts astrobiology.com/2024/04/pristi… #Astrobiology #ROV #Oceanography Schmidt Ocean

The #EruptionArchives expedition is underway! An international science team is studying the underwater effects of a 2008 volcanic eruption near Chaitén. The team has been busy learning the ship and preparing for ROV and CTD operations. (📸 by Alex Ingle) schmidtocean.org/cruise/fire-an…